in　Brittany　near　Madame　de　Portenduere；you　could　then　marry　her
  son。〃
  〃Monsieur　Minoret；〃　said　Ursula；　〃I　have　no　claim　to　that　money；　and　I
  cannot　accept　it　from　you。　We　are　scarcely　relations；　still　less　are
  we　friends。　I　have　suffered　too　much　from　calumny　to　give　a　handle　for
  evil…speaking。　What　have　I　done　to　deserve　that　money？　What　reason
  have　you　to　make　me　such　a　present？　These　questions；　which　I　have　a
  right　to　ask；　persons　will　answer　as　they　see　fit；　some　would　consider
  your　gift　the　reparation　of　a　wrong；　and；　as　such；　I　choose　not　to
  accept　it。　Your　uncle　did　not　bring　me　up　to　ignoble　feelings。　I　can
  accept　nothing　except　from　friends；　and　I　have　no　friendship　for　you。〃
  〃Then　you　refuse？〃　cried　the　colossus；　into　whose　head　the　idea　had
  never　entered　that　a　fortune　could　be　rejected。
  〃I　refuse；〃　said　Ursula。
  〃But　what　grounds　have　you　for　offering　Mademoiselle　Ursula　such　a
  fortune？〃　asked　Bongrand；　looking　fixedly　at　Minoret。　〃You　have　an
  ideahave　you　an　idea？〃
  〃Well；　yes；　the　idea　of　getting　her　out　of　Nemours；　so　that　my　son
  will　leave　me　in　peace；　he　is　in　love　with　her　and　wants　to　marry
  her。〃
  〃Well；　we'll　see　about　it；〃　said　Bongrand；　settling　his　spectacles。
  〃Give　us　time　to　think　it　over。〃
  He　walked　home　with　Minoret；　applauding　the　solicitude　shown　by　the
  father　for　his　son's　interests；　and　slightly　blaming　Ursula　for　her
  hasty　decision。　As　soon　as　Minoret　was　within　his　own　gate；　Bongrand
  went　to　the　post　house；　borrowed　a　horse　and　cabriolet；　and　started
  for　Fontainebleau；　where　he　went　to　see　the　deputy　procureur；　and　was
  told　that　he　was　spending　the　evening　at　the　house　of　the　sub…prefect。
  Bongrand；　delighted；　followed　him　there。　Desire　was　playing　whist　with
  the　wife　of　the　procureur　du　roi；　the　wife　of　the　sub…prefect；　and　the
  colonel　of　the　regiment　in　garrison。
  〃I　come　to　bring　you　some　good　news；〃　said　Bongrand　to　Desire；　〃you
  love　your　cousin　Ursula；　and　the　marriage　can　be　arranged。〃
  〃I　love　Ursula　Mirouet！〃　cried　Desire；　laughing。　〃Where　did　you　get
  that　idea？　I　do　remember　seeing　her　sometimes　at　the　late　Doctor
  Minoret's；　she　certainly　is　a　beauty；　but　she　is　dreadfully　pious。　I
  certainly　took　notice　of　her　charms；　but　I　must　say　I　never　troubled
  my　head　seriously　for　that　rather　insipid　little　blonde；〃　he　added；
  smiling　at　the　sub…prefect's　wife　（who　was　a　piquante　brunetteto　use
  a　term　of　the　last　century）。　〃You　are　dreaming；　my　dear　Monsieur
  Bongrand；　I　thought　every　one　knew　that　my　father　was　a　lord　of　a
  manor；　with　a　rent　roll　of　forty…five　thousand　francs　a　year　from
  lands　around　his　chateau　at　Rouvre；good　reasons　why　I　should　not
  love　the　goddaughter　of　my　late　great…uncle。　If　I　were　to　marry　a　girl
  without　a　penny　these　ladies　would　consider　me　a　fool。〃
  〃Have　you　never　tormented　your　father　to　let　you　marry　Ursula？〃
  〃Never。〃
  〃You　hear　that；　monsieur？〃　said　the　justice　to　the　procureur　du　roi；
  who　had　been　listening　to　the　conversation；　leading　him　aside　into　the
  recess　of　a　window；　where　they　remained　in　conversation　for　a　quarter
  of　an　hour。
  An　hour　later　Bongrand　was　back　in　Nemours；　at　Ursula's　house；　whence
  he　sent　La　Bougival　to　Minoret　to　beg　his　attendance。　The　colossus
  came　at　once。
  〃Mademoiselle〃　began　Bongrand；　addressing　Minoret　as　he　entered　the
  room。
  〃Accepts？〃　cried　Minoret；　interrupting　him。
  〃No；　not　yet；〃　replied　Bongrand；　fingering　his　glasses。　〃I　had
  scruples　as　to　your　son's　feelings；　for　Ursula　has　been　much　tried
  lately　about　a　supposed　lover。　We　know　the　importance　of　tranquillity。
  Can　you　swear　to　me　that　your　son　truly　loves　her　and　that　you　have　no
  other　intention　than　to　preserve　our　dear　Ursula　from　any　further
  Goupilisms？〃
  〃Oh；　I'll　swear　to　that；〃　cried　Minoret。
  〃Stop；　papa　Minoret；〃　said　the　justice；　taking　one　hand　from　the
  pocket　of　his　trousers　to　slap　Minoret　on　the　shoulder　（the　colossus
  trembled）；　〃Don't　swear　falsely。〃
  〃Swear　falsely？〃
  〃Yes；　either　you　or　your　son；　who　has　just　sworn　at　Fontainebleau；　in
  presence　of　four　persons　and　the　procureur　du　roi；　that　he　has　never
  even　thought　of　his　cousin　Ursula。　You　have　other　reasons　for　offering
  this　fortune。　I　saw　you　were　inventing　that　tale；　and　went　myself　to
  Fontainebleau　to　question　your　son。〃
  Minoret　was　dumbfounded　at　his　own　folly。
  〃But　where's　the　harm；　Monsieur　Bongrand；　in　proposing　to　a　young
  relative　to　help　on　a　marriage　which　seems　to　be　for　her　happiness；
  and　to　invent　pretexts　to　conquer　her　reluctance　to　accept　the　money。〃
  Minoret；　whose　danger　suggested　to　him　an　excuse　which　was　almost
  admissible；　wiped　his　forehead；　wet　with　perspiration。
  〃You　know　the　cause　of　my　refusal；〃　said　Ursula；　〃and　I　request　you
  never　to　come　here　again。　Though　Monsieur　de　Portenduere　has　not　told
  me　his　reason；　I　know　that　he　feels　such　contempt　for　you；　such
  dislike　even；　that　I　cannot　receive　you　into　my　house。　My　happiness　is
  my　only　fortune；I　do　not　blush　to　say　so；　I　shall　not　risk　it。
  Monsieur　de　Portenduere　is　only　waiting　for　my　majority　to　marry　me。〃
  〃Then　the　old　saw　that　'Money　does　all'　is　a　lie；〃　said　Minoret；
  looking　at　the　justice　of　peace；　whose　observing　eyes　annoyed　him　so
  much。
  He　rose　and　left　the　house；　but；　once　outside；　he　found　the　air　as
  oppressive　as　in　the　little　salon。
  〃There　must　be　an　end　put　to　this；〃　he　said　to　himself　as　he　re…
  entered　his　own　home。
  When　Ursula　came　down；　bring　her　certificates　and　those　of　La
  Bougival；　she　found　Monsieur　Bongrand　walking　up　and　down　the　salon
  with　great　strides。
  〃Have　you　no　idea　what　the　conduct　of　that　huge　idiot　means？〃　he　said。
  〃None　that　I　can　tell；〃　she　replied。
  Bongrand　looked　at　her　with　inquiring　surprise。
  〃Then　we　have　the　same　idea；〃　he　said。　〃Here；　keep　the　number　of　your
  certificates；　in　case　I　lose　them；　you　should　always　take　that
  precaution。〃
  Bongrand　himself　wrote　the　number　of　the　two　certificates；　hers　and
  that　of　La　Bougival；　and　gave　them　to　her。
  〃Adieu；　my　child；　I　shall　be　gone　two　days；　but　you　will　see　me　on　the
  third。〃
  That　night　the　apparition　appeared　to　Ursula　in　a　singular　manner。　She
  thought　her　bed　was　in　the　cemetery　of　Nemours；　and　that　her　uncle's
  grave　was　at　the　foot　of　it。　The　white　stone；　on　which　she　read　the
  inscription；　opened；　like　the　cover　of　an　oblong　album。　She　uttered　a
  piercing　cry；　but　the　doctor's　spectre　slowly　rose。　First　she　saw　his
  yellow　head；　with　its　fringe　of　white　hair；　which　shone　as　if
  surmounted　by　a　halo。　Beneath　the　bald　forehead　the　eyes　were　like　two
  gleams　of　light；　the　dead　man　rose　as　if　impelled　by　some　superior
  force　or　will。　Ursula's　body　trembled；　her　flesh　was　like　a　burning
  garment；　and　there　was　（as　she　subsequently　said）　another　self　moving
  within　her　bodily　presence。　〃Mercy！〃　she　cried；　〃mercy；　godfather！〃
  〃It　is　too　late；〃　he　said；　in　the　voice　of　death；to　use　the　poor
  girl's　own　expression　when　she　related　this　new　dream　to　the　abbe。　〃He
  has　been　warned；　he　has　paid　no　heed　to　the　warning。　The　days　of　his
  son　are　numbered。　If　he　does　not　confess　all　and　restore　what　he　has
  taken　within　a　certain　time　he　must　lose　his　son；　who　will　die　a
  violent　and　horrible　death。　Let　him　know　this。〃　The　spectre　pointed　to
  a　line　of　figures　which　gleamed　upon　the　side　of　the　tomb　as　if
  written　with　fire；　and　said；　〃There　is　his　doom。〃　When　her　uncle　lay
  down　again　in　his　grave　Ursula　heard　the　sound　of　the　stone　falling
  back　into　its　place；　and　immediately　after；　in　the　distance；　a　strange
  sound　of　horses　and　the　cries　of　men。
  The　next　day　Ursula　was　prostrate。　She　could　not　rise；　so　terribly　had
  the　dream　overcome　her。　She　begged　her　nurse　to　find　the　Abbe　Chaperon
  and　bring　him　to　her。　The　good　priest　came　as　soon　as　he　had　said
  mass；　but　he　was　not　surprised　at　Ursula's　revelation。　He　believed　the
  robbery　had　been　committed；　and　no　longer　tried　to　explain　to　himself
  the　abnormal　condition　of　his　〃little　dreamer。〃　He　left　Ursula　at　once
  and　went　directly　to　Minoret's。
  〃Monsieur　l'abbe；〃　said　Zelie；　〃my　husband's　temper　is　so　soured　I
  don't　know　what　he　mightn't　do。　Until　now　he's　been　a　child；　but　for
  the　last　two　months　he's　not　the　same　man。　To　get　angry　enough　to
  strike　meme；　so　gentle！　There　must　be　something　dreadful　the　matter
  to　change　him　like　that。　You'll　find　him　among　the　rocks；　he　spends
  all　his　time　there；doing　what；　I'd　like　to　know？〃
  In　spite　of　the　heat　（it　was　then　September；　1836）；　the　abbe　crossed
  the　canal　and　took　a　path　which　led　to　the　base　of　one　of　the　rocks；
  where　he　saw　Minoret。
  〃You　are　greatly　troubled；　Monsieur　Minoret；〃　said　the　priest　going　up
  to　him。　〃You　belong　to　me　because　you　suffer。　Unhappily；　I　come　to
  increase　your　pain。　Ursula　had　a　terrible　dream　last　night。　Your　uncle
  lifted　the　stone　from　his　grave　and　came　forth　to　prophecy　a　great
  disaster　in　you