the　objections　would　not　come　from　your　side；　especially　after　his
  late　conduct〃
  The　amazement　into　which　the　speech　threw　the　old　lady　alone　enabled
  him　to　finish　it。
  〃You　have　lost　your　senses；〃　she　said　at　last。
  〃Think　it　over；　madame；　God　grant　that　your　son　may　conduct　himself　in
  future　in　a　manner　to　win　that　old　man's　respect。〃
  〃If　it　were　not　you；　Monsieur　l'abbe；〃　said　Madame　de　Portenduere；　〃if
  it　were　any　one　else　who　spoke　to　me　in　that　way〃
  〃You　would　not　see　him　again；〃　said　the　abbe；　smiling。　〃Let　us　hope
  that　your　dear　son　will　enlighten　you　as　to　what　occurs　in　Paris　in
  these　days　as　to　marriages。　You　will　think　only　of　Savinien's　good；　as
  you　really　have　helped　to　compromise　his　future　you　will　not　stand　in
  the　way　of　his　making　himself　another　position。〃
  〃And　it　is　you　who　say　that　to　me？〃
  〃If　I　did　not　say　it　to　you；　who　would？〃　cried　the　abbe　rising　and
  making　a　hasty　retreat。
  As　he　left　the　house　he　saw　Ursula　and　her　godfather　standing　in　their
  courtyard。　The　weak　doctor　had　been　so　entreated　by　Ursula　that　he　had
  just　yielded　to　her。　She　wanted　to　go　with　him　to　Paris；　and　gave　a
  thousand　reasons。　He　called　to　the　abbe　and　begged　him　to　engage　the
  whole　coupe　for　him　that　very　evening　if　the　booking…office　were　still
  open。
  The　next　day　at　half…past　six　o'clock　the　old　man　and　the　young　girl
  reached　Paris；　and　the　doctor　went　at　once　to　consult　his　notary。
  Political　events　were　then　very　threatening。　Monsieur　Bongrand　had
  remarked　in　the　course　of　the　preceding　evening　that　a　man　must　be　a
  fool　to　keep　a　penny　in　the　public　funds　so　long　as　the　quarrel
  between　the　press　and　the　court　was　not　made　up。　Minoret's　notary　now
  indirectly　approved　of　this　opinion。　The　doctor　therefore　took
  advantage　of　his　journey　to　sell　out　his　manufacturing　stocks　and　his
  shares　in　the　Funds；　all　of　which　were　then　at　a　high　value；
  depositing　the　proceeds　in　the　Bank　of　France。　The　notary　also　advised
  his　client　to　sell　the　stocks　left　to　Ursula　by　Monsieur　de　Jordy。　He
  promised　to　employ　an　extremely　clever　broker　to　treat　with　Savinien's
  creditors；　but　said　that　in　order　to　succeed　it　would　be　necessary　for
  the　young　man　to　stay　several　days　longer　in　prison。
  〃Haste　in　such　matters　always　means　the　loss　of　at　least　fifteen　per
  cent；〃　said　the　notary。　〃Besides；　you　can't　get　your　money　under　seven
  or　eight　days。〃
  When　Ursula　heard　that　Savinien　would　have　to　say　at　least　a　week
  longer　in　jail　she　begged　her　godfather　to　let　her　go　there；　if　only
  once。　Old　Minoret　refused。　The　uncle　and　niece　were　staying　at　a　hotel
  in　the　Rue　Croix　des　Petits…Champs　where　the　doctor　had　taken　a　very
  suitable　apartment。　Knowing　the　scrupulous　honor　and　propriety　of　his
  goddaughter　he　made　her　promise　not　to　go　out　while　he　was　away；　at
  other　times　he　took　her　to　see　the　arcades；　the　shops；　the　boulevards；
  but　nothing　seemed　to　amuse　or　interest　her。
  〃What　do　you　want　to　do？〃　asked　the　old　man。
  〃See　Saint…Pelagie；〃　she　answered　obstinately。
  Minoret　called　a　hackney…coach　and　took　her　to　the　Rue　de　la　Clef；
  where　the　carriage　drew　up　before　the　shabby　front　of　an　old　convent
  then　transformed　into　a　prison。　The　sight　of　those　high　gray　walls；
  with　every　window　barred；　of　the　wicket　through　which　none　can　enter
  without　stooping　（horrible　lesson！）；　of　the　whole　gloomy　structure　in
  a　quarter　full　of　wretchedness；　where　it　rises　amid　squalid　streets
  like　a　supreme　misery；this　assemblage　of　dismal　things　so　oppressed
  Ursula's　heart　that　she　burst　into　tears。
  〃Oh！〃　she　said；　〃to　imprison　young　men　in　this　dreadful　place　for
  money！　How　can　a　debt　to　a　money…lender　have　a　power　the　king　has　not？
  HE　there！〃　she　cried。　〃Where；　godfather？〃　she　added；　looking　from
  window　to　window。
  〃Ursula；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃you　are　making　me　commit　great　follies。
  This　is　not　forgetting　him　as　you　promised。〃
  〃But；〃　she　argued；　〃if　I　must　renounce　him　must　I　also　cease　to　feel
  an　interest　in　him？　I　can　love　him　and　not　marry　at　all。〃
  〃Ah！〃　cried　the　doctor；　〃there　is　so　much　reason　in　your
  unreasonableness　that　I　am　sorry　I　brought　you。〃
  Three　days　later　the　worthy　man　had　all　the　receipts　signed；　and　the
  legal　papers　ready　for　Savinien's　release。　The　payings；　including　the
  notaries'　fees；　amounted　to　eighty　thousand　francs。　The　doctor　went
  himself　to　see　Savinien　released　on　Saturday　at　two　o'clock。　The　young
  viscount；　already　informed　of　what　had　happened　by　his　mother；　thanked
  his　liberator　with　sincere　warmth　of　heart。
  〃You　must　return　at　once　to　see　your　mother；〃　the　old　doctor　said　to
  him。
  Savinien　answered　in　a　sort　of　confusion　that　he　had　contracted
  certain　debts　of　honor　while　in　prison；　and　related　the　visit　of　his
  friends。
  〃I　suspected　there　was　some　personal　debt；〃　cried　the　doctor；　smiling。
  〃Your　mother　borrowed　a　hundred　thousand　francs　of　me；　but　I　have　paid
  out　only　eighty　thousand。　Here　is　the　rest；　be　careful　how　you　spend
  it；　monsieur；　consider　what　you　have　left　of　it　as　your　stake　on　the
  green　cloth　of　fortune。〃
  During　the　last　eight　days　Savinien　had　made　many　reflections　on　the
  present　conditions　of　life。　Competition　in　everything　necessitated
  hard　work　on　the　part　of　whoever　sought　a　fortune。　Illegal　methods　and
  underhand　dealing　demanded　more　talent　than　open　efforts　in　face　of
  day。　Success　in　society；　far　from　giving　a　man　position；　wasted　his
  time　and　required　an　immense　deal　of　money。　The　name　of　Portenduere；
  which　his　mother　considered　all…powerful；　had　no　power　at　all　in
  Paris。　His　cousin　the　deputy；　Comte　de　Portenduere；　cut　a　very　poor
  figure　in　the　Elective　Chamber　in　presence　of　the　peerage　and　the
  court；　and　had　none　too　much　credit　personally。　Admiral　Kergarouet
  existed　only　as　the　husband　of　his　wife。　Savinien　admitted　to　himself
  that　he　had　seen　orators；　men　from　the　middle　classes；　or　lesser
  noblemen；　become　influential　personages。　Money　was　the　pivot；　the　sole
  means；　the　only　mechanism　of　a　society　which　Louis　XVIII。　had　tried　to
  create　in　the　likeness　of　that　of　England。
  On　his　way　from　the　Rue　de　la　Clef　to　the　Rue　Croix　des　Petits…Champs
  the　young　gentleman　divulged　the　upshot　of　these　meditations　（which
  were　certainly　in　keeping　with　de　Marsay's　advice）　to　the　old　doctor。
  〃I　ought；〃　he　said；　〃to　go　into　oblivion　for　three　or　four　years　and
  seek　a　career。　Perhaps　I　could　make　myself　a　name　by　writing　a　book　on
  statesmanship　or　morals；　or　a　treatise　on　some　of　the　great　questions
  of　the　day。　While　I　am　looking　out　for　a　marriage　with　some　young　lady
  who　could　make　me　eligible　to　the　Chamber；　I　will　work　hard　in　silence
  and　in　obscurity。〃
  Studying　the　young　fellow's　face　with　a　keen　eye；　the　doctor　saw　the
  serious　purpose　of　a　wounded　man　who　was　anxious　to　vindicate　himself。
  He　therefore　cordially　approved　of　the　scheme。
  〃My　friend；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　strip　off　the　skin　of　the　old　nobility
  （which　is　no　longer　worn　these　days）　I　will　undertake；　after　you　have
  lived　for　three　or　four　years　in　a　steady　and　industrious　manner；　to
  find　you　a　superior　young　girl；　beautiful；　amiable；　pious；　and
  possessing　from　seven　to　eight　hundred　thousand　francs；　who　will　make
  you　happy　and　of　whom　you　will　have　every　reason　to　be　proud；one
  whose　only　nobility　is　that　of　the　heart！〃
  〃Ah；　doctor！〃　cried　the　young　man；　〃there　is　no　longer　a　nobility　in
  these　days；nothing　but　an　aristocracy。〃
  〃Go　and　pay　your　debts　of　honor　and　come　back　here。　I　shall　engage　the
  coupe　of　the　diligence；　for　my　niece　is　with　me；〃　said　the　old　man。
  That　evening；　at　six　o'clock；　the　three　travelers　started　from　the　Rue
  Dauphine。　Ursula　had　put　on　a　veil　and　did　not　say　a　word。　Savinien；
  who　once；　in　a　moment　of　superficial　gallantry；　had　sent　her　that　kiss
  which　invaded　and　conquered　her　soul　like　a　love…poem；　had　completely
  forgotten　the　young　girl　in　the　hell　of　his　Parisian　debts；　moreover；
  his　hopeless　love　for　Emilie　de　Kergarouet　hindered　him　from　bestowing
  a　thought　on　a　few　glances　exchanged　with　a　little　country　girl。　He
  did　not　recognize　her　when　the　doctor　handed　her　into　the　coach　and
  then　sat　down　beside　her　to　separate　her　from　the　young　viscount。
  〃I　have　some　bills　to　give　you；〃　said　the　doctor　to　the　young　man。　〃I
  have　brought　all　your　papers　and　documents。〃
  〃I　came　very　near　not　getting　off；〃　said　Savinien；　〃for　I　had　to　order
  linen　and　clothes；　the　Philistines　took　all；　I　return　like　a　true
  prodigal。〃
  However　interesting　were　the　subjects　of　conversation　between　the
  young　man　and　the　old　one；　and　however　witty　and　clever　were　certain
  remarks　of　the　viscount；　the　young　girl　continued　silent　till　after
  dusk；　her　green　veil　lowered；　and　her　hands　crossed　on　her　shawl。
  〃Mademoiselle　does　not　seem　to　have　enjoyed　Paris　very　much；〃　said
  Savinien　at　last；　somewhat　piqued。
  〃I　am　glad　to　return　to　Nemours；〃　she　answered