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“Yes；thepoorladyisterriblydistressed。Itispossibleshemaycometoseeyouthisevening，MonsieurMinoret。“
Ursulapressedhergodfather’shandunderthetable。
“Herson，“saidBongrand，“wasrathertoosimple-mindedtoliveinPariswithoutamentor。WhenIheardthatinquirieswerebeingmadehereaboutthepropertyoftheoldladyIfearedhewasdiscountingherdeath。“
“Isitpossibleyouthinkhimcapableofit？“saidUrsula，withsuchaterribleglanceatMonsieurBongrandthathesaidtohimselfrathersadly，“Alas！yes，sheloveshim。“
“Yesandno，“saidtheNemoursdoctor，replyingtoUrsula’squestion。
“ThereisagreatdealofgoodinSavinien，andthatiswhyheisnowinprison；ascampwouldn’thavegotthere。“
“Don’tletustalkaboutitanymore，“saidoldMinoret。“Thepoormothermustnotbeallowedtoweepifthere’sawaytodryhertears。“
Thefourfriendsroseandwentout；Ursulaaccompaniedthemtothegate，sawhergodfatherandtheabbeknockattheoppositedoor，andassoonasTiennetteadmittedthemshesatdownontheouterwallwithLaBougivalbesideher。
“Madamelavicomtesse，“saidtheabbe，whoenteredfirstintothelittlesalon，“MonsieurledocteurMinoretwasnotwillingthatyoushouldhavethetroubleofcomingtohim——“
“Iamtoomuchoftheoldschool，madame，“interruptedthedoctor，“nottoknowwhatamanowestoawomanofyourrank，andIamverygladtobeable，asMonsieurl’abbetellsme，tobeofservicetoyou。“
MadamedePortenduere，whodislikedthesteptheabbehadadvisedsomuchthatshehadalmostdecided，afterhelefther，toapplytothenotaryinstead，wassurprisedbyMinoret’sattentiontosuchadegreethatsherosetoreceivehimandsignedtohimtotakeachair。
“Beseated，monsieur，“shesaidwitharegalair。“Ourdearabbehastoldyouthattheviscountisinprisononaccountofsomeyouthfuldebts，——ahundredthousandfrancsorso。IfyoucouldlendthemtohimIwouldsecureyouonmyfarmatBordieres。“
“Wewilltalkofthat，madame，whenIhavebroughtyoursonbacktoyou——ifyouwillallowmetobeyouremissaryinthematter。“
“Verygood，monsieur，“shesaid，bowingherheadandlookingattheabbeasiftosay，“Youwereright；hereallyisamanofgoodsociety。“
“Yousee，madame，“saidtheabbe，“thatmyfriendthedoctorisfullofdevotiontoyourfamily。“
“Weshallbegrateful，monsieur，“saidMadamedePortenduere，makingavisibleeffort；“ajourneytoParis，atyourage，inquestofaprodigal，is——“
“Madame，Ihadthehonortomeet，in’65，theillustriousAdmiraldePortenduereinthehouseofthatexcellentMonsieurdeMalesherbes，andalsointhatofMonsieurleComtedeBuffon，whowasanxioustoquestionhimonsomecuriousresultsofhisvoyages。PossiblyMonsieurdePortenduere，yourlatehusband，waspresent。ThosewerethegloriousdaysoftheFrenchnavy；itborecomparisonwiththatofGreatBritain，anditsofficershadtheirf
