下载辰思小说免费APP
Monsieurlevicomte，Iamapoorgirl，whosefortunedependsentirely，notonlyonmygodfather’sgood-will，butalsoonthedoubtfulsuccessofthemeasureshemaytaketoeludetheschemesofhisrelativesagainstme。ThoughIamthelegitimatedaughterofJosephMirouet，band-masterofthe45thregimentofinfantry，myfatherhimselfwasmygodfather’snaturalhalf-brother；andthereforetheserelativesmay，thoughwithoutreason，beingasuitagainstayounggirlwhowouldbedefenceless。Yousee，monsieur，thatthesmallnessofmyfortuneisnotmygreatestmisfortune。I
havemanythingstomakemehumble。Itisforyoursake，andnotformyown，thatIlaybeforeyouthesefacts，whichtolovinganddevotedheartsaresometimesoflittleweight。ButIbegyoutoconsider，monsieur，thatifIdidnotsubmitthemtoyou，Imightbesuspectedofleadingyourtendernesstooverlookobstacleswhichtheworld，andmoreespeciallyyourmother，regardasinsuperable。
Ishallbesixteeninfourmonths。PerhapsyouwilladmitthatwearebothtooyoungandtooinexperiencedtounderstandthemiseriesofalifeentereduponwithoutotherfortunethanthatI
havereceivedfromthekindnessofthelateMonsieurdeJordy。Mygodfatherdesires，moreover，nottomarrymeuntilIamtwenty。
Whoknowswhatfatemayhaveinstoreforyouinfouryears，thefinestyearsofyourlife？donotsacrificethemtoapoorgirl。
Havingthusexplainedtoyou，monsieur，theopinionsofmydeargodfather，who，farfromopposingmyhappiness，seekstocontributetoitineveryway，andearnestlydesiresthathisprotection，whichmustsoonfailme，maybereplacedbyatendernessequaltohisown；thereremainsonlytotellyouhowtouchedIambyyourofferandbythecomplimentswhichaccompanyit。Theprudencewhichdictatesmyletteristhatofanoldmantowhomlifeiswell-known；butthegratitudeIexpressisthatofayounggirl，inwhosesoulnoothersentimenthasarisen。
Therefore，monsieur，Icansignmyself，inallsincerity，Yourservant，UrsulaMirouet。
Savinienmadenoreply。Washetryingtosoftenhismother？Hadthisletterputanendtohislove？Manysuchquestions，allinsoluble，tormentedpoorUrsula，and，byrepercussion，thedoctortoo，whosufferedfromeveryagitationofhisdarlingchild。UrsulawentoftentoherchambertolookatSavinien，whomsheusuallyfoundsittingpensivelybeforehistablewithhiseyesturnedtowardsherwindow。Attheendoftheweek，butnosooner，shereceivedaletterfromhim；
thedelaywasexplainedbyhisincreasinglove。
ToMademoiselleUrsulaMirouet:
DearUrsula，——IamaBreton，andwhenmymindisoncemadeupnothingcanchangeme。Yourgodfather，whommayGodpreservetous，isright；butdoesitfollowthatIamwronginlovingyou？
Therefore，allIwanttoknowfromyouiswhetheryoucouldloveme。Tellmethis，ifonlybyasign，andthenthenextfouryearswillbethefinestofmylife。
Afriendofminehasdeliveredtomygreat-uncle，Vice-admiralKergarouet，aletterinwhichIaskedhishelptoenterthenavy。
Thekindoldman，grievedatmymisfo
