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SeeingthatUrsulawashalf-hiddenbythecreepers，theyoungmancouldnotdenyhimselfthehappinessofpressinghertohisheartandkissingherforehead；butshegaveafeeblecryanddroppeduponthebench，andwhenSaviniensatbesideher，entreatingpardon，hesawthedoctorstandingbeforethem。
“Myfriend，“saidtheoldman，“Ursulaisabornsensitive；tooroughawordmightkillher。Forhersakeyoumustmoderatetheenthusiasmofyourlove——Ah！ifyouhadlovedherforsixteenyearsasIhave，youwouldhavebeensatisfiedwithherwordofpromise，“headded，torevengehimselfforthelastsentenceinSavinien’ssecondletter。
Twodayslatertheyoungmandeparted。InspiteoftheletterswhichhewroteregularlytoUrsula，shefellapreytoanillnesswithoutapparentcause。Likeafinefruitwithawormatthecore，asinglethoughtgnawedherheart。Shelostbothappetiteandcolor。Thefirsttimehergodfatheraskedherwhatshefelt，shereplied:——
“Iwanttoseetheocean。“
“Itisdifficulttotakeyoutoasea-portinthedepthofwinter，“
answeredtheoldman。
“ShallIreallygo？“shesaid。
Ifthewindwashigh，Ursulawasinwardlyconvulsed，certain，inspiteofthelearnedassurancesofthedoctorandtheabbe，thatSavinienwasbeingtossedaboutinawhirlwind。MonsieurBongrandmadeherhappyfordayswiththegiftofanengravingrepresentingamidshipmaninuniform。Shereadthenewspapers，imaginingthattheywouldgivenewsofthecruiseronwhichherloversailed。ShedevouredCooper’ssea-talesandlearnedtousesea-terms。Suchproofsofconcentrationoffeeling，oftenassumedbyotherwomen，weresogenuineinUrsulathatshesawindreamsthecomingofSavinien’sletters，andneverfailedtoannouncethem，relatingthedreamasaforerunner。
“Now，“shesaidtothedoctorthefourthtimethatthishappened，“I
ameasy；whereverSavinienmaybe，ifheiswoundedIshallknowitinstantly。“
TheolddoctorthoughtoverthisremarksoanxiouslythattheabbeandMonsieurBongrandweretroubledbythesorrowfulexpressionofhisface。
“Whatpainsyou？“theysaid，whenUrsulahadleftthem。
“Willshelive？“repliedthedoctor。“Cansotenderanddelicateaflowerendurethetrialsoftheheart？“
Nevertheless，the“littledreamer，“astheabbecalledher，wasworkinghard。Sheunderstoodtheimportanceofafineeducationtoawomanoftheworld，andallthetimeshedidnotgivetohersingingandtothestudyofharmonyandcompositionshespentinreadingthebookschosenforherbytheabbefromhergodfather’srichlibrary。
Andyetwhileleadingthisbusylifeshesuffered，thoughwithoutcomplaint。SometimesshewouldsitforhourslookingatSavinien’swindow。OnSundaysshewouldleavethechurchbehindMadamedePortenduereandwatchhertenderly；for，inspiteoftheoldlady’sharshness，shelovedherasSavinien’smother。Herpietyincreased；
shewenttomasseverymorning，forshefirmlybelievedthatherdreamswerethegiftofGod。
Atlasthergodfather，frightenedbytheeffectsproducedbythisnostalgiaoflove，promisedonherbirthdaytotakehertoToulontoseethedepartureofthefleetforAlgiers。Savinien’sshipformedpartofit，buthewasnottobeinformedbeforehandoftheirintention。TheabbeandMonsieurBongrandkeptsecrettheobjectofthisjourney，saidtobeforUrsula’shealth，whichdisturbedandgreatlypuzzledtherelations。AfterbeholdingSavinieninhisnavaluniform，andgoingonboardthefineflag-shipoftheadmiral，towhomtheministerhadgivenyoungPortenduereaspecialrecommendation，U
