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Whiletheseeventsweretakingplacethepostmasterhadhurriedhometoopenthemysteriouspackageandknowitscontents。
TomydearUrsulaMirouet，daughterofmynaturalhalf-brother，JosephMirouet，andDinahGrollman:——
MydearAngel，——ThefatherlyaffectionIbearyou——andwhichyouhavesofullyjustified——camenotonlyfromthepromiseIgaveyourfathertotakehisplace，butalsofromyourresemblancetomywife，UrsulaMirouet，whosegrace，intelligence，frankness，andcharmyouconstantlyrecalltomymind。Yourpositionasthedaughterofanaturalsonofmyfather-in-lawmightinvalidatealltestamentarybequestsmadebymeinyourfavor——
“Theoldrascal！“criedthepostmaster。
HadIadoptedyoutheresultmightalsohavebeenalawsuit，andI
shrankfromtheideaoftransmittingmyfortunetoyoubymarriage，forImightliveyearsandthusinterferewithyourhappiness，whichisnowdelayedonlybyMadamedePortenduere。
Havingweightedthesedifficultiescarefully，andwishingtoleaveyouenoughmoneytosecuretoyouaprosperousexistence——
“Thescoundrel，hehasthoughtofeverything！“——
withoutinjuringmyheirs——
“TheJesuit！asifhedidnotoweuseverypennyofhismoney！“——
IintendyoutohavethesavingsfrommyincomewhichIhaveforthelasteighteenyearssteadilyinvested，bythehelpofmynotary，seekingtomakeyoutherebyashappyasanyonecanbemadebyriches。Withoutmeans，youreducationandyourloftyideaswouldcauseyouunhappiness。Besides，yououghttobringaliberaldowrytothefineyoungmanwholovesyou。YouwillthereforefindinthemiddleofthethirdvolumeofPandects，folio，boundinredmorocco(thelastvolumeonthefirstshelfabovethelittletableinthelibrary，onthesideoftheroomnextthesalon)，threecertificatesofFundsinthethree-per-cents，madeouttobearer，eachamountingtotwelvethousandfrancsayear——
“Whatdepthsofwickedness！“screamedthepostmaster。“Ah！Godwouldnotpermitmetobesodefrauded。“
Taketheseatonce，andalsosomeuninvestedsavingsmadetothisdate，whichyouwillfindintheprecedingvolume。Remember，mydarlingchild，thatyoumustobeyawishthathasmadethehappinessofmywholelife；awishthatwillforcemetoasktheinterventionofGodshouldyoudisobeyme。But，toguardagainstallscruplesinyourdearconscience——forIwellknowhowreadyitistotortureyou——youwillfindherewithawillindueformbequeathingthesecertificatestoMonsieurSaviniendePortenduere。So，whetheryoupossesstheminyourownname，orwhethertheycometoyoufromhimyoulove，theywillbe，ineverysense，yourlegitimateproperty。
Yourgodfather，DenisMinoret。
Tothisletterwasannexedthefollowingpaperwrittenonasheetofstampedpaper。
Thisismywill:I，DenisMinoret，doctorofmedicine，settledinNemours，beingofsoundmindandbody，asthedateofthisdocumentwillshow，dobequeathmysoultoGod，imploringhimtopardonmyerrorsinviewofmysincererepentance。Next，havingfoundinMonsieurleVicomteSaviniendePortenduereatrueandhonestaffectionforme，Ibequeathtohimthesumofthirty
