inoret had seen in dying persons
at moments when they appeared to have the gift of prophecy. Several
times she made gestures which resembled those of Ursula.

"Question her," said the mysterious stranger, to Minoret, "she will tell
you secrets you alone can know."

"Does Ursula love me?" asked Minoret.

"Almost as much as she loves God," was the answer. "But she is very
unhappy at your unbelief. You do not believe in God; as if you could
prevent his existence! His word fills the universe. You are the cause of
her only sorrow.--Hear! she is playing scales; she longs to be a better
musician than she is; she is provoked with herself. She is thinking, 'If
I could sing, if my voice were fine, it would reach his ear when he is
with his mother.'"

Doctor Minoret took out his pocket-book and noted the hour.

"Tell me what seeds she planted?"

"Mignonette, sweet-peas, balsams--"

"And what else?"

"Larkspur."

"Where is my money?"

"With your notary; but you invest it so as not to lose the interest of a
single day."

"Yes, but where is the money that I keep for my monthly expenses?"

"You put it in a large book bound in red, entitled 'Pandects of
Justinian, Vol. II.' between the last two leaves; the book is on the
shelf of folios above the glass buffet. You have a whole row of them.
Your money is in the last volume next to the salon--See! Vol. III. is
before Vol. II.--but you have no money, it is all in--"

"--thousand-franc notes," said the doctor.

"I cannot see, they are folded. No, there are two notes of five hundred
francs."

"You see them?"

"Yes."

"How do they look?"

"One is old and yellow, the other white and new."

This last phase of the inquiry petrified the doctor. He looked at
Bouvard with a bewildered air; but Bouvard and the Swedenborgian, who
were accustomed to the amazement of sceptics, were speaking together in
a low voice and appeared not to notice him. Minoret begged them to allow
him to return after dinner. The old philosopher wished to compose his
mind and shake off this terror, so as to put this vast power to some new
test, to subject it to more decisive experiments and obtain answers to
certain questions, the truth of which should do away with every sort of
doubt.

"Be here at nine o'clock this evening," said the stranger. "I will
return to meet you."

Doctor Minoret was in so convulsed a state that he left the room without
bowing, followed by Bouvard, who called to him from