anxious curiosity.

"Yes; the poor lady is terribly distressed. It is possible she may come
to see you this evening, Monsieur Minoret."

Ursula pressed her godfather's hand under the table.

"Her son," said Bongrand, "was rather too simple-minded to live in Paris
without a mentor. When I heard that inquiries were being made here about
the property of the old lady I feared he was discounting her death."

"Is it possible you think him capable of it?" said Ursula, with such
a terrible glance at Monsieur Bongrand that he said to himself rather
sadly, "Alas! yes, she loves him."

"Yes and no," said the Nemours doctor, replying to Ursula's question.
"There is a great deal of good in Savinien, and that is why he is now in
prison; a scamp wouldn't have got there."

"Don't let us talk about it any more," said old Minoret. "The poor
mother must not be allowed to weep if there's a way to dry her tears."

The four friends rose and went out; Ursula accompanied them to the gate,
saw her godfather and the abbe knock at the opposite door, and as
soon as Tiennette admitted them she sat down on the outer wall with La
Bougival beside her.

"Madame la vicomtesse," said the abbe, who entered first into the little
salon, "Monsieur le docteur Minoret was not willing that you should have
the trouble of coming to him--"

"I am too much of the old school, madame," interrupted the doctor, "not
to know what a man owes to a woman of your rank, and I am very glad to
be able, as Monsieur l'abbe tells me, to be of service to you."

Madame de Portenduere, who disliked the step the abbe had advised so
much that she had almost decided, after he left her, to apply to the
notary instead, was surprised by Minoret's attention to such a degree
that she rose to receive him and signed to him to take a chair.

"Be seated, monsieur," she said with a regal air. "Our dear abbe has
told you that the viscount is in prison on account of some youthful
debts,--a hundred thousand francs or so. If you could lend them to him I
would secure you on my farm at Bordieres."

"We will talk of that, madame, when I have brought your son back to
you--if you will allow me to be your emissary in the matter."

"Very good, monsieur," she said, bowing her head and looking at the abbe
as if to say, "You were right; he really is a man of good society."

"You see, madame," said the abbe, "that my friend the doctor is full of
devotion to your family."

"We shall be grateful