with the doctor had
explained the reason of the latter's absence to the newsmongers of the
town and to the heirs, who were once more assembled in conventicle on
the square, just as they were two weeks earlier when the doctor attended
his first mass. To the great astonishment of all the groups, Madame de
Portenduere, on leaving the church, stopped old Minoret, who offered
her his arm and took her home. The old lady asked him to dinner that
evening, also asking his niece and assuring him that the abbe would be
the only other guest.

"He must have wished Ursula to see Paris," said Minoret-Levrault.

"Pest!" cried Cremiere; "he can't take a step without that girl!"

"Something must have happened to make old Portenduere accept his arm,"
said Massin.

"So none of you have guessed that your uncle has sold his Funds and
released that little Savinien?" cried Goupil. "He refused Dionis, but he
didn't refuse Madame de Portenduere--Ha, ha! you are all done for. The
viscount will propose a marriage-contract instead of a mortgage, and the
doctor will make the husband settle on his jewel of a girl the sum he
has now paid to secure the alliance."

"It is not a bad thing to marry Ursula to Savinien," said the butcher.
"The old lady gives a dinner to-day to Monsieur Minoret. Tiennette came
early for a filet."

"Well, Dionis, here's a fine to-do!" said Massin, rushing up to the
notary, who was entering the square.

"What is? It's all going right," returned the notary. "Your uncle has
sold his Funds and Madame de Portenduere has sent for me to witness the
signing of a mortgage on her property for one hundred thousand francs,
lent to her by your uncle."

"Yes, but suppose the young people should marry?"

"That's as if you said Goupil was to be my successor."

"The two things are not so impossible," said Goupil.

On returning from mass Madame de Portenduere told Tiennette to inform
her son that she wished to see him.

The little house had three bedrooms on the first floor. That of Madame
de Portenduere and that of her late husband were separated by a
large dressing-room lighted by a skylight, and connected by a little
antechamber which opened on the staircase. The window of the other
room, occupied by Savinien, looked, like that of his late father, on the
street. The staircase went up at the back of the house, leaving room
for a little study lighted by a small round window opening on the court.
Madame de Portenduere's bedroom