es and practiced; then
she took her embroidery and sat at the window looking on the street.
At four o'clock Savinien, returning from a walk (which he took in all
weathers), finding the window open, would sit upon the outer casing and
talk with her for half an hour. In the evening the abbe and Monsieur
Bongrand came to see her, but she never allowed Savinien to accompany
them. Neither did she accept Madame de Portenduere's proposition, which
Savinien had induced his mother to make, that she should visit there.

Ursula and La Bougival lived, moreover, with the strictest economy; they
did not spend, counting everything, more than sixty francs a month. The
old nurse was indefatigable; she washed and ironed; cooked only twice
a week,--mistress and maid eating their food cold on other days; for
Ursula was determined to save the seven hundred francs still due on the
purchase of the house. This rigid conduct, together with her modesty and
her resignation to a life of poverty after the enjoyment of luxury and
the fond indulgence of all her wishes, deeply impressed certain persons.
Ursula won the respect of others, and no voice was raised against her.
Even the heirs, once satisfied, did her justice. Savinien admired the
strength of character of so young a girl. From time to time Madame de
Portenduere, when they met in church, would address a few kind words
to her, and twice she insisted on her coming to dinner and fetched her
herself. If all this was not happiness it was at least tranquillity.
But a benefit which came to Ursula through the legal care and ability of
Bongrand started the smouldering persecution which up to this time had
laid in Minoret's breast as a dumb desire.

As soon as the legal settlement of the doctor's estate was finished, the
justice of peace, urged by Ursula, took the cause of the Portendueres in
hand and promised her to get them out of their trouble. In dealing with
the old lady, whose opposition to Ursula's happiness made him furious,
he did not allow her to be ignorant of the fact that his devotion to her
service was solely to give pleasure to Mademoiselle Mirouet. He chose
one of his former clerks to act for the Portendueres at Fontainebleau,
and himself put in a motion for a stay of proceedings. He intended to
profit by the interval which must elapse between the stoppage of the
present suit and some new step on the part of Massin to renew the lease
at six thousand francs, get a premium from the prese