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screeching voice was agony to the drums of all ears。 Her rigid glance；
conflicting with the soft blue of her eyes； was in visible harmony
with the thin lips of a pinched mouth and a high； projecting； and very
imperious forehead。 Sharp was the glance； sharper still both gesture
and speech。 〃Zelie being obliged to have a will for two； had it for
three；〃 said Goupil； who pointed out the successive reigns of three
young postilions； of neat appearance； who had been set up in life by
Zelie； each after seven years' service。 The malicious clerk named them
Postilion I。； Postilion II。； Postilion III。 But the little influence
these young men had in the establishment； and their perfect obedience
proved that Zelie was merely interested in worthy helpers。
This attempt at scandal was against probabilities。 Since the birth of
her son （nursed by her without any evidence of how it was possible for
her to do so） Madame Minoret had thought only of increasing the family
fortune and was wholly given up to the management of their immense
establishment。 To steal a bale of hay or a bushel of oats or get the
better of Zelie in even the most complicated accounts was a thing
impossible； though she scribbled hardly better than a cat； and knew
nothing of arithmetic but addition and subtraction。 She never took a
walk except to look at the hay； the oats； or the second crops。 She
sent 〃her man〃 to the mowing； and the postilions to tie the bales；
telling them the quantity； within a hundred pounds； each field should
bear。 Though she was the soul of that great body called Minoret…
Levrault and led him about by his pug nose； she was made to feel the
fears which occasionally （we are told） assail all tamers of wild
beasts。 She therefore made it a rule to get into a rage before he did；
the postilions knew very well when his wife had been quarreling with
him； for his anger ricocheted on them。 Madame Minoret was as clever as
she was grasping； and it was a favorite remark in the whole town；
〃Where would Minoret…Levrault be without his wife？〃
〃When you know what has happened；〃 replied the post master； 〃you'll be
over the traces yourself。〃
〃What is it？〃
〃Ursula has taken the doctor to mass。〃
Zelie's pupils dilated； she stood for a moment yellow with anger；
then； crying out； 〃I'll see it before I believe it！〃 she rushed into
the church。 The service had reached the Elevation。 The stillness of
the worshippers enabled her to look along each row of chairs and
benches as she went up the aisle beside the chapels to Ursula's place；
where she saw old Minoret standing with bared head。
If you recall the heads of Barbe…Marbois； Boissy d'Anglas； Morellet；
Helvetius； or Frederick the Great； you will see the exact image of
Doctor Minoret； whose green old age resembled that of those celebrated
personages。 Their heads coined in the same mint （for each had the
characteristics of a medal） showed a stern and quasi…puritan profile；
cold tones； a mathematical brain； a certain narrowness about the
features； shrewd eyes； grave lips； and a something that was surely
aristocraticless perhaps in sentiment than in habit； more in the
ideas than in the character。 All men of this stamp have high brows
retreating at the summit； the sigh of a tendency to materialism。 You
will find these leading characteristics of the head and these points
of the face in all the Encyclopedists； in the orators of the Gironde；
in the men of a period when religious ideas were almost dead； men who
called themselves deists and were atheists。 The deist is an atheist
lucky in classification。
Minoret had a forehead of this description； furrowed with wrinkles；
which recovered in his old age a sort of artless candor from the
manner in which the silvery hair； brushed back like that of a woman
when making her toilet； curled in light flakes upon the blackness of
his coat。 He persisted in dressing； as in his youth； in black silk
stockings； shoes with gold buckles； breeches of black poult…de…soie；
and a black coat； adorned with the red rosette。 This head； so firmly
characterized； the cold whiteness of which was softened by the
yellowing tones of old age； happened to be； just then； in the full
light of a window。 As Madame Minoret came in sight of him the doctor's
blue eyes with their reddened lids were raised to heaven； a new
conviction had given them a new expression。 His spectacles lay in his
prayer…book and marked the place where he had ceased to pray。 The tall
and spare old man； his arms crossed on his breast； stood erect in an
attitude which bespoke the full strength of his faculties and the
unshakable assurance of his faith。 He gazed at the altar humbly with a
look of renewed hope； and took no notice of his nephew's wife； who
planted herself almost in front of him as if to reproach him for
coming back to God。
Zelie； seeing all eyes turned upon her； made haste to leave the church
and returned to the square less hurriedly than she had left it。 She
had reckoned on the doctor's money； and possession was becoming
problematical。 She found the clerk of the court； the collector； and
their wives in greater consternation than ever。 Goupil was taking
pleasure in tormenting them。
〃It is not in the public square and before the whole town that we
ought to talk of our affairs；〃 said Zelie； 〃come home with me。 You
too； Monsieur Dionis；〃 she added to the notary； 〃you'll not be in the
way。〃
Thus the probable disinheritance of Massin； Cremiere； and the post
master was the news of the day。
Just as the heirs and the notary were crossing the square to go to the
post house the noise of the diligence rattling up to the office； which
was only a few steps from the church； at the top of the Grand'Rue；
made its usual racket。
〃Goodness！ I'm like you； Minoret； I forgot all about Desire；〃 said
Zelie。 〃Let us go and see him get down。 He is almost a lawyer； and his
interests are mixed up in this matter。〃
The arrival of the diligence is always an amusement； but when it comes
in late some unusual event is expected。 The crowd now moved towards
the 〃Ducler。〃
〃Here's Desire！〃 was the general cry。
The tyrant； and yet the life and soul of Nemours； Desire always put
the town in a ferment when he came。 Loved by the young men； with whom
he was invariably generous； he stimulated them by his very presence。
But his methods of amusement were so dreaded by older persons that
more than one family was very thankful to have him complete his
studies and study law in Paris。 Desire Minoret； a slight youth；
slender and fair like his mother； from whom he obtained his blue eyes
and pale skin； smiled from the window on the crowd； and jumped lightly
down to kiss his mother。 A short sketch of the young fellow will show
how proud Zelie felt when she saw him。
He wore very elegant boots； trousers of white English drilling held
under his feet by straps of varnished leather； a rich cravat；
admirably put on and still more admirably fastened； a pretty fancy
waistcoat； in the pocket of said waistcoat a flat watch； the chain of
which hung down； and； finally； a short frock…coat of blue cloth； and a
gray hat；but his lack of the manner…born was shown in the gilt
buttons of the waistcoat and the ring worn outside of his purple kid
glove。 He carried a cane with a chased gold head。
〃You are losing your watch；〃 said his mother； kissing him。
〃No； it is worn that way；〃 he replied； letting his father hug him。
〃Well； cousin； so we shall soon see you a lawyer？〃 said Massin。
〃I shall take the oaths at the beginning of next term；〃 said Desire；
returning the friendly nods he was receiving on all sides。
〃Now we shall have some fun；〃 said Goupil； shaking him by the hand。
〃Ha！ my old wag； so here you are！〃 replied Desire。
〃You take your law license for all license；〃 said Goupil； affronted by
being treated so cavalierly in presence of others。
〃You know my luggage；〃 cried Desire to the red…faced old conductor of
the diligence； 〃have it taken to the house。〃
〃The sweat is rolling off your horses；〃 said Zelie sharply to the
conductor； 〃you haven't common…sense to drive them in that way。 You
are stupider than your own beasts。〃
〃But Monsieur Desire was in a hurry to get here to save you from
anxiety；〃 explained Cabirolle。
〃But if there was no accident why risk killing the horses？〃 she
retorted。
The greetings of friends and acquaintances； the crowding of the young
men around Desire； and the relating of the incidents of the journey
took enough time for the mass to be concluded and the worshippers to
issue from the church。 By mere chance （which manages many things）
Desire saw Ursula on the porch as he passed along； and he stopped
short amazed at her beauty。 His action also stopped the advance of the
relations who accompanied him。
In giving her arm to her godfather； Ursula was obliged to hold her
prayer…book