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are both too young and too inexperienced to understand the
miseries of a life entered upon without other fortune than that I
have received from the kindness of the late Monsieur de Jordy。 My
godfather desires； moreover； not to marry me until I am twenty。
Who knows what fate may have in store for you in four years； the
finest years of your life？ do not sacrifice them to a poor girl。
Having thus explained to you； monsieur； the opinions of my dear
godfather； who； far from opposing my happiness； seeks to
contribute to it in every way； and earnestly desires that his
protection； which must soon fail me； may be replaced by a
tenderness equal to his own； there remains only to tell you how
touched I am by your offer and by the compliments which accompany
it。 The prudence which dictates my letter is that of an old man to
whom life is well…known； but the gratitude I express is that of a
young girl； in whose soul no other sentiment has arisen。
Therefore； monsieur； I can sign myself； in all sincerity；
Your servant；
Ursula Mirouet。
Savinien made no reply。 Was he trying to soften his mother？ Had this
letter put an end to his love？ Many such questions； all insoluble；
tormented poor Ursula； and； by repercussion； the doctor too； who
suffered from every agitation of his darling child。 Ursula went often
to her chamber to look at Savinien； whom she usually found sitting
pensively before his table with his eyes turned towards her window。 At
the end of the week； but no sooner； she received a letter from him；
the delay was explained by his increasing love。
To Mademoiselle Ursula Mirouet：
Dear Ursula；I am a Breton； and when my mind is once made up
nothing can change me。 Your godfather； whom may God preserve to
us； is right； but does it follow that I am wrong in loving you？
Therefore； all I want to know from you is whether you could love
me。 Tell me this； if only by a sign； and then the next four years
will be the finest of my life。
A friend of mine has delivered to my great…uncle； Vice…admiral
Kergarouet； a letter in which I asked his help to enter the navy。
The kind old man； grieved at my misfortune； replies that even the
king's favor would be thwarted by the rules of the service in case
I wanted a certain rank。 Nevertheless； if I study three months at
Toulon； the minister of war can send me to sea as master's mate；
then after a cruise against the Algerines； with whom we are now at
war； I can go through an examination and become a midshipman。
Moreover； if I distinguish myself in an expedition they are
fitting out against Algiers； I shall certainly be made ensignbut
how soon？ that no one can tell。 Only； they will make the rules as
elastic as possible to have the name of Portenduere again in the navy。
I see very plainly that I can only hope to obtain you from your
godfather； and your respect for him makes you still dearer to me。
Before replying to the admiral； I must have an interview with the
doctor； on his reply my whole future will depend。 Whatever comes
of it； know this； that rich or poor； the daughter of a band master
or the daughter of a king； you are the woman whom the voice of my
heart points out to me。 Dear Ursula； we live in times when
prejudices which might once have separated us have no power to
prevent our marriage。 To you； then； I offer the feelings of my
heart； to your uncle the guarantees which secure to him your
happiness。 He has not seen that I； in a few hours； came to love
you more than he has loved you in fifteen years。
Until this evening。
Savinien。
〃Here； godfather；〃 said Ursula； holding the letter out to him with a
proud gesture。
〃Ah； my child！〃 cried the doctor when he had read it； 〃I am happier
than even you。 He repairs all his faults by this resolution。〃
After dinner Savinien presented himself； and found the doctor walking
with Ursula by the balustrade of the terrace overlooking the river。
The viscount had received his clothes from Paris； and had not missed
heightening his natural advantages by a careful toilet； as elegant as
though he were striving to please the proud and beautiful Comtesse de
Kergarouet。 Seeing him approach her from the portico； the poor girl
clung to her uncle's arm as though she were saving herself from a fall
over a precipice； and the doctor heard the beating of her heart； which
made him shudder。
〃Leave us； my child；〃 he said to the girl； who went to the pagoda and
sat upon the steps； after allowing Savinien to take her hand and kiss
it respectfully。
〃Monsieur； will you give this dear hand to a naval captain？〃 he said
to the doctor in a low voice。
〃No；〃 said Minoret； smiling； 〃we might have to wait too long； butI
will give her to a lieutenant。〃
Tears of joy filled the young man's eyes as he pressed the doctor's
hand affectionately。
〃I am about to leave；〃 he said； 〃to study hard and try to learn in six
months what the pupils of the Naval School take six years to acquire。〃
〃You are going？〃 said Ursula； springing towards them from the
pavilion。
〃Yes； mademoiselle； to deserve you。 Therefore the more eager I am to
go； the more I prove to you my affection。〃
〃This is the 3rd of October；〃 she said； looking at him with infinite
tenderness； 〃do not go till after the 19th。〃
〃Yes；〃 said the old man； 〃we will celebrate Saint…Savinien's day。〃
〃Good…by； then；〃 cried the young man。 〃I must spend this week in
Paris； to take the preliminary steps； buy books and mathematical
instruments； and try to conciliate the minister and get the best terms
that I can for myself。〃
Ursula and her godfather accompanied Savinien to the gate。 Soon after
he entered his mother's house they saw him come out again； followed by
Tiennette carrying his valise。
〃If you are rich；〃 said Ursula to her uncle； 〃why do you make him
serve in the navy？〃
〃Presently it will be I who incurred his debts；〃 said the doctor；
smiling。 〃I don't oblige him to do anything； but the uniform； my dear；
and the cross of the Legion of honor； won in battle； will wipe out
many stains。 Before six years are over he may be in command of a ship；
and that's all I ask of him。〃
〃But he may be killed；〃 she said； turning a pale face upon the doctor。
〃Lovers； like drunkards； have a providence of their own；〃 he said；
laughing。
That night the poor child； with La Bougival's help； cut off a
sufficient quantity of her long and beautiful blond hair to make a
chain； and the next day she persuaded old Schmucke； the music…master；
to take it to Paris and have the chain made and returned by the
following Sunday。 When Savinien got back he informed the doctor and
Ursula that he had signed his articles and was to be at Brest on the
25th。 The doctor asked him to dinner on the 18th； and he passed nearly
two whole days in the old man's house。 Notwithstanding much sage
advice and many resolutions； the lovers could not help betraying their
secret understanding to the watchful eyes of the abbe； Monsieur
Bongrand； the Nemours doctor； and La Bougival。
〃Children；〃 said the old man； 〃you are risking your happiness by not
keeping it to yourselves。〃
On the fete…day； after mass； during which several glances had been
exchanged； Savinien； watched by Ursula； crossed the road and entered
the little garden where the pair were practically alone； for the kind
old man； by way of indulgence； was reading his newspapers in the
pagoda。
〃Dear Ursula；〃 said Savinien； 〃will you make a gift greater than my
mother could make me even if〃
〃I know what you wish to ask me；〃 she said； interrupting him。 〃See；
here is my answer；〃 she added； taking from the pocket of her apron the
box containing the chain made of her hair； and offering it to him with
a nervous tremor which testified to her illimitable happiness。 〃Wear
it；〃 she said； 〃for love of me。 May it shield you from all dangers by
reminding you that my life depends on yours。〃
〃Naughty little thing！ she is giving him a chain of her hair；〃 said
the doctor to himself。 〃How did she manage to get it？ what a pity to
cut those beautiful fair tresses； she will be giving him my life's
blood next。〃
〃You will not blame me if I ask you to give me； now that I am leaving
you； a formal promise to have no other husband than me；〃 said
Savinien； kissing the chain and looking at Ursula with tears in his
eyes。
〃Have I not said so too oftenI who went to see the walls of Sainte…
Pelagie when you were behind them？〃 she replied； blushing。 〃I repeat
it； Savinien； I shall never love any one but you； and I will be yours
alone。〃
Seeing that Ursula was half…hidden by the creepers； the young man
could not deny himself the happiness of pressing her to his heart and
kissing her forehead； but she gave a feeble cry and dropped upon the
bench； and when Savinien sat beside her； entreating pardon； he saw the
doctor standing before them。