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you to do so in absolute freedom； I give you back the promise you
made to yourselfnot to mein a moment which can never fade from
my memory； for it was； like other days that have succeeded it； of
angelic purity and sweetness。 That memory will suffice me for my
life。 If you should persist in your pledge to me； a dark and
terrible idea would henceforth trouble my happiness。 In the midst
of our privationswhich we have hitherto accepted so gaylyyou
might reflect； too late； that life would have been to you a better
thing had you now conformed to the laws of the world。 If you were
a man to express that thought； it would be to me the sentence of
an agonizing death； if you did not express it； I should watch
suspiciously every cloud upon your brow。
Dear Savinien； I have preferred you to all else on earth。 I was
right to do so； for my godfather； though jealous of you； used to
say to me； 〃Love him； my child； you will certainly belong to each
other one of these days。〃 When I went to Paris I loved you
hopelessly； and the feeling contented me。 I do not know if I can
now return to it； but I shall try。 What are we； after all； at this
moment？ Brother and sister。 Let us stay so。 Marry that happy girl
who can have the joy of giving to your name the lustre it ought to
have； and which your mother thinks I should diminish。 You will not
hear of me again。 The world will approve of you； I shall never
blame youbut I shall love you ever。 Adieu； then！
〃Wait；〃 cried the young man。 Signing to La Bougival to sit down； he
scratched off hastily the following reply：
My dear Ursula；Your letter cuts me to the heart； inasmuch as you
have needlessly felt such pain； and also because our hearts； for
the first time； have failed to understand each other。 If you are
not my wife now； it is solely because I cannot marry without my
mother's consent。 Dear； eight thousand francs a year and a pretty
cottage on the Loing； why； that's a fortune； is it not？ You know
we calculated that if we kept La Bougival we could lay by half our
income every year。 You allowed me that evening； in your uncle's
garden； to consider you mine； you cannot now of yourself break
those ties which are common to both of us。Ursula； need I tell
you that I yesterday informed Monsieur du Rouvre that even if I
were free I could not receive a fortune from a young person whom I
did not know？ My mother refuses to see you again； I must therefore
lose the happiness of our evenings； but surely you will not
deprive me of the brief moments I can spend at your window？ This
evening； then Nothing can separate us。
〃Take this to her； my old woman； she must not be unhappy one moment
longer。〃
That afternoon at four o'clock； returning from the walk which he
always took expressly to pass before Ursula's house； Savinien found
his mistress waiting for him； her face a little pallid from these
sudden changes and excitements。
〃It seems to me that until now I have never known what the pleasure of
seeing you is；〃 she said to him。
〃You once said to me；〃 replied Savinien； smiling；〃for I remember all
your words；'Love lives by patience； we will wait！' Dear； you have
separated love from faith。 Ah！ this shall be the end of our quarrels；
we will never have another。 You have claimed to love me better than I
love you； butdid I ever doubt you？〃 he said； offering her a bouquet
of wild…flowers arranged to express his thoughts。
〃You have never had any reason to doubt me；〃 she replied； 〃and；
besides； you don't know all；〃 she added； in a troubled voice。
Ursula had refused to receive letters by the post。 But that afternoon；
without being able even to guess at the nature of the trick； she had
found； a few moments before Savinien's arrival； a letter tossed on her
sofa which contained the words： 〃Tremble！ a rejected lover can become
a tiger。〃
Withstanding Savinien's entreaties； she refused to tell him； out of
prudence； the secret of her fears。 The delight of seeing him again；
after she had thought him lost to her； could alone have made her
recover from the mortal chill of terror。 The expectation of indefinite
evil is torture to every one； suffering assumes the proportions of the
unknown； and the unknown is the infinite of the soul。 To Ursula the
pain was exquisite。 Something without her bounded at the slightest
noise； yet she was afraid of silence； and suspected even the walls of
collusion。 Even her sleep was restless。 Goupil； who knew nothing of
her nature； delicate as that of a flower； had found； with the instinct
of evil； the poison that could wither and destroy her。
The next day passed without a shock。 Ursula sat playing on her piano
till very late； and went to bed easier in mind and very sleepy。 About
midnight she was awakened by the music of a band composed of a
clarinet； hautboy； flute； cornet a piston； trombone； bassoon；
flageolet； and triangle。 All the neighbours were at their windows。 The
poor girl； already frightened at seeing the people in the street；
received a dreadful shock as she heard the coarse； rough voice of a
man proclaiming in loud tones： 〃For the beautiful Ursula Mirouet； from
her lover。〃
The next day； Sunday； the whole town had heard of it； and as Ursula
entered and left the church she saw the groups of people who stood
gossiping about her； and felt herself the object of their terrible
curiosity。 The serenade set all tongues wagging； and conjectures were
rife on all sides。 Ursula reached home more dead than alive；
determined not to leave the house again；the abbe having advised her
to say vespers in her own room。 As she entered the house she saw lying
in the passage； which was floored with brick； a letter which had
evidently been slipped under the door。 She picked it up and read it；
under the idea that it would obtain an explanation。 It was as
follows：
〃Resign yourself to becoming my wife； rich and idolized。 I am
resolved。 If you are not mine living you shall be mine dead。 To
your refusal you may attribute not only your own misfortunes； but
those which will fall on others。
〃He who loves you； and whose wife you will be。〃
Curiously enough； at the very moment that the gentle victim of this
plot was drooping like a cut flower； Mesdemoiselles Massin； Dionis；
and Cremiere were envying her lot。
〃She is a lucky girl；〃 they were saying； 〃people talk of her； and
court her； and quarrel about her。 The serenade was charming； there was
a cornet…a…piston。〃
〃What's a piston？〃
〃A new musical instrument； as big as this； see！〃 replied Angelique
Cremiere to Pamela Massin。
Early that morning Savinien had gone to Fontainebleau to endeavor to
find out who had engaged the musicians of the regiment then in
garrison。 But as there were two men to each instrument it was
impossible to find out which of them had gone to Nemours。 The colonel
forbade them to play for any private person in future without his
permission。 Savinien had an interview with the procureur du roi；
Ursula's legal guardian； and explained to him the injury these scenes
would do to a young girl naturally so delicate and sensitive； begging
him to take some action to discover the author of such wrong。
Three nights later three violins； a flute； a guitar； and a hautboy
began another serenade。 This time the musicians fled towards
Montargis； where there happened then to be a company of comic actors。
A loud and ringing voice called out as they left： 〃To the daughter of
the regimental bandsman Mirouet。〃 By this means all Nemours came to
know the profession of Ursula's father； a secret the old doctor had
sedulously kept。
Savinien did not go to Montargis。 He received in the course of the day
an anonymous letter containing a prophecy：
〃You will never marry Ursula。 If you wish her to live； give her up
at once to a man who loves her more than you love her。 He has made
himself a musician and an artist to please her； and he would
rather see her dead than let her be your wife。〃
The doctor came to Ursula three times in the course of that day； for
she was really in danger of death from the horror of this mysterious
persecution。 Feeling that some infernal hand had plunged her into the
mire； the poor girl lay like a martyr； she said nothing； but lifted
her eyes to heaven； and wept no more； she seemed awaiting other blows；
and prayed fervently。
〃I am glad I cannot go down into the salon；〃 she said to Monsieur
Bongrand and the abbe； who left her as little as possible； 〃HE would
come； and I am now unworthy of the looks with which HE blessed me。 Do
you think HE will suspect me？〃
〃If Savinien does not discover the author of these infamies he means
to get the assistance of the Paris police；〃 said Bongrand。
〃Whoever it is will know I am dying；〃 said Ursula； 〃and will cease to
trouble me。〃
The abbe； Bongrand