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〃Whoever it is will know I am dying；〃 said Ursula； 〃and will cease to
trouble me。〃
The abbe； Bongrand； and Savinien were lost in conjectures and
suspicions。 Together with Tiennette； La Bougival； and two persons on
whom the abbe could rely； they kept the closest watch and were on
their guard night and day for a week； but no indiscretion could betray
Goupil； whose machinations were known to himself only。 There were no
more serenades and no more letters； and little by little the watch
relaxed。 Bongrand thought the author of the wrong was frightened；
Savinien believed that the procureur du roi to whom he had sent the
letters received by Ursula and himself and his mother； had taken steps
to put an end to the persecution。
The armistice was not of long duration； however。 When the doctor had
checked the nervous fever from which poor Ursula was suffering； and
just as she was recovering her courage； a rope…ladder was found； early
one morning in July； attached to her window。 The postilion of the
mail…post declared that as he drove past the house in the middle of
the night a small man was in the act of coming down the ladder； and
though he tried to pull up； his horses； being startled； carried him
down the hill so fast that he was out of Nemours before he stopped
them。 Some of the persons who frequented Dionis's salon attributed
these manoeuvres to the Marquis du Rouvre； then much hampered in
means； for Massin held his notes to a large amount。 It was said that a
prompt marriage of his daughter to Savinien would save Chateau du
Rouvre from his creditors； and Madame de Portenduere； the gossips
added； would approve of anything that would discredit and degrade
Ursula and lead to this marriage of her son。
So far from this being true； the old lady was well…nigh vanquished by
the sufferings of the innocent girl。 The abbe was so painfully
overcome by this act of infernal wickedness that he fell ill himself
and was kept to the house for several days。 Poor Ursula； to whom this
last insult had caused a relapse； received by post a letter from the
abbe； which was taken in by La Bougival on recognizing the
handwriting。 It was as follows：
My child；Leave Nemours； and thus evade the malice of your
enemies。 Perhaps they are seeking to endanger Savinien's life。 I
will tell you more when I am able to go to you。
Your devoted friend；
Chaperon。
When Savinien； who was almost maddened by these proceedings； carried
this letter to the abbe； the poor priest read it and re…read it； so
amazed and horror…stricken was he to see the perfection with which his
own handwriting and signature were imitated。 The dangerous condition
into which this last atrocity threw poor Ursula sent Savinien once
more to the procureur du roi with the forged letter。
〃A murder is being committed by means that the law cannot touch；〃 he
said； 〃upon an orphan whom the Code places in your care as legal
guardian。 What is to be done？〃
〃If you can find any means of repression；〃 said the official； 〃I will
adopt them； but I know of none。 That infamous wretch gives the best
advice。 Mademoiselle Mirouet must be sent to the sisters of the
Adoration of the Sacred Heart。 Meanwhile the commissary of police at
Fontainebleau shall at my request authorize you to carry arms in your
own defence。 I have been myself to Rouvre； and I found Monsieur du
Rouvre justly indignant at the suspicions some of the Nemours people
have put upon him。 Minoret； the father of my assistant； is in treaty
for the purchase of the estate。 Mademoiselle is to marry a rich Polish
count； and Monsieur du Rouvre himself left the neighbourhood the day I
saw him； to avoid arrest for debt。〃
Desire Minoret； when questioned by his chief； dared not tell his
thought。 He recognized Goupil。 Goupil； he fully believed； was the only
man capable of carrying a persecution to the very verge of the penal
code without infringing a hair's…breadth upon it。
CHAPTER XVIII
A TWO…FOLD VENGEANCE
Impunity； secrecy； and success increased Goupil's audacity。 He made
Massin； who was completely his dupe； sue the Marquis du Rouvre for his
notes； so as to force him to sell the remainder of his property to
Minoret。 Thus prepared； he opened negotiations for a practice at Sens；
and then resolved to strike a last blow to obtain Ursula。 He meant to
imitate certain young men in Paris who owed their wives and their
fortunes to abduction。 He knew that the services he had rendered to
Minoret； to Massin； and to Cremiere； and the protection of Dionis and
the mayor of Nemours would enable him to hush up the affair。 He
resolved to throw off the mask； believing Ursula too feeble in the
condition to which he had reduced her to make any resistance。 But
before risking this last throw in the game he thought it best to have
an explanation with Minoret； and he chose his opportunity at Rouvre；
where he went with his patron for the first time after the deeds were
signed。
Minoret had that morning received a confidential letter from his son
asking him for information as to what was happening in connection with
Ursula； information that he desired to obtain before going to Nemours
with the procureur du roi to place her under shelter from these
atrocities in the convent of the Adoration。 Desire exhorted his
father； in case this persecution should be the work of any of their
friends； to give to whoever it might be warning and good advice； for
even if the law could not punish this crime it would certainly
discover the truth and hold it over the delinquent's head。 Minoret had
now attained a great object。 Owner of the chateau du Rouvre； one of
the finest estates in the Gatinais； he had also a rent…roll of some
forty odd thousand francs a year from the rich domains which
surrounded the park。 He could well afford to snap his fingers at
Goupil。 Besides； he intended to live on the estate； where the sight of
Ursula would no longer trouble him。
〃My boy；〃 he said to Goupil； as they walked along the terrace； 〃let my
young cousin alone； now。〃
〃Pooh！〃 said the clerk； unable to imagine what capricious conduct
meant。
〃Oh！ I'm not ungrateful； you have enabled me to get this fine brick
chateau with the stone copings （which couldn't be built now for two
hundred thousand francs） and those farms and preserves and the park
and gardens and woods； all for two hundred and eighty thousand francs。
No； I'm not ungrateful； I'll give you ten per cent； twenty thousand
francs； for your services； and you can buy a sheriff's practice in
Nemours。 I'll guarantee you a marriage with one of Cremiere's
daughters； the eldest。〃
〃The one who talks piston！〃 cried Goupil。
〃She'll have thirty thousand francs；〃 replied Minoret。 〃Don't you see；
my dear boy； that you are cut out for a sheriff； just as I was to be a
post master？ People should keep to their vocation。〃
〃Very well； then；〃 said Goupil； falling from the pinnacle of his
hopes； 〃here's a stamped cheque； write me an order for twenty thousand
francs； I want the money in hand at once。〃
Minoret had eighteen thousand francs by him at that moment of which
his wife knew nothing。 He thought the best way to get rid of Goupil
was to sign the draft。 The clerk； seeing the flush of seigniorial
fever on the face of the imbecile and colossal Machiavelli； threw him
an 〃au revoir；〃 by way of farewell； accompanied with a glance which
would have made any one but an idiotic parvenu； lost in contemplation
of the magnificent chateau built in the style in vogue under Louis
XIII。； tremble in his shoes。
〃Are you not going to wait for me？〃 he cried； observing that Goupil
was going away on foot。
〃You'll find me on our path； never fear； papa Minoret；〃 replied
Goupil； athirst for vengeance and resolved to know the meaning of the
zigzags of Minoret's strange conduct。
Since the day when the last vile calumny had sullied her life Ursula；
a prey to one of those inexplicable maladies the seat of which is in
the soul； seemed to be rapidly nearing death。 She was deathly pale；
speaking only at rare intervals and then in slow and feeble words；
everything about her； her glance of gentle indifference； even the
expression of her forehead； all revealed the presence of some
consuming thought。 She was thinking how the ideal wreath of chastity；
with which throughout all ages the Peoples crowned their virgins； had
fallen from her brow。 She heard in the void and in the silence the
dishonoring words； the malicious comments； the laughter of the little
town。 The trial was too heavy； her innocence was too delicate to allow
her to survive the murderous blow。 She complained no more； a sorrowful
smile was on her lips； her eyes appealed to heaven； to the Sovereign
of angels； against man's injustice。
When Goupil reached Nemours； Ursula had just been carried down from
her chamber to the ground…floor in the arms of La B