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had passed one evening together they found so much pleasure in it that
the priest and soldier returned every night regularly at nine o'clock；
the hour at which； little Ursula having gone to bed； the doctor was
free。 All three would then sit up till midnight or one o'clock。
After a time this trio became a quartette。 Another man to whom life
was known； and who owed to his practical training as a lawyer； the
indulgence； knowledge； observation； shrewdness； and talent for
conversation which the soldier； doctor； and priest owed to their
practical dealings with the souls； diseases； and education of men； was
added to the number。 Monsieur Bongrand； the justice of peace； heard of
the pleasure of these evenings and sought admittance to the doctor's
society。 Before becoming justice of peace at Nemours he had been for
ten years a solicitor at Melun； where he conducted his own cases；
according to the custom of small towns； where there are no barristers。
He became a widower at forty…five years of age； but felt himself still
too active to lead an idle life； he therefore sought and obtained the
position of justice of peace at Nemours； which became vacant a few
months before the arrival of Doctor Minoret。 Monsieur Bongrand lived
modestly on his salary of fifteen hundred francs； in order that he
might devote his private income to his son； who was studying law in
Paris under the famous Derville。 He bore some resemblance to a retired
chief of a civil service office； he had the peculiar face of a
bureaucrat； less sallow than pallid； on which public business；
vexations； and disgust leave their imprint；a face lined by thought；
and also by the continual restraints familiar to those who are trained
not to speak their minds freely。 It was often illumined by smiles
characteristic of men who alternately believe all and believe nothing；
who are accustomed to see and hear all without being startled； and to
fathom the abysses which self…interest hollows in the depths of the
human heart。
Below the hair； which was less white than discolored； and worn
flattened to the head； was a fine； sagacious forehead； the yellow
tones of which harmonized well with the scanty tufts of thin hair。 His
face； with the features set close together； bore some likeness to that
of a fox； all the more because his nose was short and pointed。 In
speaking； he spluttered at the mouth； which was broad like that of
most great talkers；a habit which led Goupil to say； ill…naturedly；
〃An umbrella would be useful when listening to him；〃 or； 〃The justice
rains verdicts。〃 His eyes looked keen behind his spectacles； but if he
took the glasses off his dulled glance seemed almost vacant。 Though he
was naturally gay； even jovial； he was apt to give himself too
important and pompous an air。 He usually kept his hands in the pockets
of his trousers； and only took them out to settle his eye…glasses on
his nose； with a movement that was half comic； and which announced the
coming of a keen observation or some victorious argument。 His
gestures； his loquacity； his innocent self…assertion； proclaimed the
provincial lawyer。 These slight defects were； however； superficial； he
redeemed them by an exquisite kind…heartedness which a rigid moralist
might call the indulgence natural to superiority。 He looked a little
like a fox； and he was thought to be very wily； but never false or
dishonest。 His wiliness was perspicacity； and consisted in foreseeing
results and protecting himself and others from the traps set for them。
He loved whist； a game known to the captain and the doctor； and which
the abbe learned to play in a very short time。
This little circle of friends made for itself an oasis in Mironet's
salon。 The doctor of Nemours； who was not without education and
knowledge of the world； and who greatly respected Minoret as an honor
to the profession； came there sometimes； but his duties and also his
fatigue （which obliged him to go to bed early and to be up early）
prevented his being as assiduously present as the three other friends。
This intercourse of five superior men； the only ones in Nemours who
had sufficiently wide knowledge to understand each other； explains old
Minoret's aversion to his relatives； if he were compelled to leave
them his money； at least he need not admit them to his society。
Whether the post master； the sheriff； and the collector understood
this distinction； or whether they were reassured by the evident
loyalty and benefactions of their uncle； certain it is that they
ceased； to his great satisfaction； to see much of him。 So； about eight
months after the arrival of the doctor these four players of whist and
backgammon made a solid and exclusive little world which was to each a
fraternal aftermath； an unlooked for fine season； the gentle pleasures
of which were the more enjoyed。 This little circle of choice spirits
closed round Ursula； a child whom each adopted according to his
individual tendencies； the abbe thought of her soul； the judge
imagined himself her guardian； the soldier intended to be her teacher；
and as for Minoret； he was father； mother； and physician； all in one。
After he became acclimated old Minoret settled into certain habits of
life； under fixed rules； after the manner of the provinces。 On
Ursula's account he received no visitors in the morning； and never
gave dinners； but his friends were at liberty to come to his house at
six o'clock and stay till midnight。 The first…comers found the
newspapers on the table and read them while awaiting the rest； or they
sometimes sallied forth to meet the doctor if he were out for a walk。
This tranquil life was not a mere necessity of old age； it was the
wise and careful scheme of a man of the world to keep his happiness
untroubled by the curiosity of his heirs and the gossip of a little
town。 He yielded nothing to that capricious goddess； public opinion；
whose tyranny （one of the present great evils of France） was just
beginning to establish its power and to make the whole nation a mere
province。 So； as soon as the child was weaned and could walk alone；
the doctor sent away the housekeeper whom his niece； Madame Minoret…
Levrault had chosen for him； having discovered that she told her
patroness everything that happened in his household。
Ursula's nurse； the widow of a poor workman （who possessed no name but
a baptismal one； and who came from Bougival） had lost her last child；
aged six months； just as the doctor； who knew her to be a good and
honest creature； engaged her as wetnurse for Ursula。 Antoinette Patris
（her maiden name）； widow of Pierre； called Le Bougival； attached
herself naturally to Ursula； as wetmaids do to their nurslings。 This
blind maternal affection was accompanied in this instance by household
devotion。 Told of the doctor's intention to send away his housekeeper；
La Bougival secretly learned to cook； became neat and handy； and
discovered the old man's ways。 She took the utmost care of the house
and furniture； in short she was indefatigable。 Not only did the doctor
wish to keep his private life within four walls； as the saying is； but
he also had certain reasons for hiding a knowledge of his business
affairs from his relatives。 At the end of the second year after his
arrival La Bougival was the only servant in the house； on her
discretion he knew he could count； and he disguised his real purposes
by the all…powerful open reason of a necessary economy。 To the great
satisfaction of his heirs he became a miser。 Without fawning or
wheedling； solely by the influence of her devotion and solicitude； La
Bougival； who was forty…three years old at the time this tale begins；
was the housekeeper of the doctor and his protegee； the pivot on which
the whole house turned； in short； the confidential servant。 She was
called La Bougival from the admitted impossibility of applying to her
person the name that actually belonged to her； Antoinettefor names
and forms do obey the laws of harmony。
The doctor's miserliness was not mere talk； it was real； and it had an
object。 From the year 1817 he cut off two of his newspapers and ceased
subscribing to periodicals。 His annual expenses； which all Nemours
could estimate； did not exceed eighteen hundred francs a year。 Like
most old men his wants in linen； boots； and clothing； were very few。
Every six months he went to Paris； no doubt to draw and reinvest his
income。 In fifteen years he never said a single word to any one in
relation to his affairs。 His confidence in Bongrand was of slow
growth； it was not until after the revolution of 1830 that he told him
of his projects。 Nothing further was known of the doctor's life either
by the bourgeoisie at large or by his heirs。 As for his political
opinions； he did not meddle in public matters seeing that he paid less
than a hundred francs a year in taxes； and refused； impartially； to
subscribe to either royalist or liberal demands。 His known horror for
t