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than a hundred francs a year in taxes； and refused； impartially； to
subscribe to either royalist or liberal demands。 His known horror for
the priesthood； and his deism were so little obtrusive that he turned
out of his house a commercial runner sent by his great…nephew Desire
to ask a subscription to the 〃Cure Meslier〃 and the 〃Discours du
General Foy。〃 Such tolerance seemed inexplicable to the liberals of
Nemours。
The doctor's three collateral heirs； Minoret…Levrault and his wife；
Monsieur and Madame Massin…Levrault； junior； Monsieur and Madame
Cremiere…Cremierewhom we shall in future call simply Cremiere；
Massin； and Minoret； because these distinctions among homonyms is
quite unnecessary out of the Gatinaismet together as people do in
little towns。 The post master gave a grand dinner on his son's
birthday； a ball during the carnival； another on the anniversary of
his marriage； to all of which he invited the whole bourgeoisie of
Nemours。 The collector received his relations and friends twice a
year。 The clerk of the court； too poor； he said； to fling himself into
such extravagance； lived in a small way in a house standing half…way
down the Grand'Rue； the ground…floor of which was let to his sister；
the letter…postmistress of Nemours； a situation she owed to the
doctor's kind offices。 Nevertheless； in the course of the year these
three families did meet together frequently； in the houses of friends；
in the public promenades； at the market； on their doorsteps； or； of a
Sunday in the square； as on this occasion； so that one way and another
they met nearly every day。 For the last three years the doctor's age；
his economies； and his probable wealth had led to allusions； or frank
remarks； among the townspeople as to the disposition of his property；
a topic which made the doctor and his heirs of deep interest to the
little town。 For the last six months not a day passed that friends and
neighbours did not speak to the heirs； with secret envy； of the day
the good man's eyes would shut and the coffers open。
〃Doctor Minoret may be an able physician； on good terms with death；
but none but God is eternal；〃 said one。
〃Pooh； he'll bury us all； his health is better than ours；〃 replied an
heir； hypocritically。
〃Well； if you don't get the money yourselves； your children will；
unless that little Ursula〃
〃He won't leave it all to her。〃
Ursula； as Madame Massin had predicted； was the bete noire of the
relations； their sword of Damocles； and Madame Cremiere's favorite
saying； 〃Well； whoever lives will know；〃 shows that they wished at any
rate more harm to her than good。
The collector and the clerk of the court； poor in comparison with the
post master； had often estimated； by way of conversation； the doctor's
property。 If they met their uncle walking on the banks of the canal or
along the road they would look at each other piteously。
〃He must have got hold of some elixir of life；〃 said one。
〃He has made a bargain with the devil；〃 replied the other。
〃He ought to give us the bulk of it； that fat Minoret doesn't need
anything；〃 said Massin。
〃Ah！ but Minoret has a son who'll waste his substance；〃 answered
Cremiere。
〃How much do you really think the doctor has？〃
〃At the end of twelve years； say twelve thousand francs saved each
year； that would give one hundred and forty…four thousand francs； and
the interest brings in at least one hundred thousand more。 But as he
must； if he consults a notary in Paris； have made some good strokes of
business； and we know that up to 1822 he could get seven or eight per
cent from the State； he must now have at least four hundred thousand
francs； without counting the capital of his fourteen thousand a year
from the five per cents。 If he were to die to…morrow without leaving
anything to Ursula we should get at least seven or eight hundred
thousand francs； besides the house and furniture。〃
〃Well； a hundred thousand to Minoret； and three hundred thousand
apiece to you and me； that would be fair。〃
〃Ha； that would make us comfortable！〃
〃If he did that；〃 said Massin； 〃I should sell my situation in court
and buy an estate； I'd try to be judge at Fontainebleau； and get
myself elected deputy。〃
〃As for me I should buy a brokerage business；〃 said the collector。
〃Unluckily； that girl he has on his arm and the abbe have got round
him。 I don't believe we can do anything with him。〃
〃Still； we know very well he will never leave anything to the Church。〃
CHAPTER IV
ZELIE
The fright of the heirs at beholding their uncle on his way to mass
will now be understood。 The dullest persons have mind enough to
foresee a danger to self…interests。 Self…interest constitutes the mind
of the peasant as well as that of the diplomatist； and on that ground
the stupidest of men is sometimes the most powerful。 So the fatal
reasoning； 〃If that little Ursula has influence enough to drag her
godfather into the pale of the Church she will certainly have enough
to make him leave her his property；〃 was now stamped in letters of
fire on the brains of the most obtuse heir。 The post master had
forgotten about his son in his hurry to reach the square； for if the
doctor were really in the church hearing mass it was a question of
losing two hundred and fifty thousand francs。 It must be admitted that
the fears of these relations came from the strongest and most
legitimate of social feelings； family interests。
〃Well； Monsieur Minoret；〃 said the mayor （formerly a miller who had
now become royalist； named Levrault…Cremiere）； 〃when the devil gets
old the devil a monk would be。 Your uncle； they say； is one of us。〃
〃Better late than never； cousin；〃 responded the post master； trying to
conceal his annoyance。
〃How that fellow will grin if we are defrauded！ He is capable of
marrying his son to that damned girlmay the devil get her！〃 cried
Cremiere； shaking his fists at the mayor as he entered the porch。
〃What's Cremiere grumbling about？〃 said the butcher of the town； a
Levrault…Levrault the elder。 〃Isn't he pleased to see his uncle on the
road to paradise？〃
〃Who would ever have believed it！〃 ejaculated Massin。
〃Ha！ one should never say； 'Fountain； I'll not drink of your water；'〃
remarked the notary； who； seeing the group from afar； had left his
wife to go to church without him。
〃Come； Monsieur Dionis；〃 said Cremiere； taking the notary by the arm；
〃what do you advise me to do under the circumstances？〃
〃I advise you；〃 said the notary； addressing the heirs collectively；
〃to go to bed and get up at your usual hour； to eat your soup before
it gets cold； to put your feet in your shoes and your hats on your
heads； in short； to continue your ways of life precisely as if nothing
had happened。〃
〃You are not consoling；〃 said Massin。
In spite of his squat； dumpy figure and heavy face； Cremiere…Dionis
was really as keen as a blade。 In pursuit of usurious fortune he did
business secretly with Massin； to whom he no doubt pointed out such
peasants as were hampered in means； and such pieces of land as could
be bought for a song。 The two men were in a position to choose their
opportunities； none that were good escaped them； and they shared the
profits of mortgage…usury； which retards； though it does not prevent；
the acquirement of the soil by the peasantry。 So Dionis took a lively
interest in the doctor's inheritance； not so much for the post master
and the collector as for his friend the clerk of the court； sooner or
later Massin's share in the doctor's money would swell the capital
with which these secret associates worked the canton。
〃We must try to find out through Monsieur Bongrand where the influence
comes from；〃 said the notary in a low voice； with a sign to Massin to
keep quiet。
〃What are you about； Minoret？〃 cried a little woman； suddenly
descending upon the group in the middle of which stood the post
master； as tall and round as a tower。 〃You don't know where Desire is
and there you are； planted on your two legs； gossiping about nothing；
when I thought you on horseback！Oh； good morning； Messieurs and
Mesdames。〃
This little woman； thin； pale； and fair； dressed in a gown of white
cotton with pattern of large； chocolate…colored flowers； a cap trimmed
with ribbon and frilled with lace； and wearing a small green shawl on
her flat shoulders； was Minoret's wife； the terror of postilions；
servants； and carters； who kept the accounts and managed the
establishment 〃with finger and eye〃 as they say in those parts。 Like
the true housekeeper that she was； she wore no ornaments。 She did not
give in （to use her own expression） to gew…gaws and trumpery； she held
to the solid and the substantial； and wore； even on Sundays； a black
apron； in the pocket of which she jingled her household keys。 Her
screeching voice was agony to the drums of all ears。 H