Your uncle did not bring me up to ignoble feelings. I can
accept nothing except from friends, and I have no friendship for you."
"Then you refuse?" cried the colossus, into whose head the idea had
never entered that a fortune could be rejected.
"I refuse," said Ursula.
"But what grounds have you for offering Mademoiselle Ursula such a
fortune?" asked Bongrand, looking fixedly at Minoret. "You have an
idea--have you an idea?--"
"Well, yes, the idea of getting her out of Nemours, so that my son
will leave me in peace; he is in love with her and wants to marry
her."
"Well, we'll see about it," said Bongrand, settling his spectacles.
"Give us time to think it over."
He walked home with Minoret, applauding the solicitude shown by the
father for his son's interests, and slightly blaming Ursula for her
hasty decision. As soon as Minoret was within his own gate, Bongrand
went to the post house, borrowed a horse and cabriolet, and started
for Fontainebleau, where he went to see the deputy procureur, and was
told that he was spending the evening at the house of the sub-prefect.
Bongrand, delighted, followed him there.
Pages:
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363