“What does that signify?” cried Dionis.  “The actual case of the bequest of an uncle to an illegitimate child may not yet have been presented for trial; but when it is, the sternness of French law against such children will be all the more firmly applied because we live in times when religion is honored.  I’ll answer for it that out of such a suit as I propose you could get a compromise,—­especially if they see you are determined to carry Ursula to a court of appeals.”

Here the joy of the heirs already fingering their gold was made manifest in smiles, shrugs, and gestures round the table, and prevented all notice of Goupil’s dissent.  This elation, however, was succeeded by deep silence and uneasiness when the notary uttered his next word, a terrible “But!”

As if he had pulled the string of a puppet-show, starting the little people in jerks by means of machinery, Dionis beheld all eyes turned on him and all faces rigid in one and the same pose.

“But no law prevents your uncle from adopting or marrying Ursula,” he continued.  “As for adoption, that could be contested, and you would, I think, have equity on your side.  The royal courts would never trifle with questions of adoptions; you would get a hearing there.  It is true the doctor is an officer of the Legion of honor, and was formerly surgeon to the ex-emperor; but, nevertheless, he would get the worst of it.  Moreover, you would have due warning in case of adoption—­but how about marriage?  Old Minoret is shrewd enough to go to Paris and marry her after a year’s domicile, and give her a million by the marriage contract.  The only thing, therefore, that really puts your property in danger is your uncle’s marriage with the girl.”

Here the notary paused.

“There’s another danger,” said Goupil, with a knowing air,—­“that of a will made in favor of a third person, old Bongrand for instance, who will hold the property in trust for Mademoiselle Ursula—­”

“If you tease your uncle,” continued Dionis, cutting short his head-clerk, “if you are not all of you very polite to Ursula, you will drive him into either a marriage or into making that private trust which Goupil speaks of,—­though I don’t think him capable of that; it is a dangerous thing.  As for marriage, that is easy to prevent.  Desire there has only got to hold out a finger to the girl; she’s sure to prefer a handsome young man, cock of the walk in Nemours, to an old one.”

“Mother,” said Desire to Zelie’s ear, as much allured by the millions as by Ursula’s beauty, “If I married her we should get the whole property.”

“Are you crazy?—­you, who’ll some day have fifty thousand francs a year and be made a deputy!  As long as I live you never shall cut your throat by a foolish marriage.  Seven hundred thousand francs, indeed!  Why, the mayor’s only daughter will have fifty thousand a year, and they have already proposed her to me—­”

This reply, the first rough speech his mother had ever made to him, extinguished in Desire’s breast all desire for a marriage with the beautiful Ursula; for his father and he never got the better of any decision once written in the terrible blue eyes of Zelie Minoret.