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"Obey him," said the unknown personage, extending his hand above the head of the sleeping woman, who seemed to imbibe both light and life from him, "and remember that what you do for him will please me. You can now speak to her," he added, addressing Minoret. "Go to Nemours, to my house, Rue des Bourgeois," said the doctor.
"Send her to my house in Nemours, Rue des Bourgeois; that will do," said Minoret. He took Minoret's hand, which the doctor let him take, and held it for a moment seeming to collect himself; then with his other hand he took that of the woman sitting in the arm-chair and placed the hand of the doctor in it, making a sign to the old sceptic to seat himself beside this oracle without a tripod.
"Cousin," said Minoret, "our uncle accustomed you to more luxury than you have now." "We can be very happy with very little money," she replied. "I thought money might help your happiness," continued Minoret, "and I have come to offer you some, out of respect for the memory of my uncle."
"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?"
In truth the old man's death had all the attraction of a problem. But the doctor himself did not know he was ill; he had his illusions, and neither poor Ursula nor Savinien nor Bongrand nor the abbe were willing to enlighten him as to his condition. The Nemours doctor who came to see him every day did not venture to prescribe. Old Minoret felt no pain; his lamp of life was gently going it.
Remorse is more than a thought; it comes from a feeling which can no more be hidden than love; like love, it has its own tyranny. But, just as Minoret had committed the crime against Ursula without the slightest reflection, so he now blindly longed to drive her from Nemours when he felt himself disturbed by the sight of that wronged innocence.
Come, Minoret, don't stand staring there like a big canary; you are in your own house, and you allow a man to keep his hat on before your wife! I say he shall go. Now, monsieur, be off! a man's house is his castle. I don't know what you mean with your nonsense, but show me your heels, and if you dare touch Desire you'll have to answer to me, you and your minx Ursula."
"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.
When the papers were all signed, Minoret made his fatigue an excuse to leave the house at the same time as the notary and witnesses. "Madame," said the abbe, "why did you affront the excellent Monsieur Minoret, who saved you at least twenty-five thousand francs on those debts in Paris, and had the delicacy to give twenty thousand to your son for his debts of honor?"
So saying, Bongrand pointed to Minoret, who was coming towards them on his way home. "When I was a lawyer in the criminal courts," continued Bongrand, "I naturally had many opportunities to study remorse; but I have never seen any to equal that of this man.
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