you occupied my soul
as a queen takes possession of her empire. I will have no other wife
than you. You have every qualification I desire in her who is to bear my
name. The education you have received and the dignity of your own mind,
place you on the level of the highest positions. But I doubt myself
too much to dare describe you to yourself; I can only love you. After
listening to you yesterday I recalled certain words which seem as though
written for you; suffer me to transcribe them:--

"Made to draw all hearts and charm all eyes, gentle and intelligent,
spiritual yet able to reason, courteous as though she had passed her
life at court, simple as the hermit who had never known the world, the
fire of her soul is tempered in her eyes by sacred modesty."

I feel the value of the noble soul revealed in you by many, even the
most trifling, things. This it is which gives me the courage to ask you,
provided you love no one else, to let me prove to you by my conduct and
my devotion that I am not unworthy of you. It concerns my very life; you
cannot doubt that all my powers will be employed, not only in trying to
please you, but in deserving your esteem, which is more precious to me
than any other upon earth. With this hope, Ursula--if you will suffer
me so to call you in my heart--Nemours will be to me a paradise, the
hardest tasks will bring me joys derived through you, as life itself is
derived from God. Tell me that I may call myself

Your Savinien.

Ursula kissed the letter; then, having re-read it and clasped it with
passionate motions, she dressed herself eagerly to carry it to her
uncle.

"Ah, my God! I nearly forgot to say my prayers!" she exclaimed, turning
back to kneel on her prie-Dieu.

A few moments later she went down to the garden, where she found her
godfather and made him read the letter. They both sat down on a bench
under the arch of climbing plants opposite to the Chinese pagoda. Ursula
awaited the old man's words, and the old man reflected long, too long
for the impatient young girl. At last, the result of their secret
interview appeared in the following answer, part of which the doctor
undoubtedly dictated.

To Monsieur le Vicomte Savinien de Portenduere:

Monsieur,--I cannot be otherwise than greatly honored by the letter in
which you offer me your hand; but, at my age, and according to the rules
of my education, I have felt bound to communicate it to my godfather,
who is all I have, and