Page:Novels of Honoré de Balzac Volume 23.djvu/190

 he came in the Abbé Chaperon heard the sound of the piano. Poor Ursule was finishing Beethoven’s symphony in A.

With the craftiness that innocence is allowed, the child, whom her godfather had enlightened and who disliked the heirs, chose this grand music which has to be studied to be understood, so as to put these women out of conceit with their fancy. The more beautiful music is, the less ignorant people enjoy it. And so, when the door opened and the Abbé Chaperon showed his venerable head the heirs cried: “Ah! here is Monsieur le Curé!” all delighted at being able to get up and put an end to their torture.

The exclamation found an echo at the card-table, where Bongrand, the Nemours doctor and the old man were victims of the presumption with which the tax-collector, in order to please his great-uncle, had proposed himself as a fourth at whist. Ursule left the piano. The doctor rose as if to greet the curé, but really to put a stop to the game. After greatly complimenting their uncle upon his goddaughter’s talent, the heirs made their bows.

“Good-night, my friends,” cried the doctor when the iron gate resounded.

“Ah! is that what costs so dear?” said Madame Crémière to Madame Massin when they had gone a few steps.

“Heaven defend me from giving the money for my little Aline to treat me to such a clatter in the house!” replied Madame Massin.