Page:Novels of Honoré de Balzac Volume 23.djvu/197

 the peace at Nemours had said that it was madness to keep one penny’s income in stocks as long as the dispute that had arisen between the press and the Court was still undecided. Minoret’s notary approved of the advice indirectly given by the justice of the peace. And so the doctor took advantage of his journey to realize his industrial shares and his stock, all of which happened to be rising, and to deposit his funds in the Bank. The notary also persuaded his old client to sell out the stock left to Ursule by Monsieur de Jordy, and which, like a good father of a family, he had turned to account. He promised to set an exceedingly crafty agent to deal with Savinien’s creditors; but it was necessary, in order to succeed, that the young man should have the courage to remain a few days longer in prison.

“In this sort of business hurry costs at least fifteen per cent,” said the notary to the doctor. “And, in the first place, you will not have your funds before seven or eight days.”

When Ursule heard that Savinien would be at least a week longer in prison, she begged her guardian to let her accompany him for once. Old Minoret refused. The uncle and the niece were staying in a hotel in the Rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs, where the doctor had taken the whole of a convenient suit; and, knowing his ward’s conscientiousness, made her promise not to go out when he was gone about his business. The good old man took Ursule about Paris, and showed her the thoroughfares, the