Page:Novels of Honoré de Balzac Volume 23.djvu/272

 of going to dinner, but of proceeding to the setting of the seals for the preservation of everybody’s interests.”

Then he took his wife aside to acquaint her with Massin’s ideas in relation to Ursule. The women, whose hearts were full of revenge and who were longing to turn the tables on the little humbug, at once welcomed with enthusiasm the plan of expelling her.

Bongrand appeared and was indignant at the proposal made him by Zélie and Madame Massin that, in his character of the deceased man’s friend, he should ask Ursule to leave the house.

“Go yourselves and turn her out of her father’s, her godfather’s, her uncle’s, her benefactor’s, her guardian’s house! Go, you who only owe your inheritance to her nobleness of mind, take her by the shoulders and thrust her into the street, in front of the whole town! You believe her capable of robbing you? Well then, place a guard over the seals, you will be within your rights. But first know that I will not fix seals on her room; she is in her own home, all that is in it is her own property; I shall inform her of her rights, and shall tell her to there collect all that belongs to her—Oh! in your presence!” he added, hearing growls from the heirs.

“Heyday!” said the tax-collector to the postmaster and to the women, who were stupefied at Bongrand’s choleric speech.

“There’s a magistrate!” cried the postmaster.

Seated on a small sofa, half fainting, her head