Asifhehadpulledthestringofapuppet-show，startingthelittlepeopleinjerksbymeansofmachinery，Dionisbeheldalleyesturnedonhimandallfacesrigidinoneandthesamepose。
“BUTnolawpreventsyourunclefromadoptingormarryingUrsula，“hecontinued。“Asforadoption，thatcouldbecontested，andyouwould，I
think，haveequityonyourside。Theroyalcourtswouldnevertriflewithquestionsofadoptions；youwouldgetahearingthere。ItistruethedoctorisanofficeroftheLegionofhonor，andwasformerlysurgeontotheex-emperor；but，nevertheless，hewouldgettheworstofit。Moreover，youwouldhaveduewarningincaseofadoption——buthowaboutmarriage？OldMinoretisshrewdenoughtogotoParisandmarryherafterayear’sdomicile，andgiveheramillionbythemarriagecontract。Theonlything，therefore，thatreallyputsyourpropertyindangerisyouruncle’smarriagewiththegirl。“
Herethenotarypaused。
“There’sanotherdanger，“saidGoupil，withaknowingair，——“thatofawillmadeinfavorofathirdperson，oldBongrandforinstance，whowillholdthepropertyintrustforMademoiselleUrsula——“