Ursula’sextremebeauty，towhichheralmosthopelesslovegaveadepthwhichgreatpaintershavesometimesconveyedinpictureswherethesoulisbroughtintostrongrelief，hadstruckMadamedePortendueresuddenly，andmadehersuspectthatthedoctor’sapparentgenerositymaskedanambitiousscheme。ShehadmadethespeechtowhichSavinienrepliedwiththeintentionofwoundingthedoctorinthatwhichwasdearesttohim；andshesucceeded，thoughtheoldmancouldhardlyrestrainasmileasheheardhimselfstyleda“chevalier，“amusedtoobservehowtheeagernessofaloverdidnotshrinkfromabsurdity。
“TheorderofSaint-Michelwhichinformerdaysmencommittedfolliestoobtain，“hesaid，“hasnow，Monsieurlevicomte，gonethewayofotherprivileges！Itisgivenonlytodoctorsandpoorartists。ThekingshavedonewelltojoinittothatofSaint-Lazarewhowas，I
believe，apoordevilrecalledtolifebyamiracle。FromthispointofviewtheorderofSaint-MichelandSaint-Lazaremaybe，formanyofus，symbolic。“
Afterthisreply，atoncesarcasticanddignified，silencereigned，which，asnooneseemedinclinedtobreakit，wasbecomingawkward，whentherewasarapatthedoor。
“Thereisourdearabbe，“saidtheoldlady，whorose，leavingUrsulaalone，andadvancingtomeettheAbbeChaperon，——anhonorshehadnotpaidtothedoctorandhisniece。