76
THE MYSTERIES OF PARIS.
times rightand Germain did not make fun of these
names?"
"On the contrary, only the first time, it appeared
droll to him, as to every one elseit is very simple;
but when I explained my reasons, as I had explained
them to M. Cabrion, the tears came into his eyes. From
that day I said, ' M. Germain has a kind heart; he has
nothing against him but his sadness.' And do you see,
Monsieur Rodolphe, that he has brought me misfortune
to reproach him for his sadness. Then I did not com-
prehend how one could be sad. Now I comprehend it
'but too well. But now my work is finished, will you
give me my shawl, my neighbor! it is not cold enough
tor a cloak, is it?"
" We shall go in a carriage, and I will bring you
'.'It is true, we shall go and return quicker; it will be
so much time gained." " But, on reflection, how are
vou going to manage? your work will sutler trom your
visit to the prisons?" "Oh no! no! I have laid my
plans. In the first place, I have my Sundays; I will go
and see Louise and Germain on these daysit will serve
me for a walk and recreation; then, in the week, I shall
go to the prison once or twice; each time will cost me
three good hours, will it not? WeU, to make up for
this, I will work one hour more each day, and I will go
to bed at twelve o'clock instead of eleven; that will
give me a clear gain of seven or eight hours each
week, which I can use in going to see Louise and Ger-
main. You see, I am richer than I appear to be,
added Rigolette, smiling. ' ' And do you not fear this will
fatigue you?" " Bah 1 I can do it; one can do anything;
and, besides, it will not last forever." "Here is your
shawl, my neighbor. I shall not be so indiscreet as
yesterdayI shall not bring my lips too close to this
charming neck." "Ah, my neighbor! yesterday was
yesterdayone cold laugh; but to-day is different-
take care, you prick me!" "Come! the pin is crooked."
" Well, take another; there, on the pin cushion. Ah! I
forget: will you do me a favor, my neighbor?"
" Command, my neighbor." " Make me a good pen,
very coarse, so that I can. on my return, write to this
p 10'r Germain that his commissions are executed. He
shall have my letter to-morrow morning early. " " And
where are your pens!" "There, on the table; the
knife is in the drawer. Stop,-1 am going to light my
candle, for it grows quite dark."
"I shall want it to mend the pen." 'Xnd, besides, I
can't see to tie my bonnet." Rigolette took a match
and lit an end of candle which was in a very shining
candlestick.
"Diable! wax candle, my neighborwhat luxury!
" For all I burn, it cost me a trifle more than a tal-
low candle, and it is so much neater." "Not much
dearer?"                                                        ,,     ,    2
"Mon Dieu! no. I buy these ends of candles by the
pound, and a half pound serves me a month." " But,"
said Rodolphe, mending the pen carefully, while the
grisette tied her bonnet before the glass, " I see no
preparations for your dinner?"
" I haven't a shadow of hunger. I took a cup of
milk this morning: I will take another to-night, with a
little bread; I shall have enough." "Wili you not
come and eat dinner with me when we come away from
Germain's?"
" I thank you, my neighbor, I have the heart too full ;
another time, with pleasure. What do you say to the
evening of the day that poor Germain comes out ot
prison? I invite myself, and afterward we will go to
the play.   Is it said?"                                               
"It is said, my neighbor; I assure you that I shall
not forget this engagement. But to-dayyou refuse
me" " Yes, Monsieur Rodolphe, I should he too stupid
to-day; besides, it would take up too much time. Only
think! it is now, if ever, that I must not be lazy."
" Come, I give up this pleasure for to-day."
" Here, take my bundle, my neighbor; go, before I
will shut the door."
"Here is an excellent pennow, your bundle.
" Take care you don't tumble itit is ' poult de soie
it shows the foldshold it in your handto this way-
lightlywell, pass on, I will light you." And Rodolphe
descended, preceded bv Rigolette. As they psssed the
lodge they saw M, Pipelet, who, with his arms hanging
down, advanced towards them from the bottom of the
alley; in one hand he held the sign, which announced
to the public that he would make "commerce d'ami-
tie" with Cabrion; and in the other, the portrait of the
infernal painter.                                                           .
The despair of Alfred was so overwhelming, that his
chin rested on his breast, and nothit g could be seen
but the top of his " chapeau tromblon." On seeing
him approach thus, with his head down, towards
Rodolphe and Rigolette, one would have said it was a
goat, or a brave " breton champion " preparing for
combat. Anastasia soon appeared on the threshold, and
cried, at the sight of her husband, "Well! old darling!
here you are, hey! what did the commissary say to
V you? Alfred! but pay attention, now, you are going
to poke yourself against my prince of lodgerswho has
Stolen your eyes? Pardon! Monsieur Rodolphe, it is
this beggar of a Cabrion who stupefies him more and
morehe certainly will make him turn to a jackass 
the 'vieuse cheril' Alfred! but, answer, then?" At
this voice, so dear to his heart, M. Pipelet raised his
head; his features were imprinted with a melancholy
bitterness. "What did the commissary say to you?"
repeated Anastasia. " Anastasia, you must collect the
little that we possess, clasp our friends in our arms,
pack our trunks, and expatriate ourselves from France
from my ' belle France!' for, sure now of immunity,
the monster is capable of pursuing me everywhere."
" How! the commissary?"
"The commissary!" cried M. Pipelet, with savage
indignation;    "the  commissary 1  he  laughed in my
"Your face! an aged man, who has so respectable
an air, that you'd look as stupid as a goose, if one did
not know your virtues!"
" Well! notwithstanding that when I had respectful-,
ly deposed before him my heap of complaints and
griefs against this infernal Cabrion, this magistrate,
after having looked at, laughingyes, laughingand I
dare to say itlaughing indecentlythe sign and the
portrait, which I produced as justificatory of my com-
plaint, this magistrate replied, ' My good man, this
Cabrion is a funny fellow: he is a " farceur;" pay no
attention to his jokes. I advise you, now, in a friendly
manner, to laugh at them, for really there is cause!'
'To laugh' Mossieur,' cried I, 'to laugh! but grief is
devouring onethey imbitter my existence, those
Scoundrelsthey pester methey will cause me to lose
my reasonI demand that they be locked up.
they be exiled, at least, from my street.'   At
words the commissary smiled, and obligingly showed
me the door. I understood this gesture of the magis-
trate, and here lam." " Magistrate of nothing at ail!"
cried Madame Pipelet. "AU is finished! Anastasia,
all is finished! No more hope! There is no longer any
justice in France I lam atrociously sacrificed!" and,
by way of peroration, M. Pipelet threw, with all his
strength, ftie portrait and sign to the end of the alley.
Rodolphe and Rigolette had, in the obscurity, slightly
smiled at the despair of M. Pipelet. After having ad-
dressed; some words of consolation to Alfred, whom
Anastasia was calming in the best way she could, the
prince of lodgers left the house of the Rue du Temple
with Rigolette, and got into a carriage to go to the resi-
dence of Francois Germain.
Chapter XVII.The Will.
Francois Germain lived on the Boulevard Saint
Denis, No. 11. We wil! recall to the reader that which
he has doubtless forgotten, that Madame Mathieu, the
diamond broker of whom we have spoken, lived in the
same house as Germain. During the long ride from,
the Rue du Temple to the Rue Saint Honore, where the
woman lived who furnished Rigolette with work,
Rodolphe was able to appreciate still more the excel-
lent feelings of the young girl. Like all characters in-
stinctively good and devoted, she was not conscious of
the delicacy, the generosity of her conduct, which
seemed to her quite natural.
Nothing had been easier for Rodolphe than to have
made a liberal provision for Rigolette, as well for her
present wants as the future, so that she could have
gone charitably to console Louise and Germain, with-
out counting the time she lost in these visits from her
work, her only resource: but the prince feared to
weaken the merit of the grisette's devotion in render-
ing it too easy ; quite decided to recompense the rare
and charming qualities which he had discovered in her,
he wished to follow her to the end of this new and in-
teresting trial. At the end of an hour, the carriage, on
its return from the Rue Saint Honore, stopped on the
Boulevard Saint Denis, No. 11, before a house of mod-
est appearance.
Rodolphe assisted Rigolette to alight: she entered the
porter's lodge, and communicated to him the inten-
tions of Germain, without forgetting the promised gra-
tuity. From his amenity of disposition, the son of the
Maitre d'Eeole was everywhere loved. The confrere, of
M. Pipelet was much concerned to learn that the house
should lose so honest and quiet a lodger; such were his
expressions.   The grisette, furnished with a light.
that
these
joined lier companion; the porter was to follow, after
a little while, to receive instructions. The chamber of
Germain was on the fourth story. On arriving at the
door, Rigolette said to Rodolphe, giving him the key:
" Here, my neighbor, openmy hand trembles too
much. You will laugh at me; but, in thinking that
poor Germain will never return here, it seems to me I
am about to enter in the chamber of the dead."
" Come, be reasonable, now, my neighborhave no
such ideas!" " I was wrong, but it was stronger than
I," and she wiped away a tear. Without being so
much moved as his companion, Rodolphe, nevertheless,
experienced a painful impression on entering this mod-
est apartment.
Knowing how he had been pursued, and, perhaps,
still pursued by the accomplices of the Maitre d'Eeole,
he knew that this unfortunate young man must have
passed many sad hours in this solitude. Rigolette
placed.the light on a table. Nothing could be more
plain than the furniture of this sleeping room, com-
posed of a bed, a commode, a secretary of black wal-
nut, four straw-bottomed chairs, and a table; white
cotton curtains covered the windows and the alcove;
the only ornaments on the mantelpiece were a decanter
and a glass. From the appearance of the bed, which 
was made, it eould be seen that Germain had thrown
himself upon it without taking off his clothes the night
preceeding his arrest.
" Poor fellow!" said Rigolette, sadly, examining, with
interest, the interior of the chamber; " it is easily to be
seen that he no longer has me for a neighbor. It is in
order, but not neat; there is dust everywhere, the cur-
tains are smoked, the windows are dirty, the floor is
not washed. Ah 1 what a difference ! Rue du Temple,
itwas not handsome,.but it was more gay, because
everything shone with neatness, likeinmy own room."
"It was because you were there, to give your advice."
"But see, now," cried Rigolette, showing the beds, "he
did not go to rest the other night, so much was he dis-
turbed. Look here I this handkerchief, which he has
left, has been steeped in tears. That is plain to be
seen;" and she took it, adding, "Germain has kept-a lit
tie orange-silk cravat of mine, which I gave him when
we were: happy; I am sure he will not be angry."
"Or. the contrary, lie will be very happy at this proof
of your affection." " Now let us think of serious mat-
ters: I will make a package of linen, which I shall find
"in the commode, to take to him in prison: La Mere
Bouvard, who I shall send here tomorrow, will manage
the rest. First, however, I'll open the secretary and
take out the papers and money which M. Germain
begged me keep for him." " But, while I think of
it," said Rodolphe, " Louis Morel gave me, yesterday,
the 1,300 francs in gold, which Germain had given her
to paj the debt of her father, but which I had already
done; Ihave this money: it belongs to Germain, since
he has paid back tne notary; I will give it to you; you-
can add it to the rest. " ' As you please, Monsieur Ro-
dolphe; yet, I would rather not have so large a sum
with me at home, there are so many robbers nowadays.
Papers are very wellthere is nothing to fear; but
moneyit is dangerous." "Perhaps you are right, my
neighbor; shall I take charge of this sum? If Germain
has need of anything, you must let me know at once. I
will leave you my address, and I will send you what he
wants."
" I should not have dared to ask this service from
you; it would be much better, my neighbor. I will
give you also tbe money I shall receive from the sale of
his effects. Letus see these papers." said the young
girl, opening the secretary and several drawers. " Ah !
it is probably this. Here is a large envelope. Ah ! mon
Dieu! look here, Monsieur Rodolphe, how sad it is,
what is written on this." And she read, in a faltering
tone:
"'In the case I should die of a violent death, or
otherwise, I beg the person who should open this secre-
tary to carry these papers to Mademoiselle Rigolette,
sempstress, Rue du Temple, No. 7. '
" Can I break the seal, Monsieur Rodolphe?" " Doubt-
less; does he not say that among these papers there is
one particularly addressed to you?" The young girl
broke the seal. Several papers ivere enclosed; one of
them, bearing the superscription, " To Mademoiselle
Rigolette," contained these words: "Mademoiselle
When vou read this letter, I shall no longer exist. If,
as I fear, I die a violent death, in falling a victim to a
fearful murder, some information, under the title of
' Notes on my Life,' may give a clue to my assassins."
"Ah! Monsieur Rodolphe," said Rigolette, "I am no
longer astonished that he was so sad. Poor Germain !
always lo be pursued by such ideas!"
"Yes; he must have been much afflicted. But his
worst days are over, believe me." "Alas! I hope so,
Monsieur Rodolphe. But, however, to be in prison
accused of robbery." " Be comforted. Once Ins in-
nocence recognized, instead of falling into an isolated
state, he will find friends. You, in the first place; then
a beloved mother, from whom he has been separated
since his childhood." "His mother! He has still a
mother" "Yes. She thinks him lost to her. Judge
of her joy when she will see him again. Do not speak
to him of his mother. I confide this secret to you, be-
cause, you interest yourself so generously in his favor."
"I thank you, Monsieur Rodolphe; you may be as-
sured I will keep your secret. " And Rigolette continued
the reading of his letter:
" ' If you will, Mademoiselle, look over these notes,
you will see that I have been all my life very unhappy,
except -during tlie time I passed with you. That which
1 should never have dared to tell you, you will find
written in a kind of memento, entitled " My sole days of
happiness"
"* Almost every evening, on leaving you, I thus
poured out the consoling thoughts that your affection
inspired, and which alone tempered the bitterness of
my life. That which was friendship when with you,
became love when absent from you. I have concealed
this until this moment when I.shall be no more for
you than perhaps a ' triste souvenir/" My destiny was
so unhappy, that 1 should never have spoken to you
of this sentiment; although sincere and profound, it
would only have made you unhappy.
" ' One wish alone remains to be fulfilled, and I hope
that you will accomplish it. I have seen with what ad-
mirable courage you work, and how much method and
economy was necessary for you to live on the small
amount you earn so industriously. Often, without
telling you, I have trembled in thinking that a malady,
caused, perhaps, by excess of labor, might reduce you
to a situation so frightful that I could not even think
of it without alarm. It is very grateful to me to think
that I can at least spare you the horrors, and, perhaps,
in a great degree, the miseries, which you, in the
thoughtlessness of youth, do not foresee, happily.'    ,
"What does he mean, Monsieur Rodolphe?" said
Rigolette, astonished. " Continue; we shall see.' " I
kn'ow on how little you can live, and what a resource
the smallest sum would be to you in a time of difficulty.
I am very poor, but by economy, I have set aside 1,500
francs, deposited at a banker's; it is all that I possess.
By my will, which you will find here, I bequeath it to
you; accept it from a friend, a good brother, who is
no more.' Ah! Monsieur Rodolphe," said Rigolette,
bursting into tears, and giving the letter to the prince,
" thisgivesme too much pain. Good Germain, thus to
think of me! Ahl what a heart! mon Dieul what an
excellent heart!" "Worthy and good young rnanl"
replied Rodolphe, with emotion. " But calm yourself,
my child. ' Dieu merci,' Germain is not, dead: this an-
ticipated, will at least serve as a witness of his love
for you."
" It is true.   To be beloved by so good ayoung man,
is very flattering, is it not Monsieur Rodolphe?" ,
" And some day, perhaps, you will participate in this
"Dame! Monsieur Rudolphe, it is very trying; this
poor Germain is so much to be pitied ! I'll put myself
in his placeif at the moment when I thought myself
abandoned, despised by all the world, a person, a, good
friend came to me, still more kind than I could hope
forI should be so happy !" After a moment's pause,
Rigolette resumed with a sigh, "On the other hand, we
are both so poor, that perhaps it would not be reason-
able. Look here, Monsieur Rodolphe, I do not wish to
think of that; perhaps I am mistaken; what is sure is,
that I will do all I can for Germain as long as he,re-
mains in prison. Once free, it will always be time
enough to see if it is love or friendship I feel for him :
then if it is lovewhat would you, my neighbor? it will
be love. But it grows late, Monsieur Rodolphe; will
you collect these papers, while I make up a-bundle of
linen? Ah! I forget the 'sachet' enclosing the little
orange cravat which I gave him. It is in this drawer,
without a doubt. Oh, see how pretty it is, this ' sachet,
and all embroidered! Poor Germain! he has guarded
it like a relic! I well remember the last time I wore it,
and when I gave it to him. He was so happy, so
happy."                                                    ,,     ,
At this moment some one knocked at the door.
" Who is there?" demanded Rodolphe.
" I want to speak to Madame Mathieu." answered a
hoarse and husky voice, with an accent which de-
noted the speaker to be one of the lowest order. (Ma-
dame Mathieu was the diamond broker of whom we
have, spoken.)
This voice, singularly accented, awakened some, vague
recollections in tlie mind of Rodolphe. Wishing-to en-
lighten them, he went and opened the door. He found
himself face to face with one of the " habitues "of the
the tapis-f i-anc of the Ogresse, whom he recognized at
once, so fully and plainly was the stamp of crime
marked on this youthful and besotted faceit was Bar-
billon.                                                                       ,     ,     ,       . . ,
Barbillon, the mock coachman of the hack, which
had conveyed the Maitre d'Eeole and La Chouette to
the "chemin creux" of Bouqueval; Barbillon, the mur-
derer of the husband of the milkwoman, who commit-
ted such an outrage on the Goualeuse at the farm of
Either this wretch had forgotten the features of
Rodolphe, whom he had seen only once at the tapis-
franc of the Ogresse, or the change of dress prevented
him from recognizing the conqueror of the Chourineur;
he. manifested no astonishment at his appearance.
" What do you want?" said Rodolphe. "Here is a let-
ter for Madame Mathieu. I must give it into her own
hands," answered Barbillon.
"She does not live here; inquire opposite, said
Rodolphe.                                       ,,       ,L         .,     ,    _
" Thank you, bourgeois; they told me it was the door
to the left; I am mistaken." Rodolphe did not recol-
lect the name of the diamond broker; he had there-
fore no motive to interest himself about the woman to
whom Barbillon came as a messenger. Nevertheless
although he was ignorant of tha crimes of this bandit,
his face had such a guilty look of perversity, that he
remained on the threshold of the door, curious to see