THE MYSTERIES OF PARIS. 13a *ÎRodolphe, you will not tell her that I was a bad ! moiselle Rigolette,' mother," articulated the comtesse, slowly. The noise ] what-----" of a carriage resounded on the pavement of the court. \ " In the first place, ray good Louise," said the gri- The comtesse could not hear it. Her words were more ! sette, interrupting gayly the daughter of the lapidary and more incoherent. Rodolphe leaned over her with in order to escape her" thanks, " I am no more Made- anxiety; he saw her eyes covered with a film. 'moiselle Rigolette, but Madame Germain. ï do not "Pardon—my child—see my child—pardon—at least know if vou are aware of it, and I hold to my title " -after my death—the honors—of—my—rank-----" " Yes, I knew you were married. But let me thank Obese were her last intelligible words. The fixed, pre dominating thought of her whole life returned again, notwithstanding her sincere repentance. At this moment Murphy entered the room, "Monseigneur, the Princesse Marie-----" ¦*No,"cried Rodolphe, quickly, "le. her not enter. Tell Seyton to bring the clergyman." Then pointing at Sarah, who was gradually expiring, Rodolphe added, "God refuses her the supreme consolation of embrac- ing her child." Half an hour afterward, the Comtesse Sarah M'Gregor had ceased to exist. Chapter XVI.—Bicetre. Fifteen days had passed since Rodolphe, by marry- ing the Comtesse Sarah M'Gregor in extremes, had legitimated the birth of Fleur de Marie. It was the day of the " mi-careme."* This date being established, we will conduct the reader to Bicetre. This immense establishment, founded, as every one knows, for the treatment of the insane, serves also as a place' of refuge for seven or eight hundred poor old men, who are admitted when they have reached the age of seventy, or are afflicted with any very serious infirmity. On arriving at Bicetre, the visitor enters at first a vast court planted with large trees, and divided into grass-plots, ornamented in summer with flower borders. Nothing could be more cheerful, more peaceful, or more salubrious than this promenade, which was specially designed for the indigent old men of whom we have spoken. It surrounds the buildings, in which, on the first floor, are found the spacious "dortoirs." or sleeping apartments; and on the ground floor, the dining halls, kept in admirable order, where the pensioners of Bicetre eat, in common," most excel- lent food, rrepared with great care, thanks to the paternal solicitude of the directors of this establish- ment. To enumerate completely the different purposes for which this institution is designed, we mention that, at the time of which we speak, the condemned prisoners were brought here after their sentence. It was, then, in one of the cells of this house that the widow Martial and her daughter Calebasse awaited the moment of their execution, whieh was fixed for the next day. Nicolas, Le Squelette, and several other scoundrels, had succeeded in making their escape from La Force. We have already said that nothing could be more cheerful than the'approach to this edifice, when, on coming from Paris, one entered it by the court of the poor. Thanks to a forward spring, the elms and the lindens were already beginning to shoot forth their leaves; the large plots of grass were of a luxuriant growth; here and there the flower beds were enamelled with cro- cuses, primroses, and the lively-colored auriculas. The sun was shining brightly, and the old pensioners, dressed in gray coats, were walking up and down, or seated on the benches; their placid countenances ex- pressed calmness, or a kind of tranquil indifference. Eleven o clock had just struck, when two carriages stopped, before the outer gate; from the first descended Madame Georges, Germain, and Rigolette; from the second, Louise Morel and her mother. Germain and Rigolette had been married fifteen days. We will leave the reader to imagine the saucy gayety, the lively happiness, which shone in the bloom- ing visage of the grisette, whose rosy lips were only opened to smile or embrace Madame Georges, whom she called her mother. The features of Germain expressed a felicity more calm, more reflecting, more grave; there was mingled with it a feeling of profound gra-titude, almost of respect, towards this noble and excellent girl, who had .offered him iu prison consolations so sustaining and delightfui, which Rigolette did not seem to recollect the least in the world; tb~_3, as soon as' her petit Ger- main turned the conversation on this subject, she spoke of something else, saying these recollections made her sad. Although she had become Madame Germain, and Rodolphe had settled on her forty thou- sand francs, Rigolette had not been willing (and her husband was of the same opinion) to change her grisette cap for a hat. Certainly, never had humility • served better, an innocent coquetry; for nothing could be more becoming, more elegant, than her little cap with flat "barbes," a little " a la paysanne,"'orna- mented on each side with rosettes of orange color, wnich contrasted well with her shining black hair, now worn in long ringlets, since she had the time to put them in paper; around her charming neck she wore a richly-embroidered collar and a scarf of French cash- mere of the same shade as the ribands of her cap, which half concealed her fine person; and although she wore no corsets, according to her usual custom, her robe of "taffetas maure" showed not the slightest [wrinkle on her slender figure. Madame Georges con- templated her son and Rigolette with quiet happiness. Louise Morel, after a rigid examination and autopsy of her child, had been set at liberty; the beautiful feat- ures of the daughter of the lapidary expressed a kind of sad and melancholy resignation. Thanks to the gener- osity of Rodolphe, "and the care and attention which he had caused to be shown her, the mother of Louise Morel, who accompanied her, had recovered her health. The porter at the gate had asked Madame Georges whom she desired to see; she replied that one of the physicians of the asylum for the insane had made an appointment with her and her friends at eleven o'clock. Madame Georges had the option either to wait for the doctor in an office which w~as pointed out to her, or in the court of which we have spoken. She chose the latter; leaning on the arm of her son, and continuing to converse with the wife of the lapidary, she walked in the garden, Louise and Rigolette follow- ing at a short distance. ' How happy I am to see you, dear Louise, said th grisette. '' Just now, when we went to seek you in the . gloves, this scarf, a beautiful shawl; m hne, it was hire Rue du Temple on our arrival from Bouqueval, I wished to go up and see you: but my husband did not wish it, saying it was high up ; I waited in tlie hack. Your vehicle followed ours," so that I now see you for the first time since-----" " Since you came to see. me in prison. Ah, Made- cried Louise, *' what a kind heartl with these words, ' Le voisin a sa voisine.'* I opened it: there were two packages, one for Germain, the- other for me; in Germain's I found a. paper, which named him director of a Bank for the Poor, with a sal- ary of, 4,000 francs; in the envelope directed to me there was a draught for 40.000 francs on the—on the Treasury; yes, that is it: this was my marriage por- tion. I wished to refuse it, but Madame Georges, who had talked with the tall, bald gentleman and with Ger- main, said to me, ' My child, you can, you ought to ac- cept it; it is the recompense of your virtue, your in- dustry, and of your devotion to those who suffer; for it is only by depriving yourself of your usual hours for repose, at the risk ot making yourself sick, and thus losing your sole means of subsistence, that you have been able to go and console your unfortunate friends." "Oh! that is very true," cried Louise; "there is nd one else like you, at least, Mademoi—Madame Ger- main." " Very good 1 I told the bald gentleman that what I done ivas my pleasure; he answered, 'No matter; M. Rodolphe is 'immensely rich; your marriage portion on. his part is a testimony of esteem and friendship; your refusal would cause him great sorrow ; he will be pres- ent at your marriage, and will force you to accept.' What happiness that so much wealth should be in the possession of a person as charitable as M. Rodolphe !" "Doubtless he is very rich, but if that were all——" "Ah! my good Louise, if you only knew who Mon- sieur Rodolphe is! and I made him carry my bundlesl But patience! you shall see. The evening before the marriage, very iate, the bald gentleman arrived, having traveled post. M. Rodolphe could not come; he was- indisposed; but the tall gentleman came in his place. It is only then, my good Louise, that we were informed that your benefactor, that ours, was—guess what? a prince 1" "A prince?" . , "What do I say, a prince? a royal highness, a reign- ing grand duke, a king ou a small scale. Germain ex- plained this to me." "M. Rodolphe!" "Hein! my poor Louise? And I had asked Mm to help me wax my floor I" '-A prince—almost a kingl That is the reason he has so much power to do good." " You comprehend my embarrassment, my good Louise. Thus, seeing that he was almost a king, I did not dare refuse my marriage portion. We were married. Eight days afterward, M. Rodolphe sent word to us ahd Madame Georges, that he would be very happy if we would make him a bridal visit; w-e went. Dame! you comprehend, my heart beat fast; we ar- rived at the Rue Plumet; we entered a palace; we- passed through saloons filled with servants in livery, gentlemen in black, wearing silver chains around their necks and swords at their sides, and officers in uniform ; and then gildings everywhere, almost enough to blind you. At length we found the bald gentleman in a sa- loon with some other messieurs, all laced over with embroidery; lie introduced us into a large room, where we found M. P.odolphe—that is to say, the prince, dressed very plainly, and looking so kind, so frank, so little proud—in fine, he looked so much like the M, Ro- dolphe of old times,that I felt.myself at once at my ease, recalling to my mind that I had made him fasten my shawl, mend my pens, and give me his arm in the streets." " You were no longer afraid? Oh! as for me, how 3 . should have trembled." "Eh bien! I, no. After having received Madame Georges with great kindness, and offered his hand to. Germain, the prince said to me, smiling, 'Well, my neighbor, how are Papa Cretu and Ramonette?' (these are the names of my birds; how kind in him to remem- ber them). ' I am sure,' he added, 'that now you and Germain rival with your joyous songs those of your lit- ' tie birds?' ' Yes, Monseigneur ' (Madame. Georges had taught us to say that while we were on the road)— ' yes, Monseigneur, our happiness is great, and it seem» to us more sweet because we owe it to you.' ' It is not to me you owe it, my child, but to your excellent qual- ities and to those of Germain,' and so forth, and so forth: I pass over the res. of his compliments. Finally, we left this good nobleman with our hearts rather full, for we shall see him no more. He told us that he- would return to Germany in a few days; perhaps he has already gone; but gone or not, we shall always're- member him." " Since he has subjects, they must be very happy?" - "Judge! he has done so much good to us, who are nothing to him. I forgot to tell you that it was at this farm where we live that one of my old prison compan- ions resided, a very good little girl, who, in her happi- ness, had also met M. Rodolphe; but Madame Georges had recommended me not to speak about it to the prince; I do not know wherefore; doubtless because he does not like that any one should speak to him of the good he does. What is certain is, that it appears this dear Goualeuse has found her parents, who have taken her with them, very far away; all I regret is, not to have embraced her before her departure." "sillons! so much the better," said Louise, bitterly; " she is happy also—she-----" "My good Louise, pardon me—I am selfish; I only speak to you of happiness, and you have yet so many reasons for sorrow." "If my child had lived," said Louise, sadly; "that would have consoled me; for nowwhere is the virtuous man who would have me, although I have money?" "On the contrary, Louise, I say that none but a vir- tuous man can comprehend your position; yes, when he knows all, when he shall know you, he can but pity you, esteem you: and he will be sure to have in you a good and worthy wife." " You say that to console me." " No, I say that because it is true." " Well, true or not. it does me good, and I thank you. But who comes here? Hold! it is M. Pipelet and his wife! Mon Dieu, how pleased he is! he who for- merly was always so miserable on account of the jokes of M. Cabrion." M. and Madame Pipelet came forward joyfully; Alfred, always wearing bis unremovable "chapeau tromblou," had on a magnificent coat of grass-green in all its pristine lustre: his cravat, with embroidered corners, just allowed room for a formidable shirt collar, which -concealed the half of his cheeks; a large waistcoat, of a deep-yellow ground, with brown stripeB; black pantaloons, rather short; stockings of dazzling whiteness, and well-brushed shoes, completed his at- tire. you again- "That of which youare most completely ignorant, my good Louise," replied Madame Germain, again interrupting the daughter of Morel, in order to change the course of her ideas; "that of which you are igno- rant is that I am married, thanks to the generosity of him who has been our providence—mine as well as yours!" "M.Rodolphe! Oh, we bless him every dayl When I came out of prison, the lawyer whom he sent to see me told me that, owing to M. Rodolphe, who had already done so much for us, M. Ferrand," and the poor creat- ure shuddered, " M. Ferrand, to make amends for his cruelties, had settled some money on my father and me—my poor father, who is still here, but who, thanks to God, gets better and better." "And who will-return with us to-day to Paris, if the hopes of the worthy doctor are realized." " May God grant it!" " He will grant it. Your father is so good and honest ! I am sure that he will take him back with us. The doctor thinks that now a great effort must be made, and that the unexpected presence of several persons whom your father was accustomed to see almost daily before he lost his reason, may effect a cure. As for me, in my poor judgment, it appears certain." " I dare hardly believe it, Mademoiselle." " Madame Germain—Madame Germain, if it is all the same to you, my good Louise. But to return to what Iwas speaking about: you do not know who M. Rodolphe is?" " He is the providence of the unfortunate!" "Itistrue; andwhat then? you do not know. Eh bien! I am going to tell you." Then addrt ssing her husband, who w-as walking near her, Rigolette cried, " Do not go so fast, ' mon ami '—you fatigue our good mother; and, besides, I prefer to have you nearer to me." Germain turned around, lessening his pace a little, and smiled on Rigolette, who playfully threw him a kiss. "How genteel he is, my little Germain! is he not, Louise? With that air so 'distingue!' such a fine figure! was I not right when I found him more to my liking than M. Girandeau, the travelling clerk, or M. Cabrion? Ahl mon Dieuj speaking of Cabrion—M. Pipelet and his wife, where are they, then? Thedoctor said they ought to come also, because your father often pronounces their names." " They will not long delay. When I left the house, they had been gone fea- a longtime." "Oh! then they will not fail to be here; for M. Pipe- let is as punctual as a clock. But let us return to my marriage and to M. Rodolphe. Only think, Louise, it was he who sent me with the order for Germain's re- lease. You can imagine our joy on leaving that dread- ful prison: we reached my room, and there, aided by Germain, I arranged a slight repast, but a repast for real gourmands. It is true, it was of no great use to us, for when we had finished, we had neither of us eaten anything—we were too happy. At eleven o'clock Germain went away; we agreed to meet the next morning. At five o'clock I was up and at work, for 1 was two days behindhand. At eight o'clock some one knocked; I opened; who shouid come in but M. Rodolphe. _ At once I began to thank him from the bottom of my heart for what he. had done for Germain ; he would not let me finish. ' My neighbor,' said he to me, 'Germain will soon be here; give him this letter. Ytou and he will take a hack, and go at once to a little village called Bouqueval, near Ecouen, on the St. Denis road. Once there, you will ask for Madame Georges; and I wish you much pleasure.' ' Monsieur Rodolphe, I am going to tell you it will be another day lost, and, without any reproach, this will make three.' 'Re- assure yourself, my neighbor; there is some work for you at Madame Georges', whom you will find an excel- lent customer.' 'If this is so, very good, Mon- sieur Rodolphe. 'Adieu, my neighbor.' 'Adieu; and thank you^ my neighbor.' He went, and Ger- main arrived. I told him what had occurred; M. Rodolphe could not deceive us; we got into a carriage, as frolicksome as children—we, who were so sad the day previous. Weill we arrive. Ah! my good Louise —hold! in spite of myself the tears will come to my eyes. This Madame Georges, whom you see before us, is the mother of Germain." "His mother?" "Mon Dieu! yes, his mother, from whom her'child had been carried off when quite young, and whom she had no hope of ever seeing again. You can imagine their happiness. After Madame Georges had wept much, and embraced her son, it was my turn. M. Ro- dolphe had written many fine things about me, for she told me, as she held me in her arms, that she knew of my conduct towards her son. 'And if you wish, my mother.,' said Germain, ' Rigolette shall be your daugh- ter also.' 'If I wish it, my children? with all my heart. I know vou will never find a better or a nicer lit It- wife.' Behold me, then, installed in a fine farm with Germain, his mother, and mv birds, which I sent for, poor little things, so that they should be of the party. Although I do not like the country, the days passed so quickly that it was like a dream; I only worked for my pleasure; I assisted Madame Georges, 1 walked with "Germain, I sang, I jumped; it was enough to make one crazy. At length our marriage was fixed for two weeks ago yesterday. Two days previous, who should arrive in a fine carriage but a large, fat, bald gentleman, with a very good-natured look, who brought me from M, Rodolphe a ' corbeille de mariage: Just imagine, Louise, a large box of rose- wood, 'with these words written in gold on a plate of blue enamel: ' Industry and Virtue, Love and Happi- ness: I opened the, box; what did I find? some small lace caps like the one I have on, dress patterns, jewels, ' Hid-Lent. a real fairy tale. "Itis true, it is like a real fairytale; but, do you see, to have been so good, so industrious, has brought you happiness." " As to being good and industrious, my dear Louise, I have not been so purposely: it has so happened: so much the better tor me. But this is not all: at the bottom of the box ' '-'«covered a handsome portfolio. ' The neighbor to his neighbor.