Volume II Part 5 (1/2)
”The lawyer's proceedings,” said he to him, ”ought to rea.s.sure you, as he doubtless ordered your arrest to be revenged for the scorn of your daughter; I have good reason, too, to believe that he is a dishonest man. If he is so,” resumed Rudolph, after a moment's silence, ”let us believe that Providence will punish him. If the justice of Heaven often appears to slumber it awakens some time or other.”
”He is very rich, and very hypocritical, sir.”
”In your deepest despair, a guardian angel came to your a.s.sistance, and plucked you from inevitable ruin; so, at a moment when least expected, the Almighty Avenger may call upon the lawyer to atone for his past crimes if he be guilty.”
At this moment Miss Dimpleton came from the garret, wiping her eyes.
Rudolph said to the young girl, ”Will it not, my good neighbor, be better that M. Morel should occupy my room, with his family, until his benefactress, whose agent I am, shall have provided a suitable lodging?”
Miss Dimpleton regarded Rudolph with a look of unfeigned surprise.
”Oh, sir! are you really in earnest when you make so generous an offer?”
”Yes, but on one condition, which will depend on yourself.”
”Oh, depend upon all that is in my power!”
”I had some accounts required in haste, to arrange for my employers; they will come for them soon. Now, if you will be so neighborly as to permit me to work in your room, on a corner of your table, I should not disturb your work in the least, and the Morel family can, with the a.s.sistance of M. and Mrs. Pipelet, immediately be settled in my room.”
”Oh, if it be only that, sir, most willingly; neighbors ought to a.s.sist each other. You have set so good an example by what you have done for that poor Morel, that I am at your service, sir.”
”No, no, call me neighbor. If you use any ceremony toward me, I shall not have courage to intrude on you,” said Rudolph.
”Well, then, it shall be so, I will call you 'neighbor,' because you really are so.”
”Father, father!” cried one of Morel's little boys, coming out of the garret, ”mother is calling you; come directly, pray do.” The lapidary hastily entered the room.
”Now, neighbor,” said Rudolph to Miss Dimpleton, ”you must render me a still further service.”
”With all my heart, if it be in my power.”
”You are, I am sure, an excellent little housewife. It is necessary to purchase immediately all that is wanted for Morel's family to be properly clothed, bedded, and settled in my room, for there is only sufficient for myself as a bachelor, that was brought yesterday. How can we manage to procure instantly all I wish for the Morels?”
Miss Dimpleton thought for a moment, and answered: ”In a couple of hours you can have all your want; good clothes ready-made, warm and neat, with good clean linen for all the family: two little beds for the children, and one for the grandmother--in short, all that is necessary; but it will cost a great deal of money.”
”You don't say so! How much?”
”Oh, at least--at the very least--five or six hundred francs.”
”For everything?”
”Yes, it is a great sum of money, you see,” said Miss Dimpleton opening her large eyes, and shaking her bead.
”And we can procure all these things--”
”In two hours.”
”You must be a fairy, neighbor.”
”Oh, no, it is quite easy. The Temple is only two steps from here, where you will find all of which you are in want.” ”The Temple?”