Volume II Part 58 (1/2)
”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 respectfully deposed before him my heap of complaints and griefs against this infernal Cabrion, this magistrate, after looking at and laughing--yes, laughing--I say, laughing indecently--over the sign and portrait which I produced as justificatory of my complaint, replied, 'My good man, this Cabrion is a funny fellow--a jester--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!' cried I; 'to laugh! but grief is devouring me--my existence is imbittered by those scoundrels--they pester me--they will cause me to lose my reason--I demand that they be locked up--exiled, at least from my street.' At these words the commissary smiled, and obligingly showed me the door. I understood this gesture of the magistrate, and here I am.”
”Magistrate of nothing at all!” cried Mrs. Pipelet.
”All is finished! Anastasia, all is finished! No more hope! There is no longer any justice in France! I am atrociously sacrificed!” and by way of peroration, Pipelet threw, with all his strength, the portrait and sign to the end of the alley. Rudolph and Rigolette had, in the obscurity, slightly smiled at Pipelet's despair. After having addressed 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 hackney coach to go to the residence of Francois Germain.
CHAPTER XX.
THE WILL.
Francois Germain lived on the Boulevard Saint Denis, No. 11. During the long ride from the Rue du Temple to the Rue Saint Honore, where the woman lived who supplied Rigolette with work, Rudolph was able to appreciate still more the girl's excellent feelings. Like all characters instinctively good and devoted, she was not conscious of the delicacy and generosity of her conduct, which seemed to her quite natural.
Nothing would have been easier for Rudolph 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, without 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 rendering 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 interesting trial. At the end of an hour the carriage, on its return from her Rue Saint Honore, stopped on the Boulevard Saint Denis, No. 11, before a house of modest appearance.
Rudolph a.s.sisted Rigolette to alight; she entered the porter's lodge and communicated to him the intentions of Germain, without forgetting the promised gratuity. From his amenity of disposition, the clerk was everywhere loved. The _confrere_ of 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, rejoined her 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 Rudolph, giving him the key, ”Here, neighbor, open--my 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 a chamber of the dead.”
”Come, be reasonable now, neighbor--have no such ideas!”
”I was wrong, but it was stronger than I;” and she wiped away a tear.
Without being as much moved as his companion, Rudolph nevertheless experienced a painful impression on entering the modest apartment. He knew that the unfortunate young man must have pa.s.sed 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, composed of a bed, a chest of drawers, a secretary of black walnut, four straw-bottomed chairs, and a table; white cotton curtains covered the windows and the bed recess; the only ornaments on the mantelpiece were a decanter and a gla.s.s. From the appearance of the bed, which was made, it could be seen that Germain had thrown himself upon it without taking off his clothes the night preceding his arrest.
”Poor fellow,” said Rigolette, sadly, examining, with interest, the interior of the chamber: ”it is easy to see that lie no longer has me for a neighbor. It is in order, but not neat; there is dust everywhere, the curtains are smoked, the windows are dirty, the floor is not washed. Oh! what a difference! Rue du Temple was not handsome, but it was more gay, because everything shone with neatness, like my own room.”
”It was because you were there, to give your advice.”
”But see, now,” cried Rigolette, showing the bed, ”he did not go to rest the other night, so much was he disturbed. Look here! his 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 little orange silk cravat of mine, which I gave him when we were happy; I am sure he will not be angry.”
”On the contrary, he will be very happy at this proof of your affection.”
”Now let us think of serious matters; I will make a package of linen, which I shall find in the drawers, to take to him in prison; Mother Bouvard, whom I shall send here to-morrow, 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 Rudolph, ”Louise Morel gave me, yesterday, one thousand three hundred francs in gold, which Germain had given her to pay the debt of her father, which I had already done; I have this money; it belongs to Germain, since he has paid back the notary; I will give it to you; you can add it to the rest.”
”As you please, M. Rudolph; yet I would rather not have so large a sum with me at home, there are so many robbers nowadays. Papers are very well--there is nothing to fear; but money is dangerous.”
”Perhaps you are right, 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 will be much better, neighbor. I will give you also the money I shall receive from the sale of his effects. Let us see the papers,” said the girl, opening the secretary and several drawers. ”Ah, it is probably this.
Here is a large envelope. Oh, my gracious! look here, M. Rudolph, how sad it is what's written on this.” And she read, in a faltering tone:
”In case I should die a violent death, or otherwise, I beg the person who should open this secretary to carry these papers to Mlle.
Rigolette, seamstress, Rue du Temple, No. 17.”
”Can I break the seal, M. Rudolph?”