Part 14 (1/2)

”Stop!” Bulstrode put out his hand ”Sied herself to hiue with the world against her

”Coed, ”come out here on the terrace, where you have so often played with your doll, and don't be frightened, _ht”

When he had so settled her in the smallest of chairs he went back to the other bit of Paris street-life which had seethed in to him

Madame Branchard, whom his manner had reduced to, for her, marvellous quiet and ease, approached impressively and lowered her voice as deeply as it would fall

”Mademoiselle Lascaze, whom monsieur knows has been my tenant for months past, is dead--dead, ht was: ”It was not she, then, who Ah, poor creature! Drowned?”

”Monsieur then knows?”

Knows--how should he know? He had thought of the aquariuht, she is drowned; but it is not the aquarium--it is the Seine It appears,” the wine-ht she made _la fete_ in the streets We over here lock up, well, at a decent hour, as monsieur will understand Those who are in stay, those who are out--well, monsieur will understand----”

Yes, he understood Would she go on?

”Mademoiselle Lascaze had evidently lost her key of entry--so it appears We have this story froet in about five o'clock--they left her knocking at the door She must then have wandered the streets for an hour, for it was six when they ain by chance quite by the Pont des Arts They all had so to drink and started across the river, when the poor thing offered to give an exhibition of her circus feat and, before anyone could stop her, had dived off the bridge into the Seine”

He had, then, seen her knocking there in the dawn, and if he had hastened a little--not held conventionally back----

”It is all _en regle_,” assured Madame Branchard ”As ue to identify her”

The wine-merchant now at his cue, nodded impressively ”Mais oui, I assure monsieur she was quite natural--and she was une belle felanced at him scornfully ”She was a bad mother, and all the house will tell you so Many tione in withdownstairs in ive her all the supper she would have had, and hts, when there was not a stick of fire in their room, and the woman abroad--many a time I have had her sleep in our bed with us--my husband will tell monsieur”

The wine-merchant nodded assent ”She speaks the truth, monsieur”

Bulstrode found presence of mind to wonder ”I suppose Mademoiselle Lascaze left debts?”

The husband and wife exchanged glances

”_En verite_, monsieur,” confessed Madame Branchard, ”she has left a few, but they are snificant; a hundred francs will cover them It is not for our pockets we are co been disposed of by the woman, the husband broke in:

”It is like this, Monsieur Balstro” (Bulstrode sa intimately the _hotel meuble_ knew him): ”In a few e of the woman's effects and Simone will become the property of the State She has no relatives, as Monsieur will understand Thinking, therefore, that ht for some reason care to take an interest in the child's future----”

Branchard coughed and paused Having given Mr Bulstrode ans of life and of his usual quick benevolence, and being greeted with nothing other than quiet, ed and coe gesture