give,
God knows! but still I cannot bear to see you in so deplorable a plight
as you are at present. Your feet must be half frozen without any
stockings; and that wretched old waistcoat you have on makes my heart
ache to see it. Catherine and I together will manage to get a few things
together for you. You know, Fortune, that at least we do not want for
good will--to--"

"To what--to give me better clothes? Lord love you, I've got boxes full
of everything you can mention, and directly they come I shall be able to
dress like a prince! There, now; come, give me one little
smile,--there's a good girl! You won't? Well, then, you shall make me
and bring me what you like; only remember, directly the tale of
'Gringalet and Cut-in-Half' has replenished my money-box, I am to return
all you expend upon me. And now once more, dear Jeanne, fare you well!
And the next time you come to see me, may I lose the name of
Pique-Vinaigre if I don't make you laugh! But be off now; cut your
stick, there's a good girl! I know I have kept you too long already."

"No, no, dear brother, indeed you have not. Pray hear what I have to
say!"

"Hallo, here! I say, my fine fellow," cried Pique-Vinaigre to the
turnkey, who was waiting in the lobby, "I have said my say, and I want
to go in again. I've talked till I'm tired."

"Oh, Fortune," cried Jeanne, "how cruel you are to send me thus from
you!"

"No, no; on the contrary, I am kinder than you give me credit for."

"Good-bye; keep up your spirits; and to-morrow morning tell the children
you have been dreaming of their uncle who is abroad, and that he desired
you to give his kind love to them. There--good-bye--good-bye!"

"Good-bye, Fortune!" replied the poor woman, bursting into tears, as her
brother entered the interior of the prison.

From the moment when the bailiff seated himself between her and Jeanne,
Rigolette had been unable to overhear a word more of the conversation
between Pique-Vinaigre and his sister; but she continued to gaze
intently on the latter, her thoughts busied with devising some plausible
pretext for obtaining the poor woman's address, for the purpose of
recommending her as a fit object for Rodolph's benevolence. As Jeanne
rose from her seat to quit the place, Rigolette timidly approached her,
and said, in a kind voice:

"Pray excuse my addressing you, but a little while ago I could not avoid
overhearing your conversation, and by that I found that you were a maker
of