name him to
you--"

"If you have named him, it is from a very good motive; why not avow it?
However, my dear child, this concerns you, not me. Do as you think best."

"And may I tell Cephyse of your good intentions towards Jacques?"

"The truth, my dear child, always the truth. One need never hesitate to
say what is."

"Poor Cephyse! how happy she will be!" cried Rose-Pompon, cheerfully;
"and the news will come just in time."

"Only you must not exaggerate; I do not promise positively to get this
good fellow out of prison; I say, that I will do what I can. But what I
promise positively is--for, since the imprisonment of poor Jacques, your
friend must be very much straitened--"

"Alas, sir!"

"What I promise positively is some little assistance which your friend
will receive to-day, to enable her to live honestly; and if she behaves
well--hereafter--why, hereafter, we shall see."

"Oh, sir! you do not know how welcome will be your assistance to poor
Cephyse! One might fancy you were her actual good angel. Faith! you may
call yourself Rodin, or Charlemagne; all I know is, that you are a nice,
sweet--"

"Come, come, do not exaggerate," said Rodin; "say a good sort of old
fellow; nothing more, my dear child. But see how things fall out,
sometimes! Who could have told me, when I heard you knock at my
door--which, I must say, vexed me a great deal--that it was a pretty
little neighbor of mine, who under the pretext of playing off a joke, was
to put me in the way of doing a good action? Go and comfort your friend;
this evening she will receive some assistance; and let us have hope and
confidence. Thanks be, there are still some good people in the world!"

"Oh, sir! you prove it yourself."

"Not at all! The happiness of the old is to see the young happy."

This was said by Rodin with so much apparent kindness, that Rose-Pompon
felt the tears well up to her eyes, and answered with much emotion: "Sir,
Cephyse and me are only poor girls; there are many more virtuous in the
world; but I venture to say, we have good hearts. Now, if ever you should
be ill, only send for us; there are no Sisters of Charity that will take
better care of you. It is all that we can offer you, without reckoning
Philemon, who shall go through fire and water for you, I give you my word
for it--and Cephyse, I am sure, will answer for Jacques also, that he
will be yours in life and death."

"You see, my dear child, that I was right in saying-