hy, the silver has been melted
long since, rely on it."

"_Mon Dieu! Mon Dieu!_"

"The chap who did the trick was not so soft, rely on it, as to mark the
pieces, and keep 'em here, to lead to his own detection. Supposing it's
any one in the house, which I don't believe (for, as I was a-saying this
morning to the uncle of the lady on the first floor, this is really a
village), if any one has robbed you, it is a pity. You may lay a hundred
informations, but you won't recover a centime. You won't do any good by
that, I tell you, and you may believe me. Well, but I say--" exclaimed
the receiver, stopping short, and seeing Madame de Fermont stagger.
"What's the matter? How pale you are! Mademoiselle, your mother's taken
ill!" added Micou, just advancing in time to catch the unhappy mother,
who, overcome by this last shock, felt her senses forsake her,--the
forced energy which had supported her so long failed before this fresh
blow.

"Mother, dear, oh, what ails you?" exclaimed Claire, still in her bed.

The receiver, still vigorous in spite of his fifty years, seized with a
momentary feeling of pity, took Madame de Fermont in his arms, pushed
the door open with his knee, and, entering the chamber, said:

"Your pardon, mademoiselle, for entering whilst you are in bed, but I
was obliged to bring in your mother; she has fainted, but it won't last
long."

On seeing the man enter, Claire shrieked loudly, and the unhappy girl
hid herself as well as she could under the bedclothes. The huckster
seated Madame de Fermont in a chair beside the bed, and then went out,
leaving the door ajar, for the Gros-Boiteux had broken the lock.

* * * * *

One hour after this last shock, the violent malady which had so long
hung over and threatened Madame de Fermont had developed itself. A prey
to a burning fever and to fearful delirium, the unhappy woman was placed
beside her daughter, who, horror-struck, aghast, alone, and almost as
ill as her mother, had neither money nor recourse, and was in an agony
of fear every moment lest the ruffian who lodged on the same floor
should enter the apartment.

CHAPTER IX.

THE RUE DE CHAILLOT.

We will precede M. Badinot by some hours, as in haste he proceeded from
the Passage de la Brasserie to the Vicomte de Saint-Remy. The latter, as
we have said, lived in the Rue de Chaillot, and occupied a delightful
small house, built between the court and the garden in