h, "and it is the more wicked and shameful of him to torment Louise
and Germain as he does, because the poor things have not a friend upon
earth but myself, and, God knows, it is little I can do besides wishing
them well out of their troubles!"

"Dear me,--poor things!" observed Madame Seraphin. "Well, I'm sure I
hoped it was otherwise when I heard you say, 'Patience; every one has
their turn!' I supposed you reckoned for certain upon some powerful
protector to defend these people against that dreadful notary."

"Alas, no, madame!" answered Rigolette, hoping to destroy any suspicion
Madame Seraphin might still harbour; "such, I am sorry to say, is not
the case. For who would be generous and disinterested enough to take the
part of two poor creatures like my unfortunate friends against a rich
and powerful man like M. Ferrand?"

"Oh, there are many good and noble-minded persons capable of performing
so good an action," pursued Fleur-de-Marie, after a moment's
consideration, and with ill-restrained excitement; "I myself know one to
whom it is equally a duty and a pleasure to succour and assist all who
are in need or difficulty,--one who is beloved and valued by all good
persons, as he is dreaded and hated by the bad."

Rigolette gazed on the Goualeuse with deep astonishment, and was just on
the point of asserting that she, too (alluding to Rodolph), knew some
one capable of courageously espousing the cause of the weak against the
strong; but, faithful to the injunctions of her neighbour (as she styled
the prince), she contented herself with merely saying, "Really, do you
indeed know anybody capable of generously coming forward in defence of
poor oppressed individuals, such as we have been talking of?"

"Indeed, I do. And, although I have already to solicit his goodness in
favour of others also in severe trouble, yet, I am quite sure that, did
he but know of the undeserved misfortunes of Louise and Germain, he
would both rescue them from misery and punish their wicked persecutor;
for his goodness and justice are inexhaustible."

Madame Seraphin surveyed her victim with surprise. "This girl," said
she, mentally, "might be even more dangerous than we thought for. And,
even if I had been weak enough to feel inclined to pity her, what I have
just heard would have rendered the little 'accident,' which is to rid us
of her, quite inevitable."

"Then, dear Goualeuse, since you have so valuable an acquaintance, I
beseech of y