300
XIV. CECILY 313

ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE
TOOK MY HEAD BETWEEN HIS HANDS _Frontispiece_
DREW CAREFULLY OUT A SHEET OF PAPER 35
MOREL FELL BACK ON THE STOOL 83
HE WILL SCOLD YOU AWFULLY 134
M. D'HARVILLE HAD BLOWN HIS BRAINS OUT 222
LA GOUALEUSE IN THE PRISON 279

THE MYSTERIES OF PARIS.

CHAPTER I.

THE TEMPLE.

To the deep snow which had fallen during the past night had succeeded a
very sharp wind, so that the ordinarily muddy pavement was hard and dry,
as Rigolette and Rodolph wended onwards to the immense and singular
bazar called the Temple, the young girl leaning unceremoniously on the
arm of her cavalier, who, on his part, appeared as much at his ease as
though they had been old familiar friends.

"What a funny old woman Madame Pipelet is!" observed the grisette to her
companion; "and what very odd things she says!"

"Well, I thought her remarks very striking, as well as appropriate."

"Which of them, neighbour?"

"Why, when she said 'Young people would be young people,' and '_Vive
l'amour!_'"

"Well?"

"Well! I only mean to say those are precisely my sentiments."

"Your sentiments?"

"Yes, I should like nothing better than to pass my youth with you,
taking '_Vive l'amour!_' for my motto."

"I dare say, for certainly you are not hard to please."

"Why, where would be the harm,--are we not near neighbours? Of course we
are, or else I should not be seen walking out with you in this manner in
broad day."

"Then you allow me to hope--"

"Hope what?"

"That you will learn to love me."

"Oh, bless you, I do love you already!"

"Really?"

"To be sure I do. Why, how can I help it? You are good and gay; though
poor yourself, you have done all in your power by interesting rich
people in the fate of the Morels; your appearance pleases me; and you
have altogether a nice look, and a sort of air such as one is glad to
find in a person we expect to go about with a great deal. So there, I
think, are abundant reasons for my loving you."

Then, suddenly breaking into loud fits of laughter, Rigolette abruptly
exclaimed, "Look there, only look at that fat woman with the furred
shoes! What does she remind you of? I'll t