capacity of dressmaker, in which she is reported to
have much skill. If you will honour her with your commands, her fortune
will be surely made; although there is no occasion for your carrying
your beneficence so far as to wear the dresses you permit her to make."

"Oh, I will take care to give her employment immediately. Poor girl!
living honestly and contentedly upon a sum squandered by the rich for
the most trifling whim or caprice."

"Well, now then that you have undertaken to interest yourself in my
deserving young neighbour, let us proceed to the little adventure I was
about to relate to you. I went, as I told you, to the Temple with Mlle.
Rigolette in order to purchase many articles necessary for the comfort
of the poor family in the garret, when, accidentally examining the
drawers of an old _secretaire_ exposed for sale, I found the fragment of
a letter in a female hand, in which the writer bitterly deplored the
destitution to which herself and daughter were exposed in consequence of
the villainy of the person in whose hands their money had been placed. I
inquired of the mistress of the shop how she became possessed of the
piece of furniture in question. She told me it was part of a lot of very
common household goods she purchased of a person still young, who had
evidently disposed of all her effects from stern necessity, and being
without any other means of raising money. Both mother and daughter,
continued my informant, seemed much superior to their condition, and
each bore their distress with a proud yet calm fortitude."

"And do you not know where these poor ladies can be found, my lord?"

"I do not, unfortunately, at the present moment, but I have given
directions to M. de Grauen to use every effort to discover them, and, if
needs must be, even to apply to the police for assistance. It is just
probable that the unfortunate parent and child, finding themselves
stripped of their little stock of furniture, may have sought refuge in
some obscure lodging; and if so, there is every chance of discovering
their abode, since the keepers of lodging-houses are obliged to write a
daily report of every fresh inmate they receive."

"What a singular combination of events!" said Madame d'Harville, much
astonished: "Your account is, indeed, a most interesting one."

"You have not heard all yet. In a corner of the fragment of writing
found in the old _secretaire_, are these words, 'To write to Madame de
Lucenay.'"

"O