ncast before strangers. Then she told the porter that I should come
and take away all that the landlord did not keep, and after that we came
back here. The young lady gave her arm to her mother, and carried in her
hand the small bundle, which contained all they possessed in the world.
I handed them their three hundred and fifteen francs, and then I never
saw them again."

"But their name?"

"I don't know; the lady sold me the things in the presence of the
porter, and so I had no occasion to ask her name, for what she sold
belonged to her."

"But their new address?"

"I don't know that either."

"No doubt they know at their old lodging?"

"No, sir; for, when I went back to get the things, the porter told me,
speaking of the mother and daughter, 'that they were very quiet people,
very respectable, and very unfortunate,--I hope no misfortune has
happened to them! They appeared to be very calm and composed, but I am
sure they were quite in despair.' 'And where are they gone now to
lodge?' I asked. '_Ma foi_, I don't know!' was the answer; 'they left
without telling me, and I am sure they will not return here.'"

The hopes which Rodolph had entertained for a moment vanished; how could
he go to work to discover these two unfortunate females, when all the
trace he had of them was that the young daughter's name was Claire, and
the fragment of a letter, of which we have already made mention, and at
the bottom of which were these words:

"To write to Madame de Lucenay, for M. de Saint-Remy?"

The only, and very remote chance of discovering the traces of these
unfortunates was through Madame de Lucenay, who, fortunately, was on
intimate terms with Madame d'Harville.

"Here, ma'am, be so good as to take your money," said Rodolph to the
shopkeeper, handing her a note for five hundred francs.

"I will give you the change, sir. What is your address?"

"Rue du Temple, No. 17."

"Rue du Temple, No. 17; oh, very well, very well, I know it."

"Have you ever been to that house?"

"Often. First I bought the furniture of a woman there, who lent money on
wages; it is not a very creditable business, to be sure, but that's no
affair of mine,--she sells, I buy, and so that's settled. Another time,
not six weeks ago, I went there again for the furniture of a young man,
who lived on the fourth floor, and was moving away."

"M. Francois Germain, perhaps?" said Rodolph.

"Just so. Did you know him?"

"Very well; and, unfor