soon."

"Well, then, neighbour, I will run to the Temple. Alas, alas! I was
thinking that, thanks to your kindness, these poor people had been quite
relieved from their trouble!" said the grisette, who then descended the
staircase very quickly.

Rodolph had been very desirous of sparing Rigolette the distressing
scene of Louise Morel's arrest.

"Mon commissaire," said Madame Pipelet, "since my king of lodgers will
direct you, I may return to my Alfred. I am uneasy about him, for when I
left him he had hardly recovered from his indisposition which Cabrion
had caused."

"Go, go," said the magistrate, who was thus left alone with Rodolph.

They both ascended to the landing-place on the fourth story, at the door
of the chamber in which the lapidary and his family had been temporarily
established.

Suddenly the door opened. Louise, pale and in tears, came out quickly.

"Adieu, adieu, father!" she exclaimed. "I will come back again, but I
must go now."

"Louise, my child, listen to me a moment," said Morel, following his
daughter, and endeavouring to detain her.

At the sight of Rodolph and the magistrate, Louise and the lapidary
remained motionless.

"Ah, sir, you, our kind benefactor!" said the artisan, recognising
Rodolph, "assist me in preventing Louise from leaving us. I do not know
what is the matter with her, but she quite frightens me, she is so
determined to go. Now there is no occasion for her to return to her
master, is there, sir? Did you not say to me, 'Louise shall not again
leave you, and that will recompense you for much that you have
suffered?' Ah! at that kind promise, I confess that for a moment I had
forgot the death of my poor little Adele; but I must not again be
separated from thee, Louise, oh, never, never!"

Rodolph was wounded to the heart, and was unable to utter a word in
reply.

The commissary said sternly to Louise:

"Is your name Louise Morel?"

"Yes, sir," replied the young girl, quite overcome.

"You are Jerome Morel, her father?" added the magistrate, addressing the
lapidary.

Rodolph had opened the door of Rigolette's apartment.

"Yes, sir; but--"

"Go in there with your daughter."

And the magistrate pointed to Rigolette's chamber, into which Rodolph
had already entered.

Reassured by his preserver, the lapidary and Louise, astonished and
uneasy, did as the commissary desired them.

The commissary shut the door, and said with much feeling to Morel:

"I know