appiness."

"Madame Germain, my dear Louise, if it is all the same to you; but to go
on with what I was telling you, you have no idea, I am sure, who M.
Rodolph really is?"

"Yes, I have,--the friend and protector of all who are unhappy."

"True, but that is not all. Well, as I see you really are ignorant of
many things concerning our benefactor, I will tell you all about it."

Then addressing her husband, who was walking before her with Madame
Georges, she said, "Don't walk so very fast, Germain, you will tire our
mother!" And, with a look of proud satisfaction, she said, turning to
Louise, "Does not he deserve to have a good wife? See how attentive he
is to his mother! He certainly is very handsome, too,--a thousand times
more so than Cabrion, or M. Girandeau, the travelling clerk! You
remember him, don't you, Louise?

"Talking of Cabrion puts me in mind to ask you whether M. Pipelet and
his wife have arrived yet? The doctor wished them to come here to-day
with us, because your father has talked much about them during his
wanderings."

"No, they are not here at present, but they will not be long. When we
called for them they had already set out."

"And then as for being punctual in keeping an appointment, M. Pipelet is
as exact as a clock to the hour and minute! But let me tell you a little
more about my marriage and M. Rodolph. Only think, Louise, it was he who
sent me with the order for Germain's liberation! You can imagine our
delight at quitting that horrid prison. Well, we went home to my room,
and there Germain and I together prepared a nice little bit of dinner;
but, bless you! we might just as well have spared ourselves the trouble,
for, after it was ready, neither of us could eat a bit for joy. When
evening came Germain left me, promising to return the next day.

"Well, at five o'clock next morning, I got up and sat down to my work,
for I was terribly behindhand with it. As eight o'clock struck some one
knocked at the door; who should it be but M. Rodolph! Directly I saw
him, I began to thank him from the bottom of my heart for all he had
done for Germain and myself. He would not allow me to proceed. 'My kind
neighbour,' said he, 'I wish you to give this letter to Germain, who
will soon be here. Then you will take a _fiacre_, and proceed without
delay to a small village, near Ecouen, called Bouqueval. Once there,
inquire for Madame Georges; and I wish you all imaginable pleasure from
your trip.' 'M.