Mysteries of Paris, V3

eries centering in it, which but few capitals, by right of size, passions, horrors, loves, charms, mysteries, in a

soon lead us deep into its labyrinths, not without events on the w

rable Tom Seyton, assisted her to the utmost, fully prepared to aid his sister in matrimonially entangling any crown-wearer whomsoever; he was perfectly willing to participate with her in all the schemes and intrigues that might be useful toward the success of her endeavor

nic Confederation, especially, furnished a numerous contingency of young presumptive sovereigns, the first to whom the adve

vereigns of Europe

OLS

IAN RUDOLPH, born

CHARLES FREDERIC RUD

08, of Louisa, daug

US of

O

LPH, born Apr

TH

ITH, dowager wido

IC RUDOLPH, Ap

t of the princes whom he desired for his brother-in-law, think

arious accomplishments, was added a seductiveness all the more dangerous, because she possessed a mind unbending and calculating, a disposition cunning and selfish, a deep hypocrisy, a stubborn and despotic will-all hidden under the specious gloss of a generous, warm, and impassioned nature. Physically her organization was as deceptive as it was morally. Her large bl

he future Richelieu over the puppet he trusted to convert Prince Rudolph into. The lady and her brother combined wi

ld duke was all-powerful within his realm: the clandestine union was pronounced null and void, and the countess expelled. Her latest act of vengeance was to inform Rudolph that their child had died. This was in 1827. But this assurance was on a par with her former falseness: the child, a girl, was handed over to Jacques Ferrand, a miserly notary in Paris, whose housekeepe

ildless, the Countess M'Gregor followed Rudolph into Prance, where he traveled incognito as Count Duren. As a last resort to force the grand-duke into her ambitious aims, she sought for a girl of the age that her own would have been, to pass it off as their child

(the Virgin's Flower), for her touching religious beauty, as La Goualeuse (the Songstress), for her vocal a

l known as Rigolette, or Miss Dimpleton, from her continual smiles; a maid with no strong ideas of virtue, but preserved fr

he mourned still, fifteen or eighteen years after her reported decease. Weary of life, save for doin

le, as a fan-painter, plain M. Rudolph. To mask the large sums which on occasion he dispensed in charit

o immediate contact wi

in his own house in

n a farm at Bouqueval, whence she had been abducted by Chouette and comrad

too many of his secrets) murdered the latter, but the former, swept from their sight by the Seine's current, had been

life's confines, in the house of Dr. Griffon, at Asnières, under his care

course. Chief among social oppressors, whose cunning baffled the law, and verified the

d her daughter; he had seduced his servant Louise Morel, caused her imprisonment on a charge of child-murder, driving her

heard that Louise Morel's father was in debt (a means of Ferrand's triumph over the girl), than he gave her some of his employer's money, thinking to replace i

of inward delight. His chief accomplice removed (his only other being the Dr. Polidori already mentioned) he believed he had nothing to fear. L

clerks' breakfast-time, into

ame Séraphin, an enormous cold turkey, served up on an old paper box, ornamented the middle of one of the tables of the office, flanked by two loaves of bread, some

feast with hungry impatience; some of them were raging over the absence of the hea

ls of the clerks of Jacques Ferrand ann

llowed to borrow this word from the witty writer who has made

entered into life, to appear at breakfast o

fe of a notary, in like manner he never expec

ied Stump-in-the-Gutters, the

; this turkey must be

man, you should

done is to give

city with which you

e a right to the carcass,

t you have no right to i

was only another carcas

u of th

of Mother Séraphin rest in peace! for, since she was drowne

he governor, instead of

each forty

n I say: may her s

the old boy would never hav

s eno

aston

ot an offic

Euro

give forty sous to a famish

ch of you fellows has seen the n

adame Pipelet, the porter

re poor Louise lived,

es

not seen

or

her, for the governor is more savage than ever to p

the office now, how can one

have se

ou

e was

oes sh

e or

g or

that she has not so go

that go

seen her, how does t

r, I have seen her c

t so

et, I believe; something like tho

t is very natural, sin

on't s

at surprises you? The bu

tion between your pr

e is

you say i

never lost, and the do

bs, which mean nothing, we are in for it. Com

n the yard: she had her back toward o

ard's

see nothing of her figure; but I could see her cherry-colored cap, and a p

as much as you did; for here you have one, as they say, who, if he remai

est who laughs last, and, moreover, p

amel is when he lay

you keep, and I'll t

how p

it is superstition that stupef

tence, that he gives us fo

is, he mus

si

two or three days he

n his cabinet from morning till night, and always at our bac

n the head clerk h

ged to die with hunge

ange in th

: "The governor has got no servant, no housekeeper, and when he gets one, we shall have to live on hash again." It wasn't so, my poor Germain: the old fellow finally employed a servant, and our breakfast was still buried in the river of oblivion. I was appointed a sort of deputy, to present to the governor the complaints of the stomach; he was with the principal clerk." I do not want to feed you in the morning," said he, in a gruff, surly tone; "my servant has no time to prepare your breakfast." "But, sir, you are bound to give us our morning meal." "Well, you may send out for your b

: 'The governor is

ead out of his pock

hemist was right who sa

lieve that the g

be recognized. His cheeks are so hollo

o see him. The other day he took off his glasses

ort reckonings ma

our saws. I tell you, gentlemen, that i

What the devil was he doing in that position? I should think it would have giv

I mean that it was the deed whic

he must

for ten minutes, with his bloodshot eyes fixed upon it,

upsid

ti

he have rea

nless he can re

can do

t I dared not open my lips, and I we

ient, two clients, three clients, with whom the governor had made an appointment. They waited impatiently,

hat did

h were placed upon the table, and his

asleep,

ove. 'M. Ferrand!' No reply. At length I touched his shoulder, and he started up as if the devil had bitten hi

it. What d

ea

nse

e a quee

weep! Get ou

, ladybirds will play

eys chew

om knowing what I saw with my own eyes. I

! wee

ade an appointment, sir, and-' 'I haven't the time to see them. Let them go to the devil, and you with them.' Thereupon he arose, as furious as he could be, and looked so much as if he would kick me out at the door, that I did

clerk, who came in as if pressed with business. His appearance was hail

s from breakfast for a long time," said Chalamel. "You must look out

ou; I was more impatient than y

t I have be

e governor ought not t

ave the oppo

t as well with o

es better," sai

to the principal clerk: "What reason have y

perfectly stupid, when he agreed to give us

are, gentlemen; but it is a trifle, actually

say so!" sa

nvite us to dine every day, at h

kets to the play

us to the café, to r

ter tha

e; but the scene which I have just o

e scene, I

ble yourself about the br

g, your teeth will be in motion, and the turkey would be finished

ated the mastication of the young limbs of the law, but the breakfast was

oy, on whom the carcass and claws of the turkey had been mo

go down to the garden in the night in spite of the cold and rain, and walk up and down rapidly. He ventured to leave his nest, and ask his master if he had need of anything. The governor sent him to bed in

s, perhaps, a

ignatures. At the moment I placed my hand on the lock, I thought I heard some one speak. I stopped, and distinguished two or t

el

e governor on his k

is kn

he fl

ce in his hands and Us elbows on th

we are! He is so bigoted, he

only from time to time he murmured, between his teeth, 'Lord, lord!' like a man in a

been also my po

an old pocket-handkerchief; his spectacles remained on the chair. In all my life I have never seen such

ou by the

ting his handkerchief fall, which he had, doubtless, gnawed and torn in grindin

it m

, when he pronounced these words his voice was

, nor Tom-cat with a cold, whose sounds

h the more as M. Ferrand is not habitually communicative. 'Sir,' said I, 'I believe that.' 'Leave me! leave me!' he ans

you owe us two bo

's master

eely treat

ks; it is sacred. Proverbs

at once understood that he was mistaken, or that he was in a high fever. I disengag

w that sounds

what do you want with me?' At each question he ran his hand over hi

as if it were written! Bravo, head cl

so well, an

ma ought

I said?-what have you heard? Answer, answer.' He looked so wicked that I replied, 'I have heard nothing, sir; I just came in.' 'You do not deceive me?' 'No, sir.' 'Well, what do you want?' 'To ask for some signatures, sir.' 'Give me the papers.' And he began to sign-without reading them, a half dozen notarial acts-he, who never put his flourish on an act without spelling it, le

this: what can the

regrets Mada

he regrets

uré of Bonne-Nouvelle and his vicar had called sever

the carpenter and locksmith ha

e worked there for thr

ey brought some furnitur

as sung the s

or having imprisoned Ger

hard, and too tough, as

Chal

going to have famous recruit

is

robbers and assassins who have been arrested by the Cham

e real c

coundrels has been c

n, good soci

uits; for in the band they say there is a whole f

the women to Saint La

y, one of our clients. Has not master sent me often enough to know how she is? He appears to be very much in

el

she will get through the day; two days ago she was given up; but yesterday th

house, and see where

r than the gate, and the porter did no

oung men seated themselves at their respective desks, over which they bent, moving their pe

Ferrand

rehead seemed injected with blood, while his flat face and hollow cheeks were of a livid paleness. The expression of his eyes could not

n cabinet, and descended immediately by the little staircase which led to the court. Jacques Ferrand having left behind him all the doors open, the clerks could, with good reason, be

g La Chouette Fleur-de-Marie's picture, she had exposed her jew