Mysteries of Paris, V3

but neat (gray trousers and a black frock-coat closely buttoned), showed none of that slovenly carelessness so peculiar to prisoners; his white hands bore witness

d his pale and dejected face; his eyes, of a beautiful blue, announced frankness and kindness; his smiles, at once sad and swe

ness of Germain, and accused him only of a moment's thoughtlessness or imprudence; culpable, doubtless, but pardonable, when one reflects that he was able to replace in the desk of the notary the sum taken to save Morel the lapidary. Germain blushed slightly when, through the grating, he perceived the fre

ed himself near a stove at the extremity of the room. In a few mom

grating, the better to examine the features of her friend, "let me see if I am satisfied

are to come

t! that is

ou for doing so much for me-for me

urn, thank you. Ah! ah! there is where I have caught you, Master Unjust. I have half

. Pardon me if I repeat so often this word, which

, you do not know w

s that

you are

from you? Your touching kindness, does

t finish, but ca

?" asked Rigol

th devotion," st

er," said Rigolette impatiently. "You deceive me; it wa

sure

eal anything? Be frank, then, with me; tell me all," added the grisette, timidly; for she only waited for an avowal from Germai

prisoner, with a sigh, "tha

and she took it from her basket. "To punish you for your dissimulation, you shall not have it. I knit it for you. I said to myself

w,

t well! that did not, however, prevent you hindering me (out of delicacy) from putting

d Germain, in an agitated voice

are becoming sad again

since my detention here? And this new attention, is it not charming? Do I not know that you encroach

ys I take a fine walk to come and visit my friends, I, who adore

t on such a day

thers, with their umbrellas turned wrong side out like a tulip, are making incredible grimaces, shutting their eyes, while the rain beats in their faces.

u have manifested for me touches my very heart. You know

tanding her prattle, she was very near partaking his agi

there is another thing that you will not master, althou

t do yo

ust told me again that, for your own interest, you should associate with them. I am sure you will not do it. You are sile

me. You do not know all the personal reasons that

have incurred since your arrival in Paris, because you would not associate yourself in crime with the scoundrel who brought you up. It was on account of the trap set for you that you left the Rue d

for the misfortune which has fallen upon me-Ah! I interest you; be generous; pardon me thes

imacy of his sweet neighbor, he had concealed this love under the mask of friendship. Rendered by misfortune still more suspicious and timid, he could not imagine that Rigolette loved him with love: he, a prisoner, he, withering under a terrible accusation, while before these misfortunes she had never evinced any attachment stronger than that

several times tried to address some of them who seemed the

true, it must

sations which, in spite of myself, I hear all the day; yes, now I listen with a sad apathy to the horrors whic

main, what

s, as our hearing becomes habituated to the gross words which resound continually around us.

not you-

n us to this odious association, are ignorant of its mournful and fatal effects. They are igno

alk thus; you cause

you have it. I did not wish to tell you; but I ha

ty-my

e would say that they have the fatal power to vitiate the atmosphere they breathe. It seems to me that I feel the corruption entering through every pore. If they absolve me from the fault I have committed, the sight, the acquaintan

ur wea

cowar

ut what unjust ideas

ulpable to compound with one's duty

u!

g these robbers and these murderers speak of their crimes with obscene jests or ferocious pride. I surprise myself sometimes envying them their au

were sure of being able to return the money which you took only for a f

with whom I live. Thus, in time, I well see, conscience is blunted, and becomes hardened. To-morrow, I shall commit a robbery, not with the certainty of being able to restore what I took for a laudable object, but I shall steal from cupidity, and I shall doubtless think myself innocent in comparison to those who murder to rob. And yet, at this present moment, there is as great a dista

s? Once ou

inking of my fault, it would have been magnified instead of being diminished; the graver it appeared to me, the greater would have been my future expiation. Thus, the more I should have felt the need of my own pardon, the more in my poor sphere I should have tried to do good. For it needs a hundred good actions to atone for a single bad one. But shall I ever dream of expiating that which at this moment scarcely causes me any remorse? Hold! I feel it, I obey an irresistible influence, against which I have struggled for a long time with all my strength. I

still felt all its enormity; but the trouble, apprehension, and doubts which cruelly agitated his virtuous and generous mind were not the less alarming symptoms. Guided by the rectitude of her understanding, by her woman's sagacity, and by the impulses of her love, Rigolette

n accent, and in a manner he had never seen her assume, "Listen to me, Germain; I shall express myself perhaps badly; I do not speak so wel

r forget that which your pit

am going to explain this as well as I can. When we were neighbors, I loved you as a brother, as a good companion; you rendered me some little services,

? oh!

leave the house where we dwelt, your departure cau

it be

standing this you have passed with me all the time you had to spare: you taught me to write; you gave me good advice, a little serious, because it was good: in fine, you have been the most attentive of my neighbors, and the only one who asked nothing of me for the trouble. This is not all; on leaving the

ld have made this distinctio

M. Germain; only he is a little too serious; but never mind, if I had a friend who wished to marry to be very, very

!" Germain could not prevent h

make a happy marriage, since I loved you as a value

t is a consolation for me to learn that amo

seworthy action; it was then that you asked me to go for those papers which informed me that you had always loved me, without daring to tell me so. Those papers, in which I read"-and Rigolette could not restrain her tears-"that,

it is to me, rather than any one else, that you would address yoursel

; to whom would y

s which do good, which ar

ht for my welfare; and yet I was not to know these proofs of your attachment until you were no longer in existence. Bless me! what wou

e did not understand her at first, so far was he from thinking himself beloved by Rigolette. Yet these words were so

y! I fear-oh! I

py, I have loved you otherwise than as a brother, and that if now one of my friends wished to marry

me! you

l you myself, si

be pos

p emotion, "just now you appeared to me so much afflicted, so despairing, that I did not mind it; I have had the self-love to believe that this avowal, made frankly and from the bottom of the heart, would prevent you from being so unhappy for the future. I thought, 'Until now I have had no luck in my efforts to amuse or console him; my dainties take away his appetite,

ermain, with, despair. "You love me,

had said formerly, that I was not worthy of your friendship, because I had been in

son because you were a po

a diffe

s; for in my situation I ought only to think of marrying some workman. I am a foundling: I possess nothi

now-I, under the weight of an infamous accusation, I should abuse your

marked. I love your face, I love your eyes, I love you, I love your mind, I love your good heart; is this still pity? Why, after having loved you as a friend, do I love you as a lover? I do not know! Why was I lively and gay when I loved you as a friend? Why am I all changed since I love you as a lover? I do not know. Why have I waited so lon

am in a dream on he

you all this; but your despair compelled me! Ah, well! now that you know that I

ment before this avowal, so artless and courageous. A j

elf how I have deserved such happiness, I abandon myself to it blindly. My life, my whole life, will

ry sure, very sure I should succeed!" cri

reality of his position, his scruples, for a moment forgotten, returned more cruel than ever, and he resumed, with despair, "But I am a prisoner; I am accused of robber

do you

mned to years o

ess, "they will see that I am a virtuous girl; they

confined far

ive in the place where you may be; I will wo

disgraced in t

more than all

you a

eing disgraced in my eyes, I shall regar

ll condemn, calum

he world to each other,

all sides, perhaps I shall find no employment; and then, it is horrible to think of: but if

ison, your wife will receive you with love and gratitude, very certain that you are still an honest man. This language astonishes you, does it not? It astonishes me. I do not know where I find what I say

upted Rigolett

ardly to refuse certain sacrifices; it is to acknowledge that

ry true t

ve spoken words which have struck me-wh

ss! and what

rength to resist the detestable influences which surround me. I will brave the contagi

! if I have done anything fo

, for the future, shall be doubled-to atone for the past, and deserve the happiness I owe t

o are more unfortunate than o

ault of

Morels. And it is holy alms: the charity of the

accept; you wi

e from a dream; I doubt myself no longer! I wronged myself-happily, I wronged m

but for you! Now, you promise, do you not, that, now you have my love to shield you, you will

cused me of being a prey to my remorse; and in seeing me joyous a

and I shall be happy. So, no imprudence; n

ith a smile full of grace and maiden tenderness; "quick, my husband, give me

ith his lips, through the grating, the pure and white forehead. A tear from the prisoner fe

s seat; "and visitors ought to leave at two. Come, my dear," add

ermain good courage; he will no longer look so sorrowful, and thus he will ha

miling; "I shall be for the fu

ll pay no more attention

I have brought for Germa

it at th

rders, in for a lamb, in for a sheep-come, make the day complete; gi

ain, on receiving the cravat from the hands of Rigolette, which he tenderly pressed. "

ise it. Adieu,

, my own

y cravat; take care you do no

you made it for me! Oh! I will always keep

, I hope. Do you wish that I sho

this time I wi

our opinion. Come, once more, adieu. Thank you, Mister Warde

ittle wife:

ver y

art than when she entered it. During the conversation of Germain and the grisette, other sc