The Clique of Gold

by a minute, extreme neatness, which reminds you of Holland, and almost sets you a-laughing. The neighbors might use the brass plate on

s to respect the property of others, without regard to the high price they pay for their share. "Clean your feet, if you

n the neighborhood. Was it worse than other houses,-No. 21, for instance,

red there at long intervals, preferring, according to his own account, to live on his estates near Saintonge. The whole fourth story was occupied by a man familiarly known as Papa Ravinet, although he was barely fifty years old. He dealt in second-hand merchandise, furniture, curiosities, and toilet articles; and his rooms were fille

e, and was probably in the hands of still humbler tenants

neighboring shops. No one, however, stood, rightly or wrongly, in as bad repute as the doorkeeper, or concierge, who lived in a little hole near the great double entrance-door, and watched ov

as said, as agent for two of his tenants,-the broker, and the dealer in second-hand goods, and undertook the executions, when poor debtors were unable to pay. Mrs. Chevas

nces. They were, finally, reported to have a son called Justin, a handsome fellow, thirty-five years old, who lived in the best society, and whom they nearly worshipped; while he

absurd if they should trouble themselves about public opinion, as

five o'clock, husband and wife were just sitting down to dinner, when the

ss eagerness from under thick, bushy brows. Although he had lived for years in Paris, he was dressed l

full of trouble. "Take your lamp, and fol

generally very calm and cool, that the t

hat was all that was wanting. But pray

h story. Of course I ran up a few steps, I listened. All was silent. I went down again, thinking I had been mistaken; and at once I heard again

d t

ou understand; but I think I could swear it was the voice of Miss Henr

y did n

out just now, and told me she would not be back till nine o'clock. My dear

mistaken! But never mind;

eral of the lodgers, hearing the voice of the merchant and the exclam

ee what it is,"

nger oppose the general desi

ince you will have

end the stairs, followed by the merchant

he lodgers opened their doors to see what was going on. And, when they heard that some

zen curious persons behind him, when he

e. He knocked at first gently, then harder, and at last with all his ener

ach blow

Miss Henrietta,

eply

id triumphant

and tried to open the door a little, putting now his eye, and now his ear

he rose d

over; we ar

expressed some doubt

Don't you smell that

that he was right. As the door had given way a little, the

red; and a woman'

killed

ugh, but too frequently, in

police," said at l

, perhaps, a chance yet to save the poor girl; and,

to be do

in th

are

, I w

ively back; they were frightened. The door was wide open, and masses of vapors rolled out. Soon, however, curiosity triumphed o

lamp had gone out in the foul air

al, which was slowly going out under a little heap of wh

gone so far to stop now,

indow?" he aske

right

ll; I'll

ly the noise of breaking glass was heard. A moment later, and the air in

ath-rattle which M.

lay a young girl about twenty years old, dressed in a wretched b

en sobb

y said over and over a

nt had gone up to the bed,

annot be dead! Come, ladies, come here and

ion, he told them what to do for th

ome air into her lungs. Cut open her dress; pour some

y obeyed him readily, althoug

f the women. "No doubt s

tarving," whi

a bed, a chest of drawers, and two chairs. There were no curtains at the window, no dresses in the trunk, not a ribbon in the drawers. Evidently everything th

was lying there had evidently gone through all the stages of suffering which the s

ying on the bureau attracted his eye. He took it up.

ssat will carry the two letters which I enclose to their ad

wo letters. On t

Rue de Varennest 115

Brevan, 62

sh eye of the dealer in old clothes; a wicked smile pl

passed away

anxiously and suspiciously to see if anybody had cau

was thinking of him; for everybod

of an accomplished pickpocket. It was high time; for the women who were bending over the bed of the young girl were exhibiting signs of intense excitement. One o

ing which all held their breath, and solemn stillness reig

embled, she

e. The unfortunate girl had certainly moved, ve

and sank again; her teeth, closely shut, opened; and with parted lips sh

lmost frightened, and as if they had s

M. Ravinet wa

l on her arm, and the poor child looked around with that blank, unmeaning eye which we s

octor comes, he will have little else to do. But she must be at

eant; and yet hardly any one ventured tim

e did not dete

have a mattress, bedclothes and blankets. We want wood also (for

the others followed her example; but they left nothing. When Papa Ravinet had finished his little speech, there was nobody left but the two ladies who lived on the first floor, and the concierge and his wife. The two ladies, moreover,

nt heart

ng his should

ll run down stairs, and I'll be back in a moment with all

was a picture. Never in her lif

ged Papa Ravine

ent and generous mortal. They told stories of him that would h

er the weight of two excellent mattresses; and, when he came b

t was evident that she was utterly unconscious of her situation, and of what was going on around her. This troubled the two ladies not a

a Ravinet boldly. "However, the doctor w

o Master Cheva

e we go down and take something? We can come b

r his bed even. He slept where he could, or, rather, wherever an accidental sale had cleared a space for the time,-one night in a costly bed of the days of Louis XIV., and the

eglasses, put a teakettle on the fire, a

at, what a terrib

aid neither yes nor no; but the old merchant was a m

n absent air, "is, that the doctor will report the mat

at nearly drop

r lodgers; we are lost. Why did that stupid girl want to d

ply ask you who that girl is, how she supports he

ctly what I

hes seemed to be amaze

e. How came it about that Miss H

ly ill at ease; something

ied; "and, if you wish it, I'll tell you th

let u

a hangman's assistant, in fact a thoroughly fashionable young man. He said he had seen the notice that there was a room for rent up stai

hich Miss Henriet

r if it would shut, examined the partition-wall, and at last he said, 'This suits me; I take

to show it; for his eyes wandered to and fro as if his thoughts

fashionable you

n I know, except that

h had suddenly fallen upon his head. He changed color;

, that his visitor saw nothing; and th

id not give you

N

ou not to ha

the trouble! I

aster his embarrassment. It looked as if he were preparing hi

ghed me in the face, and did not even let me finish my question. 'Do I look,' he said, 'like a man who lives in a place like this?' And when he saw I was puzzled, he went on to tell me that he took the room for a young person from the country, in whom he took an interest, and that the contract a

press his approbation by a word or a s

niture brought the pieces you have seen up stairs; and the day after, about eleven o'clock, Miss Henrietta herself a

if his whole attention was given to the teake

u did not act very wisely. Still, if that is really

e could t

ime, if you were lending a hand in an elopement, I think you would be i

protested with

u the whole tru

d not by any means

sure they will ask you how it could happen that one of your tenants should fa

ait upon my lodgers. They are free t

ight! So you did not know that M. Maxim

came to

d, Papa Ravinet raised his arms to hea

ung man knew how the poor girl suffered

began to see what the old merchant meant by his q

y to watch over M. Maxime. As for Miss Henrietta, as soon as she is a

k his head, and said

r her room. And, more than that, if you wish to oblige me, you will be v

the manner in which he pronounced it; and yet he was about to enfor

where are yo

fe," said t

get away, he sai

the daughter of the owner of the house. But excuse me, I must

rly unable to guess why the old merchant should take s

Papa Ravinet to him

nted to know. He was alone, and

M. Maxime de Brevan over the steam of the boiling water. In a moment the mucilage of the envelope was dissolved, and the letter

Brevan. When you read this,

fears. Daniel can come back. I shall carry the secret

yet

enged. And, if it should require a miracle, that miracle will be done, so as to inform that honorable ma

man was

growled with a voice of intense hatr

er letter, addressed to Count Ville-Handry, in the same manner. The op

haustion, I have waited till this morning for an answer t

nexorable. I see I must die. I shall die

le. And yet-ah! I have suffered terribly. I have struggled hard before I could make up my mind to leave your house,-the hous

of you!-barely enough to bury my

his hour, when no one utters a falsehood, if

eeks of the old man; and he

under the same roof with her, without knowing it. But I am here. I

was no longer the cunning dealer in second-hand articles, the old scamp with the sharp, vulgar face, so well known at all public sales

delayed, gave to his features a strange expression of energy and nobility. With his elbows on the table, holding his head in his hands, and looking apparently into the far past, he seemed to call

es! And that Daniel, who intrusted her to the care of Maxime de Brevan-who is he? Why did she not write to him when

rchant was suddenly recalled to the p

and that is what I cannot afford to do. I must

ed them, pasted them up again, and smoothed them down, till every trace of the steam h

expert in the post-office woul

t there Mrs. Chevassat suddenly barred his way, coming down stairs

h her sweetest manner: "so you ha

you objec

It is none of m

iling wickedly,

and I was just saying to myself, 'Upon

nt reply; but he controlled himself, because he knew how important

unt upon your

ontributed. The room, a short time ago cold and bare, had an air of comfort about it now, which was delightful. On the bureau stood a lamp with a shade to prevent the light from hurting the patient's eyes; a bright fire

ad bled the poor girl, prescribed some medicines, and left again,

pallor of her face. Stretched out at full-length on her comfortable bed with its thick mattresses and snow-white sheets, her head propped up hi

back to her a sense of the horror of her p

d steadily upon infinite space, as if trying to pierce the darkness of the future, she would have looked like

admiration, standing upon the threshold of the open door. But it occurred to him at once that he might be looked upon as a

herself. When she saw the old merchan

have told me all. You have saved my lif

ered me a sad

but in a tone of such harrowing gri

aimed, "you do not think

It was as good as

ars old, and give up life! That has never been done before. You are suffering now; but y

d him by a ges

for me, sir, when I s

ut

oal. Even to get the charcoal, I had to risk a falsehood, and cheat the woman who let me have it in credit. And yet God knows I was not wanting in courage. I would have done the coarsest, hardest

not repeat what the wife of the concierge had said. But she add

man is a wic

what kind of advice she had given this poor girl of twenty, who had turned to her for help in her great

ow poverty, as well as you. I can understand your purpose but too well. Who would not give up life itsel

how have t

ld be nice! No, my dear child, compose yourself; poverty shall not come near you again, I'll see to that. You want somebody to advis

e looked fixedly at the old man to see if she could read in his face what were his real tho

my promises?

her words one by one, as if to gi

t you. But I cannot understand why you

urprise than he really felt, and

he mistrusts

ir

ld man; you are almost a child. I come to help you

thought, as if trying to find out her motive for refusin

bout me, no doubt. Ah, the viper! I'll crush her one of

a word at least. He w

e scarcely controlled, and in words

er, who knew no law, and kept no promise; whose only principle was profit; who dealt in every thing with everybody, selling to-day old iron in junk-shops, and to-morrow cashmere shawls to fashionable ladies; and

or girl time to form her judgmen

t there is another one, whom but few people know, who has been sorely

an to accuse ourselves of bad qualities, or even vices, which we do not have. But, if the old man

iged to you for all you have done for

n looked di

ou that I have a daughter who has secretly left me, so that I do not know what has become of her, and that her memory makes me anxious to serve you.

e spoke thus, and interrupted him eag

on here may justify such suspicio

epli

if that is so, how did you get here? and how

d. The poor girl was deeply moved; and the tear

ets which canno

life and honor

es

ut

y do not

which he felt. A moment before he had despaired of ever gaining her confidence; now he f

own interest. If it had been otherwise, do you think I should have asked you thes

ould not retain

an my l

ave

s who nursed me looked for

th an air of injured innocence. To all appearances, the envelopes had not been touched

nk you

se evidence of honesty had helped him more

? I suppose he is your father. And M. Maxime de Brevan? No doubt he is the young man who called to see you so often. Ah, if you

dently dee

ecision. Consider the matter carefully. You need not tell me any thing el

d! In that

long as you want me to w

y we

me solemnly that you will g

you solem

one with delight; and

for, to tell the truth, I am tired

in a dark corner, from which he could watch the front-door of the house. He remained there a long time, exposed to wind and rain, uttering now and then a low oa

urmured the old man. Then h

scoundrel! to see if the

came out again, and jumped into th

your game, and you'll have to try your luck elsewhere; and this time I am on