The Wandering Jew, Book IV.

A coach was standing before the door of the house. In it she saw Sleepinbuff, wit

ch: "I give you a quarter of an hour; it is all that I can do for you, my good fellow; a

fore, she now exclaimed, as she took her seat by Jacques, and remarked t

ebt," said Jacques,

Cephyse, with a h

they made me sign. And yet the man

n his hands; let him

he bailiff, that not having paid the bill,

t was he who came to propose to lend you this money. I know it wel

ey broker pi

asping her hands in anguish. "But there must be

signed, without even knowing what I signed. The bill is over-due; everything is

p you long in prison

y. As I'll never be able to

be able to do anything!" said Cep

ce of mournful emotion; "since I am here, I have t

r min

ndered our money so foolishly, that we have not even paid our rent. We owe three quarters, and we must not therefore c

use of grievi

will live to-morr

othes. I will send you half the money, and

rwards?-a

then-I don't know-

-I'll look

, Jacques added: "You see we have been ruined by saying-'To-morrow will never come!'-for to morrow has come. When I am no longer with you, and you have spent the last penny of the money gained by the sale of your clothes-unfit for work as you have become-what w

er arms around his neck, she said to him: "I take another lover?

Cephyse-how

may as well set you free. By that time I shall have once more acquired the habit of working. You shall see, you shall see!-and you also will again acquire this habit. We shall live poor, but content. After all, we have had plenty of amusement for six month, while s

t try and get to work again, or else nothing remains but Father Arsene's bushel of charcoal; for, my girl," added Jacques, in a low and trembling voice, "I have been

upted Cephyse; "I swear to you that I will return to

ntil now, she had at least followed the instincts of her heart, without regard to any base or venal motive. The cruel position in which she beheld Jacques had so far exalted her love, that she believed herself capable of resuming, along with

a little; he had sense and feeling enough to perceive that the fatal track which he

ving knocked at the coa

only five minutes

y girl-courage!

ou may rel

oing upsta

se. "I have now a horr

em not to expect us back. They will be much astonish

aid Cephyse, "this man would perhaps permit it,

y life. Remember what I say, my dear Cephyse-and the counsel will apply to me as well as to yourself," continued Jacques, in a grave and feeling tone-"resume from to-day the habit of labor. It may be

, blushing; "but I will rath

se," added Jacques, in a deep and hollow v

e added, sorrowfully: "It was a kind of presentiment, when just now I felt so sad, without knowi

cques, with a gloomy air; "that would save us the

cques, that to live and die togeth

h profound emotion. "Do not let us

to Jacques's lodging, where he was to change his

ngs which cannot be too often repeated-that one of the most fatal cons

r number of young girls, thus badly paid, to seek their

mpstress's sister, they throw aside their work altogether, and take up their abode with the man of their choice, should he be able to support the ex

ssness of Society imposes on an immense number of workwomen,

rs. Or, it may be, that foolish extravagance consigns the imprudent lover to prison,

ir work-but the examples are very rare. The others, impelled by

rst and virtual cause of their fall has been the insuffi

e conceivable, for nothing is done to render their labor attractive, either by variety of occupations, or by honorary rewards, or by proper care, or by remuneration proportion

ater dangers than soldiers in time of war, display rare practical sagacity, and render to industry-and, consequently, to their country-the most incontestable

equal to that which awaits the soldier's praiseworthy,

ould happen to be ungrateful, the mutilated workman, inca

en those admirable stuffs, forged and damascened those shining weapons, chiselled those goblets of gold and silve

able to subsist on their scanty wages, these workmen have contributed, at least, one half t

that exhibits on these occasions, the selection by vote of a certain number of candidates, amongst whom the manufacturer

d by his peers, as amongst the most honest, laborious, and intelligent of his profession? Then one most grievous injustice would di

right to the prizes bestowed upon him. But why is the workman to be rigorously excluded from these rewards, which have so powerful an influence upon the people? Are generals and

a medal as a reward for his courageous industry, his long and laborious career? The token and the little pension attached to it, would be to him a do

d by individual selfishness and ingratitude, o

more or better, confine themselves strictly to just that amount of labor which will suffice to earn their wages. Nothing attaches them to their work, because nothing elevates, honors, glorifies it in their eyes. They have no defence against the reductions of indolence; and if, by some chance, they find means of living awhile in

the person that usually employed her, went to the Rue de Bab