cate circumspection with which the hospitality
would be offered, Mother Bunch might perceive in it alms in disguise.
Adrienne preferred, therefore, whilst she treated her as a friend, to
give her a confidential employment. In this manner the great delicacy of
the needlewoman would be spared, since she could earn her livelihood by
performing duties which would at the same time satisfy her praiseworthy
instincts of charity. In fact, she could fulfil, better than any one,
the sacred mission confided to her by Adrienne. Her cruel experience in
misfortune, the goodness of her angelic soul, the elevation of her mind,
her rare activity, her penetration with regard to the painful secrets
of poverty, her perfect knowledge of the industrial classes, were
sufficient security for the tact and intelligence with which the
excellent creature would second the generous intentions of Mdlle. de
Cardoville.

Let us now speak of the divers events which, on that day, preceded the
coming of Mdlle. de Cardoville to the garden-gate of the house in the
Rue Blanche. About ten o'clock in the morning, the blinds of Adrienne's
bedchamber, closely shut, admitted no ray of daylight to this apartment,
which was only lighted by a spherical lamp of oriental alabaster,
suspended from the ceiling by three long silver chains. This apartment,
terminating in a dome, was in the form of a tent with eight sides. From
the ceiling to the floor, it was hung with white silk, covered with
long draperies of muslin, fastened in large puffs to the wall, by bands
caught in at regular distances by plates of ivory. Two doors, also
of ivory, admirably encrusted with mother-of-pearl, led, one to the
bath-room, the other to the toilet-chamber, a sort of little temple
dedicated to the worship of beauty, and furnished as it had been at the
pavilion of Saint Dizier House. Two other compartments of the wall were
occupied by windows, completely veiled with drapery. Opposite the bed,
enclosing splendid fire-dogs of chased silver, was a chimney-piece
of white marble, like crystallized snow, on which were sculptured two
magnificent caryatides, and a frieze representing birds and flowers.
Above this frieze, carved in openwork with extreme delicacy, was a
marble basket, filled with red camellias. Their leaves of shining
green their flowers of a delicate rosy hue, were the only colors that
disturbed the harmonious whiteness of this virgin retreat. Finally, half
surrounded by waves of wh