or excitement, but a painful stupor; he wept silently. Seeing
Rodin approach him, he rose, but with so tremulous a step, that he could
hardly reach the divan, on which he sank down, hiding his face in his
hands.

Then Rodin, advancing, said to him in a mild and insinuating tone:
"Alas! I feared what has happened. I did not wish you to see your
benefactress; and if I told you she was old, do you know why, dear
prince?"

Djalma, without answering, let his hands fall upon his knees, and turned
towards Rodin a countenance still bathed in tears.

"I knew that Mdlle. de Cardoville was charming, and at your age it is
so easy to fall in love," continued Rodin; "I wished to spare you that
misfortune, my dear prince, for your beautiful protectress passionately
loves a handsome young man of this town."

Upon these words, Djalma suddenly pressed both hands to his heart, as if
he felt a piercing stab, uttered a cry of savage grief, threw back his
head, and fell fainting upon the divan.

Rodin looked at him coldly for some seconds, and then said as he went
away, brushing his old hat with his elbow,

"Come! it works--it works!"

CHAPTER XLV. THE CONSULTATION.

It is night. It has just struck nine. It is the evening of that day
on which Mdlle. de Cardoville first found herself in the presence of
Djalma. Florine, pale, agitated, trembling, with a candle in her hand,
had just entered a bedroom, plainly but comfortably furnished. This room
was one of the apartments occupied by Mother Bunch, in Adrienne's house.
They were situated on the ground-floor, and had two entrances. One
opened on the garden, and the other on the court-yard. From this side
came the persons who applied to the workgirl for succor; an ante-chamber
in which they waited, a parlor in which they were received, constituted
Mother Bunch's apartments, along with the bedroom, which Florine
had just entered, looking about her with an anxious and alarmed air,
scarcely touching the carpet with the tips of her satin shoes, holding
her breath, and listening at the least noise.

Placing the candle upon the chimney-piece, she took a rapid survey
of the chamber, and approached the mahogany desk, surmounted by a
well-filled bookcase. The key had been left in the drawers of this
piece of furniture, and they were all three examined by Florine. They
contained different petitions from persons in distress, and various,
notes in the girl's handwriting. This was not what Flor