Adrienne, stopping short, and in her terror
drawing nigh to the two women. "Do you not hear those cries? What, then,
is this house, in which one hears such things? And over there, too,"
added she almost beside herself, as she pointed to the other wing where
the lighted windows shone through the darkness, and the white figure
continued to pass and repass before it; "over there! do you see? What is
it?"

"Oh! that 'un," said Tomboy; "one of the folks who, like you, have not
behaved well."

"What do you say?" cried Mdlle. de Cardoville, clasping her hands in
terror. "Heavens! what is this house? What do they do to them?"

"What will be done to you, if you are naughty, and refuse to come to
bed," answered Gervaise.

"They put this on them," said Tomboy, showing the garment that she had
held under her arm, "they clap 'em into the strait-waistcoast."

"Oh!" cried Adrienne, hiding her face in her hands with horror. A
terrible discovery had flashed suddenly upon her. She understood it all.

Capping the violent emotions of the day, the effect of this last blow
was dreadful. The young girl felt her strength give way. Her hands fell
powerless, her face became fearfully pale, all her limbs trembled, and
sinking upon her knees, and casting a terrified glance at the strait
waistcoat she was just able to falter in a feeble voice, "Oh, no:--not
that--for pity's sake, madame. I will do--whatever you wish." And, her
strength quite failing, she would have fallen upon the ground if the
two women had not run towards her, and received her fainting into their
arms.

"A fainting fit," said Tomboy; "that's not dangerous. Let us carry her
to bed. We can undress her, and this will be all nothing."

"Carry her, then," said Gervaise. "I will take the lamp."

The tall and robust Tomboy took up Mdlle. de Cardoville as if she
had been a sleeping child, carried her in her arms, and followed her
companion into the chamber through which M. Baleinier had made his exit.

This chamber, though perfectly clean, was cold and bare. A greenish
paper covered the walls, and a low, little iron bedstead, the head of
which formed a kind of shelf, stood in one corner; a stove, fixed in the
chimney-place, was surrounded by an iron grating, which forbade a near
approach; a table fastened to the wall, a chair placed before this
table, and also clamped to the floor, a mahogany chest of drawers, and
a rush bottomed armchair completed the scanty furniture. The c