and the chance of keeping her
doubled. This, which would have defeated a bargain with any common
couturiere, succeeded perfectly with Adrienne. She received her fifteen
sous with humble thankfulness, in constant apprehension of losing even
that miserable pittance. Nor would her employer consent to let her work
by the piece, at which the dear child might have earned at least thirty
sous, for she discovered that she had to deal with a person of
conscience, and that in no mode could as much be possibly extracted
from the assistant, as by confiding to her own honor. At nine each day
she was to breakfast. At a quarter past nine, precisely, to commence
work for her employer; at one, she had a remission of half an hour; and
at six, she became her own mistress.

{marchande de mode = milliner; rusee = crafty; couturiere = seamstress}

"I put confidence in you, mademoiselle," said the marchande de mode,
"and leave you to yourself entirely. You will bring home the work as it
is finished, and your money will be always ready. Should your
grandmother occupy more of your time than common, on any occasion, you
can make it up of yourself, by working a little earlier, or a little
later; or, once in a while, you can throw in a day, to make up for lost
time. You would not do as well at piecework, and I wish to deal
generously by you. When certain things are wanted in a hurry, you will
not mind working an hour or two beyond time, and I will always find
lights with the greatest pleasure. Permit me to advise you to take the
intermissions as much as possible for your attentions to your
grandmother, who must be attended to properly. Si--the care of our
parents is one of our most solemn duties! Adieu, mademoiselle; au
revoir!"

{find lights = supply candles; si = yes indeed}

This was one of the speeches of the marchande de mode to Adrienne, and
the dear girl repeated it in her mind, as she sat at work on me,
without the slightest distrust of the heartless selfishness it so ill
concealed. On fifteen sous she found she could live without encroaching
on the little stock set apart for the support of her grandmother, and
she was content. Alas! The poor girl had not entered into any
calculation of the expense of lodgings, of fuel, of clothes, of health
impaired, and as for any resources for illness or accidents, she was
totally without them. Still Adrienne thought herself the obliged party,
in times as critical as those which then hung over Franc