y just now, 'Alas! What
will become of it?'"

Madame Armand interrupted this conversation, and came to seek
Fleur-de-Marie. After having again burst into sobs, and bathed with her
despairing tears the young girl's hands, Mont Saint-Jean fell on the
seat perfectly overcome, not even thinking of the promise which
Fleur-de-Marie had just made with respect to her child.

"Poor creature!" said Madame Armand, as she quitted the yard,
accompanied by Fleur-de-Marie, "her gratitude towards you gives me a
better opinion of her."

Learning that La Goualeuse was discharged, the other prisoners, far from
envying her this favour, displayed their delight. Some of them
surrounded Fleur-de-Marie, and took leave of her with adieux full of
cordiality, frankly congratulating her on her speedy release from
prison.

"Well, I must say," said one, "this little fair girl has made us pass an
agreeable moment, when we agreed to make up the basket of clothes for
Mont Saint-Jean. That will be remembered at St. Lazare."

When Fleur-de-Marie had quitted the prison buildings, the inspectress
said to her:

"Now, my dear child, go to the clothing-room, and leave your prison
clothes. Put on your peasant girl's clothes, whose rustic simplicity
suits you so well. Adieu! You will be happy, for you are going to be
under the protection of good people, and leave these walls, never again
to return to them. But I am really hardly reasonable," said Madame
Armand, whose eyes were moistened with tears. "I really cannot conceal
from you how much I am attached to you, my poor girl!" Then, seeing the
tears in Fleur-de-Marie's eyes, the inspectress added, "But we must not
sadden your departure thus."

"Ah, madame, is it not through your recommendation that this young lady
to whom I owe my liberty has become interested in me?"

"Yes, and I am happy that I did so; my presentiments had not deceived
me."

At this moment a clock struck.

"That is the hour of work; I must return to the rooms. Adieu! Once more
adieu, my dear child!"

Madame Armand, as much affected as Fleur-de-Marie, embraced her
tenderly, and then said to one of the women employed in the
establishment:

"Take mademoiselle to the vestiary."

A quarter of an hour afterwards, Fleur-de-Marie, dressed like a peasant
girl, as we have seen her at the farm at Bouqueval, entered the
waiting-room, where Madame Seraphin was expecting her. The housekeeper
of the notary, Jacques Ferrand, had come to se