He found himself confronted by a man
who was one of the frequenters of the _tapis-franc_ of the ogress, and
recognised him instantly, so deeply was the print of vice stamped upon
him, so completely marked on his beardless and youthful features. It was
Barbillon.

Barbillon, the pretended hackney-coachman, who had driven the
Schoolmaster and the Chouette to the hollow way of Bouqueval,--Barbillon,
the assassin of the husband of the unhappy milkwoman, who had set the
labourers of the farm at Arnouville on against La Goualeuse. Whether
this wretch had forgotten Rodolph's face, which he had never seen but
once at the _tapis-franc_ of the ogress, or that the change of dress
prevented him from recognising the Chourineur's conqueror, he did not
evince the slightest surprise at his appearance.

"What do you want?" inquired Rodolph.

"Here's a letter for Ma'am Mathieu, and I must give it to her myself,"
was Barbillon's reply.

"She does not live here,--it's opposite," said Rodolph.

"Thank ye, master. They told me the left-hand door; but I've mistook."

Rodolph did not recollect the name of the diamond-matcher, which Morel
the lapidary had only mentioned once or twice, and thus had no motive
for interesting himself in the female to whom Barbillon came with his
message; but yet, although ignorant of the ruffian's crimes, his face
was so decidedly repulsive that he remained at the threshold of the
door, curious to see the person to whom Barbillon brought the letter.

Barbillon had scarcely knocked at the door opposite to Germain's, than
it opened, and the jewel-matcher, a stout woman of about fifty, appeared
with a candle in her hand.

"Ma'am Mathieu?" inquired Barbillon.

"That's me, my man."

"Here's a letter, and I waits for an answer."

And Barbillon made a step forward to enter the doorway, but the woman
made him a sign to remain where he was, and unsealed the letter, which
she read by the light of the candle she held, and then replied with an
air of satisfaction:

"Say it's all right, my man, and I will bring what is required. I will
be there at the same hour as usual. My respects to the lady."

"Yes, missus. Please to remember the porter!"

"Oh, you must ask them as sent you; they are richer than I am." And she
shut the door.

Rodolph returned to Germain's room, when he saw Barbillon run quickly
down the staircase. The ruffian found on the boulevard a man of
low-lived, brutal appearance, waiting for him