l down the staircase."

"Horrible!" exclaimed Rodolph, with a shudder; "and does no one afford
them any assistance?"

"Truly, sir, we do all we can; we are but poor ourselves; however, since
the commandant has allowed me his paltry twelve francs a month for
looking after his apartments, I have managed once a week to make a
little broth for these poor, unfortunate creatures. Mlle. Rigolette
deprives herself of her night's rest, and sits up, poor girl (though it
burns her candles), contriving out of one bit and the other of her
cutting out, to make up a few clothes for the children; sometimes from
the morsels left of her work she manages a small nightcap or gown; and
M. Germain, who had not a franc more than he knew what to do with, used
to pretend, from time to time, that he had received a present of a few
bottles of wine from his friends; and Morel (that is the name of the
workman with the sick family) was sure to be invited to share it with
him; and it was really wonderful to see how refreshed and strengthened
poor Morel used to seem after M. Germain had made him take a good pull
at his wine, to put, as he used to say, a little life and soul into his
half-exhausted body."

"And the surgeon-dentist, what did he do for this wretched family?"

"M. Bradamanti?" said the porter. "Ah! he cured my rheumatism, and I owe
him my eternal gratitude; but from that day I said to my wife,
'Anastasia, M. Bradamanti'--hum!--hum!--did I not say so, Anastasia?"

"Exactly; that is precisely what you did say."

"But I want to know what this M. Bradamanti did to assist the poor
starving beings in your garrets."

"Why, you see, monsieur, when I mentioned to M. Bradamanti the misery
and utter destitution of poor Morel--by the way, he first began the
conversation by complaining that the raving and screaming of the old
idiot woman throughout the night for food prevented him from sleeping,
and that he found it very unpleasant; however, he listened to my
description of the state the whole family was in, and then he said,
'Well, if they are so much distressed, you may tell them that if they
want any teeth drawn, I will excuse them paying even for the sixth.'"

"I tell you what, Madame Pipelet," said Rodolph, "I have a decidedly bad
opinion of this man. And your female pawnbroker, was she more
charitable?"

"Very much after the fashion of M. Bradamanti," said the porteress; "she
lent a few sous upon their wretched clothes; every garment t