uty-spot, a small ebony speck,
which was most killingly situated at the corner of her mouth. Between a
worked collar, which fell very low, and the border of the little cap,
gathered in by a cherry-coloured riband, was seen a forest of beautiful
hair, so accurately twisted and turned up that their roots were seen as
clearly and as black as if they had been painted on the ivory of that
lovely neck. A plum-coloured merino gown, with a plain back and close
sleeves, made skilfully by Rigolette, covered a figure so small and
slender that the young girl never wore a corset,--for economy's sake. An
ease and unusual freedom in the smallest action of the shoulders and
body, which resembled the facile undulations of a cat's motions, evinced
this fact. Imagine a gown fitting tightly to a form rounded and polished
as marble, and we must agree that Rigolette could easily dispense with
this accessory to the toilet of which we have spoken. The tie of a small
apron of dark green levantine formed a girdle around a waist which might
have been spanned by the ten fingers.

Believing herself to be alone (for Rodolph still remained at the door,
motionless and unperceived), the grisette, having smoothed down her
bandeaux with her small hand, white and delicately clean, put her small
foot on a chair and stooped to tie the lace of her boot. This attitude
developed to Rodolph a portion of a cotton stocking, white as snow, and
a well-formed ankle and leg.

After the detail we have given of this toilet, we may guess that
Rigolette had selected her prettiest cap and best apron to do honour to
her neighbour on their excursion to the Temple. She found the pretended
tradesman's clerk very much to her taste; his face, at once kind, bold,
and animated, pleased her greatly; and then he had been so kind to the
Morels, by giving up his room to them; so that, thanks to this proof of
goodness, and, perhaps, also to his good looks, Rodolph had unwittingly
advanced into the confidence of the grisette with giant strides. She,
according to her ideas, founded on the compelled intimacy and reciprocal
obligation which neighbourhood invites, thought herself very fortunate
in having such a neighbour as Rodolph to succeed to the travelling
clerk, Cabrion, and Francois Germain; for she was beginning to find that
the next room had remained very long empty, and was afraid that she
should never again see it occupied in an agreeable manner.

Rodolph took advantage of his