le girl, but I did not keep her long. The poor babe was
injured before she was born,--and I was so wretched during my pregnancy!
I am a washerwoman in the boats, and worked as long as I could. But
everything has an end, and when my strength failed me, bread failed me
also. They turned me out of my lodging; and I do not know what would
have become of me if a poor woman had not taken me into a cellar, where
she was hiding from her husband, who had sworn he would kill her. There
I was brought to bed on the straw; but, thanks to goodness, the good
woman knew a young girl as good and charitable as an angel from heaven.
This young girl had a little money, and took me from the cellar, and put
me in a furnished room, where she paid a month in advance, and gave me,
besides, a wicker cradle for my baby, and forty francs, with a little
linen besides. Thanks to her, I was enabled to resume my work."

"Kind girl! Well, and I, also, met by chance with such another, a young,
hard-working sempstress. I was going to see my poor brother, who is a
prisoner," said Jeanne, after a moment's hesitation, "and met this
work-girl in the prison; and when she heard me tell my brother that I
was not happy, she came to me and offered me all in her power, poor
girl! I accepted her offer, and she gave me her address; and two days
afterwards dear little Mlle. Rigolette--she is called Rigolette--sent me
an order."

"Rigolette!" exclaimed Lorraine; "how strange! The young girl who was so
generous to me often mentioned the name of Mlle. Rigolette in my
hearing; they were great friends."

"Well, then," said Jeanne, smiling sadly, "since we are neighbours in
bed, we should be friends like our two benefactresses."

"With all my heart! My name is Annette Gerbier, called La Lorraine, a
washerwoman."

"And I am Jeanne Duport, a fringe-maker. Oh, it is so fortunate to find
in this melancholy place some one not quite a stranger to you,
especially when you come for the first time, and are very full of
trouble. But don't let us talk of that! Tell me, Lorraine, what was the
name of the young girl who was so kind to you?"

"She was called Goualeuse, and was exceedingly handsome, with light
brown hair and blue eyes, so soft--oh, so soft! Unfortunately, in spite
of her assistance, my poor babe died at two months old. It was so puny,
it could hardly breathe!" and La Lorraine wiped a tear from her eye.

"And your husband?"

"I am not married. I washed by the day