"Madame, permit me to explain, to you.Mother Bunch is a poor and very industrious young workwoman, with whom I have been brought up.She is deformed, which is the reason why she is called Mother Bunch.But though, on the one hand, she is sunk, as low as you are highly elevated on the other, yet as regards the heart--as to delicacy--oh, lady, I am certain that your heart is of equal worth with hers! That was at once her own thought, after I had related to her in what manner, yesterday, you had presented me with that beautiful flower."
"I can assure you, sir," said Adrienne, sincerely touched, "that this comparison flatters and honors me more than anything else that you could say to me,--a heart that remains good and delicate, in spite of cruel misfortunes, is so rare a treasure; while it is very easy to be good, when we have youth and beauty, and to be delicate and generous, when we are rich.I accept, then, your comparison; but on condition that you will quickly put me in a situation to deserve it.Pray go on, therefore."
In spite of the gracious cordiality of Miss de Cardoville, there was always observable in her so much of that natural dignity which arises from independence of character, so much elevation of soul and nobleness of sentiment that Agricola, forgetting the ideal physical beauty of his protectress, rather experienced for her the emotions of an affectionate and kindly, though profound respect, which offered a singular and striking contrast with the youth and gayety of the lovely being who inspired him with this sentiment.
"If my mother alone, madame, were exposed to the rigor which I dread.I should not be so greatly disquieted with the fear of a compulsory suspension of my employment.Among poor people, the poor help one another; and my mother is worshipped by all the inmates of our house, our excellent neighbors, who would willingly succor her.But, they themselves are far from being well off; and as they would incur privations by assisting her, their little benefit would still be more painful to my mother than the endurance even of misery by herself.And besides, it is not only for my mother that my exertions are required, but for my father, whom we have not seen for eighteen years, and who has just arrived from Siberia, where he remained during all that time, from zealous devotion to his former general, now Marshal Simon."
"Marshal Simon!" said Adrienne, quickly, with an expression of much surprise.
"Do you know the marshal, madame?"
"I do not personally know him, but he married a lady of our family."
"What joy!" exclaimed the blacksmith, "then the two young ladies, his daughters, whom my father has brought from Russia, are your relations!"
"Has Marshal Simon two daughters?" asked Adrienne, more and more astonished and interested.
"Yes, madame, two little angels of fifteen or sixteen, and so pretty, so sweet; they are twins so very much alike, as to be mistaken for one another.Their mother died in exile; and the little she possessed having been confiscated, they have come hither with my father, from the depths of Siberia, travelling very wretchedly; but he tried to make them forget so many privations by the fervency of his devotion and his tenderness.
My excellent father! you will not believe, madame, that, with the courage of a lion, he has all the love and tenderness of a mother."
"And where are the dear children, sir?" asked Adrienne.
"At our home, madame.It is that which renders my position so very hard;
that which has given me courage to come to you; it is not but that my labor would be sufficient for our little household, even thus augmented;
but that I am about to be arrested."
"About to be arrested? For what?"
"Pray, madame, have the goodness to read this letter, which has been sent by some one to Mother Bunch."
Agricola gave to Miss de Cardoville the anonymous letter which had been received by the workwoman.
After having read the letter, Adrienne said to the blacksmith, with surprise, "It appears, sir, you are a poet!"
"I have neither the ambition nor the pretension to be one, madame.Only, when I return to my mother after a day's toil, and often, even while forging my iron, in order to divert and relax my attention, I amuse myself with rhymes, sometimes composing an ode, sometimes a song."
"And your song of the Freed Workman, which is mentioned in this letter, is, therefore, very disaffected--very dangerous?"
"Oh, no, madame; quite the contrary.For myself, I have the good fortune to be employed in the factory of M.Hardy, who renders the condition of his workpeople as happy as that of their less fortunate comrades is the reverse; and I had limited myself to attempt, in favor of the great mass of the working classes, an equitable, sincere, warm, and earnest claim--
nothing more.But you are aware, perhaps, Madame, that in times of conspiracy, and commotion, people are often incriminated and imprisoned on very slight grounds.Should such a misfortune befall me, what will become of my mother, my father, and the two orphans whom we are bound to regard as part of our family until the return of their father, Marshal Simon? It is on this account, madame, that, if I remain, I run the risk of being arrested.I have come to you to request you to provide surety for me; so that I should not be compelled to exchange the workshop for the prison, in which case I can answer for it that the fruits of my labor will suffice for all."
"Thank the stars!" said Adrienne, gayly, "this affair will arrange itself quite easily.Henceforth, Mr.Poet, you shall draw your inspirations in the midst of good fortune instead of adversity.Sad muse! But first of all, bonds shall be given for you."
"Oh, madame, you have saved us!"
"To continue," said Adrienne, "the physician of our family is intimately connected with a very important minister (understand that, as you like,"