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Notwithstanding his surprise and uneasiness, Rodin did not frown.He began by locking his door after him, as he noticed the young girl's inquisitive glance.Then he said to her good-naturedly, "Who do you want, my dear?"
"M.Rodin," repeated Rose-Pompon, stoutly, opening her bright blue eyes to their full extent, and looking Rodin full in the face.
"It's not here," said he, moving towards the stairs."I do not know him.
Inquire above or below."
"No, you don't! giving yourself airs at your age!" said Rose-Pompon, shrugging her shoulders."As if we did not know that you are M.Rodin."
"Charlemagne," said the socius, bowing; "Charlemagne, to serve you--if I am able."
"You are not able," answered Rose-Pompon, majestically; then she added with a mocking air, "So, we have our little pussy-cat hiding-places; we change our name; we are afraid Mamma Rodin will find us out."
"Come, my dear child," said the socius, with a paternal smile; "you have come to the right quarter.I am an old man, but I love youth--happy, joyous youth! Amuse yourself, pray, at my expense.Only let me pass, for I am in a hurry." And Rodin again advanced towards the stairs.
"M.Rodin," said Rose-Pompon, in a solemn voice, "I have very important things to say to you, and advice to ask about a love affair."
"Why, little madcap that you are! have you nobody to tease in your own house, that you must come here?"
"I lodge in this house, M.Rodin," answered Rose-Pompon, laying a malicious stress on the name of her victim.
"You? Oh, dear, only to think I did not know I had such a pretty neighbor."
"Yes, I have lodged here six months, M.Rodin."
"Really! where?"
"On the third story, front, M.Rodin."
"It was you, then, that sang so well just now?"
"Rather."
"You gave me great pleasure, I must say."
"You are very polite, M.Rodin."
"You lodge, I suppose, with your respectable family?"
"I believe you, M.Rodin," said Rose-Pompon, casting down her eyes with a timid air."I lodge with Grandpapa Philemon, and Grandmamma Bacchanal--
who is a queen and no mistake."
Rodin had hitherto been seriously uneasy, not knowing in what manner Rose had discovered his real name.But on hearing her mention the Bacchanal queen, with the information that she lodged in the house, he found something to compensate for the disagreeable incident of Rose-Pompon's appearance.It was, indeed, important to Rodin to find out the Bacchanal Queen, the mistress of Sleepinbuff, and the sister of Mother Bunch, who had been noted as dangerous since her interview with the superior of the convent, and the part she had taken in the projected escape of Mdlle.de Cardoville.Moreover, Rodin hoped--thanks to what he had just heard--to bring Rose-Pompon to confess to him the name of the person from whom she had learned that "Charlemagne" masked "Rodin."
Hardly had the young girl pronounced the name of the Bacchanal queen, than Rodin clasped his hands, and appeared as much surprised as interested.
"Oh, my dear child," he exclaimed, "I conjure you not to jest on this subject.Are you speaking of a young girl who bears that nickname, the sister of a deformed needlewoman."
"Yes, sir, the Bacchanal Queen is her nickname," said Rose-Pompon, astonished in her turn; "she is really Cephyse Soliveau, and she is my friend."
"Oh! she is your friend?" said Rodin, reflecting.
"Yes, sir, my bosom friend."
"So you love her?"
"Like a sister.Poor girl! I do what I can for her, and that's not much.But how comes it that a respectable man of your age should know the Bacchanal Queen?--Ah! that shows you have a false name!"
"My dear child, I am no longer inclined to laugh," said Rodin, with so sorrowful an air, that Rose-Pompon, reproaching herself with her pleasantry, said to him: "But how comes it that you know Cephyse?"
"Alas! I do not know her--but a young fellow, that I like excessively--"
"Jacques Rennepont?"
"Otherwise called Sleepinbuff.He is now in prison for debt," sighed Rodin."I saw him yesterday."
"You saw him yesterday?--how strange!" said Rose-Pompon, clapping her hands."Quick! quick!--come over to Philemon's, to give Cephyse news of her lover.She is so uneasy about him."
"My dear child, I should like to give her good news of that worthy fellow, whom I like in spite of his follies, for who has not been guilty of follies?" added Rodin, with indulgent good-nature.
"To be sure," said Rose-Pompon, twisting about as if she still wore the costume of a debardeur.
"I will say more," added Rodin: "I love him because of his follies; for, talk as we may, my dear child, there is always something good at bottom, a good heart, or something, in those who spend generously their money for other people."
"Well, come! you are a very good sort of a man," said Rose-Pompon, enchanted with Rodin's philosophy."But why will you not come and see Cephyse, and talk to her of Jacques?"
"Of what use would it be to tell her what she knows already--that Jacques is in prison? What I should like, would be to get the worthy fellow out of his scrape."
"Oh, sir! only do that, only get Jacques out of prison," cried Rose-
Pompon, warmly, "and we will both give you a kiss--me and Cephyse!"
"It would be throwing kisses away, dear little madcap!" said Rodin, smiling."But be satisfied, I want no reward to induce me to do good when I can."
"Then you hope to get Jacques out of prison?"
Rodin shook his head, and answered with a grieved and disappointed air.
"I did hope it.Certainly, I did hope it; but now all is changed."
"How's that?" asked Rose-Pompon, with surprise.
"That foolish joke of calling me M.Rodin may appear very amusing to you, my dear child.I understand it, you being only an echo.Some one has said to you: `Go and tell M.Charlemagne that he is one M.Rodin.That will be very funny.'"
"Certainly, I should never myself have thought of calling you M.Rodin.
One does not invent such names," answered Rose-Pompon.
"Well! that person with his foolish jokes, has done, without knowing it, a great injury to Jacques Rennepont."