Henrietteleft
meandquicklyreturned，introducingthenewcandidate。
AtthefirstglimpseIrecognisedBrigittaRupert，thathaughty
girl，whohadbeenmyearlyfriendandcompanionatSaintAure，
butwhofounditimpossibletocontinueherfriendshipandfavour
toahumblemilliner’sgirl。
Thesightofheroccasionedmea
surprisebynomeansofapleasingnature；andtheinvoluntary
startIgave，evidentlyrecalledmetoherrecollection。
Ina
momenthercheeksassumedthepalenessofdeath，andherself-love
seemedtosufferthemosthorribletormentsatthelightinwhich
ourrencontremutuallyplacedus。
Assoonasshecouldcommand
herselfsufficientlytospeak，shecried，
“Ah！
madam，doIthenappearinyourpresence？“
“Yes，“repliedI，“beforethepoorandhumblemillinertowhomyou
soharshlyrefusedyourfriendship，“
“Fortunehaswellavengedyou，madam，“saidBrigitta，ina
melancholytone；“andasIcaneasilyimaginehowunpleasantthe
sightofmemustbe，Iwillhastentorelieveyoufromit。“
Theselastwordstouchedme，andrestoredmeinadegreetomy
naturalgoodtemper。
“Brigitta，“saidItoher，“afterthelittleaffectionyouhave
evermanifestedforme，itwouldbeimpossibleaswellasunwise
totakeyouintomyservice；butletmeknowinwhatwayIcan
bestpromotetheinterestofyourselfandhusband，andIpledge
myselftoaccomplishitforyou。“
“Ithankyou，madam，“answeredshe，resumingheraccustomed
haughtiness，“Icametosolicitasituationnearthepersonofthe
comtesseduBarry。
Sincethatisrefusedme，Ihavenothingmore
torequest。“
“Beitasyouplease，“repliedI。
Brigittamadealowcourtesy，
andquittedtheroom。
Henriette，whohadbeenthewitnessofthisscene，expressedher
apprehensionsthatIshouldbedispleasedwithherforintroducing
anunwelcomevisitortome。
“No，“criedI，“’tisnotwithyouI
amvexed。，butmyself。“
“Andwhyso，dearmadam？“
“BecauseIreproachmyselfwithhavinginmyownprosperity
forgottenoneofmyearliestanddearestfriends，wholovedme
withthetenderestaffection。
Possiblyshemaynowbeintrouble
ordifficulties，fromwhichImighthaveathousandwaysof
relievingher；butitisnevertoolatetodogood。
To-morrow，
early，youshallsetoutforParis；whenthere，gototherueSaint
Martin，inquireforthesignoflaBonneFoi；itiskeptbya
pastrycook，namedM。Mathon，ofwhomIwishyoutolearnevery
particularrelativetohisdaughterGenevieve。“
MywisheswerelawstoHenriette，whoinstantlyretiredtoprepare
forherjourney。
Ihadnotventuredtodesirehertogleanany
informationconcerningthebrotherofGenevieve，andyetatthe
recollectionofthehandsomeNicolasmyheartbeatimpetuously。
WithwhatimpatiencedidIawaitthereturnofHenriette！
at
lengthshecame。
“Well！“
saidI。
“IhavefoundoutM。Mathon，“answeredHenriette。
“Which，thefather？“
“Yes，madam。“
“Andwhatishispresentoccupation？“
“Asusual，madam，superintendinghiskitchenandshop。“
“Ishealoneinhisbusiness？“
“Oh，no！
madam；heisassistedbyhisson，afinedarkhandsome
youngman。“
“Hissonthenliveswithhim？“
“Yes，madam，andheismarried。“
“Married！——butitisnotofthisyoungmanIwishtospeak，but
ofhissister，ofGenevieve；tellmeofher。“
“Ionlylearned，madam，thatshehadmarriedatailor，named
Guerard——who，afterhavingbeenveryunsuccessfulinbusiness，
diedsuddenly，leavingherwhollydestitutewithtwoyoungchildren。“
Iimmediatelywrotethefollowingnotetomyearlyfriend:——
“ThecomtesseduBarryhavingheardofthemisfortunesofmadame
Guerard，andknowinghowmuchsheisdeservingofabetterfate，
isdesirousofbeingusefultoher。
Shethereforerequestsmadame
GuerardwillcallnextMonday，attwoo’clock，onherather
hotel，ruedelaPussienne。“
PoorGenevievenearlyfaintedwhenshereceivedthisnote，which
wasconveyedtoherbyafootmanwearingmylivery。
Shecould
notimaginetowhomshewasindebtedforprocuringhersuchexalted
patronage，andsheandherfamilyspenttheinterveninghours
beforeherappointedinterviewinathousandconjecturesonthe
subject。
OnMonday，punctuallyattwoo’clock，shewasatthe
hoteldressedinherbest，herlovelycountenancesettingoffthe
humblestyleofevenherholidaygarb。
Sheknewmetheinstant
shesawme；and，inthefranksimplicityofherownheartimagining
shecouldjudgeofmine，sherantome，andthrewherselfinto
myarms，exclaiming，
“Oh，mydearJeannette，whatpleasuredoesitaffordmetomeet
youagain。
Oh！
Iseehowitis；youarethefriendofthecomtesse
duBarry，anditistoyouIshallowemyfuturegoodfortune，as
Idothispresentmarkofherfavor。“
“No，mygoodGenevieve，“criedI，weepingforjoy，“shewhonow
embracesyouisthecomtesseduBarry。“
Afterwehadalittlerecoveredourselves，Itookmyfriendbythe
hand，andledhertoasofa，whereweseatedourselvessideby
side。
Returningtothescenesofourearlyyouth，Irelatedto
Genevieveallthathadoccurredsince——myadventures，faults，
andfavour。
WhenIhadconcludedmyrecital，Genevievecommenced
hers，butitwassoontold。
Thereislittletorelateinthelife
ofawomanwhohaspassedherdaysinthevirtuousdischargeof
herduties。
Ourmutualconfidencesbeingover，andhavingagainexchangeda
mostaffectionateembrace，Iputintothehandsofmycompanion
aportfolio，containing30，000livresinbankbills。
Ipromised
herlikewisetoobtainforhersomelucrativesituation。
“Do
morethanthisforme！“
criedGenevieve。
“Sinceyouwillstill
grantmeyourfriendship，secureformethehappinessofoccasionally
meetingyou。
Icanwithtruthdeclare，thatofallyourproofsof
kindnessandregard，thatwhichIpreferisthepleasureofseeingyou。“
Thisingenuousrequesttouchedmyheart，andIrepliedtoitby
fondlycaressingthewarm-heartedGenevieve，andassuringherthat
mypurseandmyhouseshouldbeeveropentoher。
Wethenresumed
ourinterestingreminiscences，andGenevievewasthefirstto
speakofherbrother。
AtthenameofNicolasIfelttheblood
mounttomyveryforehead，andanindefinablesensationpassed
overmeatthementionofhimwhohadpossessedmyvirginlove。
Istrove，however，toconcealfrommyfriendthepowerfulemotion
whichagitatedme，and
Ireplied，withapparenttranquillity，
thatIshouldbehappytoassistherbrotherwiththebestofmy
creditandinfluence；andIkeptmywordbyobtainingforhim，
atthesolicitation，ofhissister，somelucrativesituation，the
exactnatureofwhichIdonotnowrecollect，wheretheyresided
togetherineaseandcomfort。
Ihadonlytorecommendthemto
thenoticeofM。deBoulogne，whofelthimselfmuchflatteredat
beingselectedbymetomakethefortunesofmytwofriends。
>FromthistimeGenevievevisitedmeasfrequentlyasshecould，
andhersocietydelightedme；whilst，inherconversationIfound
afranknessandsinceritywhichIhadvainlysoughtforatcourt。
Shehadlovedmewhenasimplemilliner，andshecherishedthe
samefondregardformeinmyimprovedsituation。
Herfriendship
hasnotforsakenmeinmyreverses；andIfeelquiteassuredthat
deathonlywilldissolvethetenderfriendshipwhichstillsubsists
betweenus。
Asforherbrother，hesparedmemuchshameand
confusionbyneverseekingmypresence；ameetingwithhimwould
indeedhaveoverwhelmedmewithpainfulrecollections。
Andnow，myfriend，Iamabouttorelatetoyouanadventure，the
barementionofwhichcoversmycheekwithguiltyblushes；fain
wouldIconcealitfromyou，butmypromiseisgiventolaymy
wholeheartbeforeyou，anditshallbedone，costwhatitmay。
Iknownotwhyitshouldeverhavebeenpermittedyougentlemen
toframelaws，which，whiletheypermityou，inthegratification
ofyourpassions，todescendeversolowinthescaleofsociety
withoutanydisgraceattachingitselftoyoufromtheobscure
conditionoftheobjectofyoursearch，tousfemalesitis
prohibited，underpenaltyofincurringtheutmostdegradation，
togratifytheinclinationofourheartswhenawakenedbyoneof
morehumblerankthanourown。
Agreatlordmayloveakitchen
maid，anobleduke，likeM。deVilleroi，mayindulgehisfancy
forawaiting-woman，andyetlosenoportionofhisdignity，or
oftheesteeminwhichtheworldholdshim；but，ontheother
hand，woetothehigh-borndamewhoshouldreceivethehomage
ofanobscurecitizen，orthenoblecountesswhoshouldlenda
favourableeartothesighsofher；thepublic
voicewouldloudandangrilyinveighagainstsoflagrantabreach
ofdecorum。
Andwhyshouldthisbe？
But，myfriend，doyounot
seeinmyseekingtodefendsoweakacausesufficientintimation
thatsuchajustificationinvolvesaconsciousnessofrequiring
it？
Alas！