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！