“Well, then, let us return to your ring. What _do_ you propose to do?”
“That is exactly why I came to you,” replied Henrietta. “I do not know
what is to be done in such a case.”
Mrs. Chevassat smiled, very much pleased.
“And you did very well to come to us,” she said.
“Chevassat will go, take the charcoal-dealer and the grocer next door
with him; and before going to bed you will have your money, I promise
you! You see he understands pretty well how to make the clerks do their
duty, my Chevassat.”
That evening the excellent man really condescended to go up stairs, and
to bring Henrietta himself eight hundred and ninety-five francs.
He did not bring the whole nine hundred francs, he said; for, having
put his two neighbors to some inconvenience, he was bound, according
to established usage, to invite them to take something. For himself,
he had, of course, kept nothing,--oh, nothing at all! He could take his
oath upon that; for he preferred by far leaving that little matter to
the beautiful young lady’s liberality.
“Here are ten francs,” said Henrietta curtly, in order to make an end to
his endless talk.
Thus, with the few gold-pieces which she had found in her purse, the
poor girl had a capital of about a thousand francs in hand. How many
days, how many months, this sum would have secured to her, if the
furniture-dealer had not been there with his bill! He did not fail to
present himself next day, accompanied by Mrs. Chevassat. He asked for
five hundred and seventy-nine francs. Such a sum for a few second-hand
pieces of furniture which adorned that wretched garret! It was a clear
swindle, and the impudence so great, that Henrietta was overwhelmed. But
still she paid.
When he was gone, she sadly counted from one hand into the other
the twenty-three gold-pieces that were left, when suddenly a thought
occurred to her, that might have saved her, if she had followed it out.
It was the thought of leaving the house by stealth, of going to the
station of the Orleans Railway, and of taking the first train for the
home of Daniel’s aunt. Alas! she was content with writing to her, and
remained.