opitious for capturing the "philanthropist."
He exclaimed with an accent which smacked at the same time of the vainglory of the mountebank at fairs, and the humility of the mendicant on the highway:--
"A pupil of Talma!
Sir!
I am a pupil of Talma!
Fortune formerly smiled on me--Alas!
Now it is misfortune''s turn.
You see, my benefactor, no bread, no fire.
My poor babes have no fire! My only chair has no seat!
A broken pane!
And in such weather! My spouse in bed!
Ill!"
"Poor woman!" said M. Leblanc.
"My child wounded!" added Jondrette.
The child, diverted by the arrival of the strangers, had fallen to contemplating "the young lady," and had ceased to sob.
"Cry! bawl!" said Jondrette to her in a low voice.
At the same time he pinched her sore hand.
All this was done with the talent of a juggler.
The little girl gave vent to loud shrieks.
The adorable young girl, whom Marius, in his heart, called "his Ursule," approached her hastily.
"Poor, dear child!" said she.
"You see, my beautiful young lady," pursued Jondrette "her bleeding wrist!
It came through an accident while working at a machine to earn six sous a day.
It may be necessary to cut off her arm."
"Really?" said the old gentleman, in alarm.
The little girl, taking this seriously, fell to sobbing more violently than ever.