the cause which led to the supposition will be explained hereafter. Far
from such being the case, Mdlle. de Cardoville scarcely found, in
attending to the great family interests now at stake, a momentary
diversion from the fatal love, which was slowly undermining her health,
and with which she so bitterly reproached herself.

The morning of the day on which Adrienne, at length discovering Mother
Bunch's residence, came so miraculously to rescue her from death,
Agricola Baudoin had been to Cardoville House to confer on the subject of
Francis Hardy, and had begged Adrienne to permit him to accompany her to
the Rue Clovis, whither they repaired in haste.

Thus, once again, there was a noble spectacle, a touching symbol! Mdlle.
de Cardoville and Mother Bunch, the two extremities of the social chain,
were united on equal terms--for the sempstress and the fair patrician
were equal in intelligence and heart--and equal also, because the one was
the ideal of riches, grace, and beauty, and the other the ideal of
resignation and unmerited misfortune--and does not a halo rest on
misfortune borne with courage and dignity? Stretched on her mattress, the
hunchback appeared so weak, that even if Agricola had not been detained
on the ground floor with Cephyse, now dying a dreadful death, Mdlle. de
Cardoville would have waited some time, before inducing Mother Bunch to
rise and accompany her to her carriage. Thanks to the presence of mind
and pious fraud of Adrienne, the sewing-girl was persuaded that Cephyse
had been carried to a neighboring hospital, to receive the necessary
succors, which promised to be crowned with success. The hunchback's
faculties recovering slowly from their stupor, she at first received this
fable without the least suspicion--for she did not even know that
Agricola had accompanied Mdlle. de Cardoville.