"Man is born to assist his fellow-man," replied Pipelet, in a
sententious and melancholy tone: "and more particularly so when his
fellow-man is so good a lodger as yourself."

"It will be necessary to take up to my room different things which
will be brought here presently for the Morels."

"Be assured I will take charge of them," replied Pipelet, "and
faithfully carry out your wishes."

"And afterward," said Rudolph, sadly, "you must obtain a priest to
watch by the little girl the Morels have lost in the night. Go and
register her death, and order a decent funeral. Here is money; spare
not, for Morel's benefactress, whose mere agent I am, wishes all to go
well."

"Make your mind quite easy, sir," replied Pipelet; "directly my wife
comes back, I will go to the mayor, the church, and the ham-and-beef
shop--to the church for the soul of the dead, to the cook-shop for the
body of the living," added Pipelet, philosophically and poetically.
"You may consider it done--already done, in both cases, my good sir."

At the entrance, Rudolph and Miss Dimpleton found themselves face to
face with Anastasia, who had returned from market, bearing a heavy
basket of provisions.

"Well done!" exclaimed the portress, looking at them both with a
knowing and significant air; "already arm-in-arm! That's your sort!
Young people will be young people--and where's the harm? To a pretty