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Publique--has for fifty years been a by-word, a mockery and asham, in spite of its large revenue. And this neglect of thevery poor has been an important factor in every Frenchrevolution. Each of these--even that of 1870--had its purelyeconomic side, though many superficial historians are contentto ascribe economic causes to the one Revolution of 1789, andto pass them by in all other instances.--Trans.In vain had Pierre and Abbe Rose passed all the poor wretches in reviewwhile seeking the big Old'un, the former carpenter, so as to rescue himfrom the cesspool of misery, and send him to the Asylum on the verymorrow. He had presented himself at the refuge that evening, but therewas no room left, for, horrible to say, even the shelter of that hellcould only be granted to early comers. And so he must now be leaningagainst a wall, or lying behind some palings. This had greatly distressedpoor Abbe Rose and Pierre, but it was impossible for them to search everydark, suspicious corner; and so the former had returned to the RueCortot, while the latter was seeking a cab to convey him back to Neuilly.The fine drizzling rain was still falling and becoming almost icy, whenSilviane's coachman, Jules, at last reappeared and interrupted thepriest, who was telling the Baron and the others how his visit to therefuge still made him shudder.
"Well, Jules--and madame?" asked Duvillard, quite anxious at seeing thecoachman return alone.
Impassive and respectful, with no other sign of irony than a slightinvoluntary twist of the lips, Jules answered: "Madame sends word thatshe is not going home; and she places her carriage at the gentlemen'sdisposal if they will allow me to drive them home."This was the last straw, and the Baron flew into a passion. To haveallowed her to drag him to that vile den, to have waited there hopefullyso long, and to be treated in this fashion for the sake of a Legras! No,no, he, the Baron, had had enough of it, and she should pay dearly forher abominable conduct! Then he stopped a passing cab and pushed Gerardinside it saying, "You can set me down at my door.""But she's left us the carriage!" shouted Duthil, who was alreadyconsoled, and inwardly laughed at the termination of it all. "Come here,there's plenty of room for three. No? you prefer the cab? Well, just asyou like, you know."
For his part he gaily climbed into the landau and drove off lounging onthe cushions, while the Baron, in the jolting old cab, vented his ragewithout a word of interruption from Gerard, whose face was hidden by thedarkness. To think of it! that she, whom he had overwhelmed with gifts,who had already cost him two millions of francs, should in this fashioninsult him, the master who could dispose both of fortunes and of men!
Well, she had chosen to do it, and he was delivered! Then Duvillard drewa long breath like a man released from the galleys.For a moment Pierre watched the two vehicles go off; and then took hisown way under the trees, so as to shelter himself from the rain until avacant cab should pass. Full of distress and battling thoughts he hadbegun to feel icy cold. The whole monstrous night of Paris, all thedebauchery and woe that sobbed around him made him shiver. Phantom-like
