"You cannot believe anything so absurd, Mignonne! Say, rather, that you are afraid to be looked upon as my mistress--that it has occurred to you that----" "O monsieur! for heaven's sake, do not finish! After all you have done for me, the memory of my daughter alone would be enough to make me worship you. What do I care for anything the world can say? Do I know the world? Have I any reputation to preserve? Would life have any charm for me, were it not for you, who attached me to it by giving my daughter a last resting place? You, and the memory of Marie, that is all the world means to me! What do I care for all the rest? Oh! if it does not displease you to have me stay, tell me so again, monsieur, and I swear to you that I will obey you with happiness and joy." "In that case, stay, Mignonne." The young woman hastily unrolled the work she was about to take away; she took her needle and set to work in her usual seat, after looking at me with a smile. She at least showed undiminished confidence in me. XLIV LOVE ON ALL SIDES Mignonne continued to come to my rooms. I found already that my living expenses had diminished materially. I asked her to have an eye to a thousand and one details of housekeeping, to which I never paid any attention; she did it with a zeal and an intelligence that astonished me. I was like Ballangier, I was becoming too rich; and yet, nothing was ever lacking; on the contrary, I was as comfortable as I could wish. I discovered that a woman is very useful in a house. Mignonne's health was fully restored, and she had recovered her fresh color; she never laughed, but a sweet smile sometimes played about her lips. I was delighted with the change and congratulated her on it. "It is your work," she said. When we talked together, she always spoke of her daughter; she went to see her almost every day, and I often saw in her belt a flower which she constantly covered with kisses. I guessed where she had plucked that flower. Ballangier came to see me, and did not find me; but he found Mignonne, and Monsieur Pomponne told me that he sat in front of her more than an hour, without opening his mouth. "How do you know that?" I demanded, pulling Pomponne's ear; "did you listen at the door?" "I couldn't listen, monsieur, as they didn't say anything." Oh! these servants! Is there no way of finding one who is neither inquisitive, talkative, a liar, nor a gossip? When they are not all of these together, they are phoenixes! "You received a visitor for me, did you?" I asked Mignonne. "Yes, monsieur, that young mechanic; for he seems to be a mechanic." "Yes; he's a cabinetmaker. What did he say to you?" "He talks very little. But he told me enough for me to understand that you are his benefactor, too; that he owes you a great deal."