"It would give him so much courage to know it." "Doubtless; but perhaps he could not keep the secret. Then, M. Ferrand, alarmed, would be on his guard, his suspicions aroused; and as he is very cunning, he would make it difficult to get at him; which would be lamentable, for not only must the innocence of Germain be proved, but his calumniator unmasked." "I understand you, M. Rudolph." "Just so with Louise; I bring you this permission to see her, so that you can tell her not to speak to any one of what she had revealed to me. She will know what this means." "That is sufficient, M. Rudolph." "In a word, Louise must be careful not to complain in her prison of the conduct of her master; it is very important. But she must conceal nothing from the lawyer who will be sent by me to prepare for her defense; recommend all this to her." "Be quite easy, neighbor; I will forget nothing. I have a good memory. But I speak of kindness, when it is you who are good and generous! If any one's in trouble, you are there at once!" "I have told you, neighbor, I am only a poor clerk. When, in roving about, I find good people who deserve protection, I inform a benevolent person who has all confidence in me, and they are assisted." "Where do you lodge, now that you have given up your room to the Morels?" "I lodge--in furnished lodgings." "Oh, how I detest that. To be where everybody else has been--it is as if everybody had been in your own room." "I am only there at night, and then--" "I conceive--it is less disagreeable. My home, M. Rudolph, rendered me so happy; I had arranged a life so tranquil, that I should not have believed it possible to have a sorrow. Yet you see! No, I cannot tell you what a blow the misfortunes of Germain have caused me. I have seen the Morels and others--much to be pitied, it is true; but misery is misery. Among poor folks they expect it; it does not surprise them, and they help one another as they can. But to see a poor young man, honest, and good, who has been your friend for a long time, accused of theft, and imprisoned pell-mell with rogues and cut-throats! Oh, M. Rudolph! it is true I have no strength against this; it is a misfortune I have never thought of; it upsets me." Rigolette's large eyes filled with tears. "Courage, courage! your gayety will return when your friend is acquitted." "Oh, he must be acquitted! They will only have to read to the judges the letter which he has written me--that will be enough, will it not, M. Rudolph?" "In reality, this simple and touching letter has all the marks of truth. You must let me take a copy; it will be useful in his defense." "Certainly, M. Rudolph. If I did not write like a real cat, in spite of the lessons Germain gave me, I should propose to copy it for you; but my writing is so coarse, so crooked, and besides, there are so many--so many faults." "I only ask you to lend me this letter until tomorrow."