"It's a pity, for Ursule must find a place to earn her living; how very disagreeable it is to have a talisman which preserves you from all danger and allows you to die of hunger. It's exactly like mine." "Oh, I still have time to wait I have a prospect of something before me," said Urbain, "and my expenses are so very little." "Had your ancestors ever any occasion to prove the virtue of this talisman?" said Marguerite. "Yes, mademoiselle, many circumstances prove that, and, above all, my mother had a very strange adventure." "An adventure," said the old woman, drawing her chair to the hearth. At this moment the church clock struck nine. "O heavens! nine o'clock," said Marguerite, "it is very late; you must go, my child. If my master perceives that we have not gone to bed he'll want to know the reason; come, it's necessary to part." "And that adventure which she is going to tell us," said Blanche. "That will be for tomorrow, if you will permit it," said Urbain. "Oh, yes, tomorrow. Can she not come tomorrow, dear nurse." "So be it," said Marguerite, who was also curious to hear it. "But remember to be prudent, Ursule, that nobody may know." "Oh, I'll answer to you for my silence, mademoiselle." "That's well. Wait, here is your talisman. Take care not to lose it. Good heavens! how happy I should be if I had a similar one." Urbain received the little scrap of cloth, dropping a curtsey and putting it in his pocket, while Marguerite took a lamp to lead him. "You are going alone," said Blanche, "perhaps a long distance." "To the Porte Saint-Antoine." "O heavens! and are you not afraid to be in the street so late?" "Has she not her talisman?" said Marguerite. "Ah, that is true; I shan't think about it any more. Good-by, Ursule, you'll come back tomorrow, will you not?" The lovely child held out her hand to Urbain, who was about to carry it to his lips, but remembering that he was a woman he was obliged to content himself with pressing it tenderly and followed Marguerite, after glancing sweetly at Blanche. The old woman reconducted him with the same precaution she had taken in introducing him, and closed the street door softly, saying to him,-- "Good-by till tomorrow, and be sure to take good care of your talisman." CHAPTER XV LOVE AND INNOCENCE. A SHOWER OF RAIN AND THE TALISMAN