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it； the belif I had that you loved me and esteemed me gave me
corage to bare my fate。 But now； what have I left？ Have you not
made me loose all that was dear to me； all that held me to life；
parents； frends； onor； reputation；all； I have sacrifised all to
you； and nothing is left me but shame； oprobrum； andI say this
without blushingpoverty。 Nothing was wanting to my misfortunes
but the sertainty of your contempt and hatred； and now I have them
I find the corage that my project requires。 My decision is made；
the onor of my famly commands it。 I must put an end to my
suferins。 Make no remarks upon my conduct； Henry； it is orful； I
know； but my condition obliges me。 Without help； without suport；
without one frend to comfort me； can I live？ No。 Fate has desided
for me。 So in two days； Henry； two days； Ida will have seased to
be worthy of your regard。 Oh； Henry！ oh； my frend！ for I can never
change to you； promise me to forgive me for what I am going to do。
Do not forget that you have driven me to it； it is your work； and
you must judge it。 May heven not punish you for all your crimes。 I
ask your pardon on my knees； for I feel nothing is wanting to my
misery but the sorow of knowing you unhappy。 In spite of the
poverty I am in I shall refuse all help from you。 If you had loved
me I would have taken all from your friendship； but a benfit given
by pitty /my soul refussis/。 I would be baser to take it than he
who offered it。 I have one favor to ask of you。 I don't know how
long I must stay at Madame Meynardie's； be genrous enough not to
come there。 Your last two vissits did me a harm I cannot get ofer。
I cannot enter into particlers about that conduct of yours。 You
hate me；you said so； that word is writen on my heart； and
freeses it with fear。 Alas！ it is now； when I need all my corage；
all my strength； that my faculties abandon me。 Henry； my frend；
before I put a barrier forever between us； give me a last pruf of
your esteem。 Write me； answer me； say you respect me still； though
you have seased to love me。 My eyes are worthy still to look into
yours； but I do not ask an interfew； I fear my weakness and my
love。 But for pitty's sake write me a line at once； it will give
me the corage I need to meet my trubbles。 Farewell； orther of all
my woes； but the only frend my heart has chosen and will never
forget。
Ida。
This life of a young girl； with its love betrayed； its fatal joys； its
pangs； its miseries； and its horrible resignation； summed up in a few
words； this humble poem； essentially Parisian； written on dirty paper；
influenced for a passing moment Monsieur de Maulincour。 He asked
himself whether this Ida might not be some poor relation of Madame
Jules； and that strange rendezvous； which he had witnessed by chance；
the mere necessity of a charitable effort。 But could that old pauper
have seduced this Ida？ There was something impossible in the very
idea。 Wandering in this labyrinth of reflections； which crossed；
recrossed； and obliterated one another； the baron reached the rue
Pagevin； and saw a hackney…coach standing at the end of the rue des
Vieux…Augustins where it enters the rue Montmartre。 All waiting
hackney…coaches now had an interest for him。
〃Can she be there？〃 he thought to himself； and his heart beat fast
with a hot and feverish throbbing。
He pushed the little door with the bell； but he lowered his head as he
did so； obeying a sense of shame； for a voice said to him secretly：
〃Why are you putting your foot into this mystery？〃
He went up a few steps； and found himself face to face with the old
portress。
〃Monsieur Ferragus？〃 he said。
〃Don't know him。〃
〃Doesn't Monsieur Ferragus live here？〃
〃Haven't such a name in the house。〃
〃But； my good woman〃
〃I'm not your good woman； monsieur； I'm the portress。〃
〃But； madame；〃 persisted the baron； 〃I have a letter for Monsieur
Ferragus。〃
〃Ah！ if monsieur has a letter；〃 she said； changing her tone； 〃that's
another matter。 Will you let me see itthat letter？〃
Auguste showed the folded letter。 The old woman shook her head with a
doubtful air； hesitated； seemed to wish to leave the lodge and inform
the mysterious Ferragus of his unexpected visitor； but finally said：
〃Very good； go up； monsieur。 I suppose you know the way？〃
Without replying to this remark； which he thought might be a trap； the
young officer ran lightly up the stairway； and rang loudly at the door
of the second floor。 His lover's instinct told him； 〃She is there。〃
The beggar of the porch； Ferragus； the 〃orther〃 of Ida's woes； opened
the door himself。 He appeared in a flowered dressing…gown； white
flannel trousers； his feet in embroidered slippers； and his face
washed clean of stains。 Madame Jules； whose head projected beyond the
casing of the door in the next room； turned pale and dropped into a
chair。
〃What is the matter； madame？〃 cried the officer； springing toward her。
But Ferragus stretched forth an arm and flung the intruder back with
so sharp a thrust that Auguste fancied he had received a blow with an
iron bar full on his chest。
〃Back！ monsieur；〃 said the man。 〃What do you want there？ For five or
six days you have been roaming about the neighborhood。 Are you a spy？〃
〃Are you Monsieur Ferragus？〃 said the baron。
〃No； monsieur。〃
〃Nevertheless；〃 continued Auguste； 〃it is to you that I must return
this paper which you dropped in the gateway beneath which we both took
refuge from the rain。〃
While speaking and offering the letter to the man； Auguste did not
refrain from casting an eye around the room where Ferragus received
him。 It was very well arranged； though simply。 A fire burned on the
hearth； and near it was a table with food upon it； which was served
more sumptuously than agreed with the apparent conditions of the man
and the poorness of his lodging。 On a sofa in the next room； which he
could see through the doorway； lay a heap of gold； and he heard a
sound which could be no other than that of a woman weeping。
〃The paper belongs to me； I am much obliged to you；〃 said the
mysterious man； turning away as if to make the baron understand that
he must go。
Too curious himself to take much note of the deep examination of which
he was himself the object； Auguste did not see the half…magnetic
glance with which this strange being seemed to pierce him； had he
encountered that basilisk eye he might have felt the danger that
encompassed him。 Too passionately excited to think of himself； Auguste
bowed； went down the stairs； and returned home； striving to find a
meaning in the connection of these three persons；Ida； Ferragus； and
Madame Jules； an occupation equivalent to that of trying to arrange
the many…cornered bits of a Chinese puzzle without possessing the key
to the game。 But Madame Jules had seen him； Madame Jules went there；
Madame Jules had lied to him。 Maulincour determined to go and see her
the next day。 She could not refuse his visit； for he was now her
accomplice； he was hands and feet in the mysterious affair； and she
knew it。 Already he felt himself a sultan； and thought of demanding
fr