“Thank you—­thank you, mademoiselle,” cried Florine, with emotion.

“Do you thank me?” said the other, astonished to see the large tears roll down her cheeks.

“Yes!  I am indebted to you for a moment of pure, unmixed happiness; for I have perhaps rendered a service to my dear mistress, without risking the increase of the troubles that already overwhelm me.”

“You are not happy, then?”

“That astonishes you; but, believe me, whatever may be, your fate, I would gladly change with you.”

“Alas, mademoiselle!” said the sempstress:  “you appear to have too good a heart, for me to let you entertain such a wish—­particularly now.”

“What do you mean?”

“I hope sincerely, mademoiselle,” proceeded Mother Bunch, with deep sadness, “that you may never know what it is to want work, when labor is your only resource.”

“Are you reduced to that extremity?” cried Florine, looking anxiously at the young sempstress, who hung her head, and made no answer.  She reproached herself, in her excessive delicacy, with having made a communication which resembled a complaint, though it had only been wrung from her by the thought of her dreadful situation.

“If it is so,” went on Florine, “I pity you with all my heart; and yet I know not, if my misfortunes are not still greater than yours.”

Then, after a moment’s reflection, Florine exclaimed, suddenly:  “But let me see!  If you are really in that position, I think I can procure you some work.”

“Is it possible, mademoiselle?” cried Mother Bunch.  “I should never have dared to ask you such a service; but your generous offer commands my confidence, and may save me from destruction.  I will confess to you, that, only this morning, I was thrown out of an employment which enabled me to earn four francs a week.”

“Four francs a week!” exclaimed Florine, hardly able to believe what she heard.

“It was little, doubtless,” replied the other; “but enough for me.  Unfortunately, the person who employed me, has found out where it can be done still cheaper.”

“Four francs a week!” repeated Florine, deeply touched by so much misery and resignation.  “Well!  I think I can introduce you to persons, who will secure you wages of at least two francs a day.”

“I could earn two francs a day?  Is it possible?”

“Yes, there is no doubt of it; only, you will have to go out by the day, unless you chose to take a pace as servant.”

“In my position,” said Mother Bunch, with a mixture of timidity and pride, “one has no right, I know, to be overnice; yet I should prefer to go out by the day, and still more to remain at home, if possible, even though I were to gain less.”

“To go out is unfortunately an indispensable condition,” said Florine.

“Then I must renounce this hope,” answered Mother Bunch, timidly; “not that I refuse to go out to work—­but those who do so, are expected to be decently clad—­and I confess without shame, because there is no disgrace in honest poverty, that I have no better clothes than these.”