Had her father at last come to her assistance?

No, for he would have been there; and she looked in vain for him among all these strange people.

Then, understanding from some words which were spoken close by her, that it was to chance alone she owed her rescue from death, she was filled with indescribable grief.

“To have suffered all that can be suffered in dying,” she said to herself, “and then not to die after all!”

She almost had a feeling of hatred against all these people who were busying themselves around her.  Now that they had brought her back to life, would they enable her to live?

Nevertheless, she distinguished very clearly what was going on in her room.  She recognized the wealthy ladies from the first story, who had stayed to nurse her, and between them Mrs. Chevassat, who assumed an air of great activity, while she explained to them how Henrietta had deceived her affectionate heart in order to carry out her fatal purpose.

“You see, I did not dream of any thing,” she protested in a whining tone.  “A poor little pussy-cat, who was always merry, and this morning yet sang like a bird.  I thought she might be a little embarrassed, but never suspected such misery.  You see, ladies, she was as proud as a queen, and as haughty as the weather.  She would rather have died than ask for assistance; for she knew she had only a word to say to me.  Did I not already, in October, when I saw she would not be able to pay her rent, become responsible for her?”

And thereupon the infamous hypocrite bent over the poor girl, kissed her on her forehead, and said with a tender tone of voice,—­

“Did you not love me, dear little pussy-cat; did not you?  I know you loved poor old Mrs. Chevassat.”

Unable to articulate a word, even if she had understood what was said, poor Henrietta shivered, shrank with horror and disgust from the contact with those lying lips.  And the emotion which this feeling caused her did more for her than all the attentions that were paid her.  Still, it was only after the doctor, who had been sent for, had come and bled her, that she was restored to the full use of her faculties.  Then she thanked, in a very feeble voice, the people around her, assuring them that she felt much better now, and might safely be left alone.

The two wealthy ladies, whom curiosity had carried off at the moment when they were sitting down to dinner, did not wait for more, and, very happy to be released, slipped away at once.  But the concierge’s wife remained by Henrietta’s bedside till she was alone with her victim; and then every thing changed in her face, tone of voice, look, and manner.

“Well,” she commenced, “now you are happy, miss!  You have advertised my house, and it will all be in the papers.  Everybody will pity you, and think your lover a cold-blooded villain, who lets you die of starvation.”

The poor young girl deprecated the charge with such a sweet, gentle expression of face, that a savage would have been touched; but Mrs. Chevassat was civilized.