



Produced by David Edwards, Christine Aldridge and the
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(Stanford University, SUL Books in the Public Domain)





Transcriber's Notes:

1. Passages in italics are surrounded by _underscores_.

2. Passages in Gothic Bold are surrounded by +plus+ signs.

3. Other transcription notes appear at the end of this e-text.




[Illustration: _The Abduction._
Original Etching by Mercier.]




+The Mysteries of Paris.+

  _ILLUSTRATED WITH ETCHINGS
  BY MERCIER, BICKNELL, POITEAU,
  AND ADRIAN MARCEL._

                 _BY EUGENE SUE_


      _IN SIX VOLUMES
         VOLUME IV._


       _PRINTED FOR
  FRANCIS A. NICCOLLS & CO.
          BOSTON_


     +Edition de Luxe+

_This edition is limited to one thousand copies,
of which this is_

          No.____




CONTENTS.


    CHAPTER                                               PAGE
          I. RIGOLETTE'S FIRST SORROW                       11
         II. THE WILL                                       33
        III. L'ILE DU RAVAGEUR                              48
         IV. THE FRESHWATER PIRATE                          60
          V. THE MOTHER AND SON                             82
         VI. FRANCOIS AND AMANDINE                         101
        VII. A LODGING-HOUSE                               119
       VIII. THE VICTIMS OF MISPLACED CONFIDENCE           132
         IX. THE RUE DE CHAILLOT                           156
          X. THE COMTE DE SAINT-REMY                       170
         XI. THE INTERVIEW                                 185
        XII. THE SEARCH                                    204
       XIII. THE ADIEUX                                    226
        XIV. RECOLLECTIONS                                 239
         XV. THE BOATS                                     262
        XVI. THE HAPPINESS OF MEETINGS                     273
       XVII. DOCTOR GRIFFON                                298
      XVIII. THE PORTRAIT                                  305
        XIX. THE AGENT OF SAFETY                           315
         XX. THE CHOUETTE                                  321




ILLUSTRATIONS.

                                                          PAGE
      THE ABDUCTION                              _Frontispiece_
      THE BRIGAND DASHED AT HIS BROTHER                     87
      HE EXHIBITED SUCH FEROCIOUS JOY                      168
      WAS ABOUT TO EMBRACE HIS FATHER                      199




THE MYSTERIES OF PARIS.




CHAPTER I.

RIGOLETTE'S FIRST SORROW.


Rigolette's apartment was still in all its extreme nicety; the large
silver watch placed over the mantelpiece, in a small boxwood stand,
denoted the hour of four. The severe cold weather having ceased, the
thrifty little needlewoman had not lighted her stove.

From the window, a corner of blue sky was scarcely perceptible over the
masses of irregularly built roofs, garrets, and tall chimneys, which
bounded the horizon on the other side of the street. Suddenly a sunbeam,
which, as it were, wandered for a moment between two high gables, came
for an instant to purple with its bright rays the windows of the young
girl's chamber.

Rigolette was at work, seated by her window; and the soft shadow of her
charming profile stood out from the transparent light of the glass as a
cameo of rosy whiteness on a silver ground. Brilliant hues played on her
jet black hair, twisted in a knot at the back of her head, and shaded
with a warm amber colour the ivory of her industrious little fingers,
which plied the needle with incomparable activity. The long folds of her
brown gown, confined at the waist by the bands of her green apron, half
concealed her straw-seated chair, and her pretty feet rested on the edge
of a stool before her.

Like a rich lord, who sometimes amuses himself in hiding the walls of a
cottage beneath splendid hangings, the setting sun for a moment lighted
up this little chamber with a thousand dazzling fires, throwing his
golden tints on the curtains of gray and green stuff, and making the
walnut-tree furniture glisten with brightness, and the dry-rubbed floor
look like heated copper; whilst it encircled in a wire-work of gold the
grisette's bird-cage. But, alas! in spite of the exciting splendour of
this sun-ray, the two canaries (male and female) flitted about uneasily,
and, contrary to their usual habit, did not sing a note. This was
because, contrary to her usual habit, Rigolette did not sing. The three
never