96 THE HANDSOME MODEL. 



his determined look kept them at bay, and he effected his retreat, followed by 

 the lackeys, who made a pretence of attacking him, but were sufficiently well 

 pleased to let him withdraw quietly. Rossignol had reached the vestibule 

 when he encountered Mile. Lucile, who had come to learn the cause of the 

 uproar she had heard in M. le Comte's apartment. She asked him what he 

 wanted ; Rossignol related in a few words all that had passed, and the busi- 

 ness that had brought him to the hotel. Lucile was struck with his appear- 

 ance ; nevertheless, she pointed out the way to my room, where my intimate 

 friend, at length, arrived without further mistake. 



He attempts another inroad on Andrew's replenished purse ; but 

 Lucile, who listens to his story, interferes, and the handsome model 

 retires indignant and vituperating. Andrew grows apace he 

 arrives at maturity a rascally nephew of the count makes love to 

 Adolphine insults the Savoyard, and a duel is the consequence, 

 in which Andrew obtains the advantage. His adoration of Adol- 

 phine is revealed the lovely countess cuts him and he takes up 

 his abode at the house of Dermilly, who, dying, has left Andrew his 

 heir. Adolphine is married to her cousin and Andrew, maddened 

 by the event, wanders away, nobody can discover where. Previously 

 he had discovered in an honest labourer his long lost Pierre, clothed, 

 and as far as externals could go, made a gentleman of him ; and when 

 it seems improbable that Andrew would ever be heard of again, Pierre 

 assumes supremacy in his apartments. Antecedent to Andrew's de- 

 parture he had fallen in with Rossignol, who had contrived to 

 wheedle him out of a splendid dinner, involve him in a fight, and 

 send him home drunk, bruised, and degraded. In his new state of 

 ease and opulence, Pierre becomes ennuye ; he does not know how 

 to employ himself; he convinces himself that he ought to be un- 

 happy. 



One morning that Pierre was making these or similar reflections, the bell 

 was rung violently. Pierre started and ran to open the door, saying, "That 

 is ringing like a master ! Can it possibly be Andrew ? " He opened : but 

 instead of his brother, he was greeeted by the sight of his old customer, who, 

 as usual, had his hat stuck on one side of his head but it was no longer the 

 old and mis-shapen beaver. At the dinner, where Pierre had lost his new 

 hat, this bosom friend had most probably found one, which he had mistaken 

 for his own, although there was not the slighest resemblance between them. 

 Unfortunately, not having been able to make a similar mistake with respect 

 to any other part of his dress, M. Rossignol (for he it was who had intro- 

 duced himself to Pierre under the name of Loiseau) had still the old coat 

 and tight pantaloons, which he wore on the day he presented himself to M. 

 de Francornard ; but in order to hide this part of his costume, he had bor- 

 rowed an old box coat from a coachman of his acquaintance, in which he 

 had carefully wrapped himself, although it was in the month of June ; and 

 to add to his imposing appearance, he had suffered his moustaches to grow, 

 which he was moistening and twisting every moment, first wetting his finger 

 for that purpose. 



Rossignol was not aware of Pierre being my brother, till he had learnt the 

 fact the day of my dinner ; for whilst in his cups Pierre had related all his 

 adventures. My name, and that of M. Dermilly, soon put Rossignol on the 

 right scent ; but having very little doubt of the sort of reception he would 

 meet with, he had not dared call on Pierre, and bitterly regretted the loss of 

 so easy a prey. But one day, whilst loitering about the residence of his inti- 

 mate friend, he learnt that M. Dermilly was dead, that Pierre was living 



