"Is Mademoiselle his daughter?" inquired Francis.

"Certainly," replied the porter. "Mademoiselle is the daughter of

the house; and strange it is to see how she is made to work. For

all his riches, it is she who goes to market; and every day in the

week you may see her going by with a basket on her arm."

"And the collections?" asked the other.

"Sir," said the man, "they are immensely valuable. More I cannot

tell you. Since M. de Vandeleur's arrival no one in the quarter