grasping avarice； his reason bid him prefer her iron hand to the life
of idleness and peril led by many of his fellow…countrymen。
This was the incident that had given rise to the coalition of female
energy and masculine feeblenessa contrast in union said not to be
uncommon in Poland。
In 1833 Mademoiselle Fischer； who sometimes worked into the night when
business was good； at about one o'clock one morning perceived a strong
smell of carbonic acid gas； and heard the groans of a dying man。 The
fumes and the gasping came from a garret over the two rooms forming
her dwelling； and she supposed that a young man who had but lately
come to lodge in this atticwhich had been vacant for three years
was committing suicide。 She ran upstairs； broke in the door by a push
with her peasant strength； and found the lodger writhing on a camp…bed
in the convulsions of death。 She extinguished the brazier； the door
was open； the air rushed in； and the exile was saved。 Then； when
Lisbeth had put him to bed like a patient； and he was asleep； she
could detect the motives of his suicide in the destitution of the
rooms； where there was nothing whatever but a wretched table； the
camp…bed； and two chairs。
On the table lay a document； which she read：
〃I am Count Wenceslas Steinbock； born at Prelia； in Livonia。
〃No one is to be accused of my death； my reasons for killing
myself are； in the words of Kosciusko； /Finis Polonioe/！
〃The grand…nephew of a valiant General under Charles XII。 could
not beg。 My weakly constitution forbids my taking military
service； and I yesterday saw the last of the hundred thalers which
I had brought with me from Dresden to Paris。 I have left twenty…
five francs in the drawer of this table to pay the rent I owe to
the landlord。
〃My parents being dead； my death will affect nobody。 I desire that
my countrymen will not blame the French Government。 I have never
registered myself as a refugee； and I have asked for nothing； I
have met none of my fellow…exiles； no one in Paris knows of my
existence。
〃I am dying in Christian beliefs。 May God forgive the last of the
Steinbocks！
〃WENCESLAS。〃
Mademoiselle Fischer； deeply touched by the dying man's honesty；
opened the drawer and found the five five…franc pieces to pay his
rent。
〃Poor young man！〃 cried she。 〃And with no one in the world to care
about him！〃
She went downstairs to fetch her work； and sat stitching in the
garret； watching over the Livonian gentleman。
When he awoke his astonishment may be imagined on finding a woman
sitting by his bed； it was like the prolongation of a dream。 As she
sat there； covering aiguillettes with gold thread； the old maid had
resolved to take charge of the poor youth whom she admired as he lay
sleeping。
As soon as the young Count was fully awake； Lisbeth talked to give him
courage； and questioned him to find out how he might make a living。
Wenceslas； after telling his story； added that he owed his position to
his acknowledged talent for the fine arts。 He had always had a
preference for sculpture； the necessary time for study had； however；
seemed to him too long for a man without money； and at this moment he
was far too weak to do any hard manual labor or undertake an important
work in sculpture。 All this was Greek to Lisbeth Fischer。 She replied
to the unhappy man that Paris offered so many openings that any man
with will and courage might find a living there。 A man of spirit need
never perish if he had a certain stock of endurance。
〃I am but a poor girl myself； a peasant； and I have managed to make
myself independent；〃 said she in conclusion。 〃If you will work in
earnest； I have saved a little money； and I will lend you； month by
month； enough to live upon； but to live frugally； and not to play
ducks and drakes with or squander in the streets。 You can dine in
Paris for twenty…five sous a day； and I will get you your breakfast
with mine every day。 I will furnish your rooms and pay for such
teaching as you may think necessary。 You shall give me formal
acknowledgment for the money I may lay out for you； and when you are
rich you shall repay me all。 But if you do not work； I shall not
regard myself as in any way pledged to you； and I shall leave you to
your fate。〃
〃Ah！〃 cried the poor fellow； still smarting from the bitterness of his
first struggle with death； 〃exiles from every land may well stretch
out their hands to France； as the souls in Purgatory do to Paradise。
In what other country is such help to be found； and generous hearts
even in such a garret as this？ You will be everything to me； my
beloved benefactress； I am your slave！ Be my sweetheart；〃 he added；
with one of the caressing gestures familiar to the Poles； for which
they are unjustly accused of servility。
〃Oh； no； I am too jealous； I should make you unhappy； but I will
gladly be a sort of comrade；〃 replied Lisbeth。
〃Ah； if only you knew how I longed for some fellow…creature； even a
tyrant； who would have something to say to me when I was struggling in
the vast solitude of Paris！〃 exclaimed Wenceslas。 〃I regretted
Siberia； whither I should be sent by the Emperor if I went home。Be
my Providence！I will work； I will be a better man than I am； though
I am not such a bad fellow！〃
〃Will you do whatever I bid you？〃 she asked。
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； then； I will adopt you as my child；〃 said she lightly。 〃Here I
am with a son risen from the grave。 Come！ we will begin at once。 I
will go out and get what I want； you can dress； and come down to
breakfast with me when I knock on the ceiling with the broomstick。〃
That day； Mademoiselle Fischer made some inquiries； at the houses to
which she carried her work home； as to the business of a sculptor。 By
dint of many questions she ended by hearing of the studio kept by
Florent and Chanor； a house that made a special business of casting
and finishing decorative bronzes and handsome silver plate。 Thither
she went with Steinbock； recommending him as an apprentice in
sculpture； an idea that was regarded as too eccentric。 Their business
was to copy the works of the greatest artists； but they did not teach
the craft。 The old maid's persistent obstinacy so far succeeded that
Steinbock was taken on to design ornament。 He very soon learned to
model ornament； and invented novelties； he had a gift for it。
Five months after he was out of his apprenticeship as a finisher； he
made acquaintance with Stidmann； the famous head of Florent's studios。
Within twenty months Wenceslas was ahead of his master； but in thirty
months the old maid's savings of sixteen years had melted entirely。
Two thousand five hundred francs in gold！a sum with which she had
intended to purchase an annuity； and what was there to show for it？ A
Pole's receipt！ And at this moment Lisbeth was working as hard as in
her young days to supply the needs of her Livonian。
When she found herself the possessor of a piece of paper instead of
her gold louis； she lost her head； and went to consult Monsieur Rivet；
who for fifteen years had been his clever head…worker's friend and
counselor。 On hearing her story； Monsieur and Madame Rivet scolded
Lisbeth； told her she was crazy； abused all refugees whose plots for
reconstructing their nation compromised the prosperity of the country
and the maintenance of peace； and they urged Lisbeth to find what in
trade is called security。
〃The only hold you have over this fellow is on his liberty；〃 observed
Monsieur Rivet。
Monsieur Achille Rivet was assessor at the Tribunal of Commerce。
〃Imprisonment is no joke for a foreigner；〃 said he。 〃A Frenchman
remains five years in prison and comes out； free of his debts to be
sure； for he is thenceforth bound only by his conscience； and that
never troubles him； but a foreigner never comes out。Give me your
promissory note； my bookkeeper will take it up； he will get it
protested； you will both be prosecuted and both be condemned to
imprisonment in default of payment； then； when everything is in due
form； you must sign a declaration。 By doing this your interest will be
accumulating； and you will have a pistol always primed to fire at your
Pole！〃
The old maid allowed these legal steps to be taken； telling her
protege not to be uneasy； as the proceedings were merely to afford a
guarantee to a money…lender who agreed to advance them certain sums。
This subterfuge was due to the inventive genius of Monsieur Rivet。 The
guileless artist； blindly trusting to his benefactress； lighted his
pipe with the stamped paper； for he smoked as all men do who have
sorrows or energies that need soothing。
One fine day Monsieur Rivet showed Mademoiselle Fischer a schedule；
and said to her：
〃Here you have Wenceslas Steinbock bound hand and foot； and so
effectually； that within twenty…four hours you can have him snug in
Clichy for the rest of his days。〃
This worthy and honest judge at the Chamber of Commerce experienced
that day the satisfaction that must come of having done a malignant
good action。 Beneficence has so many aspects in Paris that this
contradictory expression really represents one of them。 The Livonian
being fairly entangled in the toil