“Pierre returned home with a light heart, tossing up his five-franc piece as he ran.  Just as he was at the conciergerie door, a great tall man bustled past him, and snatched his money away from him, looking back with a laugh, which added insult to injury.  Pierre had no redress; no one had witnessed the impudent theft, and if they had, no one to be seen in the street was strong enough to give him redress.  Besides, Pierre had seen enough of the state of the streets of Paris at that time to know that friends, not enemies, were required, and the man had a bad air about him.  But all these considerations did not keep Pierre from bursting out into a fit of crying when he was once more under his mother’s roof; and Virginie, who was alone there (Madame Babette having gone out to make her daily purchases), might have imagined him pommeled to death by the loudness of his sobs.

“‘What is the matter?’ asked she.  ’Speak, my child.  What hast thou done?’

“‘He has robbed me! he has robbed me!’ was all Pierre could gulp out.

“‘Robbed thee! and of what, my poor boy?’ said Virginie, stroking his hair gently.

“‘Of my five-franc piece—­of a five-franc piece,’ said Pierre, correcting himself, and leaving out the word my, half fearful lest Virginie should inquire how he became possessed of such a sum, and for what services it had been given him.  But, of course, no such idea came into her head, for it would have been impertinent, and she was gentle-born.

“‘Wait a moment, my lad,’ and going to the one small drawer in the inner apartment, which held all her few possessions, she brought back a little ring—­a ring just with one ruby in it—­which she had worn in the days when she cared to wear jewels.  ‘Take this,’ said she, ’and run with it to a jeweller’s.  It is but a poor, valueless thing, but it will bring you in your five francs, at any rate.  Go!  I desire you.’

“‘But I cannot,’ said the boy, hesitating; some dim sense of honour flitting through his misty morals.

“‘Yes, you must!’ she continued, urging him with her hand to the door.  ’Run! if it brings in more than five francs, you shall return the surplus to me.’

“Thus tempted by her urgency, and, I suppose, reasoning with himself to the effect that he might as well have the money, and then see whether he thought it right to act as a spy upon her or not—­the one action did not pledge him to the other, nor yet did she make any conditions with her gift—­Pierre went off with her ring; and, after repaying himself his five francs, he was enabled to bring Virginie back two more, so well had he managed his affairs.  But, although the whole transaction did not leave him bound, in any way, to discover or forward Virginie’s wishes, it did leave him pledged, according to his code, to act according to her advantage, and he considered himself the judge of the best course to be pursued to this end.  And, moreover, this little kindness