"You shall go out when my 'Manual' is finished," quoth the uncle, shutting up his nephew under lock and key.
Rodolphe, when left alone, did not hesitate on the course to take. He transformed his quilt into a knotted rope, which he fastened firmly to his own balcony, and in spite of the risk, descended by this extempore ladder upon Mademoiselle Sidonia's.
"Who is there?" she cried, on hearing Rodolphe knock at her window.
"Hush!" he replied, "open!"
"What do you want? Who are you?"
"Can you ask? I am the author of 'The Avenger,' come to look for my heart, which I dropped through the trap into your room."
"Rash youth!" said the actress, "you might have killed yourself!"
"Listen, Sidonia," continued Rodolphe, showing her the letter he just received. "You see, wealth and glory smile on me, let love do the same!"
The following morning, by means of a masculine disguise, which Sidonia procured for him, Rodolphe was enabled to escape from his uncle's lodging. He ran to the secretary of the academy of floral games, to receive a crown of gold sweetbrier, worth three hundred francs, which lived