She was, in fact, a mass of old gowns, one on top of another, fringed with mud on account of the weather, the whole mounted on two thick legs with heavy feet which were ill-covered by ragged stockings and shoes from whose cracks the water oozed upon the floor.
Above the mound of rags rose a head like those that Charlet has given to his scavenger-women, caparisoned with a filthy bandanna handkerchief slit in the folds.
"What is your name ?" said Joseph, while Bixiou sketched her, leaning on an umbrella belonging to the year II.

of the Republic.
"Madame Gruget, at your service.

I've seen better days, my young gentleman," she said to Bixiou, whose laugh affronted her.

"If my poor girl hadn't had the ill-luck to love some one too much, you wouldn't see me what I am.

She drowned herself in the river, my poor Ida,--saving your presence! I've had the folly to nurse up a quaterne, and that's why, at seventy-seven years of age, I'm obliged to take care of sick folks for ten sous a day, and go--" "-- without clothes ?" said Bixiou.