enough, however, to marry that handsome, honest, and hard-working fellow,
Morange, although she was quite without a dowry; and, this accomplished,
she indulged in the dream of climbing a little higher up the social
ladder, and freeing herself from the loathsome world of petty clerkdom by
making the son whom she hoped to have either an advocate or a doctor.
Unfortunately the much-desired child proved to be a girl; and Valerie
trembled, fearful of finding herself at last with four daughters on her
hands, just as her mother had. Her dream thereupon changed, and she
resolved to incite her husband onward to the highest posts, so that she
might ultimately give her daughter a large dowry, and by this means gain
that admittance to superior spheres which she so eagerly desired. Her
husband, who was weak and extremely fond of her, ended by sharing her
ambition, ever revolving schemes of pride and conquest for her benefit.
But he had now been eight years at the Beauchene works, and he still
earned but five thousand francs a year. This drove him and his wife to
despair. Assuredly it was not at Beauchene's that he would ever make his
fortune.

"You see!" he exclaimed, after going a couple of hundred yards with
Mathieu along the Boulevard de Grenelle, "it is that new house yonder at
the street corner. It has a stylish appearance, eh?"

Mathieu then perceived a lofty modern pile, ornamented with balconies and
sculpture work, which looked quite out of place among the poor little
houses predominating in the district.

"Why, it is a palace!" he exclaimed, in order to please Morange, who
thereupon drew himself up quite proudly.

"You will see the staircase, my dear fellow! Our place, you know, is on