Then she again reverted to the manufacturer's wife, declared that little
Maurice, however sturdy he might look, was simply puffed out with bad
flesh; and she remarked that it would be a terrible blow for the parents
if they should lose that only son. The subject of children was thus
started, and when Mathieu, laughing, observed that they, the Moranges,
had but one child, the cashier protested that it was unfair to compare
him with M. Beauchene, who was such a wealthy man. Valerie, for her part,
pictured the position of her parents, afflicted with four daughters, who
had been obliged to wait months and months for boots and frocks and hats,
and had grown up anyhow, in perpetual terror lest they should never find
husbands. A family was all very well, but when it happened to consist of
daughters the situation became terrible for people of limited means; for
if daughters were to be launched properly into life they must have
dowries.

"Besides," said she, "I am very ambitious for my husband, and I am
convinced that he may rise to a very high position if he will only listen
to me. But he must not be saddled with a lot of incumbrances. As things
stand, I trust that we may be able to get rich and give Reine a suitable
dowry."

Morange, quite moved by this little speech, caught hold of his wife's
hand and kissed it. Weak and good-natured as he was, Valerie was really
the one with will. It was she who had instilled some ambition into him,
and he esteemed her the more for it.

"My wife is a thoroughly good woman, you know, my dear Froment," said he.
"She has a good head as well as a good heart."

Then, while Valerie recapitulated her dream of wealth, the splendid flat