Seeing her about to yield, Mme. Rougon cried out that it was necessary
to act, and Martine herself added the weight of all her real
authority. They both approached the young girl, and began to instruct
her, lowering their voices as if they were engaged in a conspiracy,
whence was to result a miraculous benefit, a divine joy with which the
whole house would be perfumed. What a triumph if they reconciled the
doctor with God! and what sweetness, afterward, to live altogether in
the celestial communion of the same faith!

"Well, then, what must I do?" asked Clotilde, vanquished, won over.

But at this moment the doctor's pestle was heard in the silence, with
its continued rhythm. And the victorious Felicite, who was about to
speak, turned her head uneasily, and looked for a moment at the door
of the adjoining chamber. Then, in an undertone, she said:

"Do you know where the key of the press is?"

Clotilde answered only with an artless gesture, that expressed all her
repugnance to betray her master in this way.

"What a child you are! I swear to you that I will take nothing; I will
not even disturb anything. Only as we are alone and as Pascal never
reappears before dinner, we might assure ourselves of what there is in
there, might we not? Oh! nothing but a glance, on my word of honor."

The young girl stood motionless, unwilling, still, to give her
consent.

"And then, it may be that I am mistaken; no doubt there are none of