knew what to think, and wondered if grief at the loss of his situation
had not somewhat disturbed his mind.

"Such are women," he went on with a giggle. "Results astonish them,
because they know nothing of the means used to bring them about. Am
I a fool, then? Would I impose upon myself privations of all sorts,
if it were to accomplish nothing? Parbleu! I love fine living
too, I do, and good dinners at the restaurant, and the theatre, and
the nice little excursions in the country. But I want to be rich.
At the price of all the comforts which I have not had, I have saved
a capital, the income of which will support us all. Eh, eh! That's
the power of the little penny put out to fatten!"

As she went to bed that night, Mme. Favoral felt more happy than she
had done since her mother's death. She almost forgave her husband
his sordid parsimony, and the humiliations he had heaped upon her.

"Well, be it so," she thought. "I shall have lived miserably, I shall
have endured nameless sufferings; but my children shall be rich, their
life shall be easy and pleasant."

The next day M. Favoral's excitement had completely abated.
Manifestly he regretted his confidences.

"You must not think on that account that you can waste and pillage
every thing," he declared rudely. "Besides, I have greatly
exaggerated."

And he started in search of a situation.