But unluckily it had not been thrown away upon Adolphe. He had
appreciated, as it was natural that he should do, all that had been
so utterly indifferent to his mother; and consequently had fallen in
love. Consequently also he had told his love; and consequently also
Marie had returned his love.

Adolphe had been hitherto contradicted but in few things, and thought
that all difficulty would be prevented by his informing his mother
that he wished to marry Marie Clavert. But Marie, with a woman's
instinct, had known better. She had trembled and almost crouched
with fear when she confessed her love; and had absolutely hid herself
from sight when Adolphe went forth, prepared to ask his mother's
consent to his marriage.

The indignation and passionate wrath of Madame Bauche were past and
gone two years before the date of this story, and I need not
therefore much enlarge upon that subject. She was at first abusive
and bitter, which was bad for Marie; and afterwards bitter and
silent, which was worse. It was of course determined that poor Marie
should be sent away to some asylum for orphans or penniless paupers--
in short anywhere out of the way. What mattered her outlook into the
world, her happiness, or indeed her very existence? The outlook and
happiness of Adolphe Bauche,--was not that to be considered as
everything at Vernet?

But this terrible sharp aspect of affairs did not last very long. In
the first place La Mere Bauche had under those green spectacles a
heart that in truth was tender and affectionate, and after the first
two days of anger she admitted that something must be done for Marie