"To-morrow will also, I imagine, bring Perine," he replied, with a laugh, and when he laughed it was possible to see what a handsome young fellow the haggard man had been. "Well, I am not sure that Perine isn't preferable to old Plon-Plon. When I hear him prosing away to you on the duty of being contented, it's all I can do not to knock him down. You a bad manager, indeed!" "Do not talk of anything so imprudent." "He would roll like a ball," said Jean longingly. "Jean!" "Bah, you need not fear. To do things sometimes in imagination is the only way of keeping my muscles in exercise. Oh, if I could only get a little fresh air, or drop in at the _brasserie_ and hear what is doing!" "See, here," said Marie, true to her mission of comforter, "to-night we shall have a luxury, for this work must be finished and carried home to-morrow morning, and so I shall allow myself a candle. Sometimes I am afraid that I want more light than in old days, but I daresay that is a foolish fancy. The cabbage will be ready in a few minutes; meanwhile, tell me what more news you have got there in the paper. M. Plon has a great respect for my scholarship, but he is afraid I waste my time over his journals--aha, M. Plon, you little know that I have got my reader!" "Plon is an ass," said Jean gruffly, for he did not like any one to find a flaw in the wife whom he often scolded himself. "Perhaps," said Marie happily. "But now, find me something horribly delightful to-night, something to make me shudder." "Capture of a wolf in Auvergne." "Of a wolf! Is it possible!" demanded Madame Didier, much interested. "And how many people did he eat?" "Only one." "Only one! What a stupid wolf! Go on, my friend." "Suicide of a husband." "Not that, I do not like anything so sad," she said in a changed voice. "And where was his wife all the time, that she could not prevent it, I should like to know? No, let me hear a little more about this robbery, and then we will have our dinner." PART III. The hours passed, the light faded in the little garret where Marie's busy fingers toiled day after day to add to the little hoard so slowly accumulating, and Marie's cheerful heart brought out greater treasures of unselfish devotion, if her husband had only known it. Perhaps he did know it--in a fashion. Through the night, when it came, she thought often uneasily of Perine out in the heart of the great wicked city. But Perine had a haunt or two of her own, and Marie said prayers for her, and slept, hoping the girl would be safe.