etc. All the rest of her time
she is working like a galley-slave. Ah, she has known misfortune too
early! I know well that troubles must come; but then a poor girl should
be able to look back upon a happy childhood, at least! And another
thing that grieves and vexes me almost as much as that, is not being
able to render you any assistance. Still I will endeavour."

"Nonsense; don't talk so! Do you suppose I would accept of anything from
you? On the contrary, I'll tell you what I'll do to help you. From this
time forward I'll insist upon being paid for my amusing tales and
wonderful recitals; and those who object to pay from one to two sous for
hearing shall no more be treated to the entertaining histories of
Pique-Vinaigre. I shall soon collect a pretty little sum for you, I
know. But why don't you take furnished lodgings, so that your husband
could not molest you by selling your little possessions?"

"Furnished lodgings! Only consider, there are four, and for such a
number we should have to pay at least twenty sous (ten pence) a day.
What should we have to live upon if we paid all that for rent? And now
we give but fifty francs a year for the rooms we occupy."

"True, my girl," replied Pique-Vinaigre, with bitter irony. "That's
right,--work, slave, begrudge yourself necessary rest or food, in order
to refurnish your place. And directly you have once more got things
comfortably about you, your husband will come and strip you of
everything; and when he has deprived you almost of the garments you
wear, he will take your dear Catherine from you and sell her also."

"No, no, brother; he should take my life ere I would suffer him to
injure my good, my virtuous child."

"Oh, but he does not wish to do her any bodily harm; he only wants to
sell her. And then, remember, as the lawyer said, he is master until you
can find five hundred francs to be legally separated from him. So, as
that is not the case, at present you must make up your mind to submit to
what cannot be helped. It seems that, by law, your husband has a right
to take his child from you and send her where he pleases. And if he and
his mistress are bent upon the ruin of the poor girl, doubtless they
will stop at nothing to achieve it."

"Merciful God!" exclaimed the almost frantic mother, "surely such
wickedness can never be tolerated in a Christian land! Justice itself
would interpose if a father could insist upon selling his daughter's
honour."

"Justice!"