om with a piece of flannel. She always wore cotton gloves, and
adorned her head with a cap ornamented with many colored ribbons,
which was always tilted over one ear; and whenever anyone caught her
polishing, sweeping, or washing, she used to say:

"I am not rich; everything is very simple in my house, but cleanliness
is my luxury, and that is worth quite as much as any other."

As she was gifted with sound, obstinate, practical common sense, she led
her husband in everything. Every evening during dinner, and afterwards
when they were in their room, they talked over the business of the
office for a long time, and although she was twenty years younger than
he was, he confided everything to her as if she took the lead, and
followed her advice in every matter.

She had never been pretty, and now she had grown ugly; in addition to
that, she was short and thin, while her careless and tasteless way of
dressing herself concealed her few small feminine attractions, which
might have been brought out if she had possessed any taste in dress. Her
skirts were always awry, and she frequently scratched herself, no matter
on what part of her person, totally indifferent as to who might see her,
and so persistently, that anyone who saw her might think that she was
suffering from something like the itch. The only adornments that she
allowed herself were silk ribbons, which she had in great profusion, and
of various colors mixed together, in the pretentious caps which she wore
at home.

As soon as she saw her husband she rose and said, as she kissed his
whiskers:

"Did you remember Potin, my dear?"

He fell into a chair, in consternation, for that was the fourth time on
which he had forgotten a commission that he had promised to do for her.

"It is a fatality," he said; "it is no good for me to think of it all
day long, for I am sure to forget it in the evening."

But as he seemed really so very sorry, she merely said, quietly:

"You will think of it to-morrow, I dare say. Anything new at the
office?"

"Yes, a great piece of news; another tinsmith has been appointed second
chief clerk." She became very serious, and said:

"So he succeeds Ramon; this was the very post that I wanted you to have.
And what about Ramon?"

"He retires on his pension."

She became furious, her cap slid down on her shoulder, and she
continued:

"There is nothing more to be done in that shop now. And what is the name
of the new commissioner?"

"