So long as she was in the midst of that luxury, she was conscious of softer impulses, she was happy and felt that she was embellished by her surroundings; but when she returned to her parents, when she saw the factory through the dirty panes of the window on the landing, she had an inexplicable feeling of regret and anger.
And yet Claire Fromont treated her as a friend.
Sometimes they took her to the Bois, to the Tuileries, in the famous blue-lined carriage, or into the country, to pass a whole week at Grandfather Gardinois's chateau, at Savigny-sur-Orge.

Thanks to the munificence of Risler, who was very proud of his little one's success, she was always presentable and well dressed.

Madame Chebe made it a point of honor, and the pretty, lame girl was always at hand to place her treasures of unused coquetry at her little friend's service.
But M.Chebe, who was always hostile to the Fromonts, looked frowningly upon this growing intimacy.

The true reason was that he himself never was invited; but he gave other reasons, and would say to his wife: "Don't you see that your daughter's heart is sad when she returns from that house, and that she passes whole hours dreaming at the window ?" But poor Madame Chebe, who had been so unhappy ever since her marriage, had become reckless.

She declared that one should make the most of the present for fear of the future, should seize happiness as it passes, as one often has no other support and consolation in life than the memory of a happy childhood.
For once it happened that M.Chebe was right..