To avoid being disturbed in their gossip, the two young woman managed to drive away the few remaining purchasers who visited the shop.

Henceforth, the mercery business ceased to bring in a sou towards the household expenses, and it became necessary to encroach on the capital of forty thousand francs and more.
Sometimes, Therese absented herself the entire afternoon.

No one knew where she went.

Her reason for having Suzanne with her was no doubt partly for the purpose of securing company but also to mind the shop, while she was away.

When she returned in the evening, worn out, her eyelids heavy with exhaustion, it was to find the little wife of Olivier still behind the counter, bowed down, with a vague smile on her lips, in the same attitude as she had left her five hours previously.
Therese had a bad fright about five months after her marriage to Laurent.