He fancied he was labouring at his education.

At times, he forced his wife to listen to certain pages, to particular anecdotes, and felt very much astonished that Therese could remain pensive and silent the whole evening, without being tempted to take up a book.

And he thought to himself that his wife must be a woman of very poor intelligence.
Therese thrust books away from her with impatience.

She preferred to remain idle, with her eyes fixed, and her thoughts wandering and lost.
But she maintained an even, easy temper, exercising all her will to render herself a passive instrument, replete with supreme complaisance and abnegation.
The shop did not do much business.

The profit was the same regularly each month.