Guillaume, who, for his part, had been moved to tears, and felt full of revolt against the social system which rendered such distress possible, slipped some alms into the child's little hand, and promised Madame Theodore that he would see her landlord so as to get her back her room.
"Ah! Monsieur Froment!" replied the unfortunate woman.

"Salvat was quite right when he said you were a real good man! And as you employed him here for a few days you know too that he isn't a wicked one....

Now that he's been put in prison everybody calls him a brigand, and it breaks my heart to hear them." Then, turning towards Madame Mathis, who had continued sewing in discreet silence, like a respectable woman whom none of these things could concern, she went on: "I know you, madame, but I'm better acquainted with your son, Monsieur Victor, who has often come to chat at our place.

Oh! you needn't be afraid, I shan't say it, I shall never compromise anybody; but if Monsieur Victor were free to speak, he'd be the man to explain Salvat's ideas properly." Madame Mathis looked at her in stupefaction.

Ignorant as she was of her son's real life and views, she experienced a vague dread at the idea of any connection between him and Salvat's family.