I have enough to make up the sum; I took your money for Philippe's sake; I thought I could put it back before you missed it.

Oh! I have suffered much." She sat down.

Her dry, fixed eyes wandered a little.
"It was he who did it," whispered the old woman to Joseph.
"No, no," cried Agathe; "take my silver plate, sell it; it is useless to me; we can eat with yours." She went to her room, took the box which contained the plate, felt its light weight, opened it, and saw a pawnbroker's ticket.

The poor mother uttered a dreadful cry.

Joseph and the Descoings ran to her, saw the empty box, and her noble falsehood was of no avail.