"I believe that you lay claim to be a gentleman." "I don't recognize you ever since you have seen more of your impertinent sister." "You ordered me to be impertinent, and I am practising on you," she replied.
"Your servant, madame," said Gigonnet, taking leave, not anxious to witness this family scene.
Du Tillet looked fixedly at his wife, who returned the look without lowering her eyes.
"What does all this mean ?" he said.
"It means that I am no longer a little girl whom you can frighten," she replied.

"I am, and shall be, all my life, a good and loyal wife to you; you may be my master if you choose, my tyrant, never!" Du Tillet left the room.

After this effort Marie-Eugenie broke down.
"If it were not for my sister's danger," she said to herself, "I should never have dared to brave him thus; but, as the proverb says, 'There's some good in every evil.'".