has such a vigorous constitution--"

Madame Descoings had likewise reflected during the night as to the best
way of saving the honor of the family. At daybreak, she got out of bed
and went to her friend's room.

"Neither you nor Philippe should manage this delicate matter," she
urged. "Our two old friends Du Bruel and Claparon are dead, but we still
have Desroches, who is very sagacious. I'll go and see him this morning.
He can tell the newspaper people that Philippe trusted a friend and has
been made a victim; that his weakness in such respects makes him unfit
to be a cashier; what has now happened may happen again, and that
Philippe prefers to resign. That will prevent his being turned off."

Agathe, seeing that this business lie would save the honor of her son,
at any rate in the eyes of strangers, kissed Madame Descoings, who went
out early to make an end of the dreadful affair.

Philippe, meanwhile, had slept the sleep of the just. "She is sly, that
old woman," he remarked, when his mother explained to him why breakfast
was late.

Old Desroches, the last remaining friend of these two poor women, who,
in spite of his harsh nature, never forgot that Bridau had obtained
for him his place, fulfilled like an accomplished diplomat the delicate
mission Madame Descoings had confided to him. He came to dine that
evening with the family, and notified Agathe that she must go the
next day to the Treasury, rue Vivienne, sign the transfer of the funds
involved, and obtain a coupon for the six hundred francs a year which
still remained to her. The old clerk did not leave the afflicted
household that night without obliging Philippe to sign a petition to
the minister of war, asking for his reinstatement in the active army.
Desroches promised the two women to follow up the petition at the war
office, and to profit by the triumph of a certain duke over Philippe in
the matter of the danseuse, and so obtain that nobleman's influence.

"Philippe will be lieutenant-colonel in the Duc de Maufrigneuse's
regiment within three months," he declared, "and you will be rid of
him."

Desroches went away, smothered with blessings from the two poor widows
and Joseph. As to the newspaper, it ceased to exist at the end of two
months, just as Finot had predicted. Philippe's crime had, therefore,
so far as the world knew, no consequences. But Agathe's motherhood had
received a deadly wound. Her belief in her son once shaken, she lived
in perpet