imination, the matter was
arranged, and they shook hands before separating.

Alas! Mme. Fauvel and her niece soon felt the evil effects of the
understanding between the villains.

Everything happened as Louis had arranged.

Once more, when Mme. Fauvel had begun to breathe freely, and to hope
that her troubles were over, Raoul's conduct suddenly changed; he became
more extravagant and dissipated than ever.

Formerly, Mme. Fauvel would have said, "I wonder what he does with all
the money I give him?" Now she saw where it went.

Raoul was reckless in his wickedness; he was intimate with actresses,
openly lavishing money and jewelry upon them; he drove about with four
horses, and bet heavily on every race. Never had he been so exacting
and exorbitant in his demands for money; Mme. Fauvel had the greatest
difficulty in supplying his wants.

He no longer made excuses and apologies for spending so much; instead
of coaxingly entreating, he demanded money as a right, threatening to
betray Mme. Fauvel to her husband if she refused him.

At this rate, all the possessions of Mme. Fauvel and Madeleine soon
disappeared. In one month, all their money had been squandered. Then
they were compelled to resort to the most shameful expedients in the
household expenses. They economized in every possible way, making
purchases on credit, and making tradesmen wait; then they changed
figures in the bills, and even invented accounts of things never bought.

These imaginary costly whims increased so rapidly, that M. Fauvel one
day said, as he signed a large check, "Upon my word, ladies, you will
buy out all the stores, if you keep on this way. But nothing pleases me
better than to see you gratify every wish."

Poor women! For months they had bought nothing, but had lived upon the
remains of their former splendor, having all their old dresses made
over, to keep up appearances in society.

More clear-sighted than her aunt, Madeleine saw plainly that the day
would soon come when everything would have to be explained.

Although she knew that the sacrifices of the present would avail
nothing in the future, that all this money was being thrown away without
securing her aunt's peace of mind, yet she was silent. A high-minded
delicacy made her conceal her apprehensions beneath an assumed calmness.

The fact of her sacrificing herself made her refrain from uttering
anything like a complaint or censure. She seemed to forget herself
entirely in