ady spoilt Laurent as she had
spoilt Camille. Quite mollified by the caresses the young man lavished
on her, she belonged to him, and never failed to take his part.

It was therefore decided that Laurent should have a studio, and receive
one hundred francs a month pocket-money. The budget of the family was
arranged in this way: the profits realised in the mercery business would
pay the rent of the shop and apartment, and the balance would almost
suffice for the daily expenses of the family; Laurent would receive the
rent of his studio and his one hundred francs a month, out of the two
thousand and a few hundred francs income from the funded money, the
remainder going into the general purse. In that way the capital would
remain intact. This arrangement somewhat tranquillised Therese, who
nevertheless made her husband swear that he would never go beyond the
sum allowed him. But as to that matter, she said to herself that Laurent
could not get possession of the 40,000 francs without her signature, and
she was thoroughly determined that she would never place her name to any
document.

On the morrow, Laurent took a small studio in the lower part of the Rue
Mazarine, which his eye had been fixed on for a month. He did not mean
to leave his office without having a refuge where he could quietly pass
his days far away from Therese. At the end of the fortnight, he bade
adieu to his colleagues. Grivet was stupefied at his departure. A young
man, said he, who had such a brilliant future before him, a young man
who in the space of four years, had reached a salary that he, Grivet,
had taken twenty years to attain! Laurent stupefied him still more, when
he told him he was going to give his whole time to painting.

At last the artist installed himself in his studio, which was a sort
of square loft about seven or eight yards long by the same breadth. The
ceiling which inclined abruptly in a rapid slope, was pierced by a large
window conveying a white raw light to the floor and blackish walls.
The sounds in the street did not ascend so high. This silent, wan room,
opening above on the sky, resembled a hole, or a vault dug out of grey
clay. Laurent furnished the place anywise; he brought a couple of chairs
with holes in the rush seats, a table that he set against the wall so
that it might not slip down, an old kitchen dresser, his colour-box and
easel; all the luxury in the place consisted of a spacious divan which
he purchased for thir