authority prevail! And what could she do against this new master?
Nothing. He was marvellously protected by Micheline's mad love for him.
To strike Serge would be to wound Micheline, surely and mortally. So this
scoundrel could laugh at her and dare her with impunity!

What must she do? Take him aside and tell him that she knew of his
disloyal conduct, and tell him of her contempt and hatred for him? And
after that? What would be the consequence of this outburst of violence?
The Prince, using his power over Micheline, would separate the daughter
from the mother. And Madame Desvarennes would be alone in her corner,
abandoned like a poor dog, and would die of despair and anger. What other
course then? She must dissemble, mask her face with indifference, if
possible with tenderness, and undertake the difficult task of separating
Micheline from the man whom she adored. It was quite a feat of strategy
to plan. To bring out the husband's faults and to make his errors known,
and give her the opportunity of proving his worthlessness. In a word, to
make the young wife understand that she had married an elegant manikin,
unworthy of her love.

It would be an easy matter to lay snares for Serge. He was a gambler. She
could let him have ready money to satisfy his passion. Once in the
clutches of the demon of play, he would neglect his wife, and the mother
might regain a portion of the ground she had lost. Micheline's fortune
once broken into, she would interpose between her daughter and
son-in-law. She would make him pull up, and holding him tightly by her
purse strings, would lead him whither she liked.

Already in fancy she saw her authority regained, and her daughter, her
treasure, her life, true mistress of the situation, grateful to her for
having saved her. And then, she thought, a baby will come, and if
Micheline is really my daughter, she will adore the little thing, and the
blind love which she has given to her husband will be diminished by so
much.

Serge did not know what an adversary he had against him in his
mother-in-law. It was a bad thing to cross the mistress when business
matters were concerned, but now that her daughter's happiness was at
stake! A smile came to her lips. A firm resolution from that hour must
guide her, and the struggle between her son-in-law and herself could only
end by the crushing of one of them.

In the distance the music from the work-people's ball was heard. Madame
Desvarennes mechanic