At this moment Mathieu and Cecile were still on the landing in conversation with Norine, whose infant had fallen asleep in her arms.  Constance and Madame Angelin were so surprised at finding the farmer of Chantebled in the company of the two young women that they pretended they did not see him.  All at once, however, Constance, with the help of memory, recognized Norine, the more readily perhaps as she was now aware that Mathieu had, ten years previously, acted as her husband’s intermediary.  And a feeling of revolt and the wildest fancies instantly arose within her.  What was Mathieu doing in that house? whose child was it that the young woman carried in her arms?  At that moment the other child seemed to peer forth from the past; she saw it in swaddling clothes, like the infant there; indeed, she almost confounded one with the other, and imagined that it was indeed her husband’s illegitimate son that was sleeping in his mother’s arms before her.  Then all the satisfaction she had derived from what she had heard Madame Bourdieu say departed, and she went off furious and ashamed, as if soiled and threatened by all the vague abominations which she had for some time felt around her, without knowing, however, whence came the little chill which made her shudder as with dread.

As for Mathieu, he saw that neither Norine nor Cecile had recognized Madame Beauchene under her veil, and so he quietly continued explaining to the former that he would take steps to secure for her from the Assistance Publique—­the official organization for the relief of the poor—­a cradle and a supply of baby linen, as well as immediate pecuniary succor, since she undertook to keep and nurse her child.  Afterwards he would obtain for her an allowance of thirty francs a month for at least one year.  This would greatly help the sisters, particularly in the earlier stages of their life together in the room which they had settled to rent.  When Mathieu added that he would take upon himself the preliminary outlay of a little furniture and so forth, Norine insisted upon kissing him.

“Oh! it is with a good heart,” said she.  “It does one good to meet a man like you.  And come, kiss my poor little fellow, too; it will bring him good luck.”

On reaching the Rue La Boetie it occurred to Mathieu, who was bound for the Beauchene works, to take a cab and let Cecile alight near her parents’ home, since it was in the neighborhood of the factory.  But she explained to him that she wished, first of all, to call upon her sister Euphrasie in the Rue Caroline.  This street was in the same direction, and so Mathieu made her get into the cab, telling her that he would set her down at her sister’s door.

She was so amazed, so happy at seeing her dream at last on the point of realization, that as she sat in the cab by the side of Mathieu she did not know how to thank him.  Her eyes were quite moist, all smiles and tears.