She kept the five-franc piece all day and went hungry, seeking for work.

In the evening she went to a provision shop to buy food, and the man behind the counter took the five-franc piece.

He looked at it, rung it on the counter, and, with a laugh, bent it easily in half.
"See here, my little one," he said, tossing the coin back to her, "one does not buy good food with lead." Celia dragged herself out of the shop in despair.

She was starving.

She dared not go back to her room.