Now that they despaired of ever being enriched by them, they were anxious to make some little provision for old age.

They retired with forty thousand francs at the utmost.

This sum provided an annual income of two thousand francs, just sufficient to live in a small way in the provinces.

Fortunately, they were by themselves, having succeeded in marrying their daughters Marthe and Sidonie, the former of whom resided at Marseilles and the latter in Paris.
After they had settled their affairs they would much have liked to take up their abode in the new town, the quarter of the retired traders, but they dared not do so.

Their income was too small; they were afraid that they would cut but a poor figure there.