The death of Puech proved another heavy blow.

Felicite, who had counted upon an inheritance of about forty thousand francs, found that the selfish old man, in order to indulge himself in his old age, had sunk all his money in a life annuity.

The discovery made her quite ill.

She was gradually becoming soured, she was growing more lean and harsh.

To see her, from morning till night, whirling round the jars of oil, one would have thought she believed that she could stimulate the sales by continually flitting about like a restless fly.