They had ruined her, and did not return any interest on the capital which they represented.

This last blow of fate was the heaviest, as it fell on her ambition and her maternal vanity alike.

Rougon repeated to her from morning till night, "I told you so!" which only exasperated her the more.
One day, as she was bitterly reproaching her eldest son with the large amount of money expended on his education, he said to her with equal bitterness, "I will repay you later on if I can.

But as you had no means, you should have brought us up to a trade.

We are out of our element, we are suffering more than you." Felicite understood the wisdom of these words.