It was a frightful catastrophe.

He left the garret, descended slowly to the parlor, and threw himself into a chair in the midst of his children, remaining motionless for some minutes as though dead, making no answer to the questions his wife pressed upon him.

Tears came at last to his relief, and he rushed to his own chamber that no one might witness his despair.
Josephine followed him and drew him into her own room, where, alone with her, Balthazar gave vent to his anguish.

These tears of a man, these broken words of the hopeless toiler, these bitter regrets of the husband and father, did Madame Claes more harm than all her past sufferings.

The victim consoled the executioner.