“Ah, too happy they!” exclaims Caroline, as if she were foretelling the manner of her death.
Adolphe’s mother-in-law comes to see her daughter. Caroline says, “My husband’s parlor:” “Your master’s chamber.” Everything in the house belongs to “My husband.”
“Why, what’s the matter, children?” asks the mother-in-law; “you seem to be at swords’ points.”
“Oh, dear me,” says Adolphe, “nothing but that Caroline has had the management of the house and didn’t manage it right, that’s all.”
“She got into debt, I suppose?”
“Yes, dearest mamma.”
“Look here, Adolphe,” says the mother-in-law, after having waited to be left alone with her son, “would you prefer to have my daughter magnificently dressed, to have everything go on smoothly, without its costing you anything?”
Imagine, if you can, the expression of Adolphe’s physiognomy, as he hears this declaration of woman’s rights!
Caroline abandons her shabby dress and appears in a splendid one. She is at the Deschars’: every one compliments her upon her taste, upon the richness of her materials, upon her lace, her jewels.
“Ah! you have a charming husband!” says Madame Deschars. Adolphe tosses his head proudly, and looks at Caroline.