The Accursed Bread

Daddy Taille had three daughters: Anna, the eldest, who was scarcely ever mentioned in the family; Rose, the second girl, who was eighteen, and Clara, the youngest, who was a girl of fifteen.

Old Taille was a widower and a foreman in M. Lebrument's button
manufactory. He was a very upright man, very well thought of,
abstemious; in fact, a sort of model workman. He lived at Havre, in
Rue d'Angouleme.

When Anna ran away from home old man flew into a fearful rage. He
threatened to kill the head clerk in a large draper's establishment in
that town, whom he suspected. After a time, when he was told by various
people that she was very steady and investing money in government
securities, that she was no gadabout, but was a great friend of Monsieur
Dubois, who was a judge of Tribunal of Commerce, the father was
appeased.

He even showed some anxiety as to how she was getting on, and asked some
of her old friends who had been to see her, and when told that she had
her own furniture, and that her mantelpiece was covered with vases and
walls with pictures, that there were clocks and carpets everywhere,
he gave a broad contented smile. He had been working for thirty years
to get together a wretched five or six thousand francs. This girl was
evidently no fool.

One fine morning son of Touchard, the cooper, at other end of
street, came and asked him for the hand of Rose, the second girl.
The old man's heart began to beat, for Touchards were rich and in a
good position. He was decidedly lucky with his girls.

marriage was agreed upon, and it was settled that it should be a
grand affair, and the wedding dinner was to be held at Sainte-Adresse,
at Mother Jusa's restaurant. It would cost a lot certainly, but never
mind, it did not matter just for once in a way.

But one morning, just as old man was going home to luncheon with his
two daughters, door opened suddenly, and Anna appeared. She was well
dressed and looked undeniably pretty and nice. She threw her arms
round her father's neck before he could say a word, then fell into her
sisters' arms with many tears and then asked for a plate, so that she
might share family soup. Taille was moved to tears in his turn and
said several times:

"That is right, dear, that is right."

Then she told them about herself. She did not wish Rose's wedding to
take place at Sainte-Adresse--certainly not. It should take place at her
house and would cost her father nothing. She had settled everything
and arranged everything, so it was "no good to