TheBaroness’homeintheRuePlumethadbecomesoodioustoher，thatsheallowedherselftobetakentotheRueLouis-le-Grand。Thus，byherson’scare，Adelineoccupiedafineapartment；shewassparedallthedailyworriesoflife；forLisbethconsentedtobeginagain，workingwondersofdomesticeconomy，suchasshehadachievedforMadameMarneffe，seeinghereawayofexertinghersilentvengeanceonthosethreenoblelives，theobject，each，ofherhatred，whichwaskeptgrowingbytheoverthrowofallherhopes。
OnceamonthshewenttoseeValerie，sent，indeed，byHortense，whowantednewsofWenceslas，andbyCelestine，whowasseriouslyuneasyattheacknowledgedandwell-knownconnectionbetweenherfatherandawomantowhomhermother-in-lawandsister-in-lawowedtheirruinandtheirsorrows。Asmaybesupposed，LisbethtookadvantageofthistoseeValerieasoftenaspossible。
Thus，abouttwentymonthspassedby，duringwhichtheBaronessrecoveredherhealth，thoughherpalsiedtremblingneverlefther。Shemadeherselffamiliarwithherduties，whichaffordedheranobledistractionfromhersorrowandconstantfoodforthedivinegoodnessofherheart。ShealsoregardeditasanopportunityforfindingherhusbandinthecourseofoneofthoseexpeditionswhichtookherintoeverypartofParis。
Duringthistime，Vauvinethadbeenpaid，andthepensionofsixthousandfrancswasalmostredeemed。VictorincouldmaintainhismotheraswellasHortenseoutofthetenthousandfrancsinterestonthemoneyleftbyMarshalHulotintrustforthem。Adeline’ssalaryamountedtosixthousandfrancsayear；andthis，addedtotheBaron’spensionwhenitwasfreed，wouldpresentlysecureanincomeoftwelvethousandfrancsayeartothemotheranddaughter。
Thus，thepoorwomanwouldhavebeenalmosthappybutforherperpetualanxietiesastotheBaron’sfate；forshelongedtohavehimwithhertosharetheimprovedfortunesthatsmiledonthefamily；andbutfortheconstantsightofherforsakendaughter；andbutfortheterriblethrustsconstantlyand/unconsciously/dealtherbyLisbeth，whosediabolicalcharacterhadfreecourse。