How we cite our quotes: (Section.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Madame Aubain had married a handsome but penniless young man, who had died at the beginning of 1809, leaving her with two very young children and a mountain of debts. (1.3)
You can't buy me love, but love sure can buy us some problems. Madame Aubain loses all of her family's fortune due to her decision to marry a poor and, it turns out, short-lived man. The debt he leaves her with determines her lifestyle for the rest of her life. Talk about unfair.
Quote #2
So she sold her properties, apart from two farms, one at Toucques and the other at Geffosses, the income from which amounted to no more than 5,000 francs, and moved from her house in Saint-Melaine to another, less expensive one which had belonged to her ancestors, located behind the covered market. (1.3)
It's clear that Madame Aubain used to be Scrooge McDuck-style rich. She sells everything and still has two farms left. She also had to move out of her estate and into town (gasp). It might not seem so bad, but for her it represents a long fall.
Quote #3
The wall facing [the desk] was covered in pen drawings, gouache landscapes and Audran prints, souvenirs of a better time and a vanished luxury. (1.7)
Madame Aubain attempts to maintain her wealthy lifestyle by decorating her little house as though it were the mansion she used to live in. The "souvenirs" aren't from vacation; they're from a past life. It's like wealth is a destination, and unfortunately Madame Aubain was only visiting.