Fruitfulness

de l'Universite, behind the Palais-Bourbon. By a contradiction, at which he himself often laughed, this impassioned apostle of fruitful

ion with him, he preferred to invite him to his modest table, to pa

, to produce life, health, strength, and wealth grew within him day by day. Yet what fine courage and what a fund of hope he needed to venture upon an enterprise which outwardly seemed so wild and rash, and the wisdom of which was apparent to himself alone. With whom could he discuss such a matter, to whom could he confide his doubts

ever even planted a lettuce. I will even add that your project seems to me so hazardous that any one versed in these matters whom you might consult would assuredly bring forward substantial and convincing arguments to dissuade you. But you speak of this affair with such superb confidence and ardor and affection, that I feel convinced you would succeed. Moreover, you flatter my own views, for I have long endeav

, if necessary, with very few acres indeed, convinced as he was of the conquering power of labor. His would be the head, and he would assuredly find the necessary arms. His only worry was whether he would be

uge, unprofitable estate, for with his increasing pecuniary wants he is very much embarrasse

d our friend Beauchene, have you warned h

ask you to keep the matter private, for I wish

there himself, for Madame Beauchene had requested him to call once a week, in order that he might keep an eye on Maurice's heal

an let her children eat whatever they fancy. But with that poor little Maurice, the merest trifle, such as four cherries instead of three, provokes indigestion. Well, so i

ved to select a fit nurse for the child himself, pretending that he knew all about such matters. And he had chosen a big, sturdy young woman of monumental appearance. Nevertheless, for two months past Andree, the baby, had been pining away, and the doctor had discovered, by analyzing the nurse's milk,

hoose a fresh nurse. And it is a pressing matter, for I

mother nurse her ch

e puts on an air of deep distress and says that she would so much have liked to nurse her infant, but that it was impossible since she had no milk. She never even tried! When her first child was born she could doubtless have nursed it. But to-day, with the imbecile, spoilt life she leads, it is quite certain that she is incapable of making such an effort. The worst is, my dear fello

spread need. There must be general measures; laws must be passed to save the nation. The mother must be protected and helped, even in secrecy, if she asked for it; she must be cared for, succored, from the earliest period, and right through all the long months during which she fed her babe. All sorts of establishments would have to be founded-refuges, convalescent homes,

eserves a social culture, she should be religiously venerated. When we know how to worship motherhood, our country will be saved. And this is why, my friend, I should like a mother feeding her babe to be adopted as the highest expression of huma

able to change manners and customs, aware as he was that the nation

accomplishing her duty, and in that case there is the feeding-bottle, which, if employed with care and extreme cleanliness, only sterilized milk being used, will yield a sufficiently good result. But to send a child aw

ham drew up outside the nurs

place, although you are the father of five

I hav

ith me. One ought t

Charged with the police duties of the office, the supervision and training of the nurses, he received them, made them clean themselves, taught them to smile and put on pleasant ways, besides penning them in their various rooms and preventing them from eating too much. From morn till night he was ever prowling about, scolding and terrorizing those dirty, ill-behaved, and often lying and thieving women. The building, a dilapidated private house, with a damp ground floor, to which alone clients were admitted, had two upper stories, each

her customers, summoned the nurses, who waited in a neighboring room, which was simply furnished with a greasy deal table in the centre. The furniture of the office was some old Empire stuff, upholstered in red velvet. There was a little mahogany centre table, and a gilt clock. Then, on the left of the passage, near the kitchen, was the genera

entleman, who sat there inspecting a party of nurses. She recognized the doctor, and made a

velvet armchairs near the window, and dreamily perusing a novel there, while her mother, standing up, extolled her goods in her

the garden," said the

the tree they saw a plump girl, who doubtless had just arrived, pretending to clean a squealing infant. She herself looked sordid, and had evidently not washed since her journey. In one corner there was an overflow of k

At all events, he had seen Boutan, who was a client that needed attention. "Is my wife busy

ive them a bad impression of the establishment. "Pray, doctor, follow me," he repeated, and understanding that an example was necessary, he turned to the girl, exclaiming,

to the office entrance and began to complain: "Ah! doctor, if you only knew what trouble I have even to get those girls to wash their hands!

whence also a vile smell descended. Some dispute, some battle, seemed to be in pro

imed Monsieur Broquette; "my wi

e was an explosion. Then the house suddenly sank into death-like silence. All that could be heard wa

e is a certain amount of supervision, and there are severe regulations which compel the nurses to bring certificates of morality, books setting forth their names, ages, parentage, the situations they have held, and so on, with other documents on which they have immediately to secure a signature from the Prefecture, where the final authorization is granted

Couteau hastily partaking of cold meat. Doubtless she had just arrived from Rougemont, and, after disposing of the batch of nurses she had brought with her, was seeking sustenance

know the depths of crime. La Couteau is an ogress! And yet, think of it, with our fine social organization, she is

er office. After long reflection, the old gentleman had gone off witho

't my fault, and I sincerely beg you to excuse me, doctor. If you want a good nurse you will b

with a weary, bored expression on her anaemic countenance. Mathieu, after sitting down a little on one side, contented himself wi

air, fair ones with the whitest of skins, quick ones and slow ones, ugly ones and others who were pleasant-looking. All, however, wore the same nervous, silly smile, all swayed themselves with embarrassed timidity, the anxious mien of the bondswoman at the slave market, who fears that she may not find a purchaser. They clumsily tried t

flattering smile. "I don't often have such pearls. But she has only just arrived, otherwise she would pro

strongly enough, but having a heavy, common face with a hard-looking ja

not your first one

eur, he's

on his return make a minute inspection of her child, a strong plump boy, some three months old, who in the interval had remained v

ere could I have

hildren are bor

some feeling of doubt, although she seemed to embody all requirements. "And are you all quite

, mons

books ought to contain a page for information of that k

monsi

a man who is taking his chance, for however careful one may be there is always an element of chance in such matters-said to her: "Well, it is unders

e Leb

majestic air which so fully proclaimed the high respectability of her establishment, n

om her chair, her mother came to the conclusion that she had better exec

her board and lodging at the agency and Madame Broquette's charges. Then there was the question of her c

Avenue d'Antin, did you say? Oh! I know, there's a lady's maid from my district in that house. Marie can

t a shudder passed through him when La Couteau turned towards the quiet, fine-looking child, of which she promised to rid the nurse. And once more he pictured her with her five companions at the St.-Lazare railway station, each, like some voracious crow, with a new-born babe in her clutches. It was the pillaging beginning

bandoned all ambitious plans of quitting the works to seek a big fortune elsewhere. Still he could not make up his mind to leave his flat, though it was now too large for him, besides being too expensive. But then his wife had lived in those rooms, and he wished to remain in them. And, moreover, he desired to provide his daughter with all comfort. All the affection of his weak heart was now given to that child, whose resemblance to her mother distracted him. He would gaze at her for hours with tears

"it is I who have brought poor papa back. I wanted to be sure that he would take a stroll

nd remorse, he lived in his bedroom in the company of a collection of his wife's portra

eur Morange," said Boutan, "yo

sun as if he had not previously noticed it. "That is true, it is fin

ng that she must feel bored during the long hours when he left her at home, alone with the servant. To him so

rl gayly. "Since my poor mamma is no longer there, I must needs be a l

am draw up close to the curb. A woman was lea

have gone to our house, and Clara must hav

r moment, effusively thanking the Baroness, and delighted to think that his dear child was going to amuse herself. Then, after watching the brougham till it disappeared, he entered the fa

ed icy cold on seeing Seraphine's bright mock

aurice in the little drawing-room, whither the father had repaired to finish his coffee and smoke a cigar. Boutan immediately attended to the child, who was much bett

out the boy, and questioned the doctor, and listened to him with all e

ll me that everything was finished over yonder?

first to raise such a painful subject. The money handed to him for expenses had proved sufficient, and whenever the other desired it, h

ly I had foreseen this and had given strict orders; so the foreman told her that considerations of order and discipline prevented him from taking her ba

ttle glass of cognac whic

ed at two other establishments; but, as a matter of fact, she did not evince any particular ardor in seeking to obtain work. Four months' idleness and coddling had altogether disgusted her with a factory hand's life, and the inevitable was bound to happen. Indeed Beauc

at was it you were telling me about the child?" And as soon as Mathieu had related that he had taken the infant to the Foundling Hospital so a

he jealous love of a good bourgeoise, who carefully watched over the health of her only son, that son whom she wished to make a prince of industry and wealth. All at once, however, in reply to a remark from Bout

s no doubt o

ou worry, that youngster will live to be a hundred! Why, the Burgundian who nursed him was as strong as a r

lso began to laugh. "W

ely upset manners and customs, social life would be suspended, and drawing-rooms would become dese

e, in conclusion, "you w

doctor gently replied,