Fruitfulness

ty of fervent faith and hope, it was resolved upon. He warned Beauchene one morning that he should leave the works at the end of the month, for on th

him of the whole of that unprofitable estate should his first experiment prove successful. Then came other interviews between them, and Seguin finally consented to sell on a system of annual payments, spread over a term of years, the first to be made in two years' time from that date. As things stood, the property seemed likely to remain unremunera

, to Rougemont, to be put out to nurse there in the best possible way for the sum of thirty francs a month. La Couteau had also very complaisantly promised to call each month at one or another of her journeys in order to receive the thirty francs, thereby saving the mother the trouble of sending the money by post, and also enabling her to obtain fresh news

that your lady never required you before nine o'clock. And I've come, you know, because I've ha

of build probably sprang her passionate admiration for her big, handsome husband, who could have crushed her between his fingers. If she was slight, however, she was endowe

I have kept the little fellow in that tiny shop of mine, where from morning till night I never have a moment to spare! Yet, I can't help crying at the thought that I wasn't able to keep and nurse him. When my husband comes

the arrival of another early visitor, whos

Madame Couteau! What a good id

ad arrived by the night train with a batch of nurses, and had started on h

intended to call on you, my dear lady. But since you are h

ng at her very anxiously. "And ho

at he's a big child. Only he's so pretty and nice-looking with his rather pale face. And

o despair. These were her usual tactics in order to disturb her customers' hearts, and then extract as much money from them as

lie; and besides, after all, it's my duty-Well, the poor lit

nd clasped her puny little hands

see how La Loiseau coddles him! When children are well behaved they soon get themselves loved. And the whole house is

Then, without leaving the scared, trembling mother time to recover, th

money with her. They looked for a slip of paper on which to set down the figures; first the month's nursi

ht to add three francs for the soap. That would only be just; and besides, there were other little expenses, sugar, and eggs, so

evolt at the idea of having to give so much money-that money which she found so hard to earn. No end of cotton and needles had to be sold to get such a su

another half-month

must incur the necessary expenses. And then, if you haven't confidence in me, say so; send the money and settle things direct. Inde

She had only some gold with her, two twenty-franc pieces and one ten-franc piece. The thre

" she said, "I haven't any change with me. And y

e and with such a glance that the other immediately under

art and a gesture of cruel resignation, M

much trouble. And, mon Dieu! may all this money bring me good luck, and at lea

don't mean anything-on the contrary. I see plenty of little folks, I do; and so just remem

r that she felt quite light and gay; no longer regretting her money, but dreaming of the day

to laugh in her impudent way: "What a lot of fibs you told her! I d

ied air: "Say that I'm a liar at once

y comical, putting on such airs with me. I know you, remember, and

puny," repeated her

know, I don't care a button about the matter. As for that little Madame Menoux, it's here to-day and gone to-morrow. She h

ttle half-full of malaga and a box of biscuits from the bottom of a cupboard. This was her little secret store, stolen from the still-room. Then, as the other expressed a fear that her mistress might surp

ways after one because their parents never trouble about them, but let them come and play here or in the kitche

less her cousins, had sent her their friendly remembrances and the news that they were about to marry off their daughter. Then, at La Gavette's, the old grandfather, who looked after the nurslings while the family was at work in the fields, had fallen into the fire with a baby in his arms. Fortunately they had been pulled out of it, and only the little one had been roasted. La Cauchois, though at heart she wasn't downcast, now had some fears that she might be worried, because four little ones had gone off from her house all in a body, a wi

La Couillard need not have been so hasty. It put me in such a temper! I asked her if she wanted to dishonor me. What will ruin me is my good heart. I don't know how to refuse when folks ask me to do them a service. And God in Heaven knows how fond I am of children! I've always lived among them, and in future, if anybody who's a fr

in Celeste, with a

errible Rougemont, paved with little Parisians, the filthy, bloody village, the charnel-place of cowa

the door to rid herself of Gaston and Lucie, who were approaching. "Be off!

true!" said she; "I can do nothing but they must come to

She must have had a letter about it. Such a fine child it was! But what can one expect? it's a

not to mention it to madame, as such things always have a bad effect. The

d up her ears. "Ah! so th

ver saw such a creature-such a temper! always brutal and insolent, banging the doors and talking of sma

in and around Rougemont, all the women drank more or less, and the girls even carried little bottles of brandy to school with them in their baskets. Marie Lebleu, h

my opinion. And, besides, it isn't a matter that concerns me. I simply bring her to Paris and take her child bac

ay happen. And, then, if you knew what tricks she plays to get something to drink! For it was found out that she drank, and all the liqueurs were put under lock and key. So you don't know what she devised? Well, last week she drained a whole bottle of Eau de Melisse, and was ill, quite ill, from it. Another

e highly amused, began to wriggle with a savage delight. All at once, however,

They would have done so a

d an oath escaped Celeste. "Good! there's madame ringi

standing up, quite serious, inten

ne of the nurses whom I brought this morning, a girl I can answer for as for myself. In an hour's time I'll

g a second ring, leisurely replaced the malaga

," less from personal taste, however, than from his desire to be one of the foremost in taking up a new fashion. And a quarter of an hour before the time fixed for starting he was already in his spacious "cabinet," arrayed in what he d

ng up for lost time, throwing herself more wildly than ever into the vortex of fashionable life. She had recovered her good looks and youthfulness, and had never before experienced such a desire to divert herself, leaving her children more and more to the care of servants, and going about, hither and thither, as her fancy listed, particularl

with a cavalier toque on her head. But she was not quite ready, for she darted off again, saying that she

husband. "You are quite unbe

t, he was willing to take note of certain conditions which the other wished to stipulate for the purpose of reserving to himself the exclusive right of purchasing the remainder of the Chantebled estate in p

it?" he muttered, turning

istracted, red with fear and anger, and carrying her

"don't cry, she shan't hurt you any more. T

again. She was a very pretty child, but still so puny, although nearly four months ol

matter?" asked Segu

r it would have been all over. Drunk at ten o'clock in the morning! Can one understand such a thing? I had noticed that she drank, and so I hid the liqueurs, for I hoped t

did she sa

g abominable words. And I had time only to escape with the little one, while she began bar

d them. They looked one at the other, and deep

ended by asking in

her. I have brought the child here, and I certainly shall not take her back. I will even own that I won't r

pon earth all through that child! There will soon be nothing but fighting here from morning till night. First of all it was pretended that the nurse whom I took the trouble to choose wasn't healthy. Well, then a secon

spoken of nursing the little one myself you would have told me I was a fool. You would have found the house more uninhabitable than ever, if you had seen me

nger, he perhaps failed to see her, even as he failed to see Gaston and Lucie, who had hastened in at the noise of the dispute and sto

in, in a voice which he strove to rende

be reasonable," said she. "How can I leave this

or us," he repeated, quive

poor little puny, wailing child, he would have crushed her, for he held her to be guilty of everything, and indeed it was she who was now the obstacle to that excursion he had planned, that pleasure trip which he had promised himself, and which now seemed to him of such supreme importance. And 'twas so much the better i

r, in consternation at hearing all these things, had not dared to withdraw lest by doing so he should seem to be passing judgment on the scene. Standing there motionless, he turned his hea

wretch! Ah, how he treats me! To accuse me thus, when he knows how false it is!

tionate compassion, while saying in an undertone: "Come, calm yourself. You know very well that you are not alone, that you are

y, and again lowered his voice till it became but a murmur. Only a few words could be heard: "It is wrong of you to w

d vaguely amid her drying tears, in her turn murmuring: "You are kind, you are

for lack of her mother's milk, the mother also was in danger from her refusal to nurse her and clasp her to her breast like a buckler of invincible defence. Life and salvation one through the other, or disaster for both, such was the law. And doubtless Valentine became clearly conscious of her peril, for she hastened to take up the child and cover her with caresses,

of me with this child? Yet I can't nurse her now, it is too late. It is frightful to b

ened to him, and he was about to defer all further efforts till

r to speak. "It is my friend who has come to see me, madame," said she; "you know, the

s a nurs

a very fine one,

showed herself zealous: "Madame must not tire herself by holding the little one.

brought there. She somehow feared that if the other one, who was drunk in her room, should come out and meet the new arrival, she would set about beating them all and breaking everything. At last she insisted on t

ay. But we others will all go, and as softly as possible, ple

rtesy like a well-trained nurse, who has already served with gentlefolks and knows how to behave. But Valentine's embarrassment remained extreme; she looked at the nurse and at the babe like an ignorant woman who, though her elder children had been brought up in a room adjoining her own, had never troubled or concerne

worry. That Marie Lebleu is impossible, and I certainly could have warned madame of it at the time when I came to fetch Marie's child. But since madame's doctor had chosen

g on the respectability of her calling, and

nd how healthy she is! And her child, just look at it! She's married, she even has a little girl of four at the village with her husband. She's a respectable woman, which i

an a saving of forty-five francs, though, perhaps, madame would not forget all the trouble which she, La Couteau, had taken. On the other hand, there would, of course, be the expense of taking La Catiche's child back to the village, a matter of thirty francs. Valen

he had better not give me any of her nonsense if she wants me ev

nd undertook to conduct La Couteau to Marie Lebleu's room. Deathlike silence now reigned there, but the nurse-agent only had to give her name to secure admitta

aid she. "Pay her her month's wages.

au could not come back to fetch La Catiche's child in the evening, and what was she to do with it during the rest of the day? "Well, no matter," she said at last,

the mother qu

nd thanks, turned round to take the little one, she made a gesture of h

urmured; "I mustn'

while La Couteau caught up the child with her long claw-like hands and carried it away. Yet another gone, t

crime of two mothers, who each risked the death of her child-the idle mother who bought another's services, the venal mother who sold her milk. He felt cold at heart as he saw on

ll her cavalier carelessness, her passion for noise and pleasure. And as Mathieu was about to take his leave, he heard the triumphant Santerre saying to her, wh

ndispensable, a providential helper, one whose services must be retained at all costs. Moreover, she seemed to have no defects, for she was a calm, cunning, peasant woman, one who knew how to rule her employers and extract from them all that was to be extracted. Her conquest of the Seguins was effected with extraordinary skill. At first some unpleasantness se

, and proud, she strutted about, bending one and all to her fancies. The others gave way to her in everything to avoid sending her into a temper which might have spoilt her milk. At her slightest indisposition everybody was distracted. One night she had an attack

ps-Elysees, with superb cloaks and the richest of caps, trimmed with long ribbons which flared in the sunlight. Never did lady lead a life of more sumptuous idleness. There were also the presents which she extracted for her husband and her little girl at the village. Parcels were sent them by express train every week. And on the morni

around it, and the privilege of acquiring other parts of the estate on certain conditions, he found Seguin on the point of starting for Le Havre

leaving Paris for a time-I have no luck here just now. But I wish you plenty of courage and al

had taken, yet quivering also with faith and hope, when in a deserted avenue he espied a cab waiting, and recognized Santerre inside it. Then, as a

under the careless supervision of Celeste, who was busy laughing with a grocer's man; while farther off La Catiche, superb and royal, decked o