'If he loses one father you should give him another,
and that you must make up your mind to do/ For
he felt so happy with Christophe in his arms, that he
very much wished all the world to be happy. But
when she flushed darkly and did not reply, he grew
awkward again, remembering Goundran. eOh, well/
tie temporized tactlessly, csome women are glad to be
rid of their men, and after all you will have a good son
, . . Who knows but that sons are better than hus-
bands?9
Tecaire!' he thought, el anger her again —yet
to-day I have wished to be kind to Germaine.' Then
feeling that words were treacherous things, he kissed
Madame Roustan once more and departed.
§2
Le tout petit Loup, as they called the new infant,
irstly because this baptismal name must surely attract
:he good Saint's attention, and secondly because he
was indeed very small — much smaller, they felt,
than were most other infants — le tout petit Loup
suffered greatly from his stomach which was weak,
Tom his skin which broke out in rashes, from his
rickety limbs which ached badly at times, and from
juite a number of other discomforts, since from birth
le had been an unhealthy baby. Le tout petit Loup
/ery seldom laughed, though he wept and made other
iisconsolate noises, so that Marie augmented her
laily prayers to the warrior-bishop who had loved
lelpless things; she even reminded him of the bird that
lad lived, through his mercy, to sing in his garden.
There were now two children to clothe and to
feed, so Jouse must keep his account-book more
leatiy, and must send in his bills as they became due,
n the hope that he would receive prompt payment;
br the doctor and the chemist had also to live if Loup
57