spoonfuls of soup, half of which she spilled: "One may kill one's self to
bring up children!"

Then the boy said, roughly: "I'd rather not have been born than be what I
am. When I saw the other, my heart stood still. I said to myself: 'See
what I should have been now!'" He got up: "See here, I feel that I would
do better not to stay here, because I would throw it up to you from
morning till night, and I would make your life miserable. I'll never
forgive you for that!"

The two old people were silent, downcast, in tears.

He continued: "No, the thought of that would be too much. I'd rather look
for a living somewhere else."

He opened the door. A sound of voices came in at the door. The Vallins
were celebrating the return of their child.




COWARD

In society he was called "Handsome Signoles." His name was Vicomte
Gontran-Joseph de Signoles.

An orphan, and possessed of an ample fortune, he cut quite a dash, as it
is called. He had an attractive appearance and manner, could talk well,
had a certain inborn elegance, an air of pride and nobility, a good
mustache, and a tender eye, that always finds favor with women.