It's only necessary to leave a window open near him, as a nurse used to
do whom my father knew. At winter time, when she had half a dozen babies
in her house, she would set the door wide open and then go out for a
stroll. And, by the way, that little boy in the next room, whom La
Couteau has just gone to see, she'll take him to La Couillard's, I'm
sure; for I heard the mother, Mademoiselle Rosine, agree with her the
other day to give her a sum of four hundred francs down on the
understanding that she should have nothing more to do in the matter."
At this point Victoire ceased speaking, for La Couteau came in to fetch
Norine's child. Norine, who had emerged from her distress during the
servant girl's stories, had ended by listening to them with great
interest. But directly she perceived the agent she once more hid her face
in her pillows, as though she feared to see what was about to happen.
Mathieu, on his side, had risen from his chair and stood there quivering.
"So it's understood, I'm going to take the child," said La Couteau.
"Madame Bourdieu has given me a slip of paper bearing the date of the
birth and the address. Only I ought to have some Christian names.
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