So he told La
Couteau that he would go down with her, take a cab, and bring her back.
"All right; that will suit me. Let us be off! It's a pity to wake the
little one, since he's so sound asleep; but all the same, we must pack
him off, since it's decided."
With her dry hands, which were used to handling goods of this
description, she caught up the child, perhaps, however, a little roughly,
forgetting her assumed wheedling good nature now that she was simply
charged with conveying it to hospital. And the child awoke and began to
scream loudly.
"Ah! dear me, it won't be amusing if he keeps up this music in the cab.
Quick, let us be off."
But Mathieu stopped her. "Won't you kiss him, Norine?" he asked.
At the very first squeal that sorry mother had dipped yet lower under her
sheets, carrying her hands to her ears, distracted as she was by the
sound of those cries. "No, no," she gasped, "take him away; take him away
at once. Don't begin torturing me again!"
Then she closed her eyes, and with one arm repulsed the child who seemed
to be pursuing her. But when she felt that the agent was laying him on
the bed, she suddenly shuddered, sat up, and gave a wild hasty kiss,
which lighted on the little fellow's cap.
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