ture of the water which it contained had been unequally modified
by the proximity of the stove.

He swallowed some mouthfuls and made a grimace.

"Water! pretending to be pure, thou resemblest false friends. Thou art
warm at the top and cold at bottom."

In the meantime the boy had finished his supper. The porringer was more
than empty; it was cleaned out. He picked up and ate pensively a few
crumbs caught in the folds of the knitted jacket on his lap.

Ursus turned towards him.

"That is not all. Now, a word with you. The mouth is not made only for
eating; it is made for speaking. Now that you are warmed and stuffed,
you beast, take care of yourself. You are going to answer my questions.
Whence do you come?"

The child replied,--

"I do not know."

"How do you mean? you don't know?"

"I was abandoned this evening on the sea-shore."

"You little scamp! what's your name? He is so good for nothing that his
relations desert him."

"I have no relations."

"Give in a little to my tastes, and observe that I do not like those who
sing to a tune of fibs. Thou must have relatives since you have a
sister."

"It is not my sister."

"It is not your sister?"

"No."

"Who is it then?"

"It is a baby that I found."

"Found?"

"Yes."

"What! did you pick her up?"

"Yes."

"Where? If you lie I will exterminate you."

"On the breast of a woman who was dead in the snow."

"When?"

"An hour ago."

"Where?"

"A league from here."

The arched brow of Ursus knitted and took that pointed shape which
characterizes emotion on the brow of a philosopher.

"Dead! Lucky for her! We must leave her in the snow. She is well off
there. In which direction?"

"In the direction of the sea."

"Did you cross the bridge?"

"Yes."

Ursus opened the window at the back and examined the view.

The weather had not improved. The snow was falling thickly and
mournfully.

He shut the window.

He went to the broken glass; he filled the hole with a rag; he heaped
the stove with peat; he spread out as far as he could the bear-skin on
the chest; took a large book which he had in a corner, placed it under
the skin for a pillow, and laid the head of the sleeping infant on it.

Then he turned to the boy.

"Lie down there."

The boy obeyed, and stretched himself at full length by the side of the
infant.

Ursus rolled the bear-skin over the two children, and tucked it under
their feet.

He took down from a shelf,