lf
on the narrow bench behind the counter. "Ah! what a trade! And to
think that we are always received as if we were heartless criminals and
thieves!"

She also had become withered, her sunburnt, tanned face suggesting more
than ever the beak of a bird of prey. But her eyes remained very keen,
sharpened as it were by ferocity. She no doubt failed to get rich fast
enough, for she continued wailing, complaining of her calling, of the
increasing avarice of parents, of the demands of the authorities, of the
warfare which was being declared against nurse-agents on all sides. Yes,
it was a lost calling, said she, and really God must have abandoned her
that she should still be compelled to carry it on at forty-five years
of age. "It will end by killing me," she added; "I shall always get more
kicks than money at it. How unjust it is! Here have I brought you back
a superb child, and yet you look anything but pleased--it's enough to
disgust one of doing one's best!"

In thus complaining her object perhaps was to extract from the
haberdasher as large a present as possible. Madame Menoux was certainly
disturbed by it all. Her boy woke up and began to wail loudly, and it
became necessary to give him a little lukewarm milk. At last, when the
accounts were settled, the nurse-agent, seeing that she would have ten
francs for herself, grew calmer. She was about to take her leave when
Madame Menoux, pointing to Mathieu, exclaimed: "This gentleman wished to
speak to you on business."

Although La Couteau had not seen the gentleman for several years past,
she had recognized him perfectly well. Still she had not even turned
towards him, for she knew him to be mixed up in so many matters that his
discretion was a certainty. And so she contented herself with saying:
"If monsieur will kindly explain to me what it is I shall be quite at
his service."

"I will accompany you," replied Mathieu; "we can speak together as we
walk along."

"Very good, that will suit me well, for I am rather in a hurry."

Once outside, Mathieu resolved that he would try no ruses with her. The
best course was to tell her plainly what he wanted, and then to buy
her silence. At the first words he spoke she understood him. She well
remembered Norine's child, although in her time she had carried dozens
of children to the Foundling Hospital. The particular circumstances of
that case, however, the conversation which had taken place, her
drive with Mathieu in a cab, h