a sense of dissatisfaction with the Desvarennes of the other
branch, which manifested itself by a marked coolness, when, by chance,
his brother came to the house, accompanied by his son Savinien.

And then the paternity of his brother made him secretly jealous. Why
should that incapable fellow, who succeeded in nothing, have a son? It
was only those ne'er-do-well sort of people who were thus favored. He,
Michel, already called the rich Desvarennes, he had not a son. Was it
just? But where is there justice in this world?

The first time that she saw him with a downcast face the mistress had
questioned him, and he had frankly expressed his regrets. But he had
been so repelled by his wife, in whose heart a great trouble, steadily
repressed, however, had been produced, that he never dared to recur to
the subject.

He suffered in silence. But he no longer suffered alone. Like an
overflowing river that finds an outlet in the valley, which it
inundates, the longings for maternity, hitherto repressed by the
preoccupations of business, had suddenly seized Madame Desvarennes.

Strong and unyielding, she struggled and would not own herself
conquered. Still she became sad. Her voice sounded less sonorously
in the offices where she gave an order; her energetic nature seemed
subdued. Now she looked around her. She beheld prosperity made stable by
incessant work, respect gained by spotless honesty; she had attained the
goal which she had marked out in her ambitious dreams, as being paradise
itself. Paradise was there; but it lacked the angel. They had no child.

From that day a change came over this woman, slowly but surely; scarcely
perceptible to strangers, but easy to be seen by those around her. She
became benevolent, and gave away considerable sums of money, especially
to children's "Homes." But when the good people who governed these
establishments, lured on by her generosity, came to ask her to be on
their committee of management, she became angry, asking them if they
were joking with her? What interest could those brats have for her? She
had other fish to fry. She gave them what they needed, and what
more could they want? The fact was she felt weak and troubled before
children. But within her a powerful and unknown voice had arisen, and
the hour was not far distant when the bitter wave of her regrets was to
overflow and be made manifest.

She did not like Savinien, her nephew, and kept all her sweetness for
the son of o