Then, as the two children leant inquisitively over the cradle, Mathieu also glanced at it, and saw a healthy, sturdy-looking child, with a square face and strong features.  And it seemed to him that the infant was singularly like Beauchene.

At that moment, however, Madame Bourdieu came in, accompanied by a woman, whom he recognized as Sophie Couteau, “La Couteau,” that nurse-agent whom he had seen at the Seguins’ one day when she had gone thither to offer to procure them a nurse.  She also certainly recognized this gentleman, whose wife, proud of being able to suckle her own children, had evinced such little inclination to help others to do business.  She pretended, however, that she saw him for the first time; for she was discreet by profession and not even inquisitive, since so many matters were ever coming to her knowledge without the asking.

Little Cecile and little Irma went off at once; and then Madame Bourdieu, addressing Norine, inquired:  “Well, my child, have you thought it over; have you quite made up your mind about that poor little darling, who is sleeping there so prettily?  Here is the person I spoke to you about.  She comes from Normandy every fortnight, bringing nurses to Paris; and each time she takes babies away with her to put them out to nurse in the country.  Though you say you won’t feed it, you surely need not cast off your child altogether; you might confide it to this person until you are in a position to take it back.  Or else, if you have made up your mind to abandon it altogether, she will kindly take it to the Foundling Hospital at once.”

Great perturbation had come over Norine, who let her head fall back on her pillow, over which streamed her thick fair hair, whilst her face darkened and she stammered:  “Mon Dieu, mon Dieu! you are going to worry me again!”

Then she pressed her hands to her eyes as if anxious to see nothing more.

“This is what the regulations require of me, monsieur,” said Madame Bourdieu to Mathieu in an undertone, while leaving the young mother for a moment to her reflections.  “We are recommended to do all we can to persuade our boarders, especially when they are situated like this one, to nurse their infants.  You are aware that this often saves not only the child, but the mother herself, from the sad future which threatens her.  And so, however much she may wish to abandon the child, we leave it near her as long as possible, and feed it with the bottle, in the hope that the sight of the poor little creature may touch her heart and awaken feelings of motherliness in her.  Nine times out of ten, as soon as she gives the child the breast, she is vanquished, and she keeps it.  That is why you still see this baby here.”

Mathieu, feeling greatly moved, drew near to Norine, who still lay back amid her streaming hair, with her hands pressed to her face.  “Come,” said he, “you are a goodhearted girl, there is no malice in you.  Why not yourself keep that dear little fellow?”