One day, however, the lad who had first attacked him said to him: 

“You have lied.  You have not a Papa named Phillip.”

“Why do you say that?” demanded Simon, much disturbed.

The youth rubbed his hands.  He replied: 

“Because if you had one he would be your mamma’s husband.”

Simon was confused by the truth of this reasoning, nevertheless he retorted: 

“He is my Papa all the same.”

“That can very well be,” exclaimed the urchin with a sneer, “but that is not being your Papa altogether.”

La Blanchotte’s little one bowed his head and went off dreaming in the direction of the forge belonging to old Loizon, where Phillip worked.

This forge was as though entombed in trees.  It was very dark there, the red glare of a formidable furnace alone lit up with great flashes five blacksmiths, who hammered upon their anvils with a terrible din.  They were standing enveloped in flame, like demons, their eyes fixed on the red-hot iron they were pounding; and their dull ideas rose and fell with their hammers.

Simon entered without being noticed and went quietly to pluck his friend by the sleeve.  He turned himself round.  All at once the work came to a standstill and all the men looked on very attentive.  Then, in the midst of this unaccustomed silence, rose the little slender pipe of Simon: 

“Phillip, explain to me what the lad at La Michande has just told me, that you are not altogether my Papa.”

“And why that?” asked the smith.

The child replied with all its innocence: 

“Because you are not my mamma’s husband.”

No one laughed.  Philip remained standing, leaning his forehead upon the back of his great hands, which supported the handle of his hammer standing upright upon the anvil.  He mused.  His four companions watched him, and, quite a tiny mite among these giants, Simon anxiously waited.  Suddenly, one of the smiths, answering to the sentiment of all, said to Phillip: 

“La Blanchotte is all the same a good and honest girl, and stalwart and steady in spite of her misfortune, and one who would make a worthy wife for a honest man.”

“That is true,” remarked the three others.

The smith continued: 

“Is it this girl’s fault if she has fallen?  She had been promised marriage and I know more than one who is much respected to-day, and who sinned every bit as much.”

“That is true,” responded the three men in chorus.

He resumed: 

“How hard she has toiled, poor thing, to educate her lad all alone, and how much she has wept since she no longer goes out, save to go to church, God only knows.”

“This also is true,” said the others.

Then no more was heard than the bellows which fanned the fire of the furnace.  Phillip hastily bent himself down to Simon: 

“Go and tell your mamma that I shall come to speak to her.”