“Lookathim，thepoor，beaten，swollen，stupefiedboy，“saidNaudin，solemnly，pointingtoLouis，whosatonhischair，weepingandtremblinginallhislimbs——“lookathim，citizen，andthendonotaskmeagainwhatyouhavedonethatisnotproper。“
“Well，buthedeservesnothingbetter，“criedSimon，withasneer。
“Heisthesonoftheshe-wolf，MadameVeto。“
“Heisahumanbeing，“saidDoctorNaudin，solemnly，“andheis，besides，ahelplessboy，whomtheone，indivisible，andrighteousrepublicdeprivedofhisfatherandmother，andputunderyourcaretobeeducatedasifhewereasonofyourown。Iaskyou，citizen，wouldyouhavestruckasonofyourownasyoujuststruckthisboy？“
Aloud，convulsivesobcamefromthebedonwhichJeanneMarielay，andentirelyconfusedanddisturbedSimon。
“No，“hesaid，softly，“perhapsIshouldnothavedoneit。But，“
continuedheeagerly，andwithagrimlook，“achildofmyownwouldnothavetriedandexasperatedmeasthisyoungsterdoes。Frommorningtilleveninghevexesme，forhedoesnothingthatIwanthimto。IfIorderhimtosingwithme，heisstillandstupid，andwhenheoughttobestillhemakesanoise。Wouldyoubelieveme，citizen，thissonoftheshe-wolfleavesmenoquietforsleep。
Lately，inthenight，hekneeleddowninthebedandbegantopraywithaloudvoice，soastowakebothmywifeandmyself。“
“FromthatnightonIhavebeensickandmiserable，“moanedJeanneMarie；“fromthatnightIhavenotbeenabletosleep。“
“Youhear，citizendoctor，mywifewassoterrifiedwiththat，thatitmadehersick，andnowyoushallhaveaproofofthedisobedienceofthelittleviper。Capet，comehere。“
Theboyroseslowlyfromhischair，andstolealongwithdroopingheadtohismaster。
“Capet，wewillsing，“saidSimon。“Youshallshowthedoctorthatyouareagoodrepublican，andthatyouhaveentirelyforgottenthatyouarethesonoftheAustrian，therascallyMadameVeto。Come，wewillsingthesongaboutMadameVeto。Quick，strikein，orIwillbeatyouintopulp。ThesongaboutMadameVeto，doyouhear？Sing!“
Ashortpauseensued。Thentheboyraisedhisswollenfaceandfixedhisgreatblueeyeswithadefiant，flamingexpressionuponthefaceofthecobbler。
“Citizen，“hesaid，withclear，decidedtones，“IshallnotsingthesongaboutMadameVeto，forIhavenotforgottenmydearmamma，andIcansingnothingbadabouther，forIlovemydearmammasomuch，somuch，and——“
Thevoiceoftheboywasdrownedinhistears；helethisheadfalluponhisbreast，readytoreceivethethreatenedchastisement。But，beforethefistofSimon，alreadyraised，couldfalluponthepoorheadofthelittlesufferer，athrillingcryofpainresoundedfromthebed。
“Simon，cometome，“gaspedJeanneMarie。“Helpmedrawthedaggeroutofmybreast，Iamdying——oh，Iamdying!“
“Whatkindofadagger？“criedSimon，rushingtothebedandtakingtheconvulsedformofhiswifeinhisarms。
“Hush!“whisperedthedoctor，whoalsohadgonetothebedofthesickwoman——“hush!sheisspeakinginherfever，andthedaggerofwhichshetalksshefeelsinherheartandconscience。Youmustspareher，citizen，ifyoudonotwanthertodie。Everythingmustbequietaroundher，andyoumustbeverycarefulnottoagitatehernerves，lestshehaveanacutetyphoidfever。Iwillsendhersomecoolingmedicineatonce，andto-morrowmorningIwillcomeearlytoseehowitfareswithher。But，aboveeverythingelse，Simon，remembertohavequiet，thatyourgoodwifemaygetwellagain。“
“WhowouldhavetoldmetwoweeksagothatJeanneMariehadnerves？“
growledSimon。“Thefirstknitteroftheguillotine，andnowallatoncenervesandtears，butImustbecarefulofher。Foritwouldbetoobadifsheshoulddieandleavemeallalonewiththistediousyoungster。Icouldnotholdout。Ishouldrunaway。Go，Capet，getintoyourroom，anddonotgetinmywayagainto-day，elseIwillstrangleyoubeforeyoucanmakeasound。Come，scud，clear，anddonotletmeseeyouagain，ifyourlifeisworthanythingtoyou。“
Thechildstoleintohisroomagain，satdownuponthefloor，foldedhislittlehandsinoneanother，fixedhisgreatblueeyesontheceilingabove，andheldhisbreathtolistentoeverylittlesound，everyfootfallthatcamefromtheroomabove。
Allatonceheheardplainlythestepsofsomeonewalkingupanddown，andapleasedsmileflittedacrossthefaceoftheboy。
“Thatiscertainlymydearmamma，“hewhisperedtohimself。“Yes，yes，itismymammaqueen，andsheistakingherwalkinthesitting-room，justasshehasdonesinceshehasnotbeenallowedtogooutupontheplatform。Oh，mamma，mydearmamma，Iloveyousomuch!“
Andthechildthrewakissuptotheceiling，notknowingthatshetowhomhesenthisgreetinghadlongbeenrestinginthesilentgrave，andthatwiththeveryhandwhichwasthrowingkissestoher，hehadhimselfsignedthepaperwhichheapeduponhismotherthemostfrightfulcalumnies。
EvenSimonhadnothadthecruelcouragetotelltheboyofthedeathofhismother，andoftheunconsciouswrongthathe，poorchild，haddonetohermemory，andinhissilentchamberhislongingthoughtsofherwerehisonlyconsolation。
Andsohesattherethatdaylookinguptotheceiling，greetinghisdearmammawithhisthoughts，andseeingherinspiritgreetinghimagain，noddingaffectionatelytohimanddrawingherdearlittleLouisCharlestoherarms。
Thesewerethesweet，transportingfancieswhichmadethechildclosehiseyessoasnottolosethem。Immovablyhesatthere，untilgraduallythoughtsanddreamsflowedintoeachother，andnotonlyhiswill，butsleepaswell，kepthiseyesclosed。Butthedreamsremained，andweresweetandrefreshing，anddisplayedtothesleepingchild，soharshlytreatedinhiswakinghours，onlyscenesofloveandtenderness。Anditwasnothismotheralonewhoembracedhiminhishappyslumbers；no，therewerehisauntandhissisteraswell，andatlasteven——ohhowstrangedreamsare!——atlastheevensawSimon’swifeadvancingtowardhimwithkindlyandtendermien。
Shestoopeddowntohim，tookhimupinherarms，kissedhiseyes，andbeggedhiminalow，tremblingvoicetoforgiveherforbeingsocruelandbad。Andwhileshewasspeakingthetearsstreamedfromhereyesandflowedoverhisface。Shekissedthemawaywithherhotlips，andwhispered，“Forgiveme，poor，unhappyangel，anddonotbringmetojudgment。Iwilltreatyouwellafterthis，Iwillrescueyoufromthishell，orIwilldieforyou。Oh，howthebadmanhasbeatenyourdearangelface!Butbelieveme，Ihavefelteveryblowinmyownheart，andwhenhetreatedyousoabusivelyI
feltthepainofhell。Oh，forgiveme，dearboy，forgiveme!“andagainthetearsstartedfromhereyesandflowedhotoverhislocksandforehead。AllatonceJeanneMariequiveredconvulsively，laidtheboygentlydown，andranhastilyaway。Adoorwasfuriouslyopenednow，andSimon’sloudandangryvoicewasheard。
ThetonesawakenedthelittleLouis。Heopenedhiseyesandlookedaround。Yes，ithadreallyallbeenonlyadream——hehadheardneitherhismothernorSimon’swife，andyetithadbeenasnaturalasifithadallreallytranspired。Hehadfeltarmstenderlyembracinghimandtearshotuponhisforehead。
Entirelyunconsciousheraisedhishandtohisbrowanddrewitbackaffrighted，forhishairandhistempleswerewet，asifthetearsofwhichhedreamedhadreallyfallenthere。
“Whatdoesthismean，JeanneMarie？“askedSimon，angrily，“WhyhaveyougotoutofbedwhileIwasaway，andwhathaveyouhadtodointheroomofthelittleviper？“
“IfyouleavemealonewithhimIhavetowatchhim，sickasIam，“
moanedshe。“Ihadtoseewhetherhewasstillthere，whetherhehadnotrunaway，andgonetoreporttotheConventionthatwehavelefthimaloneandhavenocareforhim。“
“Oh，bah!hewillnotcomplainofus，“laughedSimon；“butkeepquiet，JeanneMarie，IpromiseyouthatIwillnotleaveyoualoneagainwiththewolf’scub。Besides，hereisthemedicinethatthedoctorhassent，andto-morrowhewillcomehimselfagaintoseehowyougeton。Sokeepupagoodheart，JeanneMarie，andallwillcomerightagain。“
Thenextmorning，Dr。Naudincameagaintolookafterthesickwoman。Simonhadjustgoneup-stairstoannouncesomethingtothetwoprincessesinthenameoftheConvention，andhadorderedthelittleCapettoremainintheanteroom，and，ifthedoctorshouldcome，toopenthedoortohim。
NobodyelsewasintheanteroomwhenDr。Naudinentered，andthedoorleadingintothenextroomwasclosed，sothatthesickpersonwhowastherecouldseeandhearnothingofwhattookplace。
“Sir，“whisperedtheboy，softlyandquickly，“youwereyesterdaysogoodtome，youprotectedmefromblows，andIshouldliketothankyouforit。“
Thedoctormadenoreply，buthelookedattheboywithsuchanexpressionofsympathythathefeltemboldenedtogoon。
“Mydearsir，“continuedthechild，softly，andwithablush，“I
havenothingwithwhichtoshowmygratitudetoyoubutthesetwopearsthatweregivenmeformysupperlastnight。AndjustbecauseIamsopoor，youwoulddomeagreatpleasureifyouwouldacceptmytwopears。“[Footnote：Theboy’sownwords——SeeBeauchesne，vol。