puppy! You don't very often find puppies among men of his caliber, and then,-oh, how he used to love the girls! Oh, oh! Although, for the matter of that, there are many physicians who are like him. It was at the Opera that I first met him.
LA BABIN
At the Opera!
MME. FLACHE
Yes, at the Opera. You know, I was a dancer there for eight years. Yes, indeed, even I--just as you see me, a dancer at the Opera.
LA BABIN
You, Madame Flache!
MME. FLACHE
Yes, my mother was a midwife, and taught me the business at the same time that she taught me dancing, because she always said it was well to have two strings to your bow. Dancing, you see, is all very well, provided you are not too ambitious of appearing on first nights, but, unhappily, that was the case with me. I was as slender as a thread when I was twenty, and very agile, but I grew fat and scant of breath, and became rather heavy in my steps; so when my mother died, as I had my diploma as a midwife, I took her apartment and her business, and I added the title of "Midwife to the Opera," for all their business comes to me. They like me very much there. When I was dancing, they used to call me Mademoiselle Flacchi the premi?re.
LA BABIN
Then you have been married since then?
MME. FLACHE
No, but a woman in my profession should always assume the title of Madame for the sake of its dignity. You know, it gives confidence. But, how about you, nurse, from what place do you come? You know, you have only just come here, and nobody consulted me about engaging you.
LA BABIN
I am from Yvetot.
MME. FLACHE
Is this your first engagement as a nurse?
LA BABIN
No, my third. I have had two daughters and a little boy.
MME. FLACHE
And your husband, is he a farmer or a gardener?
LA BABIN [_Simply_]
I am not married.
MME. FLACHE [_laughing_]
Not married, and with three children! Upon my word, let me compliment you; you are indeed precocious.
LA BABIN
Don't talk about it; it was not my will. It is the good God who does these things. One cannot prevent it.
MME. FLACHE
How simple you are! Now you will probably have a fourth child.
LA BABIN
That's very possible.
MME. FLACHE
Well, what does your lover do? What is his business? Or perhaps you have more than one?
LA BABIN [_with indignation_]
There has never been more than one. I give you my word, upon my hope of salvation. He is a lemonade-seller at Yvetot.
MME. FLACHE
Is he a handsome fellow?
LA BABIN
I believe you, indeed! He is handsome! [_Confidentially_.] If I tell you all this, it is only because you are a midwife, and a midwife in such affairs as this is like a priest in the confessional. But you, Madame Flache, you, who have been a dancer at the Opera, you must also have had, surely--little love affairs--little intrigues?
MME. FLACHE [_evidently flattered, and in a dreamy tone_]
Oh, yes, one or two!
LA BABIN [_laughs_]
And have you never had--this sort of accident? [_Points to the cradle_.]
MME. FLACHE
No.
LA BABIN
How did that come?
MME. FLACHE [_rises and approaches the mantelpiece_]
Probably because I was a midwife.
LA BABIN
Well, I know one in your profession who has had five.
MME. FLACHE [_with contempt_]
She evidently did not come from Paris.
LA BABIN
That's true; she came from Courbevoie.
MUSOTTE [_in a feeble voice_] Is no one there?
MME. FLACHE
She is awakening. There, there! [_Folds up the screen which hides the long steamer-chair_.]
MUSOTTE
Hasn't he come yet?
MME. FLACHE
No.
MUSOTTE
He will arrive too late--my God! My God!
MME. FLACHE
What an idea! He will come.
MUSOTTE
And my little darling--my child?
MME. FLACHE
He is sleeping like an angel.
MUSOTTE [_after looking at herself in a hand-mirror_]
I must not look like this when he comes. Oh, God! Bring my child--I want to see him.
MME. FLACHE
But if I show him to you he will wake up, and who knows if he will go to sleep again.
MUSOTTE
Bring the cradle here. [_A gesture of refusal from_ Mme Flache.] Yes, yes! I insist, [Mme. Flache _and the nurse gently bring the cradle to her_.] Nearer, nearer, so that I can see him well--the darling! My child, my child! And I am going to leave him! Soon I shall disappear into the unknown. Oh. God, what agony!
MME. FLACHE
Now
