far as complete helplessness, even as far as
death. So I say that the indemnity, whatever it might be, would not pay
the damage."

"But," exclaimed the other, "she accepts it! She is mistress of herself,
and she has the right--"

"I am not at all certain that she has the right to sell her own health.
And I am certain that she has not the right to sell the health of her
husband and her children. If she becomes infected, it is nearly certain
that she will communicate the disease to them; the health and the life
of the children she might have later on would be greatly compromised.
Such things she cannot possibly sell. Come, madame, you must see that a
bargain of this sort isn't possible. If the evil has not been done, you
must do everything to avoid it."

"Sir," protested the mother, wildly, "you do not defend our interests!"

"Madame," was the reply, "I defend those who are weakest."

"If we had called in our own physician, who knows us," she protested,
"he would have taken sides with us."

The doctor rose, with a severe look on his face. "I doubt it," he said,
"but there is still time to call him."

George broke in with a cry of distress. "Sir, I implore you!"

And the mother in turn cried. "Don't abandon us, sir! You ought to make
allowances! If you knew what that child is to me! I tell you it seems to
me as if I had waited for her coming in order to die. Have pity upon us!
Have pity upon her! You speak of the weakest--it is not she who is the
weakest? You have seen her, you have seen that poor little baby, so
emaciated! You have seen what a heap of suffering she is already; and
cannot that inspire in you any sympathy? I pray you, sir--I pray you!"

"I pity her," said the doctor, "I would like to save her--and I will do
everything for her. But do not ask me to sacrifice to a feeble infant,
with an uncertain and probably unhappy life, the health of a sound and
robust woman. It is useless for us to continue such a discussion as
that."

Whereupon Madame Dupont leaped up in sudden frenzy. "Very Well!" she
exclaimed. "I will not follow your counsels, I will not listen to you!"

Said the doctor in a solemn voice: "There is already some one here who
regrets that he did not listen to me."

"Yes," moaned George, "to my misfortune, to the misfortune of all of
us."

But Madame Dupont was quite beside herself. "Very well!" she cried. "If
it is a fault, if it is a crime, if I shall have to suffer remorse for
it in th