leaps　and　caught　the　flies　on　the　surface。　He　stopped　crying　in
  order　to　watch　them；　for　their　feeding　interested　him　vastly。
  But；　at　intervals；　as　in　the　lulls　of　a　tempest；　when　tremendous
  gusts　of　wind　snap　off　trees　and　then　die　away；　this　thought
  would　return　to　him　with　intense　pain：
  〃I　am　about　to　drown　myself　because　I　have　no　papa。〃
  It　was　very　warm　and　fine　weather。　The　pleasant　sunshine　warmed
  the　grass；　the　water　shone　like　a　mirror；　and　Simon　enjoyed　for
  some　minutes　the　happiness　of　that　languor　which　follows　weeping；
  desirous　even　of　falling　asleep　there　upon　the　grass　in　the
  warmth　of　noon。
  A　little　green　frog　leaped　from　under　his　feet。　He　endeavored　to
  catch　it。　It　escaped　him。　He　pursued　it　and　lost　it　three　times
  following。　At　last　he　caught　it　by　one　of　its　hind　legs　and　began
  to　laugh　as　he　saw　the　efforts　the　creature　made　to　escape。　It
  gathered　itself　up　on　its　large　legs　and　then　with　a　violent
  spring　suddenly　stretched　them　out　as　stiff　as　two　bars。
  Its　eyes　stared　wide　open　in　their　round；　golden　circle；　and　it
  beat　the　air　with　its　front　limbs；　using　them　as　though　they　were
  hands。　It　reminded　him　of　a　toy　made　with　straight　slips　of　wood
  nailed　zig…zag　one　on　the　other；　which　by　a　similar　movement
  regulated　the　exercise　of　the　little　soldiers　fastened　thereon。
  Then　he　thought　of　his　home　and　of　his　mother；　and　overcome　by
  great　sorrow　he　again　began　to　weep。　His　limbs　trembled；　and　he
  placed　himself　on　his　knees　and　said　his　prayers　as　before　going
  to　bed。　But　he　was　unable　to　finish　them；　for　such　hurried　and
  violent　sobs　overtook　him　that　he　was　completely　overwhelmed。　He
  thought　no　more；　he　no　longer　heeded　anything　around　him　but　was
  wholly　given　up　to　tears。
  Suddenly　a　heavy　hand　was　placed　upon　his　shoulder；　and　a　rough
  voice　asked　him：
  〃What　is　it　that　causes　you　so　much　grief；　my　fine　fellow？〃
  Simon　turned　round。　A　tall　workman；　with　a　black　beard　and　hair
  all　curled；　was　staring　at　him　good…naturedly。　He　answered　with
  his　eyes　and　throat　full　of　tears：
  〃They　have　beaten　me　becauseII　have　no　papano　papa。　〃
  〃What！〃　said　the　man　smiling；　〃why；　everybody　has　one。〃
  The　child　answered　painfully　amid　his　spasms　of　grief：
  〃But　III　have　none。〃
  Then　the　workman　became　serious。　He　had　recognized　La
  Blanchotte's　son；　and　although　a　recent　arrival　to　the
  neighborhood　he　had　a　vague　idea　of　her　history。
  〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃console　yourself；　my　boy；　and　come　with　me　home
  to　your　mother。　She　will　give　you　a　papa。〃
  And　so　they　started　on　the　way；　the　big　one　holding　the　little
  one　by　the　hand。　The　man　smiled　afresh；　for　he　was　not　sorry　to
  see　this　Blanchotte；　who　by　popular　report　was　one　of　the
  prettiest　girls　in　the　country…sideand；　perhaps；　he　said　to
  himself；　at　the　bottom　of　his　heart；　that　a　lass　who　had　erred
  once　might　very　well　err　again。
  They　arrived　in　front　of　a　very　neat　little　white　house。
  〃There　it　is；〃　exclaimed　the　child；　and　he　cried：　〃Mamma。〃
  A　woman　appeared；　and　the　workman　instantly　left　off　smiling；　for
  he　at　once　perceived　that　there　was　no　more　fooling　to　be　done
  with　the　tall　pale　girl；　who　stood　austerely　at　her　door　as
  though　to　defend　from　one　man　the　threshold　of　that　house　where　she
  had　already　been　betrayed　by　another。　Intimidated；　his　cap　in　his
  hand；　he　stammered　out：
  〃See；　Madame；　I　have　brought　you　back　your　little　boy；　who　had
  lost　himself　near　the　river。〃
  But　Simon　flung　his　arms　about　his　mother's　neck　and　told　her；　as
  he　again　began　to　cry：
  〃No；　mamma；　I　wished　to　drown　myself；　because　the　others　had
  beaten　mehad　beaten　mebecause　I　have　no　papa。〃
  A　burning　redness　covered　the　young　woman's　cheeks；　and；　hurt　to
  the　quick；　she　embraced　her　child　passionately；　while　the　tears
  coursed　down　her　face。　The　man；　much　moved；　stood　there；　not
  knowing　how　to　get　away。　But　Simon　suddenly　ran　to　him　and　said：
  〃Will　you　be　my　papa？〃
  A　deep　silence　ensued。　La　Blanchotte；　dumb　and　tortured　with
  shame；　leaned　against　the　wall；　her　hands　upon　her　heart。　The
  child；　seeing　that　no　answer　was　made　him；　replied：
  〃If　you　do　not　wish　it；　I　shall　return　to　drown　myself。〃
  The　workman　took　the　matter　as　a　jest　and　answered　laughing：
  〃Why；　yes；　I　wish　it　certainly。〃
  〃What　is　your　name；　then；〃　went　on　the　child；　〃so　that　I　may　tell
  the　others　when　they　wish　to　know　your　name？〃
  〃Philip；〃　answered　the　man。
  Simon　was　silent　a　moment　so　that　he　might　get　the　name　well　into
  his　memory；　then　he　stretched　out　his　arms；　quite　consoled；　and
  said：
  〃Well；　then；　Philip；　you　are　my　papa。〃
  The　workman；　lifting　him　from　the　ground；　kissed　him　hastily　on
  both　cheeks；　and　then　strode　away　quickly。
  When　the　child　returned　to　school　next　day　he　was　received　with　a
  spiteful　laugh；　and　at　the　end　of　school；　when　the　lads　were　on
  the　point　of　recommencing；　Simon　threw　these　words　at　their　heads
  as　he　would　have　done　a　stone：　〃He　is　named　Philip；　my　papa。〃
  Yells　of　delight　burst　out　from　all　sides。
  〃Philip　who？　Philip　what？　What　on　earth　is　Philip？　Where　did　you
  pick　up　your　Philip？〃
  Simon　answered　nothing；　and　immovable　in　faith　he　defied　them
  with　his　eye；　ready　to　be　martyred　rather　than　fly　before　them。
  The　schoolmaster　came　to　his　rescue　and　he　returned　home　to　his
  mother。
  For　a　space　of　three　months；　the　tall　workman；　Philip；　frequently
  passed　by　La　Blanchotte's　house；　and　sometimes　made　bold　to　speak
  to　her　when　he　saw　her　sewing　near　the　window。　She　answered　him
  civilly；　always　sedately；　never　joking　with　him；　nor　permitting
  him　to　enter　her　house。　Notwithstanding　this；　being；　like　all
  men；　a　bit　of　a　coxcomb；　he　imagined　that　she　was　often　rosier
  than　usual　when　she　chatted　with　him。
  But　a　fallen　reputation　is　so　difficult　to　recover；　and　always
  remains　so　fragile　that；　in　spite　of　the　shy　reserve　La
  Blanchotte　maintained；　they　already　gossiped　in　the　neighborhood。
  As　for　Simon；　he　loved　his　new　papa　much；　and　walked　with　him
  nearly　every　evening　when　the　day's　work　was　done。　He　went
  regularly　to　school　and　mixed　in　a　dignified　way　with　his
  schoolfellows　without　ever　answering　them　back。
  One　day；　however；　the　lad　who　had　first　attacked　him　said　to　him：
  〃You　have　lied。　You　have　not　a　papa　named　Philip。〃
  〃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
  Philip　worked。
  This　forge　was　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。　Standing　enveloped　in　flame；　they　worked　like　demons；　their
  eyes　fixed　on　the　red…hot　iron　they　were　pounding；　and　their　dull
  ideas　rising　and　falling　with　their　hammers。
  Simon　entered　without　being　noticed　and　quietly　plucked　his
  friend　by　the　sleeve。　Philip　turned　round。　All　at　once　the　work
  came　to　a　standstill　and　the　men　looked　on　very　attentively。
  Then；　in　the　midst　of　this　unaccustomed　silence；　rose　the　little
  slender　pipe　of　Simon：
  〃Philip；　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　in　all　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　held　the　handle　of　his
  hammer　upright　upon　the　anvil。　He　mused。　His　four　companions
  watched　him；　and；　like　a　tiny　mite　among　these　giants；　Simon
  anxiously　waited。　Suddenly；　one　of　the　smiths；　voicing　the
  sentiment　of　all；　said　to　Philip：
  〃All　the　same　La　Blanchotte　is　a　good　and　honest　girl；　stalwart
  and　steady　in　spite　of　her　misfortune；　and　one　who　would　make　a
  worthy　wife　for　an　honest　man。〃
  〃That　is　true；〃　remarked　the　three　others。　The　smith　continued：
  〃Is　it　the　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　has　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　church；　God　only　knows。〃
  〃That　also　is　true；〃　said　the　others。
  Then　no　more　was　heard　save　the　roar　of　the　bellows　which　fanned
  the　fire　of　the　furnace。　Philip　hastil