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I reflected with amazement with horror on what I had done； asking
myself whence come those tempests of the soul in which a man loses
all perspective of things； all command over himself and acts as in a
condition of mad intoxication； not knowing whither he is goinglike
a vessel in a hurricane。
The child coughed again； and it gave my heart a wrench。 Suppose it
should die！ O God！ O God！ What would become of me？
I rose from my chair to go and look at him； and with a candle in my
hand I leaned over him。 Seeing him breathing quietly I felt
reassured； when he coughed a third time。 It gave me such a shock
tat I started backward； just as one does at sight of something
horrible； and let my candle fall。
As I stood erect after picking it up； I noticed that my temples were
bathed in perspiration； that cold sweat which is the result of
anguish of soul。 And I remained until daylight bending over my son；
becoming calm when he remained quiet for some time； and filled with
atrocious pain when a weak cough came from his mouth。
He awoke with his eyes red； his throat choked； and with an air of
suffering。
When the woman came in to arrange my room I sent her at once for a
doctor。 He came at the end of an hour； and said； after examining
the child：
〃Did he not catch cold？〃
I began to tremble like a person with palsy； and I faltered：
〃No； I do not think so。〃
And then I said：
〃What is the matter？ Is it serious？〃
〃I do not know yet；〃 he replied。 〃I will come again this evening。〃
He came that evening。 My son had remained almost all day in a
condition of drowsiness； coughing from time to time。 During the
night inflammation of the lungs set in。
That lasted ten days。 I cannot express what I suffered in those
interminable hours that divide morning from night； right from
morning。
He died。
And sincesince that moment； I have not passed one hour； not a
single hour； without the frightful burning recollection； a gnawing
recollection； a memory that seems to wring my heart； awaking in me
like a savage beast imprisoned in the depth of my soul。
Oh！ if I could have gone mad！
M。 Poirel de la Voulte raised his spectacles with a motion that was
peculiar to him whenever he finished reading a contract； and the three
heirs of the defunct looked at one another without speaking； pale and
motionless。
At the end of a minute the lawyer resumed：
〃That must be destroyed。〃
The other two bent their heads in sign of assent。 He lighted a candle；
carefully separated the pages containing the damaging confession from
those relating to the disposition of money； then he held them over the
candle and threw them into the fireplace。
And they watched the white sheets as they burned； till they were
presently reduced to little crumbling black heaps。 And as some words
were still visible in white tracing； the daughter； with little strokes of
the toe of her shoe； crushed the burning paper； mixing it with the old
ashes in the fireplace。
Then all three stood there watching it for some time； as if they feared
that the destroyed secret might escape from the fireplace。
A MOTHER OF MONSTERS
I recalled this horrible story； the events of which occurred long ago；
and this horrible woman； the other day at a fashionable seaside resort；
where I saw on the beach a well…known young； elegant and charming
Parisienne； adored and respected by everyone。
I had been invited by a friend to pay him a visit in a little provincial
town。 He took me about in all directions to do the honors of the place；
showed me noted scenes； chateaux； industries； ruins。 He pointed out
monuments； churches； old carved doorways； enormous or distorted trees；
the oak of St。 Andrew； and the yew tree of Roqueboise。
When I had exhausted my admiration and enthusiasm over all the sights；
my friend said with a distressed expression on his face； that there was
nothing left to look at。 I breathed freely。 I would now be able to rest
under the shade of the trees。 But； all at once； he uttered an
exclamation：
〃Oh； yes！ We have the 'Mother of Monsters'； I must take you to see her。〃
〃Who is that； the 'Mother of Monsters'？〃 I asked。
〃She is an abominable woman；〃 he replied； 〃a regular demon； a being who
voluntarily brings into the world deformed； hideous； frightful children；
monstrosities； in fact； and then sells them to showmen who exhibit such
things。
〃These exploiters of freaks come from time to time to find out if she has
any fresh monstrosity； and if it meets with their approval they carry it
away with them； paying the mother a compensation。
〃She has eleven of this description。 She is rich。
〃You think I am joking； romancing； exaggerating。 No； my friend； I am
telling you the truth； the exact truth。
〃Let us go and see this woman。 Then I will tell you her history。〃
He took me into one of the suburbs。 The woman lived in a pretty little
house by the side of the road。 It was attractive and well kept。 The
garden was filled with fragrant flowers。 One might have supposed it to
be the residence of a retired lawyer。
A maid ushered us into a sort of little country parlor； and the wretch
appeared。 She was about forty。 She was a tall； big woman with hard
features； but well formed； vigorous and healthy； the true type of a
robust peasant woman； half animal； and half woman。
She was aware of her reputation and received everyone with a humility
that smacked of hatred。
〃What do the gentlemen wish？〃 she asked。
〃They tell me that your last child is just like an ordinary child； that
he does not resemble his brothers at all；〃 replied my friend。 〃I wanted
to be sure of that。 Is it true？〃
She cast on us a malicious and furious look as she said：
〃Oh； no； oh； no； my poor sir！ He is perhaps even uglier than the rest。
I have no luck； no luck！
They are all like that； it is heartbreaking！ How can the good God be so
hard on a poor woman who is all alone in the world； how can He？〃
She spoke hurriedly； her eyes cast down； with a deprecating air as of a
wild beast who is afraid。 Her harsh voice became soft； and it seemed
strange to hear those tearful falsetto tones issuing from that big； bony
frame； of unusual strength and with coarse outlines； which seemed fitted
for violent action； and made to utter howls like a wolf。
〃We should like to see your little one；〃 said my friend。
I fancied she colored up。 I may have been deceived。 After a few moments
of silence； she said in a louder tone：
〃What good will that do you？〃
〃Why do you not wish to show it to us？〃 replied my friend。 〃There are
many people to whom you will show it； you know whom I mean。〃
She gave a start； and resuming her natural voice； and giving free play to
her anger； she screamed：
〃Was that why you came here？ To insult me？ Because my children are like
animals； tell me？ You shall not see him； no； no； you shall not see him！
Go away； go away！ I do not know why you all try to torment me like
that。〃
She walked over toward us； her hands on her hips。 At the brutal tone of
her voice； a sort of moaning； or rather a mewing； the lamentable cry of
an idiot； came from the adjoining room。 I shivered to the marrow of my
bones。 We retreated before her。
〃Take care； Devil〃 （they called her the Devil）； said my friend； 〃take
care； some day you will get yourself into trouble through this。〃
She began to tremble； beside herself with fury； shaking her fist and
roaring：
〃Be off with you！ What will get me into trouble？ Be off with you；
miscreants！〃
She was about to attack us； but we fled； saddened at what we had seen。
When we got outside； my friend said：
〃Well； you have seen her； what do you think of her？〃
〃Tell me the story of this brute；〃 I replied。
And this is what he told me as we walked along the white high road； with
ripe crops on either side of it which rippled like the sea in the light
breeze that passed over them。
〃This woman was one a servant on a farm。 She was an honest girl； steady
and economical。 She was never known to have an admirer； and never
suspected of any frailty。 But she went astray； as so many do。
〃She soon found herself in trouble； and was tortured with fear and shame。
Wishing to conceal her misfortune； she bound her body tightly with a
corset of her own invention； made of boards and cord。 The more she
developed； the more she bound herself with this instrument of torture；
suffering martyrdom； but brave in her sorrow； not allowing anyone to see；
or suspect； anything。 She maimed the little unborn being； cramping it
with that frightful corset； and made a monster of it。 Its head was
squeezed and elongated to a point； and its large eyes seemed popping out
of its head。 Its limbs； exaggeratedly long； and twisted like the stalk
of a vine； terminated in fingers like the claws of a spider。 Its trunk
was tiny； and round as a nut。
〃The child was born in an open field； and when the weeders saw it； they
fled away； screaming； and the