HOURTIN. How’s that?
FÉCHAIN. This way. If you have three or four children, no one bothers about you, you’re like everyone else; but with seven or eight, then they have to help you. Relief charities, or the authorities, or just people, that’s all one. They daren’t say no. If you have ten, then it’s first class. Only you mustn’t mind moving. But there, there’s nothing to be had for nothing, is there?
HOURTIN. How many of your children are living with you?
FÉCHAIN. Two.
HOURTIN. And the other five?
FÉCHAIN. The two girls are big enough to do for themselves. The other three are in hospital. [A silence].
HOURTIN [looking at the papers] All your children are not of the same mother, I see.
FÉCHAIN. No; I’ve been a widower twice. Oh, yes; I’ve had my troubles. This is my third. It’s her fourth she’s expecting.
MADELEINE [after a pause, to Lucie] A man like that ought to be shut up.
HOURTIN [giving him back the papers] Thank you.