LE LONG DU SENTIER 



"And their age?" 



"The eldest thirteen, a girl." 



"What will become of them, Ma- 

 dame?" 



"As to that there is no anxiety: all 

 are provided for." 



"But how ; I do not understand ; there 

 is neither land nor money?" 



"It is true, quite true; we take one 

 no, we are not relatives, and a brother, 

 two; a cousin, one; and so on all, all 

 well placed, the little ones will not en- 

 counter la miser e." 



A matter of course, a mere common- 

 place of life ! 



Is it that the finest charity is thus 

 spontaneous, unreasoning, unconscious 

 of its own quality? 



Only by accident does one discover 

 what passes in money or in kind, what 

 willing service is rendered by man to 

 man. Wastrels and professional beg- 

 gars may ask for alms: others endure 

 privations rather than lose their self- 

 respect. It was for sympathy and ad- 



235 



