The Aspirations of Jean Servien

ned to be resigned; he was of a saving habit by instinct in both business and family matters, and never put off the green serge apron from week's end to week's end save for a Sunday v

s, his eye would rest on the mothers and

many passing reminders of his Clotilde and made him feel sad without

in to recall Clotilde's features; after this experience, he told himself that perhaps he might be able to discover the mother's lineamen

ne in the Rue Notre-Dame des Champs. The sister, who had lived for many years in Paris at her brother's expense, for indolence was he

upright, hard-featured, fierce-eyed figure, all ready to defend the child against all sorts

, and bidding him hold on tight to his father

d routine. At midday the old dame would don her shawl a

ike the great cart-horses that plodded past, invested the quiet suburb with a gentle melancholy. Establishing herself on a bench, while the child pla

to make their lives one unending miracle, transformed a handful of soil and a few bits of wood into wondrous galleries and fairy castles to the lad's imagination; he clapped his hands and leapt for joy. T

he smells,

than others, and that she thought more of herself with her merino sk

d name than a

he perfumed silk that had swept his face left behind a