Werewolf of Paris by Guy Endore Read Free Book Online Page A

anything else? When she had retired to the kitchen and was busy with her own meal and with the washing of the dishes, Aymar opened up on his aunt.
    â€œDo you see any change in Josephine since that terrible event?”
    â€œFortunately, no. She seems to have gotten over it and I hope will soon have completely forgotten it.”
    â€œDo you really think she was an innocent thing when she came here?”
    â€œWhy, yes, of course. What makes you ask?”
    â€œJust so.”
    She pursued a pleasant thought of her own: Josephine had been the cause of the seduction and Father Pitamont had fallen to her wiles. But at the very moment she thought thus, she realized that it couldn’t be so. Pitamont’s subsequent actions did not endorse this view. “Why do you ask?” she repeated.
    â€œHer behavior has not been irreproachable of late.” He understated the matter, entering the thin edge of the wedge before he pounded home.
    â€œWhat has she done?” Mme Didier asked.
    He told her in a few words, reducing the case to its minimum and omitting all embellishments likely to cause Mme Didier to worry too much. Mme Didier remained in thought for a while and then decided sagely that Josephine should be put in a room somewhere where she would be safe and watched over and where she would remain until the mayor of her village acted upon her case. “Pull the bell for Françoise and we’ll see if she knows of some good house where we can keep the girl.”
    Françoise appeared and listened to her mistress’ decision. Meanwhile she fidgeted about and cast certain glances at M Galliez, as if to say, There is something else I must tell you about. Until Aymar could not help exclaiming:
    â€œCome right out with it, Françoise!”
    Françoise sucked in her breath as if to gather courage; then jerking back her head with self-righteousness (she certainly wasn’t to blame for anything), she delivered herself of this: “Josephine is pregnant.”
    There was a moment of deep silence, then particulars were demanded. Since when? Françoise couldn’t say, but from what Josephine had told her it might be two, three months.
    â€œWhy, she has been here only three months!” Mme Didier exclaimed.
    â€œOui, madame,” said the obedient Françoise.
    â€œIt’s that damned Fa…” A look from his aunt made Aymar cut his sentence short.
    â€œBring her in, Françoise, I’ll talk to her alone,” said Mme Didier.
    A moment later Josephine came in. Simply clad, demure, the bloom of rustic innocence still on her cheeks. Only when she happened to look up did her dark, blazing eyes belie her modesty and humility.
    â€œMy poor child,” said Mme Didier, and put her hands on Josephine’s shoulders. “Do you know that you are going to have a baby?”
    â€œOui, madame.”
    â€œAnd you are so young.”
    â€œOui, madame.”
    â€œYou poor thing.”
    â€œIs it because I go with the boys, like Françoise says, madame?”
    â€œOh, child, why do you do that?”
    â€œI like it so, madame. Must I really stop? I’ve tried very hard not to do it, but I can’t stop myself. At home I saw all the animals do it and no one ever stopped them.”
    â€œBut, Josephine, my child, we are not animals. You never saw human beings do such things, did you?”
    â€œNo, madame. There was only mamma and myself at home…”
    â€œYes, to be sure,” said Mme Didier and bit her lip.
    â€œDon’t men and women do it ever?”
    â€œHush.”
    â€œBut Father Pitamont was the first to do it to me.”
    â€œHush! Hush! Was he really the first?”
    â€œYes, madame.”
    â€œYou unfortunate wretch. What shall we do with you now?”
    â€œFrançoise says you will send me away because I am bad. Don’t send me away.”
    â€œI shall find a nice home for you.” She was thinking of the