"No, not ugly, for you will have other children by her, and there's
nothing so sad as to have ugly, puny, unhealthy children. But a woman
still in her prime, in good health and neither ugly nor pretty, would do
your business nicely."
"It is easy to see," said Germain, smiling rather sadly, "that to get
such a one as you want we must have her made to order; especially as you
don't want her to be poor, and rich wives aren't easy to get, especially
for a widower."
"Suppose she was a widow herself, Germain? what do you say to a widow
without children, and a snug little property?"
"I don't know of any just now in our parish."
"Nor do I, but there are other places."
"You have some one in view, father; so tell me at once who it is."
IV
GERMAIN, THE CUNNING PLOUGHMAN
"Yes, I have some one in view," replied Pere Maurice. "It's one Leonard,
widow of one Guerin, who lives at Fourche."
"I don't know the woman or the place," replied Germain, resigned, but
becoming more and more depressed.
"Her name is Catherine, like your deceased wife's."
"Catherine? Yes, I shall enjoy having to say that name: Catherine! And
yet, if I can't love her as well as I loved the other, it will cause me
more pain than pleasure, for it will remind me of her too often.
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