"
"Oh, Fru Heyerdahl!... Still, to my mind, there was a great deal in
what she said. After all, what is the good of all these convictions?
Unmarried mothers have suffered enough beforehand, and been brought so
low in every human regard by the brutal and callous attitude of the
world--the punishment ought to suffice."
Geissler rose, and said at last: "No doubt. But what about the
children?"
"True," said the advocate, "it's a sad business about the children.
Still, all things considered, perhaps it's just as well. Illegitimate
children have a hard time, and turn out badly as often as not."
Geissler felt perhaps some touch of malice at the portly complacency
of the man of law; he said:
"Erasmus was born out of wedlock."
"Erasmus ...?"
"Erasmus of Rotterdam."
"H'm."
"And Leonardo the same."
"Leonardo da Vinci? Really? Well, of course, there are exceptions,
otherwise there would be no rule. But on the whole...."
"We pass protective measures for beast and bird," said Geissler;
"seems rather strange, doesn't it, not to trouble about our own
young?"
The advocate for the Crown reached out slowly and with dignity after
some papers on the table, as a hint that he had not time to continue
the discussion.
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