Short Fiction · Chapter
IV explained
After Aunt Charlotte's burial, Lesable becomes obsessed with fathering a child to secure her million-franc inheritance.
What happens
After Aunt Charlotte's burial, Lesable becomes obsessed with fathering a child to secure her million-franc inheritance. He and his wife Cora move to the countryside to improve his health and chances of conception, but their efforts prove fruitless. Returning to Paris, tension mounts at home and at the ministry, where a quarrel with colleague Maze over Lesable's childlessness escalates into a physical fight and a challenge to a duel.
Themes in this chapter
Obsession and Delusion
Lesable's desperate, single-minded pursuit of fathering a child to secure the inheritance drives him to extreme measures, including a regimen of tonics, raw meat, and superhuman efforts, revealing his delusion that sheer will can overcome biological reality.
Marriage and Domesticity
The Lesables' marriage becomes a tense, goal-oriented partnership focused on procreation for financial gain. Their country 'second honeymoon' is undermined by the pressure of the inheritance, and their domestic life deteriorates into mutual rancor and contempt.
Social Class and Money
The inheritance of a million francs looms over every action and relationship, dictating the Lesables' moves, straining their marriage, and fueling office rivalries. Lesable's sense of superiority clashes with his father-in-law's boorishness, while his colleagues resent his potential wealth.
Characters to notice
- M. Lesable
Lesable is tormented by his failure to conceive a child and the loss of Aunt Charlotte's million. He moves to the country with his wife to improve his health and chances, but returns to Paris frustrated. A quarrel with Maze over his childlessness leads to a violent confrontation.
- Madeleine
Cora, Lesable's wife, shares his desire for a child and the inheritance. She encourages his efforts in the countryside but becomes sharp-tongued and critical when they fail, lashing out at her husband.
- M. Cachelin
Cachelin, Lesable's father-in-law, is hopeful during the country stay but later harasses the couple with coarse epigrams about their childlessness. He receives no bonus at the ministry and is ready to fight when Lesable quarrels with Maze.
- Paul Pavilly
Maze, the handsome colleague, mocks Lesable's childlessness in the office, provoking a fight. He is struck in the face with an inkstand and later seeks seconds for a duel.
Key passages
“Why, having been married two years, have I not had a child?”
Lesable wonders why, after two years of marriage, he has not fathered a child.
This question reveals the core anxiety driving Lesable's actions throughout the chapter.
“He determined to concentrate all his efforts; he would neglect nothing, and he must succeed because he so much desired to.”
Lesable resolves to focus all his energy on becoming a parent, believing that strong desire alone guarantees success.
Highlights his obsessive and delusional approach to conception.
“Cora, deeply moved, leaned tenderly upon the arm of her husband, whose design she suspected, although nothing of it had been spoken between them.”
Cora, sensing her husband's plan to conceive, affectionately leans on his arm without any words being exchanged.
Shows the unspoken but mutual understanding of their goal during the country retreat.
“Maze, who stood with his back to the fire and his hands under his coattails, replied, laughing: 'One does the best one can, old man. We are like you, we do not always succeed—'”
Maze, standing by the fire, laughs and tells Lesable that everyone tries their best but doesn't always succeed.
Maze's taunt about Lesable's childlessness provokes the violent office quarrel.
“He was still speaking when Lesable hurled the inkstand of old Savon full at his head.”
Before Maze could finish his sentence, Lesable threw old Savon's inkstand at his face.
The physical escalation of the conflict, marking a turning point in Lesable's desperation.
