The audience continued. A young woman presented herself at the bar; the supervisor of the poor of her community followed her with a child. She approached, giving no sign of hesitation; modesty did not make her even lower her eyes. The supervisor accused her of having had the child in her arms outside of marriage.
She admitted it without shame. Because she was poor, and if the illegitimate child's father remained unknown, she would become the community's responsibility, the supervisor urged her to name the father; the tribunal had her swear an oath. She named a peasant who lived nearby. This man, present at the hearing, obligingly admitted the fact, and the justices of the peace required him to support the child. The father and mother retired without the incident giving rise to the least emotion in an assembly well used to such spectacles.
She admitted it without shame. Because she was poor, and if the illegitimate child's father remained unknown, she would become the community's responsibility, the supervisor urged her to name the father; the tribunal had her swear an oath. She named a peasant who lived nearby. This man, present at the hearing, obligingly admitted the fact, and the justices of the peace required him to support the child. The father and mother retired without the incident giving rise to the least emotion in an assembly well used to such spectacles.
After that young woman came another. This one came voluntarily; she confronted the magistrates with the same forward insouciance as the first. She declared herself to be pregnant and named the father of the child who was to be born; he was absent. The tribunal named another day to hear her case.
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