AsoldDoctorRouget，thefatherofJean-JacquesandMadameBridau，advancedinyears，hebegantoperceivethenonentityofhisson；hethentreatedhimharshly，tryingtobreakhimintoaroutinethatmightserveinplaceofintelligence。Hethus，thoughunconsciously，preparedhimtosubmittotheyokeofthefirsttyrannythatthrewitshalteroverhishead。
Cominghomeonedayfromhisprofessionalround，themalignantandviciousoldmancameacrossabewitchinglittlegirlattheedgeofsomefieldsthatlayalongtheavenuedeTivoli。Hearingthehorse，thechildsprangupfromthebottomofoneofthemanybrookswhicharetobeseenfromtheheightsofIssoudun，threadingthemeadowslikeribbonsofsilveronagreenrobe。Naiad-like，sherosesuddenlyonthedoctor’svision，showingtheloveliestvirginheadthatpainterseverdreamedof。OldRouget，whoknewthewholecountry-side，didnotknowthismiracleofbeauty。Thechild，whowashalfnaked，woreaforlornlittlepetticoatofcoarsewoollenstuff，woveninalternatestripsofbrownandwhite，fullofholesandveryragged。A
sheetofroughwritingpaper，tiedonbyashredofosier，servedherforahat。Beneaththispaper——coveredwithpot-hooksandroundO’s，fromwhichitderivedthenameof“schoolpaper“——theloveliestmassofblondehairthateveradaughterofEvecouldhavedesired，wastwistedup，andheldinplacebyaspeciesofcombmadetocomboutthetailsofhorses。Herprettytannedbosom，andherneck，scarcelycoveredbyaraggedfichuwhichwasonceaMadreshandkerchief，showededgesofthewhiteskinbelowtheexposedandsun-burnedparts。Oneendofherpetticoatwasdrawnbetweenthelegsandfastenedwithahugepininfront，givingthatgarmentthelookofapairofbathingdrawers。Thefeetandthelegs，whichcouldbeseenthroughtheclearwaterinwhichshestood，attractedtheeyebyadelicacywhichwasworthyofasculptorofthemiddleages。Thecharminglimbsexposedtothesunhadaruddytonethatwasnotwithoutbeautyofitsown。Theneckandbosomwereworthyofbeingwrappedinsilksandcashmeres；
andthenymphhadblueeyesfringedwithlonglashes，whoseglancemighthavemadeapainterorapoetfalluponhisknees。Thedoctor，enoughofananatomisttotracetheexquisitefigure，recognizedthelossitwouldbetoartifthelinesofsuchamodelweredestroyedbythehardtoilofthefields。
“Wheredoyoucomefrom，littlegirl？Ihaveneverseenyoubefore，“
saidtheolddoctor，thensixty-twoyearsofage。ThisscenetookplaceinthemonthofSeptember，1799。
“IbelonginVatan，“sheanswered。
HearingRouget’svoice，anill-lookingman，standingatsomedistanceinthedeeperwatersofthebrook，raisedhishead。“Whatareyouabout，Flore？“hesaid，“Whileyouaretalkinginsteadofcatching，thecreatureswillgetaway。“
“WhyhaveyoucomeherefromVatan？“continuedthedoctor，payingnoheedtotheinterruption。
“IamcatchingcrabsformyuncleBrazierhere。“
“Rabouiller“isaBerrichonwordwhichadmirablydescribesthethingitisintendedtoexpress；namely，theactionoftroublingthewaterofabrook，makingitboilandbubblewithabranchwhoseend-shootsspreadoutlikearacket。Thecrabs，frightenedbythisoperation，whichtheydonotunderstand，comehastilytothesurface，andintheirflurryrushintothenetthefisherhaslaidforthematalittledistance。FloreBrazierheldher“rabouilloir“inherhandwiththenaturalgraceofchildlikeinnocence。
“Hasyourunclegotpermissiontohuntcrabs？“
“Hey！arenotweallunderaRepublicthatisoneandindivisible？“
criedtheunclefromhisstation。
“WeareunderaDirectory，“saidthedoctor，“andIknowofnolawwhichallowsamantocomefromVatanandfishintheterritoryofIssoudun“；thenhesaidtoFlore，“Haveyougotamother，littleone！“
“No，monsieur；andmyfatherisintheasylumatBourges。Hewentmadfromasun-strokehegotinthefields。“
“Howmuchdoyouearn？“
“Fivesousadaywhiletheseasonlasts；Icatch’emasfarastheBraisne。Inharvesttime，Iglean；inwinter，Ispin。“
“Youareabouttwelveyearsold？“
“Yes，monsieur。“
“Doyouwanttocomewithme？Youshallbewellfedandwelldressed，andhavesomeprettyshoes。“
“No，myniecewillstaywithme；IamresponsibletoGodandmanforher，“saidUncleBrazierwhohadcomeuptothem。“Iamherguardian，d’yesee？“
Thedoctorkepthiscountenanceandcheckedasmilewhichmighthaveescapedmostpeopleattheaspectoftheman。Theguardianworeapeasant’shat，rottedbysunandrain，eatenliketheleavesofacabbagethathasharboredseveralcaterpillars，andmended，hereandthere，withwhitethread。Beneaththehatwasadarkandsunkenface，inwhichthemouth，nose，andeyes，seemedfourblackspots。Hisforlornjacketwasabitofpatchwork，andhistrouserswereofcrashtowelling。
“IamDoctorRouget，“saidthatindividual；“andasyouaretheguardianofthechild，bringhertomyhouse，intheplaceSaint-Jean。
Itwillnotbeabadday’sworkforyou；norforher，either。“
Withoutwaitingforananswer，andsurethatUncleBrazierwouldsoonappearwithhispretty“rabouilleuse，“DoctorRougetsetspurstohishorseandreturnedtoIssoudun。Hehadhardlysatdowntodinner，beforehiscookannouncedthearrivalofthecitoyenandcitoyenneBrazier。
“Sitdown，“saidthedoctortotheuncleandniece。
Floreandherguardian，stillbarefooted，lookedroundthedoctor’sdining-roomwithwonderingeyes；neverhavingseenitslikebefore。
Thehouse，whichRougetinheritedfromtheDescoingsestate，standsinthemiddleoftheplaceSaint-Jean，aso-calledsquare，verylongandverynarrow，plantedwithafewsicklylindens。Thehousesinthispartoftownarebetterbuiltthanelsewhere，andthatoftheDescoings’swasoneofthefinest。ItstandsoppositetothehouseofMonsieurHochon，andhasthreewindowsinfrontonthefirststorey，andaporte-cochereontheground-floorwhichgivesentrancetoacourtyard，beyondwhichliesthegarden。Underthearchwayoftheporte-cochereisthedoorofalargehalllightedbytwowindowsonthestreet。Thekitchenisbehindthishall，partofthespacebeingusedforastaircasewhichleadstotheupperfloorandtotheatticabovethat。Beyondthekitchenisawood-shedandwash-house，astablefortwohorsesandacoach-house，overwhicharesomelittleloftsforthestorageofoats，hay，andstraw，where，atthattime，thedoctor’sservantslept。
ThehallwhichthelittlepeasantandheruncleadmiredwithsuchwonderisdecoratedwithwoodencarvingsofthetimeofLouisXV。，paintedgray，andahandsomemarblechimney-piece，overwhichFlorebeheldherselfinalargemirrorwithoutanyupperdivisionandwithacarvedandgildedframe。Onthepanelledwallsoftheroom，fromspacetospace，hungseveralpictures，thespoilofvariousreligioushouses，suchastheabbeysofDeols，Issoudun，Saint-Gildas，LaPree，Chezal-Beniot，Saint-Sulpice，andtheconventsofBourgesandIssoudun，whichtheliberalityofourkingshadenrichedwiththepreciousgiftsofthegloriousworkscalledforthbytheRenaissance。
AmongthepicturesobtainedbytheDescoingsandinheritedbyRouget，wasaHolyFamilybyAlbano，aSaint-JeromeofDemenichino，aHeadofChristbyGianBellini，aVirginofLeonardo，aBearingoftheCrossbyTitian，whichformerlybelongedtotheMarquisdeBelabre(theonewhosustainedasiegeandhadhisheadcutoffunderLouisXIII。)；aLazarusofPaulVeronese，aMarriageoftheVirginbythepriestGenois，twochurchpaintingsbyRubens，andareplicaofapicturebyPerugino，doneeitherbyPeruginohimselforbyRaphael；andfinally，twoCorreggiosandoneAndreadelSarto。
TheDescoingshadculledthesetreasuresfromthreehundredchurchpictures，withoutknowingtheirvalue，andselectingthemonlyfortheirgoodpreservation。Manywerenotonlyinmagnificentframes，butsomewerestillunderglass。PerhapsitwasthebeautyoftheframesandthevalueoftheglassthatledtheDescoingstoretainthepictures。Thefurnitureoftheroomwasnotwantinginthesortofluxuryweprizeinthesedays，thoughatthattimeithadnovalueinIssoudun。Theclock，standingonthemantle-shelfbetweentwosuperbsilvercandlestickswithsixbranches，hadanecclesiasticalsplendorwhichrevealedthehandofBoulle。Thearmchairsofcarvedoak，coveredwithtapestry-workduetothedevotedindustryofwomenofhighrank，wouldbetreasuredinthesedays，foreachwassurmountedwithacrownandcoat-of-arms。Betweenthewindowsstoodarichconsole，broughtfromsomecastle，onwhosemarbleslabstoodanimmenseChinajar，inwhichthedoctorkepthistobacco。ButneitherRouget，norhisson，northecook，tooktheslightestcareofallthesetreasures。Theyspatuponahearthofexquisitedelicacy，whosegildedmouldingswerenowgreenwithverdigris。Ahandsomechandelier，partlyofsemi-transparentporcelain，waspeppered，liketheceilingfromwhichithung，withblackspeckles，bearingwitnesstotheimmunityenjoyedbytheflies。TheDescoingshaddrapedthewindowswithbrocatellecurtainstornfromthebedofsomemonasticprior。Totheleftoftheentrance-door，stoodachestorcoffer，worthmanythousandfrancs，whichthedoctornowusedforasideboard。
“Here，Fanchette，“criedRougettohiscook，“bringtwoglasses；andgiveussomeoftheoldwine。“
Fanchette，abigBerrichoncountrywoman，whowasconsideredabettercookthanevenLaCognette，ranintoreceivetheorderwithaceleritywhichsaidmuchforthedoctor’sdespotism，andsomethingalsoforherowncuriosity。
“Whatisanacreofvineyardworthinyourparts？“askedthedoctor，pouringoutaglassofwineforBrazier。
“Threehundredfrancsinsilver。“
“Well，then！leaveyourniecehereasmyservant；sheshallhavethreehundredfrancsinwages，and，asyouareherguardian，youcantakethem。“
“Everyyear？“exclaimedBrazier，withhiseyesaswideassaucers。
“Ileavethattoyourconscience，“saidthedoctor。“Sheisanorphan；
uptoeighteen，shehasnorighttowhatsheearns。“
“Twelvetoeighteen——that’ssixacresofvineyard！“saidtheuncle。
“Ay，she’saprettyone，gentleasalamb，wellmadeandactive，andobedientasakitten。Shewerethelighto’mypoorbrother’seyes——“
“Iwillpayayearinadvance，“observedthedoctor。
