AssoonasMonsieurHochonhad，asitwere，sliveredthebouilliintoslices，aboutasthickasthesoleofadancing-shoe，thatdishwasreplacedbyanother，containingthreepigeons。Thewinewasofthecountry，vintage1811。Onahintfromhergrandmother，Adolphinehaddecoratedeachendofthetablewithabunchofflowers。
“AtRomeastheRomansdo，“thoughttheartist，lookingatthetable，andbeginningtoeat，——likeamanwhohadbreakfastedatVierzon，atsixo’clockinthemorning，onanexecrablecupofcoffee。WhenJosephhadeatenupallhisbreadandaskedformore，MonsieurHochonrose，slowlysearchedinthepocketofhissurtoutforakey，unlockedacupboardbehindhim，brokeoffasectionofatwelve-poundloaf，carefullycutaroundofit，thendividedtheroundintwo，laidthepiecesonaplate，andpassedtheplateacrossthetabletotheyoungpainter，withthesilenceandcoolnessofanoldsoldierwhosaystohimselfontheeveofbattle，“Well，Icanmeetdeath。“Josephtookthehalf-slice，andfullyunderstoodthathewasnottoaskforanymore。Nomemberofthefamilywastheleastsurprisedatthisextraordinaryperformance。Theconversationwenton。Agathelearnedthatthehouseinwhichshewasborn，herfather’shousebeforeheinheritedthatoftheoldDescoings，hadbeenboughtbytheBorniches；
sheexpressedawishtoseeitoncemore。
“Nodoubt，“saidhergodmother，“theBornicheswillbeherethisevening；weshallhavehalfthetown——whowanttoexamineyou，“sheadded，turningtoJoseph，“andtheywillallinviteyoutotheirhouses。“
Gritte，whoinspiteofhersixtyyears，wastheonlyservantofthehouse，broughtinfordessertthefamousripecheeseofTouraineandBerry，madeofgoat’smilk，whosemouldydiscolorationssodistinctlyreproducethepatternofthevine-leavesonwhichitisserved，thatTouraineoughttohaveinventedtheartofengraving。OneithersideoftheselittlecheesesGritte，withacompanyair，placednutsandsometime-honoredbiscuits。
“Well，Gritte，thefruit？“saidMadameHochon。
“But，madame，thereisnonerotten，“answeredGritte。
Josephwentoffintoroarsoflaughter，asthoughhewereamonghiscomradesintheatelier；forhesuddenlyperceivedthattheparsimonyofeatingonlythefruitswhichwerebeginningtorothaddegeneratedintoasettledhabit。
“Bah！wecaneatthemallthesame，“heexclaimed，withtheheedlessgayetyofamanwhowillhavehissay。
“MonsieurHochon，praygetsome，“saidtheoldlady。
MonsieurHochon，muchincensedattheartist’sspeech，fetchedsomepeaches，pears，andSaintCatherineplums。
“Adolphine，goandgathersomegrapes，“saidMadameHochontohergranddaughter。
Josephlookedatthetwoyoungmenasmuchastosay:“Isittosuchhighlivingasthisthatyouoweyourhealthyfaces？“
Baruchunderstoodthekeenglanceandsmiled；forheandhiscousinHochonwerebehavingwithmuchdiscretion。Thehome-lifewasoflessimportancetoyouthswhosuppedthreetimestheweekatMereCognette’s。Moreover，justbeforedinner，BaruchhadreceivednoticethatthegrandmasterconvokedthewholeOrderatmidnightforamagnificentsupper，inthecourseofwhichagreatenterprisewouldbearranged。ThefeastofwelcomegivenbyoldHochontohisguestsexplainshownecessarywerethenocturnalrepastsattheCognette’stotwoyoungfellowsblessedwithgoodappetites，who，wemayadd，nevermissedanyofthem。
“Wewilltaketheliqueurinthesalon，“saidMadameHochon，risingandmotioningtoJosephtogiveherhisarm。Astheywentoutbeforetheothers，shewhisperedtothepainter:——
“Eh！mypoorboy；thisdinnerwon’tgiveyouanindigestion；butIhadhardworktogetitforyou。ItisalwaysLenthere；youwillgetenoughjusttokeeplifeinyou，andnomore。Soyoumustbearitpatiently。“
Thekind-heartednessoftheoldwoman，whothusdrewherownpredicament，pleasedtheartist。
“Ihavelivedfiftyyearswiththatman，withouteverhearinghalf-a-
dozengoldpieceschinkinmypurse，“shewenton。“Oh！ifIdidnothopethatyoumightsaveyourproperty，Iwouldneverhavebroughtyouandyourmotherintomyprison。“
“Buthowcanyousurviveit？“criedJosephnaively，withthegayetywhichaFrenchartistneverloses。
“Ah，youmaywellask！“shesaid。“Ipray。“
Josephquiveredasheheardthewords，whichraisedtheoldwomansomuchinhisestimationthathesteppedbackalittlewaytolookintoherface；itwasradiantwithsotenderaserenitythathesaidtoher，——
“Letmepaintyourportrait。“
“No，no，“sheanswered，“Iamtoowearyoflifetowishtoremainhereoncanvas。“
Gaylyutteringthesadwords，sheopenedacloset，andbroughtoutaflaskcontainingratafia，adomesticmanufactureofherown，thereceiptforwhichsheobtainedfromthefar-famednunstowhomisalsoduethecelebratedcakeofIssoudun，——oneofthegreatcreationsofFrenchconfectionery；whichnochef，cook，pastry-cook，orconfectionerhaseverbeenabletoreproduce。MonsieurdeRiviere，ambassadoratConstantinople，orderedenormousquantitieseveryyearfortheSeraglio。
Adolphineheldalacquertrayonwhichwereanumberoflittleoldglasseswithengravedsidesandgiltedges；andashermotherfilledeachofthem，shecarriedittothecompany。
“Itseemsasthoughmyfather’sturnwerecominground！“exclaimedAgathe，towhomthisimmutableprovincialcustomrecalledthescenesofheryouth。
“Hochonwillgotohisclubpresentlytoreadthepapers，andweshallhavealittletimetoourselves，“saidtheoldladyinalowvoice。
Infact，tenminuteslater，thethreewomenandJosephwerealoneinthesalon，wherethefloorwasneverwaxed，onlyswept，andtheworsted-workdesignsinoakenframeswithgroovedmouldings，andalltheotherplainandratherdismalfurnitureseemedtoMadameBridautobeinexactlythesamestateaswhenshehadleftIssoudun。Monarchy，Revolution，Empire，andRestoration，whichrespectedlittle，hadcertainlyrespectedthisroomwheretheirgloriesandtheirdisastershadleftnottheslightesttrace。
“Ah！mygodmother，incomparisonwithyourlife，minehasbeencruellytried，“exclaimedMadameBridau，surprisedtofindevenacanarywhichshehadknownwhenalive，stuffed，andstandingonthemantleshelfbetweentheoldclock，theoldbrassbrackets，andthesilvercandlesticks。
“Mychild，“saidtheoldlady，“trialsareintheheart。Thegreaterandmorenecessarytheresignation，theharderthestrugglewithourownselves。Butdon’tspeakofme，letustalkofyouraffairs。Youaredirectlyinfrontoftheenemy，“sheadded，pointingtothewindowsoftheRougethouse。
“Theyaresittingdowntodinner，“saidAdolphine。
Theyounggirl，destinedforacloister，wasconstantlylookingoutofthewindow，inhopesofgettingsomelightupontheenormitiesimputedtoMaxenceGilet，theRabouilleuse，andJean-Jacques，ofwhichafewwordsreachedherearswhenevershewassentoutoftheroomthatothersmighttalkaboutthem。TheoldladynowtoldhergranddaughtertoleaveheralonewithMadameBridauandJosephuntilthearrivalofvisitors。
“For，“shesaid，turningtotheParisians，“IknowmyIssoudunbyheart；weshallhavetenortwelvebatchesofinquisitivefolkhereto-night。“
InfactMadameHochonhadhardlyrelatedtheeventsandthedetailsconcerningtheastoundinginfluenceobtainedbyMaxenceGiletandtheRabouilleuseoverJean-JacquesRouget(without，ofcourse，followingthesyntheticalmethodwithwhichtheyhavebeenpresentedhere)，addingthemanycomments，descriptions，andhypotheseswithwhichthegoodandeviltonguesofthetownembroideredthem，beforeAdolphineannouncedtheapproachoftheBorniche，Beaussier，Lousteau-Prangin，Fichet，Goddet-Heraufamilies；inall，fourteenpersonsloominginthedistance。
“Younowsee，mydearchild，“saidtheoldlady，concludinghertale，“thatitwillnotbeaneasymattertogetthispropertyoutofthejawsofthewolf——“
“Itseemstomesodifficult——withascoundrelsuchasyourepresenthim，andadaringwomanlikethatcrab-girl——astobeactuallyimpossible，“remarkedJoseph。“WeshouldhavetostayayearinIssouduntocounteracttheirinfluenceandoverthrowtheirdominionovermyuncle。Moneyisn’tworthsuchastruggle，——nottospeakofthemeannessestowhichweshouldhavetocondescend。Mymotherhasonlytwoweeks’leaveofabsence；herplaceisapermanentone，andshemustnotriskit。Asforme，inthemonthofOctoberIhaveanimportantwork，whichSchinnerhasjustobtainedformefromapeerofFrance；soyousee，madame，myfuturefortuneisinmybrushes。“
ThisspeechwasreceivedbyMadameHochonwithmuchamazement。Thoughrelativelysuperiortothetownshelivedin，theoldladydidnotbelieveinpainting。Sheglancedathergoddaughter，andagainpressedherhand。
“ThisMaxenceisthesecondvolumeofPhilippe，“whisperedJosephinhismother’sear，“——onlyclevererandbetterbehaved。Well，madame，“
hesaid，aloud，wewon’ttroubleMonsieurHochonbystayingverylong。“
“Ah！youareyoung；youknownothingoftheworld，“saidtheoldlady。
“Acoupleofweeks，ifyouarejudicious，mayproducegreatresults；
listentomyadvice，andactaccordingly。“
“Oh！willingly，“saidJoseph，“IknowIhaveaperfectlyamazingincapacityfordomesticstatesmanship:forexample，IamsureIdon’tknowwhatDesrocheshimselfwouldtellustodoifmyuncledeclinestoseeus。“
MesdamesBorniche，Goddet-Herau，Beaussier，Lousteau-PranginandFichet，decoratedwiththeirhusbands，hereenteredtheroom。
Whenthefourteenpersonswereseated，andtheusualcomplimentswereover，MadameHochonpresentedhergoddaughterAgatheandJoseph。
