Thattimidityoughttoexplainhischildhood，youth，andafter-lifetothosewhoarereluctanttoadmittheexistenceofsuchcharacters，orsuchfactsasthishistoryrelates，——thoughproofsofthemare，alas，commoneverywhere，evenamongprinces；forSophieDaweswastakenbythelastoftheCondesunderworsecircumstancesthantheRabouilleuse。Therearetwospeciesoftimidity，——thetimidityofthemind，andthetimidityofthenerves；aphysicaltimidity，andamoraltimidity。Theoneisindependentoftheother。Thebodymayfearandtremble，whilethemindiscalmandcourageous，orviceversa。Thisisthekeytomanymoraleccentricities。Whenthetwoareunitedinoneman，thatmanwillbeacipherallhislife；suchdouble-sidedtimiditymakeshimwhatwecall“animbecile。“Oftenfinesuppressedqualitiesarehiddenwithinthatimbecile。Tothisdoubleinfirmitywemay，perhaps，owethelivesofcertainmonkswholivedinecstasy；forthisunfortunatemoralandphysicaldispositionisproducedquiteasmuchbytheperfectionofthesoulandoftheorgans，asbydefectswhicharestillunstudied。
　　ThetimidityofJean-Jacquescamefromacertaintorporofhisfaculties，whichagreatteacheroragreatsurgeon，likeDespleins，wouldhaveroused。Inhim，asinthecretins，thesenseoflovehadinheritedastrengthandvigorwhichwerelackingtohismentalqualities，thoughhehadmindenoughtoguidehiminordinaryaffairs。
　　Theviolenceofpassion，strippedoftheidealinwhichmostyoungmenexpendit，onlyincreasedhistimidity。Hehadneverbroughthimselftocourt，asthesayingis，anywomaninIssoudun。Certainlynoyounggirlormatronwouldmakeadvancestoayoungmanofmeanstature，awkwardandshame-facedinattitude；whosevulgarface，withitsflattenedfeaturesandpallidskin，makinghimlookoldbeforehistime，wasrenderedstillmorehideousbyapairoflargeandprominentlight-greeneyes。Thepresenceofawomanstultifiedthepoorfellow，whowasdrivenbypassionontheonehandasviolentlyasthelackofideas，resultingfromhiseducation，heldhimbackontheother。
　　Paralyzedbetweentheseopposingforces，hehadnotawordtosay，andfearedtobespokento，somuchdidhedreadtheobligationofreplying。Desire，whichusuallysetsfreethetongue，onlypetrifiedhispowersofspeech。ThusithappenedthatJean-JacquesRougetwassolitaryandsoughtsolitudebecausetherealonehewasathisease。
　　Thedoctorhadseen，toolateforremedy，thehavocwroughtinhisson’slifebyatemperamentandacharacterofthiskind。Hewouldhavebeengladtogethimmarried；buttodothat，hemustdeliverhimovertoaninfluencethatwascertaintobecometyrannical，andthedoctorhesitated。Wasitnotpracticallygivingthewholemanagementofthepropertyintothehandsofastranger，someunknowngirl？Thedoctorknewhowdifficultitwastogaintrueindicationsofthemoralcharacterofawomanfromanystudyofayounggirl。So，whilehecontinuedtosearchforadaughter-in-lawwhosesentimentsandeducationofferedsomeguaranteesforthefuture，heendeavoredtopushhissonintothewaysofavarice；meaningtogivethepoorfoolasortofinstinctthatmighteventuallytaketheplaceofintelligence。
　　Hetrainedhim，inthefirstplace，tomechanicalhabitsoflife；andinstilledintohimfixedideasastotheinvestmentofhisrevenues:
　　andhesparedhimthechiefdifficultiesofthemanagementofafortune，byleavinghisestatesallingoodorder，andleasedforlongperiods。Nevertheless，afactwhichwasdestinedtobeofparamountimportanceinthelifeofthepoorcreatureescapedthenoticeofthewilyolddoctor。Timidityisagooddeallikedissimulation，andisequallysecretive。Jean-JacqueswaspassionatelyinlovewiththeRabouilleuse。Nothing，ofcourse，couldbemorenatural。Florewastheonlywomanwholivedinthebachelor’spresence，theonlyonehecouldseeathisease；andatallhourshesecretlycontemplatedherandwatchedher。Tohim，shewasthelightofhispaternalhome；shegavehim，unknowntoherself，theonlypleasuresthatbrightenedhisyouth。
　　Farfrombeingjealousofhisfather，herejoicedintheeducationtheoldmanwasgivingtoFlore:woulditnotmakeherallhewanted，awomaneasytowin，andtowhom，therefore，heneedpaynocourt？Thepassion，observe，whichisabletoreflect，giveseventoninnies，fools，andimbecilesaspeciesofintelligence，especiallyinyouth。
　　Inthelowesthumancreaturewefindananimalinstinctwhosepersistencyresemblesthought。
　　Thenextday，Flore，whohadbeenreflectingonhermaster’ssilence，waitedinexpectationofsomemomentouscommunication；butalthoughhekeptnearher，andlookedatherontheslywithpassionateglances，Jean-Jacquesstillfoundnothingtosay。Atlast，whenthedessertwasonthetable，herecommencedthesceneofthenightbefore。
　　“Youlikeyourlifehere？“hesaidtoFlore。
　　“Yes，MonsieurJean。“
　　“Well，stayherethen。“
　　“Thankyou，MonsieurJean。“
　　Thisstrangesituationlastedthreeweeks。Onenight，whennosoundbrokethestillnessofthehouse，Flore，whochancedtowakeup，heardtheregularbreathingofhumanlungsoutsideherdoor，andwasfrightenedtodiscoverJean-Jacques，crouchedlikeadogonthelanding。
　　“Helovesme，“shethought；“buthewillgettherheumatismifhekeepsupthatsortofthing。“
　　ThenextdayFlorelookedathermasterwithacertainexpression。
　　Thismutealmostinstinctivelovehadtouchedher；shenolongerthoughtthepoorninnysougly，thoughhisforeheadwascrownedwithpimplesresemblingulcers，thesignsofavitiatedblood。
　　“Youdon’twanttogobackandliveinthefields，doyou？“saidJean-
　　Jacqueswhentheywerealone。
　　“Whydoyouaskmethat？“shesaid，lookingathim。
　　“Toknow——“repliedRouget，turningthecolorofaboiledlobster。
　　“Doyouwishtosendmeback？“sheasked。
　　“No，mademoiselle。“
　　“Well，whatisityouwanttoknow？Youhavesomereason——“
　　“Yes，Iwanttoknow——“
　　“What？“saidFlore。
　　“Youwon’ttellme？“exclaimedRouget。
　　“YesIwill，onmyhonor——“
　　“Ah！that’sit，“returnedRouget，withafrightenedair。“Areyouanhonestgirl？“
　　“I’lltakemyoath——“
　　“Areyou，truly？“
　　“Don’tyouhearmetellyouso？“
　　“Come；areyouthesameasyouwerewhenyourunclebroughtyouherebarefooted？“
　　“Afinequestion，faith！“criedFlore，blushing。
　　Theheirloweredhisheadanddidnotraiseitagain。Flore，amazedatsuchanencouragingsignfromamanwhohadbeenovercomebyafearofthatnature，lefttheroom。
　　Threedayslater，atthesamehourforbothseemedtoregardthedessertasafieldofbattle，Florespokefirst，andsaidtohermaster，——
　　“Haveyouanythingagainstme？“
　　“No，mademoiselle，“heanswered，“No——“[apause]“Onthecontrary。“
　　“YouseemedannoyedtheotherdaytohearIwasanhonestgirl。“
　　“No，Ionlywishedtoknow——“[apause]“Butyouwouldnottellme——“
　　“Onmyword！“shesaid，“Iwilltellyouthewholetruth。“
　　“Thewholetruthabout——myfather？“heaskedinastrangledvoice。
　　“Yourfather，“shesaid，lookingfullintohermaster’seye，“wasaworthyman——helikedajoke——Whatofthat？——therewasnothinginit。
　　But，poordearman，itwasn’tthewillthatwaswanting。Thetruthis，hehadsomespiteagainstyou，Idon’tknowwhat，andhemeant——oh！hemeantyouharm。Sometimeshemademelaugh；butthere！whatofthat？“
　　“Well，Flore，“saidtheheir，takingherhand，“asmyfatherwasnothingtoyou——“
　　“Whatdidyousupposehewastome？“shecried，asifoffendedbysomeunworthysuspicion“Well，butjustlisten——“
　　“Hewasmybenefactor，thatwasall。Ah！hewouldhavelikedtomakemehiswife，but——“
　　“But，“saidRouget，takingthehandwhichFlorehadsnatchedawayfromhim，“ifhewasnothingtoyouyoucanstayherewithme，can’tyou？“
　　“Ifyouwishit，“shesaid，droppinghereyes。
　　“No，no！ifyouwishit，you！“exclaimedRouget。“Yes，youshallbe——
　　mistresshere。Allthatishereshallbeyours；youshalltakecareofmyproperty，itisalmostyoursnow——forIloveyou；Ihavealwayslovedyousincethedayyoucameandstoodthere——there！——withbarefeet。“
　　Floremadenoanswer。Whenthesilencebecameembarrassing，Jean-
　　Jacqueshadrecoursetoaterribleargument。
　　“Come，“hesaid，withvisiblewarmth，“wouldn’titbebetterthanreturningtothefields？“
　　“Asyouwill，MonsieurJean，“sheanswered。