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-JacquesRougetwithout，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。