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wishes and in watching events without assisting them; and that of the

Knights of Idleness and the partisans of Max; who; unfortunately; were

capable of committing many high…handed outrages against the Parisians。







CHAPTER XI



Agathe and Joseph arrived at the coach…office of the Messageries…

Royales in the place Misere at three o'clock。 Though tired with the

journey; Madame Bridau felt her youth revive at sight of her native

land; where at every step she came upon memories and impressions of

her girlish days。 In the then condition of public opinion in Issoudun;

the arrival of the Parisians was known all over the town in ten

minutes。 Madame Hochon came out upon her doorstep to welcome her

godchild; and kissed her as though she were really a daughter。 After

seventy…two years of a barren and monotonous existence; exhibiting in

their retrospect the graves of her three children; all unhappy in

their lives; and all dead; she had come to feel a sort of fictitious

motherhood for the young girl whom she had; as she expressed it;

carried in her pouch for sixteen years。 Through the gloom of

provincial life the old woman had cherished this early friendship;

this girlish memory; as closely as if Agathe had remained near her;

and she had also taken the deepest interest in Bridau。 Agathe was led

in triumph to the salon where Monsieur Hochon was stationed; chilling

as a tepid oven。



〃Here is Monsieur Hochon; how does he seem to you?〃 asked his wife。



〃Precisely the same as when I last saw him;〃 said the Parisian woman。



〃Ah! it is easy to see you come from Paris; you are so complimentary;〃

remarked the old man。



The presentations took place: first; young Baruch Borniche; a tall

youth of twenty…two; then Francois Hochon; twenty…four; and lastly

little Adolphine; who blushed and did not know what to do with her

arms; she was anxious not to seem to be looking at Joseph Bridau; who

in his turn was narrowly observed; though from different points of

view; by the two young men and by old Hochon。 The miser was saying to

himself; 〃He is just out of the hospital; he will be as hungry as a

convalescent。〃 The young men were saying; 〃What a head! what a

brigand! we shall have our hands full!〃



〃This is my son; the painter; my good Joseph;〃 said Agathe at last;

presenting the artist。



There was an effort in the accent that she put upon the word 〃good;〃

which revealed the mother's heart; whose thoughts were really in the

prison of the Luxembourg。



〃He looks ill;〃 said Madame Hochon; 〃he is not at all like you。〃



〃No; madame;〃 said Joseph; with the brusque candor of an artist; 〃I am

like my father; and very ugly at that。〃



Madame Hochon pressed Agathe's hand which she was holding; and glanced

at her as much as to say; 〃Ah! my child; I understand now why you

prefer your good…for…nothing Philippe。〃



〃I never saw your father; my dear boy;〃 she said aloud; 〃it is enough

to make me love you that you are your mother's son。 Besides; you have

talent; so the late Madame Descoings used to write to me; she was the

only one of late years who told me much about you。〃



〃Talent!〃 exclaimed the artist; 〃not as yet; but with time and

patience I may win fame and fortune。〃



〃By painting?〃 said Monsieur Hochon ironically。



〃Come; Adolphine;〃 said Madame Hochon; 〃go and see about dinner。〃



〃Mother;〃 said Joseph; 〃I will attend to the trunks which they are

bringing in。〃



〃Hochon;〃 said the grandmother to Francois; 〃show the rooms to

Monsieur Bridau。〃



As the dinner was to be served at four o'clock and it was now only

half past three; Baruch rushed into the town to tell the news of the

Bridau arrival; describe Agathe's dress; and more particularly to

picture Joseph; whose haggard; unhealthy; and determined face was not

unlike the ideal of a brigand。 That evening Joseph was the topic of

conversation in all the households of Issoudun。



〃That sister of Rouget must have seen a monkey before her son was

born;〃 said one; 〃he is the image of a baboon。〃



〃He has the face of a brigand and the eyes of a basilisk。〃



〃All artists are like that。〃



〃They are as wicked as the red ass; and as spiteful as monkeys。〃



〃It is part of their business。〃



〃I have just seen Monsieur Beaussier; and he says he would not like to

meet him in a dark wood; he saw him in the diligence。〃



〃He has got hollows over the eyes like a horse; and he laughs like a

maniac。〃



〃The fellow looks as though he were capable of anything; perhaps it's

his fault that his brother; a fine handsome man they tell me; has gone

to the bad。 Poor Madame Bridau doesn't seem as if she were very happy

with him。〃



〃Suppose we take advantage of his being here; and have our portraits

painted?〃



The result of all these observations; scattered through the town was;

naturally; to excite curiosity。 All those who had the right to visit

the Hochons resolved to call that very night and examine the

Parisians。 The arrival of these two persons in the stagnant town was

like the falling of a beam into a community of frogs。



After stowing his mother's things and his own into the two attic

chambers; which he examined as he did so; Joseph took note of the

silent house; where the walls; the stair…case; the wood…work; were

devoid of decoration and humid with frost; and where there was

literally nothing beyond the merest necessaries。 He felt the brusque

transition from his poetic Paris to the dumb and arid province; and

when; coming downstairs; he chanced to see Monsieur Hochon cutting

slices of bread for each person; he understood; for the first time in

his life; Moliere's Harpagon。



〃We should have done better to go to an inn;〃 he said to himself。



The aspect of the dinner confirmed his apprehensions。 After a soup

whose watery clearness showed that quantity was more considered than

quality; the bouilli was served; ceremoniously garnished with parsley;

the vegetables; in a dish by themselves; being counted into the items

of the repast。 The bouilli held the place of honor in the middle of

the table; accompanied with three other dishes: hard…boiled eggs on

sorrel opposite to the vegetables; then a salad dressed with nut…oil

to face little cups of custard; whose flavoring of burnt oats did

service as vanilla; which it resembles much as coffee made of chiccory

resembles mocha。 Butter and radishes; in two plates; were at each end

of the table; pickled gherkins and horse…radish completed the spread;

which won Madam Hochon's approbation。 The good old woman gave a

contented little nod when she saw that her husband had done things

properly; for the first day at least。 The old man answered with a

glance and a shrug of his shoulders; which it was easy to translate

into



〃See the extravagances you force me to commit!〃



As soon as Monsieur Hochon had; as it were; slivered the bouilli into

slices; about as thick as the sole of a dancing…shoe; that dish was

replaced by another; containing three pigeons。 The wine was of the

country; vintage 1811。 On a hint from her grandmother; Adolphine had

decorated each end of the table with a bunch of flowers。



〃At Rome as the Romans do;〃 thought the artist; looking at the table;

and beginning to eat;like a man who had breakfasted at Vierzon; at

six o'clock in the morning; on an execrable cup of coffee。 When Joseph

had eaten up all his bread and asked for more; Monsieur Hochon rose;

slowly searched in the pocket of his surtout for a key; unlocked a

cupboard behind him; broke off a section of a twelve…pound loaf;

carefully cut a round of it; then divided the round in two; laid the

pieces on a plate; and passed the plate across the table to the young

painter; with the silence and coolness of an old soldier who says to

himself on the eve of battle; 〃Well; I can meet death。〃 Joseph took

the half…slice; and fully understood that he was not to ask for any

more。 No member of the family was the least surprised at this

extraordinary performance。 The conversation went on。 Agathe learned

that the house in which she was born; her father's house before he

inherited that of the old Descoings; had been bought by the Borniches;

she expressed a wish to see it once more。



〃No doubt;〃 said her godmother; 〃the Borniches will be here this

evening; we shall have half the townwho want to examine you;〃 she

added; turning to Joseph; 〃and they will all invite you to their

houses。〃



Gritte; who in spite of her sixty years; was the only servant of the

house; brought in for dessert the famous ripe cheese of Touraine and

Berry; made of goat's milk; whose mouldy discolorations so distinctly

reproduce the pattern of the vine…leaves on which it is served; that

Touraine ought to have invented the art of engraving。 On either side

of these little cheeses Gritte; with a company air; placed nuts and

some time…honored biscuits。



〃Well; Gritte; the f

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