下载辰思小说免费APP
“Blessme！saytwoyears，andI’llleaveherwithyou，forshe’llbebetteroffwithyouthanwithus；mywifebeatsher，shecan’tabideher。There’snonebutItostandupforher，andthelittlesaintofacreatureisasinnocentasanew-bornbabe。“
Whenheheardthelastpartofthisspeech，thedoctor，struckbytheword“innocent，“madeasigntotheuncleandtookhimoutintothecourtyardandfromthencetothegarden；leavingtheRabouilleuseatthetablewithFanchetteandJean-Jacques，whoimmediatelyquestionedher，andtowhomshenaivelyrelatedhermeetingwiththedoctor。
“Therenow，mylittledarling，good-by，“saidUncleBrazier，comingbackandkissingFloreontheforehead；“youcanwellsayI’vemadeyourhappinessbyleavingyouwiththiskindandworthyfatherofthepoor；youmustobeyhimasyouwouldme。Beagoodgirl，andbehavenicely，anddoeverythinghetellsyou。“
“Gettheroomovermineready，“saidthedoctortoFanchette。“LittleFlore——Iamsuresheisworthyofthename——willsleepthereinfuture。To-morrow，we’llsendforashoemakerandadressmaker。Putanotherplateonthetable；sheshallkeepuscompany。“
Thatevening，allIssouduncouldtalkofnothingelsethanthesuddenappearanceofthelittle“rabouilleuse“inDoctorRouget’shouse。InthatregionofsatirethenicknamestucktoMademoiselleBrazierbefore，during，andaftertheperiodofhergoodfortune。
ThedoctornodoubtintendedtodowithFloreBrazier，inasmallway，whatLouisXV。didinalargeonewithMademoiselledeRomans；buthewastoolateaboutit；LouisXV。wasstillyoung，whereasthedoctorwasintheflowerofoldage。Fromtwelvetofourteen，thecharminglittleRabouilleuselivedalifeofunmixedhappiness。Alwayswell-
dressed，andoftenmuchbettertrickedoutthantherichestgirlsinIssoudun，shesportedagoldwatchandjewels，givenbythedoctortoencourageherstudies，andshehadamasterwhotaughthertoread，write，andcipher。ButthealmostanimallifeofthetruepeasanthadinstilledintoFloresuchdeeprepugnancetothebittercupofknowledge，thatthedoctorstoppedhereducationatthatpoint。Hisintentionswithregardtothechild，whomhecleansedandclothed，andtaught，andformedwithacarewhichwasallthemoreremarkablebecausehewasthoughttobeutterlydevoidoftenderness，wereinterpretedinavarietyofwaysbythecacklingsocietyofthetown，whosegossipoftengaverisetofatalblunders，likethoserelatingtothebirthofAgatheandthatofMax。Itisnoteasyforthecommunityofacountrytowntodisentanglethetruthfromthemassofconjectureandcontradictoryreportstowhichasinglefactgivesrise。Theprovincesinsist——asinformerdaysthepoliticiansofthelittleProvenceattheTuileriesinsisted——onfullexplanations，andtheyusuallyendbyknowingeverything。Buteachpersonclingstotheversionoftheeventwhichhe，orshe，likesbest；proclaimsit，arguesit，andconsidersittheonlytrueone。Inspiteofthestronglightcastuponpeople’slivesbytheconstantspyingofalittletown，truthisthusoftenobscured；andtoberecognized，itneedstheimpartialitywhichhistoriansorsuperiormindsacquirebylookingatthesubjectfromahigherpointofview。
“Whatdoyousupposethatoldgorillawantsathisagewithalittlegirlonlyfifteenyearsold？“societywasstillsayi
