下载辰思小说免费APP
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。Thefeastofwelcomegivenbyo
