“Well，comeherejustasmuchasyoulike；we’llamuseyou。Givehimaboard，andpaper，andchalks，andlethimalone。Youaretoknow，youyoungscamps，thathisfatherdidmeaservice。Here，Corde-a-puits，goandgetsomecakesandsugar-plums，“hesaidtothepupilwhohadtorturedJoseph，givinghimsomesmallchange。“We’llseeifyouaretobeartistbythewayyougobbleupthedainties，“addedthesculptor，chuckingJosephunderthechin。
Thenhewentroundexaminingthepupils’works，followedbythechild，wholookedandlistened，andtriedtounderstandhim。Thesweetswerebrought，Chaudet，himself，thechild，andthewholestudioallhadtheirteethinthem；andJosephwaspettedquiteasmuchashehadbeenteased。Thewholescene，inwhichtheroughplayandrealheartofartistswererevealed，andwhichtheboyinstinctivelyunderstood，madeagreatimpressiononhismind。Theapparitionofthesculptor，——
forwhomtheEmperor’sprotectionopenedawaytofutureglory，closedsoonafterbyhisprematuredeath，——waslikeavisiontolittleJoseph。Thechildsaidnothingtohismotheraboutthisadventure，buthespenttwohourseverySundayandeveryThursdayinChaudet’satelier。Fromthattimeforth，MadameDescoings，whohumoredthefanciesofthetwocherubim，keptJosephsuppliedwithpencilsandredchalks，printsanddrawing-paper。Atschool，thefuturecoloristsketchedhismasters，drewhiscomrades，charcoaledthedormitories，andshowedsurprisingassiduityinthedrawing-class。Lemire，thedrawing-master，strucknotonlywiththelad’sinclinationbutalsowithhisactualprogress，cametotellMadameBridauofherson’sfaculty。Agathe，likeatrueprovincial，whoknowsaslittleofartassheknowsmuchofhousekeeping，wasterrified。WhenLemirelefther，sheburstintotears。
“Ah！“shecried，whenMadameDescoingswenttoaskwhatwasthematter。“Whatistobecomeofme！Joseph，whomImeanttomakeagovernmentclerk，whosecareerwasallmarkedoutforhimattheministryoftheinterior，where，protectedbyhisfather’smemory，hemighthaverisentobechiefofadivisionbeforehewastwenty-five，he，myboy，hewantstobeapainter，——avagabond！Ialwaysknewthatchildwouldgivemenothingbuttrouble。“
MadameDescoingsconfessedthatforseveralmonthspastshehadencouragedJoseph’spassion，aidingandabettinghisSundayandThursdayvisitstotheInstitute。AttheSalon，towhichshehadtakenhim，thelittlefellowhadshownaninterestinthepictures，whichwas，shedeclared，nothingshortofmiraculous。