“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。