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。