Nevertheless，inspiteofher“asyouwill，“Jean-Jacquesgotnofurther。Menofhisnaturewantcertainty。Theeffortthattheymakeinavowingtheirloveissogreat，andcoststhemsomuch，thattheyfeelunabletogoonwithit。Thisaccountsfortheirattachmenttothefirstwomanwhoacceptsthem。Wecanonlyguessatcircumstancesbyresults。Tenmonthsafterthedeathofhisfather，Jean-Jacqueschangedcompletely；hisleadenfacecleared，andhiswholecountenancebreathedhappiness。Floreexactedthatheshouldtakeminutecareofhisperson，andherownvanitywasgratifiedinseeinghimwell-
dressed；shealwaysstoodonthesillofthedoor，andwatchedhimstartingforawalk，untilshecouldseehimnolonger。Thewholetownnoticedthesechanges，whichhadmadeanewmanofthebachelor。
“Haveyouheardthenews？“peoplesaidtoeachotherinIssoudun。
“Whatisit？“
“Jean-Jacquesinheritseverythingfromhisfather，eventheRabouilleuse。“
“Don’tyousupposetheolddoctorwaswickedenoughtoprovidearulerforhisson？“
“Rougethasgotatreasure，that’scertain，“saideverybody。
“She’saslyone！Sheisveryhandsome，andshewillmakehimmarryher。“
“Whatluckthatgirlhashad，tobesure！“
“Theluckthatonlycomestoprettygirls。“
“Ah，bah！doyoubelievethat？lookatmyuncleBorniche-Herau。YouhaveheardofMademoiselleGanivet？shewasasuglyassevencapitalsins，butforallthat，shegotthreethousandfrancsayearoutofhim。“
“Yes，butthatwasin1778。“
“Still，Rougetismakingamistake。Hisfatherlefthimagoodfortythousandfrancs’income，andheoughttomarryMademoiselleHerau。“
“Thedoctortriedtoarrangeit，butshewouldnotconsent；Jean-
Jacquesissostupid——“
“Stupid！whywomenareveryhappywiththatstyleofman。“
“Isyourwifehappy？“
SuchwasthesortoftattlethatranthroughIssoudun。Ifpeople，followingtheuseandwontoftheprovinces，beganbylaughingatthisquasi-marriage，theyendedbypraisingFlorefordevotingherselftothepoorfellow。WenowseehowitwasthatFloreBrazierobtainedthemanagementoftheRougethousehold，——fromfathertoson，asyoungGoddethadsaid。Itisdesirabletosketchthehistoryofthatmanagementfortheedificationofoldbachelors。
Fanchette，thecook，wastheonlypersoninIssoudunwhothoughtitwrongthatFloreBraziershouldbequeenoverJean-JacquesRougetandhishome。Sheprotestedagainsttheimmoralityoftheconnection，andtookatoneofinjuredvirtue；thefactbeingthatshewashumiliatedbyhaving，atherage，acrab-girlforamistress，——achildwhohadbeenbroughtbarefootintothehouse。FanchetteownedthreehundredfrancsayearintheFunds，forthedoctormadeherinvesthersavingsinthatway，andhehadleftherasmuchmoreinanannuity；shecouldthereforeliveathereasewithoutthenecessityofworking，andshequittedthehouseninemonthsafterthefuneralofheroldmaster，April15，1806。Thatdatemayindicate，toaperspicaciousobserver，theepochatwhichFloreBrazierceasedtobeanhonestgirl。
TheRabouilleuse，cleverenoughtoforeseeFanchette’sprobabledefection，——thereisnothingliketheexerciseofpowerforteachingpolicy，——wasalreadyresolvedtodowithoutaservant。Forsixmonthsshehadstudied，withoutseemingtodoso，theculinaryoperationsthatmadeFanchetteacordon-bleuworthyofcookingforadoctor。Inthematterofchoiceliving，doctorsareonaparwithbishops。ThedoctorhadbroughtFanchette’stalentstoperfection。Intheprovincesthelackofoccupationandthemonotonyofexistenceturnallactivityofmindtowardsthekitchen。PeopledonotdineasluxuriouslyinthecountryastheydoinParis，buttheydinebetter；thedishesaremeditateduponandstudied。InruralregionsweoftenfindsomeCaremeinpetticoats，someunrecognizedgeniusabletoserveasimpledishofharicot-beansworthyofthenodwithwhichRossiniwelcomedaperfectly-renderedmeasure。
WhenstudyingforhisdegreeinParis，thedoctorhadfollowedacourseofchemistryunderRouelle，andhadgatheredsomeideaswhichheafterwardsputtouseinthechemistryofcooking。HismemoryisfamousinIssoudunforcertainimprovementslittleknownoutsideofBerry。Itwashewhodiscoveredthatanomeletteisfarmoredelicatewhenthewhitesandtheyolksarenotbeatentogetherwiththeviolencewhichcooksusuallyputintotheoperation。Heconsideredthatthewhitesshouldbebeatentoafrothandtheyolksgentlyaddedbydegrees；moreoverafrying-panshouldneverbeused，buta“cagnard“ofporcelainorearthenware。The“cagnard“isaspeciesofthickdishstandingonfourfeet，sothatwhenitisplacedonthestovetheaircirculatesunderneathandpreventsthefirefromcrackingit。InTourainethe“cagnard“iscalleda“cauquemarre。“
Rabelais，Ithink，speaksofa“cauquemarre“forcookingcockatriceeggs，thusprovingtheantiquityoftheutensil。Thedoctorhadalsofoundawaytopreventthetartnessofbrownedbutter；buthissecret，whichunluckilyhekepttohisownkitchen，hasbeenlost。
Flore，abornfryerandroaster，twoqualitiesthatcanneverbeacquiredbyobservationnoryetbylabor，soonsurpassedFanchette。Inmakingherselfacordon-bleushewasthinkingofJean-Jacques’scomfort；thoughshewas，itmustbeowned，tolerablydainty。
Incapable，likeallpersonswithouteducation，ofdoinganythingwithherbrains，shespentheractivityuponhouseholdmatters。Sherubbedupthefurnituretillitshone，andkepteverythingaboutthehouseinastateofcleanlinessworthyofHolland。Shemanagedtheavalanchesofsoiledlinenandthefloodsofwaterthatgobythenameof“thewash，“whichwasdone，accordingtoprovincialusage，threetimesayear。Shekeptahousewifelyeyetothelinen，andmendeditcarefully。Then，desirousoflearninglittlebylittlethesecretofthefamilyproperty，sheacquiredtheverylimitedbusinessknowledgewhichRougetpossessed，andincreaseditbyconversationswiththenotaryofthelatedoctor，MonsieurHeron。Thusinstructed，shegaveexcellentadvicetoherlittleJean-Jacques。Sureofbeingalwaysmistress，shewasaseagerandsolicitousabouttheoldbachelor’sinterestsasiftheyhadbeenherown。Shewasnotobligedtoguardagainsttheexactionsofheruncle，fortwomonthsbeforethedoctor’sdeathBrazierdiedofafallashewasleavingawine-shop，where，sincehisriseinfortune，hespentmostofhistime。Florehadalsolostherfather；thussheservedhermasterwithalltheaffectionwhichanorphan，thankfultomakeherselfahomeandasettlementinlife，wouldnaturallyfeel。
ThisperiodofhislifewasparadisetopoorJean-Jacques，whonowacquiredthegentlehabitsofananimal，trainedintoasortofmonasticregularity。Hesleptlate。Flore，whowasupatdaybreakattendingtoherhousekeeping，wokehimsothatheshouldfindhisbreakfastreadyassoonashehadfinisheddressing。Afterbreakfast，abouteleveno’clock，Jean-Jacqueswenttowalk；talkedwiththepeoplehemet，andcamehomeatthreeintheafternoontoreadthepapers，——thoseofthedepartment，andajournalfromPariswhichhereceivedthreedaysafterpublication，wellgreasedbythethirtyhandsthroughwhichitcame，brownedbythesnuffynosesthathadporedoverit，andsoiledbythevarioustablesonwhichithadlain。
Theoldbachelorthusgotthroughthedayuntilitwastimefordinner；overthatmealhespentasmuchtimeasitwaspossibletogivetoit。Floretoldhimthenewsofthetown，repeatingthecacklethatwascurrent，whichshehadcarefullypickedup。Towardseighto’clockthelightswereputout。Goingtobedearlyisasavingoffireandcandlesverycommonlypractisedintheprovinces，whichcontributesnodoubttotheempty-mindednessoftheinhabitants。Toomuchsleepdullsandweakensthebrain。
Suchwasthelifeofthesetwopersonsduringaperiodofnineyears，thegreateventsofwhichwereafewjourneystoBourges，Vierzon，Chateauroux，orsomewhatfurther，ifthenotariesofthosetownsandMonsieurHeronhadnoinvestmentsreadyforacceptance。Rougetlenthismoneyatfivepercentonafirstmortgage，withreleaseofthewife’srightsincasetheownerwasmarried。Heneverlentmorethanathirdofthevalueoftheproperty，andrequirednotespayabletohisorderforanadditionalinterestoftwoandahalfpercentspreadoverthewholedurationoftheloan。Suchweretheruleshisfatherhadtoldhimtofollow。Usury，thatclogupontheambitionofthepeasantry，isthedestroyerofcountryregions。Thislevyofsevenandahalfpercentseemed，therefore，soreasonabletotheborrowersthatJean-JacquesRougethadhischoiceofinvestments；andthenotariesofthedifferenttowns，whogotafinecommissionforthemselvesfromclientsforwhomtheyobtainedmoneyonsuchgoodterms，gaveduenoticetotheoldbachelor。
DuringthesenineyearsFloreobtainedinthelongrun，insensiblyandwithoutaimingforit，anabsolutecontroloverhermaster。Fromthefirst，shetreatedhimveryfamiliarly；then，withoutfailinghiminproperrespect，shesofarsurpassedhiminsuperiorityofmindandforceofcharacterthathebecameinfacttheservantofhisservant。
Elderlychildthathewas，hemetthismasteryhalf-waybylettingFloretakesuchcareofhimthatshetreatedhimmoreasamotherwouldason；andhehimselfendedbyclingingtoherwiththefeelingofachilddependentonamother’sprotection。Buttherewereothertiesbetweenthemnotlesstightlyknotted。Inthefirstplace，Florekeptthehouseandmanagedallitsbusiness。Jean-Jacqueslefteverythingtothecrab-girlsocompletelythatlifewithoutherwouldhaveseemedtohimnotonlydifficult，butimpossible。Ineveryway，thiswomanhadbecometheoneneedofhisexistence；sheindulgedallhisfancies，forsheknewthemwell。Helovedtoseeherbrightfacealwayssmilingathim，——theonlyfacethathadeversmileduponhim，theonlyonetowhichhecouldlookforasmile。Thishappiness，apurelymaterialhappiness，expressedinthehomelywordswhichcomereadiesttothetongueinaBerrichonhousehold，andvisibleonthefinecountenanceoftheyoungwoman，waslikeareflectionofhisowninwardcontent。ThestateintowhichJean-JacqueswasthrownwhenFlore’sbrightnesswascloudedoverbysomepassingannoyancerevealedtothegirlherpoweroverhim，and，tomakesureofit，shesometimeslikedtouseit。Usingsuchpowermeans，withwomenofherclass，abusingit。TheRabouilleuse，nodoubt，madehermasterplaysomeofthosescenesburiedinthemysteriesofprivatelife，ofwhichOtwaygivesaspecimeninthetragedyof“VenicePreserved，“wherethescenebetweenthesenatorandAquilinaistherealizationofthemagnificentlyhorrible。Florefeltsosecureofherpowerthat，unfortunatelyforher，andforthebachelorhimself，itdidnotoccurtohertomakehimmarryher。
Towardsthecloseof1815，Flore，whowasthentwenty-seven，hadreachedtheperfectdevelopmentofherbeauty。Plumpandfresh，andwhiteasaNormancountrywoman，shewastheidealofwhatourancestorsusedtocall“abuxomhousewife。“Herbeauty，alwaysthatofahandsomebarmaid，thoughhigherintypeandbetterkept，gaveheralikenesstoMademoiselleGeorgeinherpalmydays，settingasidethelatter’simperialdignity。Florehadthedazzlingwhiteroundarms，theamplemodelling，thesatinytexturesoftheskin，thealluringthoughlessrigidlycorrectoutlinesofthegreatactress。Herexpressionwasoneofsweetnessandtenderness；butherglancecommandedlessrespectthanthatofthenoblestAgrippinathatevertrodtheFrenchstagesincethedaysofRacine:onthecontrary，itevokedavulgarjoy。In1816theRabouilleusesawMaxenceGilet，andfellinlovewithhimatfirstsight。Herheartwascleftbythemythologicalarrow，——admirabledescriptionofaneffectofnaturewhichtheGreeks，unabletoconceivethechivalric，ideal，andmelancholylovebegottenofChristianity，couldrepresentinnootherway。Florewastoohandsometobedisdained，andMaxacceptedhisconquest。