AsoldDoctorRouget，thefatherofJean-JacquesandMadameBridau，advancedinyears，hebegantoperceivethenonentityofhisson；hethentreatedhimharshly，tryingtobreakhimintoaroutinethatmightserveinplaceofintelligence。Hethus，thoughunconsciously，preparedhimtosubmittotheyokeofthefirsttyrannythatthrewitshalteroverhishead。
Cominghomeonedayfromhisprofessionalround，themalignantandviciousoldmancameacrossabewitchinglittlegirlattheedgeofsomefieldsthatlayalongtheavenuedeTivoli。Hearingthehorse，thechildsprangupfromthebottomofoneofthemanybrookswhicharetobeseenfromtheheightsofIssoudun，threadingthemeadowslikeribbonsofsilveronagreenrobe。Naiad-like，sherosesuddenlyonthedoctor’svision，showingtheloveliestvirginheadthatpainterseverdreamedof。OldRouget，whoknewthewholecountry-side，didnotknowthismiracleofbeauty。Thechild，whowashalfnaked，woreaforlornlittlepetticoatofcoarsewoollenstuff，woveninalternatestripsofbrownandwhite，fullofholesandveryragged。A
sheetofroughwritingpaper，tiedonbyashredofosier，servedherforahat。Beneaththispaper——coveredwithpot-hooksandroundO’s，fromwhichitderivedthenameof“schoolpaper“——theloveliestmassofblondehairthateveradaughterofEvecouldhavedesired，wastwistedup，andheldinplacebyaspeciesofcombmadetocomboutthetailsofhorses。Herprettytannedbosom，andherneck，scarcelycoveredbyaraggedfichuwhichwasonceaMadreshandkerchief，showededgesofthewhiteskinbelowtheexposedandsun-burnedparts。Oneendofherpetticoatwasdrawnbetweenthelegsandfastenedwithahugepininfront，givingthatgarmentthelookofapairofbathingdrawers。Thefeetandthelegs，whichcouldbeseenthroughtheclearwaterinwhichshestood，attractedtheeyebyadelicacywhichwasworthyofasculptorofthemiddleages。Thecharminglimbsexposedtothesunhadaruddytonethatwasnotwithoutbeautyofitsown。Theneckandbosomwereworthyofbeingwrappedinsilksandcashmeres；
andthenymphhadblueeyesfringedwithlonglashes，whoseglancemighthavemadeapainterorapoetfalluponhisknees。Thedoctor，enoughofananatomisttotracetheexquisitefigure，recognizedthelossitwouldbetoartifthelinesofsuchamodelweredestroyedbythehardtoilofthefields。
“Wheredoyoucomefrom，littlegirl？Ihaveneverseenyoubefore，“