The first words of Madame Rouget, when informed by her husband that he
meant to send Agathe to Paris, were: "I shall never see my daughter
again."
"And she was right," said the worthy Madame Hochon.
After this, the poor mother grew as yellow as a quince, and her
appearance did not contradict the tongues of those who declared that
Doctor Rouget was killing her by inches. The behavior of her booby of
a son must have added to the misery of the poor woman so unjustly
accused. Not restrained, possibly encouraged by his father, the young
fellow, who was in every way stupid, paid her neither the attentions
nor the respect which a son owes to a mother. Jean-Jacques Rouget was
like his father, especially on the latter's worst side; and the doctor
at his best was far from satisfactory, either morally or physically.
The arrival of the charming Agathe Rouget did not bring happiness to
her uncle Descoings; for in the same week (or rather, we should say
decade, for the Republic had then been proclaimed) he was imprisoned
on a hint from Robespierre given to Fouquier-Tinville. Descoings, who
was imprudent enough to think the famine fictitious, had the
additional folly, under the impression that opinions were free, to
express that opinion to several of his male and female customers as he
served them in the grocery. The citoyenne Duplay, wife of a
cabinet-maker with whom Robespierre lodged, and who looked after the
affairs of that eminent citizen, patronized, unfortunately, the
Descoings establishment.
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