Jacques's house was inhabited by his mother. This house, which was nothing more than a poor hut, half-destroyed, was her only property, for her son had compelled her to sell some small patches of land which she possessed, in order to give him the price of them. He now came back to see whether there was anything else he could take from her; but she could not give him anything more, unless she consented to sell her house and sleep in the street, and this she refused to do. Then this detestable son became angry, he abused her, and even appeared on the point of beating her, so much so that the inhabitants of the village, filled with indignation at his conduct, forced him to leave it, threatening if he again entered it during his mother's lifetime, to denounce him to the authorities of the place. Françoise was not sufficiently restored to be able to accompany him, but this did not disturb him, as his head was now filled with other projects. He therefore left her, and she, on her part, was perfectly satisfied never to see him again.
She remained with his mother, who was called in the village old _Catichou_, which in the _patois_ of Limousin, and of a part of Auvergne, is equivalent to _Catherine_, just as _Françoise_ was called _Françou_. She soon recovered, and old Catichou, who believed her to be her grandchild, was very fond of her. Catichou was, on the whole, a tolerably good sort of woman, though she had so worthless a son, whom she had brought up very badly, not having very correct principles herself. Madame Pallois also was kind to Françou, and always gave her something when she went to see her, such as fruit, nuts, a little bacon, butter, or cheese. Françou, who was generous always gave at least half of everything to Catichou, to whom she was much attached, especially when she compared her with Jacques. Catichou was fond of good living, and at the same time very poor; on these occasions, therefore, she received Françou with such kindness, that the child was so delighted at being able to carry her something, that she went every day to seek for food in the village, where she was considered very pretty, and much liked. If nothing was given to her, she asked for anything that took her fancy; and it sometimes happened that when not observed, she took without asking whatever came within her reach, scarcely knowing that she did wrong; and when she brought home a few carrots or eggs that she had found the means of secreting, or some hemp or beans which she had taken from the fields, or from the places where they had been laid to dry, old Catichou troubled herself but little how they were obtained, quite satisfied with profiting by them. Madame Pallois, indeed, endeavoured to instil correct principles into the mind of Françou, and often exhorted her to conduct herself properly; but as she was not aware of her propensity to theft, she had not thought of alluding to that subject.
