The first few days, she found it pleasant enough to run about the country. Jacques did not travel very rapidly, for as soon as he obtained any money, on account of the pretty face of Françoise, he stopped at a public-house, in order to spend it in drink. Françoise liked this well enough, for on these occasions she always got something to eat; nevertheless, if Jacques remained too long, she become weary, cried, and ended by falling asleep.
At last the fatigue of this sort of life made her ill. Then Jacques taught her to remain on his back with her arms round his neck, and seated in a kind of sack, the strings of which he held in front of him. Thus equipped, he begged for his sick child, and by this means obtained much more than before.
One evening when he was intoxicated, he lost his hold of the sack, and poor Françoise fell down, hurt her head very much, and almost dislocated her arm. As she screamed a good deal, Jacques was annoyed, and threatened to throw her into a ditch. She was dreadfully afraid of him, for he had already beaten her several times, especially when he was intoxicated; she therefore ceased, and after having wept in silence for a long time, she fell asleep by his side in a ditch where he passed the night.
The following day she was in a violent state of fever. It is difficult to say what Jacques would have done with her, had not a carrier, who fortunately happened to be passing by, given him for charity, a place in his cart, for himself and his _sick child_, and in this manner they arrived at Cavignat, which was Jacques's native village. Poor little Françoise was almost dying. She was stretched on the straw of the cart, her head leaning down, and her little face, all pale, and bruised from the fall, was covered with tears, which flowed abundantly from her closed eyes.
The vehicle was quickly surrounded by the women of the village, who questioned one another as to who this child could be, for they had always understood that Jacques was unmarried, and they were therefore greatly astonished at seeing a little girl with him.
Whilst he was fabricating a story on this subject, Madame Pallois, the Curé's sister, happened to pass. She was a very virtuous and benevolent woman, and although not affluent, did a great deal of good in the village, where she visited and took care of the poor, worked for them, and frequently even served them for a doctor. She saw immediately that Françoise especially required food and rest. She had her carried at once into Jacques's house, as she believed her to be his daughter. She herself brought her some soup and a little wine, as well as some sheets to sleep in: she examined and dressed her arm, which was very much swollen, and desired that great care should be taken of her; and as Madame Pallois was highly respected in the village, her orders were always obeyed.