lived with his mother; but no one seemed to remember more of him than
that he had once existed. At Vernet he had never been known. La
Mere Bauche was a native of the village, but her married life had
been passed away from it, and she had returned in her early widowhood
to become proprietress and manager, or, as one may say, the heart and
soul of the Hotel Bauche at Vernet.

This hotel was a large and somewhat rough establishment, intended for
the accommodation of invalids who came to Vernet for their health.
It was built immediately over one of the thermal springs, so that the
water flowed from the bowels of the earth directly into the baths.
There was accommodation for seventy people, and during the summer and
autumn months the place was always full. Not a few also were to be
found there during the winter and spring, for the charges of Madame
Bauche were low, and the accommodation reasonably good.

And in this respect, as indeed in all others, Madame Bauche had the
reputation of being an honest woman. She had a certain price, from
which no earthly consideration would induce her to depart; and there
were certain returns for this price in the shape of dejeuners and
dinners, baths and beds, which she never failed to give in accordance
with the dictates of a strict conscience. These were traits in the
character of an hotel-keeper which cannot be praised too highly, and
which had met their due reward in the custom of the public. But
nevertheless there were those who thought that there was occasionally
ground for complaint in the conduct even of Madame Bauche.

In the first place she was deficient in that pleasant smiling
softness which should belong to any keeper of a house of public
entertainment. In her general mode of life she was stern and silent