A Simple Soul (Cep Boy)

Madame Aubain had married a comelyyouth mthout any money, who died in the beginning of 1809, leaving her with twoyoung children and a number ofdebts. She sold ali her property excepting the farm ofToucques and the farm ofGeffosses, the income ofwhich barely amounted to 5,000 francs; then she left her house in Saint-Melaine, and moved into a less pretentious one which had belonged to her ancestors and stood back of the market-place. This house, vjith its slate-covered roof, was built between a passage-way and a narrow street that led to the river. The interior was so unevenly graded that it caused people to stumble