Chapters 4-5 Summary

Hervé Joncour is made fairly wealthy by silk trading, and lives in relative luxury with his wife in their country town. He is untouched by his experiences traveling the world, and does not tell exciting stories about adventures to people who ask. He owns the house he lives in and a laboratory.

Joncour's calm way of living is disrupted by an epidemic of pébrine, a disease that makes silkworms unable to produce silk. The disease has affected silkworms in every region from which the French silk traders customarily purchase silk. Baldabiou, however, hints that there may be other sources of silkworm eggs.

Chapters 4-5 Analysis

Chapters 4 and 5 contrast the passive serenity of Joncour's nature with his role as the savior of the town of Lavilledieu. He is a discreet man who enjoys his simple luxurious without great passion, but he...