Chapter 2 Summary

Félicité's father and mother die early and her sisters go away to make their own lives, leaving Félicité alone; so, she goes to work for a farmer, looking after his cattle. This farmer mistreats her, subjecting her to beatings and to wearing rags. She is ultimately dismissed for a theft that she did not commit; she then goes to work for another farmer, caring for the chickens.

The family takes her to a fair, where she is bewildered by what she sees and hears since her life has consisted only of work up until now. A young man named Théodore asks her to dance and buys her food, cider, and a silk neckerchief. He offers to take her home, but pushes her to the ground once they are out of sight of the fair-goers. She screams for help, and...