the two brothers-第39章

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manoeuvres　undertaken　to　raise　the　price　of　cereals。　The　morning　after

his　arrival　he　noticed　that　the　roof　the　church　of　the　Capuchins　was

black　with　pigeons。　He　cursed　himself　for　having　neglected　to　examine

its　condition；　and　hurried　over　to　look　into　his　storehouse；　where　he

found　half　his　grain　devoured。　Thousands　of　mice…marks　and　rat…marks

scattered　about　showed　a　second　cause　of　ruin。　The　church　was　a

Noah's…ark。　But　anger　turned　the　Spaniard　white　as　a　bit　of　cambric

when；　trying　to　estimate　the　extent　of　the　destruction　and　his

consequence　losses；　he　noticed　that　the　grain　at　the　bottom　of　the

heap；　near　the　floor；　was　sprouting　from　the　effects　of　water；　which

Max　had　managed　to　introduce　by　means　of　tin　tubes　into　the　very

centre　of　the　pile　of　wheat。　The　pigeons　and　the　rats　could　be

explained　by　animal　instinct；　but　the　hand　of　man　was　plainly　visible

in　this　last　sign　of　malignity。



Fario　sat　down　on　the　steps　of　a　chapel　altar；　holding　his　head

between　his　hands。　After　half　an　hour　of　Spanish　reflections；　he　spied

the　squirrel；　which　Goddet　could　not　refrain　from　giving　him　as　a

guest；　playing　with　its　tail　upon　a　cross…beam；　on　the　middle　of　which

rested　one　of　the　uprights　that　supported　the　roof。　The　Spaniard　rose

and　turned　to　his　watchman　with　a　face　that　was　as　calm　and　cold　as　an

Arab's。　He　made　no　complaint；　but　went　home；　hired　laborers　to　gather

into　sacks　what　remained　of　the　sound　grain；　and　to　spread　in　the　sun

all　that　was　moist；　so　as　to　save　as　much　as　possible；　then；　after

estimating　that　his　losses　amounted　to　about　three　fifths；　he　attended

to　filling　his　orders。　But　his　previous　manipulations　of　the　market

had　raised　the　price　of　cereals；　and　he　lost　on　the　three　fifths　he

was　obliged　to　buy　to　fill　his　orders；　so　that　his　losses　amounted

really　to　more　than　half。　The　Spaniard；　who　had　no　enemies；　at　once

attributed　this　revenge　to　Gilet。　He　was　convinced　that　Maxence　and

some　others　were　the　authors　of　all　the　nocturnal　mischief；　and　had　in

all　probability　carried　his　cart　up　the　embankment　of　the　tower；　and

now　intended　to　amuse　themselves　by　ruining　him。　It　was　a　matter　to

him　of　over　three　thousand　francs；very　nearly　the　whole　capital　he

had　scraped　together　since　the　peace。　Driven　by　the　desire　for

vengeance；　the　man　now　displayed　the　cunning　and　stealthy　persistence

of　a　detective　to　whom　a　large　reward　is　offered。　Hiding　at　night　in

different　parts　of　Issoudun；　he　soon　acquired　proof　of　the　proceedings

of　the　Knights　of　Idleness；　he　saw　them　all；　counted　them；　watched

their　rendezvous；　and　knew　of　their　suppers　at　Mere　Cognette's；　after

that　he　lay　in　wait　to　witness　one　of　their　deeds；　and　thus　became

well　informed　as　to　their　nocturnal　habits。



In　spite　of　Max's　journeys　and　pre…occupations；　he　had　no　intention　of

neglecting　his　nightly　employments；first；　because　he　did　not　wish

his　comrades　to　suspect　the　secret　of　his　operations　with　Pere

Rouget's　property；　and　secondly；　to　keep　the　Knights　well　in　hand。

They　were　therefore　convened　for　the　preparation　of　a　prank　which

might　deserve　to　be　talked　of　for　years　to　come。　Poisoned　meat　was　to

be　thrown　on　a　given　night　to　every　watch…dog　in　the　town　and　in　the

environs。　Fario　overheard　them　congratulating　each　other；　as　they　came

out　from　a　supper　at　the　Cognettes'；　on　the　probable　success　of　the

performance；　and　laughing　over　the　general　mourning　that　would　follow

this　novel　massacre　of　the　innocents；revelling；　moreover；　in　the

apprehensions　it　would　excite　as　to　the　sinister　object　of　depriving

all　the　households　of　their　guardian　watch…dogs。



〃It　will　make　people　forget　Fario's　cart；〃　said　Goddet。



Fario　did　not　need　that　speech　to　confirm　his　suspicions；　besides；　his

mind　was　already　made　up。



After　three　weeks'　stay　in　Issoudun；　Agathe　was　convinced；　and　so　was

Madame　Hochon；　of　the　truth　of　the　old　miser's　observation；　that　it

would　take　years　to　destroy　the　influence　which　Max　and　the

Rabouilleuse　had　acquired　over　her　brother。　She　had　made　no　progress

in　Jean…Jacques's　confidence；　and　she　was　never　left　alone　with　him。

On　the　other　hand；　Mademoiselle　Brazier　triumphed　openly　over　the

heirs　by　taking　Agathe　to　drive　in　the　caleche；　sitting　beside　her　on

the　back　seat；　while　Monsieur　Rouget　and　his　nephew　occupied　the

front。　Mother　and　son　impatiently　awaited　an　answer　to　the

confidential　letter　they　had　written　to　Desroches。　The　day　before　the

night　on　which　the　dogs　were　to　be　poisoned；　Joseph；　who　was　nearly

bored　to　death　in　Issoudun；　received　two　letters：　the　first　from　the

great　painter　Schinner；whose　age　allowed　him　a　closer　intimacy　than

Joseph　could　have　with　Gros；　their　master；and　the　second　from

Desroches。



Here　is　the　first；　postmarked　Beaumont…sur…Oise：



　　My　dear　Joseph；I　have　just　finished　the　principal　panel…

　　paintings　at　the　chateau　de　Presles　for　the　Comte　de　Serizy。　I

　　have　left　all　the　mouldings　and　the　decorative　painting；　and　I

　　have　recommended　you　so　strongly　to　the　count；　and　also　to　Gridot

　　the　architect；　that　you　have　nothing　to　do　but　pick　up　your

　　brushes　and　come　at　once。　Prices　are　arranged　to　please　you。　I　am

　　off　to　Italy　with　my　wife；　so　you　can　have　Mistigris　to　help　you

　　along。　The　young　scamp　has　talent；　and　I　put　him　at　your　disposal。

　　He　is　twittering　like　a　sparrow　at　the　very　idea　of　amusing

　　himself　at　the　chateau　de　Presles。



　　Adieu；　my　dear　Joseph；　if　I　am　still　absent；　and　should　send

　　nothing　to　next　year's　Salon；　you　must　take　my　place。　Yes；　dear

　　Jojo；　I　know　your　picture　is　a　masterpiece；　but　a　masterpiece

　　which　will　rouse　a　hue　and　cry　about　romanticism；　you　are　doomed

　　to　lead　the　life　of　a　devil　in　holy　water。　Adieu。



　　Thy　friend；



　　Schinner





Here　follows　the　letter　of　Desroches：



　　My　dear　Joseph；Your　Monsieur　Hochon　strikes　me　as　an　old　man

　　full　of　common…sense；　and　you　give　me　a　high　idea　of　his　methods；

　　he　is　perfectly　right。　My　advice；　since　you　ask　it；　is　that　your

　　mother　should　remain　at　Issoudun　with　Madame　Hochon；　paying　a

　　small　board；say　four　hundred　francs　a　year；to　reimburse　her

　　hosts　for　what　she　eats。　Madame　Bridau　ought；　in　my　opinion；　to

　　follow　Monsieur　Hochon's　advice　in　everything；　for　your　excellent

　　mother　will　have　many　scruples　in　dealing　with　persons　who　have　no

　　scruple　at　all；　and　whose　behavior　to　her　is　a　master…stroke　of

　　policy。　That　Maxence；　you　are　right　enough；　is　dangerous。　He　is

　　another　Philippe；　but　of　a　different　calibre。　The　scoundrel　makes

　　his　vices　serve　his　fortunes；　and　gets　his　amusement　gratis；

　　whereas　your　brother's　follies　are　never　useful　to　him。　All　that

　　you　say　alarms　me；　but　I　could　do　no　good　by　going　to　Issoudun。

　　Monsieur　Hochon；　acting　behind　your　mother；　will　be　more　useful　to

　　you　than　I。　As　for　you；　you　had　better　come　back　here；　you　are

　　good　for　nothing　in　a　matter　which　requires　continual　attention；

　　careful　observation；　servile　civilities；　discretion　in　speech；　and

　　a　dissimulation　of　manner　and　gesture　which　is　wholly　against　the

　　grain　of　artists。



　　If　they　have　told　you　no　will　has　been　made；　you　may　be　quite　sure

　　they　have　possessed　one　for　a　long　time。　But　wills　can　be　revoked；

　　and　as　long　as　your　fool　of　an　uncle　lives　he　is　no　doubt

　　susceptible　of　being　worked　upon　by　remorse　and　religion。　Your

　　inheritance　will　be　the　result　of　a　combat　between　the　Church　and

　　the　Rabouilleuse。　There　will　inevitably　come　a　time　when　that

　　woman　will　lose　her　grip　on　the　old　man；　and　religion　will　be　all…

　　powerful。　So　long　as　your　uncle　makes　no　gift　of　the　property

　　during　his　lifetime；　and　does　not　change　the　nature　of　his　estate；

　　all　may　come　right　whenever　religion　gets　the　upper　hand。　For　this

　　reason；　you　must　beg　Monsieur　Hochon　to　keep　an　eye；　as　well　as　he

　　can；　on　the　condition　of　your　uncle's　property。　It　is　necessary　to

　　know　if　the　real　estate　is　mortgaged；　and　if　so；　where　and　in

　　whose　name　the　proceeds　are　invested。　It　is　so　easy　to　terrify　an

　　old　man　with　fears　about　his　life；　in　case　you　find　him　despoiling

　　his　own　property　for　the　sake　of　these　interlopers；　that　almost

　　any　heir　with　a　little　adroitness　could　stop　the　spoliation　at　its

　　outset。　But　how　should　your　mother；　with　her　ignorance　of　the

　　world；　her　disinterestedness；　and　her　religious　ideas；　know　how　to

　　manage　such　an　affair？　However；　I　am　not　able　to　throw　any　light

　　on　the　matter。　All　that　you　have　done　so　far　has　probably　given

　　the　alarm；　and　your　adversaries　may　already　have　secured

　　themselves



〃That　is　what　I　call　an　opinion　in　good　shape；〃　exclaimed　Monsieur

Hochon；　proud　of　being　himself　appreciated　by　a　Parisian　lawyer。



〃Oh！　Desroches　is　a　famous　fellow；〃　answered　Joseph。



〃It　would　be　well　to　read　that　letter　to　the　two　women；〃　said　the　old

man。



〃There　it　is；〃　said　Joseph；　giving　it　to　him；　〃as　to　me；　I　want　to　be

off　to…morrow；　and　I　am　now　going　to　say　good…by　to　my　uncle。〃



〃Ah！〃　said　Monsieur　Hochon；　〃I　see　that　Monsieur　Desroches　tells　you

in　a　postscript　to　burn　the　letter。〃



〃You　can　burn　it　after　showing　it　to　my　mother；〃　said　the　painter。



Joseph　dressed；　crossed　the　little　square；　and　called　on　his　uncle；

who　was　just　finishing　breakfast。　Max　and　Flore　were　at　table。



〃Don't　disturb　yourself；　my　dear　uncle；　I　have　only　come　to　say　good…

by。〃



〃You　are　going？〃　said　Max；　exchanging　glances　with　Flore。



〃Yes；　I　have　some　work　to　do　at　the　chateau　of　Monsieur　de　Serizy；　and

I　am　all　the　more　glad　of　it　because　his　arm　is　long　enough　to　do　a

service　to　my　poor　brother　in　the　Chamber　of　Peers。〃



〃Well；　well；　go　and　work〃；　said　old　Rouget；　with　a　silly　air。　Joseph

thought　him　extraordinarily　changed　within　a　few　days。　〃Men　must　work

I　am　sorry　you　are　going。〃



〃Oh！　my　mother　will　be　here　some　time　longer；〃　remarked　Joseph。



Max　made　a　movement　with　his　lips　which　the　Rabouilleuse　observed；　and

which　signified：　〃They　are　going　to　try　the　plan　Baruch　warned　me　of。〃



〃I　am　very　glad　I　came；〃　said　Joseph；　〃for　I　have　had　the　pleasure　of

making　your　acquaintance　and　you　have　enriched　my　studio〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Flore；　〃instead　of　enlightening　your　uncle　on　the　value　of

his　pictures；　which　is　now　estimated　at　over　one　hundred　thousand

francs；　you　have　packed　them　off　in　a　hurry　to　Paris。　Poor　dear　man！

he　is　no　better　than　a　baby！　We　have　just　been　told　of　a　little

treasure　at　Bourges；what　did　they　call　it？　a　Poussin；which　was　in

the　choir　of　the　cathedral　before　the　Revolution　and　is　now　worth；　all

by　itself；　thirty　thousand　francs。〃



〃That　was　not　right　of　you；　my　nephew；〃　said　Jean…Jacques；　at　a　sign

from　Max；　which　Joseph　could　not　see。



〃Come　now；　frankly；〃　said　the　soldier；　laughing；　〃on　your　honor；　what

should　you　say　those　pictures　were　worth？　You've　made　an　easy　haul　out

of　your　un