the two brothers-第42章

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state　you　were　in；　and　he　then　remembered　a　circumstance　which　goes　to

prove　that　the　assassin　was　not　your　son；　the　man　wore　list　shoes；

whereas　it　is　certain　that　Monsieur　Joseph　left　the　house　in　his

boots〃



〃Ah！　God　forgive　him　the　harm　he　has　done　me〃



The　fact　was；　a　man　had　left　a　note　for　Max；　after　dark；　written　in

type…letters；　which　ran　as　follows：



　　〃Captain　Gilet　ought　not　to　let　an　innocent　man　suffer。　He　who

　　struck　the　blow　promises　not　to　strike　again　if　Monsieur　Gilet

　　will　have　Monsieur　Joseph　Bridau　set　at　liberty；　without　naming

　　the　man　who　did　it。〃



After　reading　this　letter　and　burning　it；　Max　wrote　to　Monsieur

Mouilleron　stating　the　circumstance　of　the　list　shoes；　as　reported　by

Monsieur　Goddet；　begging　him　to　set　Joseph　at　liberty；　and　to　come　and

see　him　that　he　might　explain　the　matter　more　at　length。



By　the　time　this　letter　was　received；　Monsieur　Lousteau…Prangin　had

verified；　by　the　testimony　of　the　bell…ringer；　the　market…women　and

washerwomen；　and　the　miller's　men；　the　truth　of　Joseph's　explanation。

Max's　letter　made　his　innocence　only　the　more　certain；　and　Monsieur

Mouilleron　himself　escorted　him　back　to　the　Hochons'。　Joseph　was

greeted　with　such　overflowing　tenderness　by　his　mother　that　the　poor

misunderstood　son　gave　thanks　to　ill…lucklike　the　husband　to　the

thief；　in　La　Fontaine's　fablefor　a　mishap　which　brought　him　such

proofs　of　affection。



〃Oh；〃　said　Monsieur　Mouilleron；　with　a　self…satisfied　air；　〃I　knew　at

once　by　the　way　you　looked　at　the　angry　crowd　that　you　were　innocent；

but　whatever　I　may　have　thought；　any　one　who　knows　Issoudun　must　also

know　that　the　only　way　to　protect　you　was　to　make　the　arrest　as　we

did。　Ah！　you　carried　your　head　high。〃



〃I　was　thinking　of　something　else；〃　said　the　artist　simply。　〃An

officer　in　the　army　told　me　that　he　was　once　stopped　in　Dalmatia　under

similar　circumstances　by　an　excited　populace；　in　the　early　morning　as

he　was　returning　from　a　walk。　This　recollection　came　into　my　mind；　and

I　looked　at　all　those　heads　with　the　idea　of　painting　a　revolt　of　the

year　1793。　Besides；　I　kept　saying　to　myself：　Blackguard　that　I　am！　I

have　only　got　my　deserts　for　coming　here　to　look　after　an　inheritance；

instead　of　painting　in　my　studio。〃



〃If　you　will　allow　me　to　offer　you　a　piece　of　advice；〃　said　the

procureur　du　roi；　〃you　will　take　a　carriage　to…night；　which　the

postmaster　will　lend　you；　and　return　to　Paris　by　the　diligence　from

Bourges。〃



〃That　is　my　advice　also；〃　said　Monsieur　Hochon；　who　was　burning　with　a

desire　for　the　departure　of　his　guests。



〃My　most　earnest　wish　is　to　get　away　from　Issoudun；　though　I　leave　my

only　friend　here；〃　said　Agathe；　kissing　Madame　Hochon's　hand。　〃When

shall　I　see　you　again？〃



〃Ah！　my　dear；　never　until　we　meet　above。　We　have　suffered　enough　here

below；〃　she　added　in　a　low　voice；　〃for　God　to　take　pity　upon　us。〃



Shortly　after；　while　Monsieur　Mouilleron　had　gone　across　the　way　to

talk　with　Max；　Gritte　greatly　astonished　Monsieur　and　Madame　Hochon；

Agathe；　Joseph；　and　Adolphine　by　announcing　the　visit　of　Monsieur

Rouget。　Jean…Jacques　came　to　bid　his　sister　good…by；　and　to　offer　her

his　caleche　for　the　drive　to　Bourges。



〃Ah！　your　pictures　have　been　a　great　evil　to　us；〃　said　Agathe。



〃Keep　them；　my　sister；〃　said　the　old　man；　who　did　not　even　now　believe

in　their　value。



〃Neighbor；〃　remarked　Monsieur　Hochon；　〃our　best　friends；　our　surest

defenders；　are　our　own　relations；　above　all；　when　they　are　such　as

your　sister　Agathe；　and　your　nephew　Joseph。〃



〃Perhaps　so；〃　said　old　Rouget　in　his　dull　way。



〃We　ought　all　to　think　of　ending　our　days　in　a　Christian　manner；〃　said

Madame　Hochon。



〃Ah！　Jean…Jacques；〃　said　Agathe；　〃what　a　day　this　has　been！〃



〃Will　you　accept　my　carriage？〃　asked　Rouget。



〃No；　brother；〃　answered　Madame　Bridau；　〃I　thank　you；　and　wish　you

health　and　comfort。〃



Rouget　let　his　sister　and　nephew　kiss　him；　and　then　he　went　away

without　manifesting　any　feeling　himself。　Baruch；　at　a　hint　from　his

grandfather；　had　been　to　see　the　postmaster。　At　eleven　o'clock　that

night；　the　two　Parisians；　ensconced　in　a　wicker　cabriolet　drawn　by　one

horse　and　ridden　by　a　postilion；　quitted　Issoudun。　Adolphine　and

Madame　Hochon　parted　from　them　with　tears　in　their　eyes；　they　alone

regretted　Joseph　and　Agathe。



〃They　are　gone！〃　said　Francois　Hochon；　going；　with　the　Rabouilleuse；

into　Max's　bedroom。



〃Well　done！　the　trick　succeeded；〃　answered　Max；　who　was　now　tired　and

feverish。



〃But　what　did　you　say　to　old　Mouilleron？〃　asked　Francois。



〃I　told　him　that　I　had　given　my　assassin　some　cause　to　waylay　me；　that

he　was　a　dangerous　man　and　likely；　if　I　followed　up　the　affair；　to

kill　me　like　a　dog　before　he　could　be　captured。　Consequently；　I　begged

Mouilleron　and　Prangin　to　make　the　most　active　search　ostensibly；　but

really　to　let　the　assassin　go　in　peace；　unless　they　wished　to　see　me　a

dead　man。〃



〃I　do　hope；　Max；〃　said　Flore；　〃that　you　will　be　quiet　at　night　for

some　time　to　come。〃



〃At　any　rate；　we　are　delivered　from　the　Parisians！〃　cried　Max。　〃The

fellow　who　stabbed　me　had　no　idea　what　a　service　he　was　doing　us。〃



The　next　day；　the　departure　of　the　Parisians　was　celebrated　as　a

victory　of　the　provinces　over　Paris　by　every　one　in　Issoudun；　except

the　more　sober　and　staid　inhabitants；　who　shared　the　opinions　of

Monsieur　and　Madame　Hochon。　A　few　of　Max's　friends　spoke　very　harshly

of　the　Bridaus。



〃Do　those　Parisians　fancy　we　are　all　idiots；〃　cried　one；　〃and　think

they　have　only　got　to　hold　their　hats　and　catch　legacies？〃



〃They　came　to　fleece；　but　they　have　got　shorn　themselves；〃　said

another；　〃the　nephew　is　not　to　the　uncle's　taste。〃



〃And；　if　you　please；　they　actually　consulted　a　lawyer　in　Paris〃



〃Ah！　had　they　really　a　plan？〃



〃Why；　of　course；a　plan　to　get　possession　of　old　Rouget。　But　the

Parisians　were　not　clever　enough；　that　lawyer　can't　crow　over　us

Berrichons！〃



〃How　abominable！〃



〃That's　Paris　for　you！〃



〃The　Rabouilleuse　knew　they　came　to　attack　her；　and　she　defended

herself。〃



〃She　did　gloriously　right！〃



To　the　townspeople　at　large　the　Bridaus　were　Parisians　and　foreigners；

they　preferred　Max　and　Flore。



We　can　imagine　the　satisfaction　with　which；　after　this　campaign；

Joseph　and　Agathe　re…entered　their　little　lodging　in　the　rue　Mazarin。

On　the　journey；　the　artist　recovered　his　spirits；　which　had；　not

unnaturally；　been　put　to　flight　by　his　arrest　and　twenty…four　hours'

confinement；　but　he　could　not　cheer　up　his　mother。　The　Court　of　Peers

was　about　to　begin　the　trial　of　the　military　conspirators；　and　that

was　sufficient　to　keep　Agathe　from　recovering　her　peace　of　mind。

Philippe's　conduct；　in　spite　of　the　clever　defender　whom　Desroches

recommended　to　him；　roused　suspicions　that　were　unfavorable　to　his

character。　In　view　of　this；　Joseph；　as　soon　as　he　had　put　Desroches　in

possession　of　all　that　was　going　on　at　Issoudun；　started　with

Mistigris　for　the　chateau　of　the　Comte　de　Serizy；　to　escape　hearing

about　the　trial　of　the　conspirators；　which　lasted　for　twenty　days。



It　is　useless　to　record　facts　that　may　be　found　in　contemporaneous

histories。　Whether　it　were　that　he　played　a　part　previously　agreed

upon；　or　that　he　was　really　an　informer；　Philippe　was　condemned　to

five　years'　surveillance　by　the　police　department；　and　ordered　to

leave　Paris　the　same　day　for　Autun；　the　town　which　the　director…

general　of　police　selected　as　the　place　of　his　exile　for　five　years。

This　punishment　resembled　the　detention　of　prisoners　on　parole　who

have　a　town　for　a　prison。　Learning　that　the　Comte　de　Serizy；　one　of

the　peers　appointed　by　the　Chamber　on　the　court…martial；　was　employing

Joseph　to　decorate　his　chateau　at　Presles；　Desroches　begged　the

minister　to　grant　him　an　audience；　and　found　Monsieur　de　Serizy　most

amiably　disposed　toward　Joseph；　with　whom　he　had　happened　to　make

personal　acquaintance。　Desroches　explained　the　financial　condition　of

the　two　brothers；　recalling　the　services　of　the　father；　and　the

neglect　shown　to　them　under　the　Restoration。



〃Such　injustice；　monseigneur；〃　said　the　lawyer；　〃is　a　lasting　cause　of

irritation　and　discontent。　You　knew　the　father；　give　the　sons　a

chance；　at　least；　of　making　a　fortune〃



And　he　drew　a　succinct　picture　of　the　situation　of　the　family　affairs

at　Issoudun；　begging　the　all…powerful　vice…president　of　the　Council　of

State　to　take　steps　to　induce　the　director…general　of　police　to　change

Philippe's　place　of　residence　from　Autun　to　Issoudun。　He　also　spoke　of

Philippe's　extreme　poverty；　and　asked　a　dole　of　sixty　francs　a　month；

which　the　minister　of　war　ought；　he　said；　for　mere　shame's　sake；　to

grant　to　a　former　lieutenant…colonel。



〃I　will　obtain　all　you　ask　of　me；　for　I　think　it　just；〃　replied　the

count。



Three　days　later；　Desroches；　furnished　with　the　necessary　authority；

fetched　Philippe　from　the　prison　of　the　Court　of　Peers；　and　took　him

to　his　own　house；　rue　de　Bethizy。　Once　there；　the　young　barrister　read

the　miserable　vagabond　one　of　those　unanswerable　lectures　in　which

lawyers　rate　things　at　their　actual　value；　using　plain　terms　to

qualify　the　conduct；　and　to　analyze　and　reduce　to　their　simplest

meaning　the　sentiments　and　ideas　of　clients　toward　whom　they　feel

enough　interest　to　speak　plainly。　After　humbling　the　Emperor's　staff…

officer　by　reproaching　him　with　his　reckless　dissipations；　his

mother's　misfortunes；　and　the　death　of　Madame　Descoings；　he　went　on　to

tell　him　the　state　of　things　at　Issoudun；　explaining　it　according　to

his　lights；　and　probing　both　the　scheme　and　the　character　of　Maxence

Gilet　and　the　Rabouilleuse　to　their　depths。　Philippe；　who　was　gifted

with　a　keen　comprehension　in　such　directions；　listened　with　much　more

interest　to　this　part　of　Desroches's　lecture　than　to　what　had　gone

before。



〃Under　these　circumstances；〃　continued　the　lawyer；　〃you　can　repair　the

injury　you　have　done　to　your　estimable　family；so　far　at　least　as　it

is　reparable；　for　you　cannot　restore　life　to　the　poor　mother　you　have

all　but　killed。　But　you　alone　can〃



〃What　can　I　do？〃　asked　Philippe。



〃I　have　obtained　a　change　of　residence　for　you　from　Autun　to

Issoudun。〃



Philippe's　sunken　face；　which　had　grown　almost　sinister　in　expression

and　was　furrowed　with　sufferings　and　privation；　instantly　lighted　up

with　a　flash　of　joy。



〃And；　as　I　was　saying；　you　alone　can　recover　the　inheritance　of　old

Rouget's　property；　half　of　which　may　by　this　time　be　in　the　jaws　of

the　wolf　named　Gilet；〃　replied　Desroches。　〃You　now　know　all　the

particulars；　and　it　is　for　you　to　act　accordingly。　I　suggest　no　plan；

I　have　no　ideas　at　all　as　to　that；　besides；　everything　will　depend　on

local　circumstances。　You　have　to　deal　with　a　strong　force；　that　fellow

is　very　astute。　The　way　he　attempted　t