the two brothers-第43章

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

is　very　astute。　The　way　he　attempted　to　get　back　the　pictures　your

uncle　had　given　to　Joseph；　the　audacity　with　which　he　laid　a　crime　on

your　poor　brother's　shoulders；　all　go　to　prove　that　the　adversary　is

capable　of　everything。　Therefore；　be　prudent；　and　try　to　behave

properly　out　of　policy；　if　you　can't　do　so　out　of　decency。　Without

telling　Joseph；　whose　artist's　pride　would　be　up　in　arms；　I　have　sent

the　pictures　to　Monsieur　Hochon；　telling　him　to　give　them　up　to　no　one

but　you。　By　the　way；　Maxence　Gilet　is　a　brave　man。〃



〃So　much　the　better；〃　said　Philippe；　〃I　count　on　his　courage　for

success；　a　coward　would　leave　Issoudun。〃



〃Well；think　of　your　mother　who　has　been　so　devoted　to　you；　and　of

your　brother；　whom　you　made　your　milch　cow。〃



〃Ah！　did　he　tell　you　that　nonsense？〃　cried　Philippe。



〃Am　I　not　the　friend　of　the　family；　and　don't　I　know　much　more　about

you　than　they　do？〃　asked　Desroches。



〃What　do　you　know？〃　said　Philippe。



〃That　you　betrayed　your　comrades。〃



〃I！〃　exclaimed　Philippe。　〃I！　a　staff…officer　of　the　Emperor！　Absurd！

Why；　we　fooled　the　Chamber　of　Peers；　the　lawyers；　the　government；　and

the　whole　of　the　damned　concern。　The　king's　people　were　completely

hood…winked。〃



〃That's　all　very　well；　if　it　was　so；〃　answered　the　lawyer。　〃But；　don't

you　see；　the　Bourbons　can't　be　overthrown；　all　Europe　is　backing　them；

and　you　ought　to　try　to　make　your　peace　with　the　war　department；you

could　do　that　readily　enough　if　you　were　rich。　To　get　rich；　you　and

your　brother；　you　must　lay　hold　of　your　uncle。　If　you　will　take　the

trouble　to　manage　an　affair　which　needs　great　cleverness；　patience；

and　caution；　you　have　enough　work　before　you　to　occupy　your　five

years。〃



〃No；　no；〃　cried　Philippe；　〃I　must　take　the　bull　by　the　horns　at　once。

This　Maxence　may　alter　the　investment　of　the　property　and　put　it　in

that　woman's　name；　and　then　all　would　be　lost。〃



〃Monsieur　Hochon　is　a　good　adviser；　and　sees　clearly；　consult　him。　You

have　your　orders　from　the　police；　I　have　taken　your　place　in　the

Orleans　diligence　for　half…past　seven　o'clock　this　evening。　I　suppose

your　trunk　is　ready；　so；　now　come　and　dine。〃



〃I　own　nothing　but　what　I　have　got　on　my　back；〃　said　Philippe；　opening

his　horrible　blue　overcoat；　〃but　I　only　need　three　things；　which　you

must　tell　Giroudeau；　the　uncle　of　Finot；　to　send　me；my　sabre；　my

sword；　and　my　pistols。〃



〃You　need　more　than　that；〃　said　the　lawyer；　shuddering　as　he　looked　at

his　client。　〃You　will　receive　a　quarterly　stipend　which　will　clothe

you　decently。〃



〃Bless　me！　are　you　here；　Godeschal？〃　cried　Philippe；　recognizing　in

Desroches's　head…clerk；　as　they　passed　out；　the　brother　of　Mariette。



〃Yes；　I　have　been　with　Monsieur　Desroches　for　the　last　two　months。〃



〃And　he　will　stay　with　me；　I　hope；　till　he　gets　a　business　of　his

own；〃　said　Desroches。



〃How　is　Mariette？〃　asked　Philippe；　moved　at　his　recollections。



〃She　is　getting　ready　for　the　opening　of　the　new　theatre。〃



〃It　would　cost　her　little　trouble　to　get　my　sentence　remitted；〃　said

Philippe。　〃However；　as　she　chooses！〃



After　a　meagre　dinner；　given　by　Desroches　who　boarded　his　head…clerk；

the　two　lawyers　put　the　political　convict　in　the　diligence；　and　wished

him　good　luck。







CHAPTER　XIV



On　the　second　of　November；　All…Souls'　day；　Philippe　Bridau　appeared

before　the　commissary　of　police　at　Issoudun；　to　have　the　date　of　his

arrival　recorded　on　his　papers；　and　by　that　functionary's　advice　he

went　to　lodge　in　the　rue　l'Avenier。　The　news　of　the　arrival　of　an

officer；　banished　on　account　of　the　late　military　conspiracy；　spread

rapidly　through　the　town；　and　caused　all　the　more　excitement　when　it

was　known　that　this　officer　was　a　brother　of　the　painter　who　had　been

falsely　accused。　Maxence　Gilet；　by　this　time　entirely　recovered　from

his　wound；　had　completed　the　difficult　operation　of　turning　all　Pere

Rouget's　mortgages　into　money；　and　putting　the　proceeds　in　one　sum；　on

the　〃grand…livre。〃　The　loan　of　one　hundred　and　forty　thousand　francs

obtained　by　the　old　man　on　his　landed　property　had　caused　a　great

sensation；for　everything　is　known　in　the　provinces。　Monsieur　Hochon；

in　the　Bridau　interest；　was　much　put　about　by　this　disaster；　and

questioned　old　Monsieur　Heron；　the　notary　at　Bourges；　as　to　the　object

of　it。



〃The　heirs　of　old　Rouget；　if　old　Rouget　changes　his　mind；　ought　to

make　me　a　votive　offering；〃　cried　Monsieur　Heron。　〃If　it　had　not　been

for　me；　the　old　fellow　would　have　allowed　the　fifty　thousand　francs'

income　to　stand　in　the　name　of　Maxence　Gilet。　I　told　Mademoiselle

Brazier　that　she　ought　to　look　to　the　will　only；　and　not　run　the　risk

of　a　suit　for　spoliation；　seeing　what　numerous　proofs　these　transfers

in　every　direction　would　give　against　them。　To　gain　time；　I　advised

Maxence　and　his　mistress　to　keep　quiet；　and　let　this　sudden　change　in

the　usual　business　habits　of　the　old　man　be　forgotten。〃



〃Protect　the　Bridaus；　for　they　have　nothing；〃　said　Monsieur　Hochon；

who　in　addition　to　all　other　reasons；　could　not　forgive　Gilet　the

terrors　he　had　endured　when　fearing　the　pillage　of　his　house。



Maxence　Gilet　and　Flore　Brazier；　now　secure　against　all　attack；　were

very　merry　over　the　arrival　of　another　of　old　Rouget's　nephews。　They

knew　they　were　able；　at　the　first　signal　of　danger；　to　make　the　old

man　sign　a　power　of　attorney　under　which　the　money　in　the　Funds　could

be　transferred　either　to　Max　or　Flore。　If　the　will　leaving　Flore　the

principal；　should　be　revoked；　an　income　of　fifty　thousand　francs　was　a

very　tolerable　crumb　of　comfort；more　particularly　after　squeezing

from　the　real　estate　that　mortgage　of　a　hundred　and　forty　thousand。



The　day　after　his　arrival；　Philippe　called　upon　his　uncle　about　ten

o'clock　in　the　morning；　anxious　to　present　himself　in　his　dilapidated

clothing。　When　the　convalescent　of　the　Hopital　du　Midi；　the　prisoner

of　the　Luxembourg；　entered　the　room；　Flore　Brazier　felt　a　shiver　pass

over　her　at　the　repulsive　sight。　Gilet　himself　was　conscious　of　that

particular　disturbance　both　of　mind　and　body；　by　which　Nature

sometimes　warns　us　of　a　latent　enmity；　or　a　coming　danger。　If　there

was　something　indescribably　sinister　in　Philippe's　countenance；　due　to

his　recent　misfortunes；　the　effect　was　heightened　by　his　clothes。　His

forlorn　blue　great…coat　was　buttoned　in　military　fashion　to　the

throat；　for　painful　reasons；　and　yet　it　showed　much　that　it　pretended

to　conceal。　The　bottom　edges　of　the　trousers；　ragged　like　those　of　an

almshouse　beggar；　were　the　sign　of　abject　poverty。　The　boots　left　wet

splashes　on　the　floor；　as　the　mud　oozed　from　fissures　in　the　soles。

The　gray　hat；　which　the　colonel　held　in　his　hand；　was　horribly　greasy

round　the　rim。　The　malacca　cane；　from　which　the　polish　had　long

disappeared；　must　have　stood　in　all　the　corners　of　all　the　cafes　in

Paris；　and　poked　its　worn…out　end　into　many　a　corruption。　Above　the

velvet　collar；　rubbed　and　worn　till　the　frame　showed　through　it；　rose

a　head　like　that　which　Frederick　Lemaitre　makes　up　for　the　last　act　in

〃The　Life　of　a　Gambler；〃where　the　exhaustion　of　a　man　still　in　the

prime　of　life　is　betrayed　by　the　metallic；　brassy　skin；　discolored　as

if　with　verdigris。　Such　tints　are　seen　on　the　faces　of　debauched

gamblers　who　spend　their　nights　in　play：　the　eyes　are　sunken　in　a

dusky　circle；　the　lids　are　reddened　rather　than　red；　the　brow　is

menacing　from　the　wreck　and　ruin　it　reveals。　Philippe's　cheeks；　which

were　sunken　and　wrinkled；　showed　signs　of　the　illness　from　which　he

had　scarcely　recovered。　His　head　was　bald；　except　for　a　fringe　of　hair

at　the　back　which　ended　at　the　ears。　The　pure　blue　of　his　brilliant

eyes　had　acquired　the　cold　tones　of　polished　steel。



〃Good…morning；　uncle；〃　he　said；　in　a　hoarse　voice。　〃I　am　your　nephew；

Philippe　Bridau；a　specimen　of　how　the　Bourbons　treat　a　lieutenant…

colonel；　an　old　soldier　of　the　old　army；　one　who　carried　the　Emperor's

orders　at　the　battle　of　Montereau。　If　my　coat　were　to　open；　I　should

be　put　to　shame　in　presence　of　Mademoiselle。　Well；　it　is　the　rule　of

the　game！　We　hoped　to　begin　it　again；　we　tried　it；　and　we　have　failed！

I　am　to　reside　in　your　city　by　the　order　of　the　police；　with　a　full

pay　of　sixty　francs　a　month。　So　the　inhabitants　needn't　fear　that　I

shall　raise　the　price　of　provisions！　I　see　you　are　in　good　and　lovely

company。〃



〃Ah！　you　are　my　nephew；〃　said　Jean…Jacques。



〃Invite　monsieur　le　colonel　to　breakfast　with　us；〃　said　Flore。



〃No；　I　thank　you；　madame；〃　answered　Philippe；　〃I　have　breakfasted。

Besides；　I　would　cut　off　my　hand　sooner　than　ask　a　bit　of　bread　or　a

farthing　from　my　uncle；　after　the　treatment　my　mother　and　brother

received　in　this　town。　It　did　not　seem　proper；　however；　that　I　should

settle　here；　in　Issoudun；　without　paying　my　respects　to　him　from　time

to　time。　You　can　do　what　you　like；〃　he　added；　offering　the　old　man　his

hand；　into　which　Rouget　put　his　own；　which　Philippe　shook；　〃whatever

you　like。　I　shall　have　nothing　to　say　against　it；　provided　the　honor

of　the　Bridaus　is　untouched。〃



Gilet　could　look　at　the　lieutenant…colonel　as　much　as　he　pleased；　for

Philippe　pointedly　avoided　casting　his　eyes　in　his　direction。　Max；

though　the　blood　boiled　in　his　veins；　was　too　well　aware　of　the

importance　of　behaving　with　political　prudencewhich　occasionally

resembles　cowardiceto　take　fire　like　a　young　man；　he　remained；

therefore；　perfectly　calm　and　cold。



〃It　wouldn't　be　right；　monsieur；〃　said　Flore；　〃to　live　on　sixty　francs

a　month　under　the　nose　of　an　uncle　who　has　forty　thousand　francs　a

year；　and　who　has　already　behaved　so　kindly　to　Captain　Gilet；　his

natural　relation；　here　present〃



〃Yes；　Philippe；〃　cried　the　old　man；　〃you　must　see　that！〃



On　Flore's　presentation；　Philippe　made　a　half…timid　bow　to　Max。



〃Uncle；　I　have　some　pictures　to　return　to　you；　they　are　now　at

Monsieur　Hochon's。　Will　you　be　kind　enough　to　come　over　some　day　and

identify　them。〃



Saying　these　last　words　in　a　curt　tone；　lieutenant…colonel　Philippe

Bridau　departed。　The　tone　of　his　visit　made；　if　possible；　a　deeper

impression　on　Flore's　mind；　and　also　on　that　of　Max；　than　the　shock

they　had　felt　at　the　first　sight　of　that　horrible　campaigner。　As　soon

as　Philippe　had　slammed　the　door；　with　the　violence　of　a　disinherited

heir；　Max　and　Flore　hid　behind　the　window…curtains　to　watch　him　as　he

crossed　the　road；　to　the　Hochons'。



〃What　a　vagabond！〃　exclaimed　Flore；　questioning　Max　with　a　glance　of

her　eye。



〃Yes；　unfortunately　there　were　men　like　him　in　the　armies　of　the

Emperor；　I　sent　seven　to　the　shades　at　Cabrera；〃　answered　Gilet。



〃I　do　hope；　Max；　that　you　won't　pick　a　quarrel　with　that　fellow；〃　said

Mademoiselle　Brazier。



〃He　smelt　so　of　tobacco；〃　complained　the　old　man。



〃He