the two brothers-第44章

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Mademoiselle　Brazier。



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



〃He　was　smelling　after　your　money…bags；〃　said　Flore；　in　a　peremptory

tone。　〃My　advice　is　that　you　don't　let　him　into　the　house　again。〃



〃I'd　prefer　not　to；〃　replied　Rouget。



〃Monsieur；〃　said　Gritte；　entering　the　room　where　the　Hochon　family

were　all　assembled　after　breakfast；　〃here　is　the　Monsieur　Bridau　you

were　talking　about。〃



Philippe　made　his　entrance　politely；　in　the　midst　of　a　dead　silence

caused　by　general　curiosity。　Madame　Hochon　shuddered　from　head　to　foot

as　she　beheld　the　author　of　all　Agathe's　woes　and　the　murderer　of　good

old　Madame　Descoings。　Adolphine　also　felt　a　shock　of　fear。　Baruch　and

Francois　looked　at　each　other　in　surprise。　Old　Hochon　kept　his　self…

possession；　and　offered　a　seat　to　the　son　of　Madame　Bridau。



〃I　have　come；　monsieur；〃　said　Philippe；　〃to　introduce　myself　to　you；　I

am　forced　to　consider　how　I　can　manage　to　live　here；　for　five　years；

on　sixty　francs　a　month。〃



〃It　can　be　done；〃　said　the　octogenarian。



Philippe　talked　about　things　in　general；　with　perfect　propriety。　He

mentioned　the　journalist　Lousteau；　nephew　of　the　old　lady；　as　a　〃rara

avis；〃　and　won　her　good　graces　from　the　moment　she　heard　him　say　that

the　name　of　Lousteau　would　become　celebrated。　He　did　not　hesitate　to

admit　his　faults　of　conduct。　To　a　friendly　admonition　which　Madame

Hochon　addressed　to　him　in　a　low　voice；　he　replied　that　he　had

reflected　deeply　while　in　prison；　and　could　promise　that　in　future　he

would　live　another　life。



On　a　hint　from　Philippe；　Monsieur　Hochon　went　out　with　him　when　he

took　his　leave。　When　the　miser　and　the　soldier　reached　the　boulevard

Baron；　a　place　where　no　one　could　overhear　them；　the　colonel　turned　to

the　old　man；



〃Monsieur；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　will　be　guided　by　me；　we　will　never　speak

together　of　matters　and　things；　or　people　either；　unless　we　are

walking　in　the　open　country；　or　in　places　where　we　cannot　be　heard。

Maitre　Desroches　has　fully　explained　to　me　the　influence　of　the　gossip

of　a　little　town。　Therefore　I　don't　wish　you　to　be　suspected　of

advising　me；　though　Desroches　has　told　me　to　ask　for　your　advice；　and

I　beg　you　not　to　be　chary　of　giving　it。　We　have　a　powerful　enemy　in

our　front；　and　it　won't　do　to　neglect　any　precaution　which　may　help　to

defeat　him。　In　the　first　place；　therefore；　excuse　me　if　I　do　not　call

upon　you　again。　A　little　coldness　between　us　will　clear　you　of　all

suspicion　of　influencing　my　conduct。　When　I　want　to　consult　you；　I

will　pass　along　the　square　at　half…past　nine；　just　as　you　are　coming

out　after　breakfast。　If　you　see　me　carry　my　cane　on　my　shoulder；　that

will　mean　that　we　must　meetaccidentallyin　some　open　space　which

you　will　point　out　to　me。〃



〃I　see　you　are　a　prudent　man；　bent　on　success；〃　said　old　Hochon。



〃I　shall　succeed；　monsieur。　First　of　all；　give　me　the　names　of　the

officers　of　the　old　army　now　living　in　Issoudun；　who　have　not　taken

sides　with　Maxence　Gilet；　I　wish　to　make　their　acquaintance。〃



〃Well；　there's　a　captain　of　the　artillery　of　the　Guard；　Monsieur

Mignonnet；　a　man　about　forty　years　of　age；　who　was　brought　up　at　the

Ecole　Polytechnique；　and　lives　in　a　quiet　way。　He　is　a　very　honorable

man；　and　openly　disapproves　of　Max；　whose　conduct　he　considers

unworthy　of　a　true　soldier。〃



〃Good！〃　remarked　the　lieutenant…colonel。



〃There　are　not　many　soldiers　here　of　that　stripe；〃　resumed　Monsieur

Hochon；　〃the　only　other　that　I　know　is　an　old　cavalry　captain。〃



〃That　is　my　arm；〃　said　Philippe。　〃Was　he　in　the　Guard？〃



〃Yes；〃　replied　Monsieur　Hochon。　〃Carpentier　was；　in　1810；　sergeant…

major　in　the　dragoons；　then　he　rose　to　be　sub…lieutenant　in　the　line；

and　subsequently　captain　of　cavalry。〃



〃Giroudeau　may　know　him；〃　thought　Philippe。



〃This　Monsieur　Carpentier　took　the　place　in　the　mayor's　office　which

Gilet　threw　up；　he　is　a　friend　of　Monsieur　Mignonnet。〃



〃How　can　I　earn　my　living　here？〃



〃They　are　going；　I　think；　to　establish　a　mutual　insurance　agency　in

Issoudun；　for　the　department　of　the　Cher；　you　might　get　a　place　in　it；

but　the　pay　won't　be　more　than　fifty　francs　a　month　at　the　outside。〃



〃That　will　be　enough。〃



At　the　end　of　a　week　Philippe　had　a　new　suit　of　clothes；coat；

waistcoat；　and　trousers；of　good　blue　Elbeuf　cloth；　bought　on　credit；

to　be　paid　for　at　so　much　a　month；　also　new　boots；　buckskin　gloves；

and　a　hat。　Giroudeau　sent　him　some　linen；　with　his　weapons　and　a

letter　for　Carpentier；　who　had　formerly　served　under　Giroudeau。　The

letter　secured　him　Carpentier's　good…will；　and　the　latter　presented

him　to　his　friend　Mignonnet　as　a　man　of　great　merit　and　the　highest

character。　Philippe　won　the　admiration　of　these　worthy　officers　by

confiding　to　them　a　few　facts　about　the　late　conspiracy；　which　was；　as

everybody　knows；　the　last　attempt　of　the　old　army　against　the

Bourbons；　for　the　affair　of　the　sergeants　at　La　Rochelle　belongs　to

another　order　of　ideas。



Warned　by　the　fate　of　the　conspiracy　of　the　19th　of　August；　1820；　and

of　those　of　Berton　and　Caron；　the　soldiers　of　the　old　army　resigned

themselves；　after　their　failure　in　1822；　to　await　events。　This　last

conspiracy；　which　grew　out　of　that　of　the　19th　of　August；　was　really　a

continuation　of　the　latter；　carried　on　by　a　better　element。　Like　its

predecessor；　it　was　absolutely　unknown　to　the　royal　government。

Betrayed　once　more；　the　conspirators　had　the　wit　to　reduce　their　vast

enterprise　to　the　puny　proportions　of　a　barrack　plot。　This　conspiracy；

in　which　several　regiments　of　cavalry；　infantry；　and　artillery　were

concerned；　had　its　centre　in　the　north　of　France。　The　strong　places

along　the　frontier　were　to　be　captured　at　a　blow。　If　success　had

followed；　the　treaties　of　1815　would　have　been　broken　by　a　federation

with　Belgium；　which；　by　a　military　compact　made　among　the　soldiers；

was　to　withdraw　from　the　Holy　Alliance。　Two　thrones　would　have　been

plunged　in　a　moment　into　the　vortex　of　this　sudden　cyclone。　Instead　of

this　formidable　schemeconcerted　by　strong　minds　and　supported　by

personages　of　high　rankbeing　carried　out；　one　small　part　of　it；　and

that　only；　was　discovered　and　brought　before　the　Court　of　Peers。

Philippe　Bridau　consented　to　screen　the　leaders；　who　retired　the

moment　the　plot　was　discovered　（either　by　treachery　or　accident）；　and

from　their　seats　in　both　Chambers　lent　their　co…operation　to　the

inquiry　only　to　work　for　the　ultimate　success　of　their　purpose　at　the

heart　of　the　government。



To　recount　this　scheme；　which；　since　1830；　the　Liberals　have　openly

confessed　in　all　its　ramifications；　would　trench　upon　the　domain　of

history　and　involve　too　long　a　digression。　This　glimpse　of　it　is

enough　to　show　the　double　part　which　Philippe　Bridau　undertook　to

play。　The　former　staff…officer　of　the　Emperor　was　to　lead　a　movement

in　Paris　solely　for　the　purpose　of　masking　the　real　conspiracy　and

occupying　the　mind　of　the　government　at　its　centre；　while　the　great

struggle　should　burst　forth　at　the　north。　When　the　latter　miscarried

before　discovery；　Philippe　was　ordered　to　break　all　links　connecting

the　two　plots；　and　to　allow　the　secrets　of　the　secondary　plot　only　to

become　known。　For　this　purpose；　his　abject　misery；　to　which　his　state

of　health　and　his　clothing　bore　witness；　was　amply　sufficient　to

undervalue　the　character　of　the　conspiracy　and　reduce　its　proportions

in　the　eyes　of　the　authorities。　The　role　was　well　suited　to　the

precarious　position　of　the　unprincipled　gambler。　Feeling　himself

astride　of　both　parties；　the　crafty　Philippe　played　the　saint　to　the

royal　government；　all　the　while　retaining　the　good　opinion　of　the　men

in　high　places　who　were　of　the　other　party；determined　to　cast　in　his

lot　at　a　later　day　with　whichever　side　he　might　then　find　most　to　his

advantage。



These　revelations　as　to　the　vast　bearings　of　the　real　conspiracy　made

Philippe　a　man　of　great　distinction　in　the　eyes　of　Carpentier　and

Mignonnet；　to　whom　his　self…devotion　seemed　a　state…craft　worthy　of

the　palmy　days　of　the　Convention。　In　a　short　time　the　tricky

Bonapartist　was　seen　to　be　on　friendly　terms　with　the　two　officers；

and　the　consideration　they　enjoyed　in　the　town　was；　of　course；　shared

by　him。　He　soon　obtained；　through　their　recommendation；　the　situation

in　the　insurance　office　that　old　Hochon　had　suggested；　which　required

only　three　hours　of　his　day。　Mignonnet　and　Carpentier　put　him　up　at

their　club；　where　his　good　manners　and　bearing；　in　keeping　with　the

high　opinion　which　the　two　officers　expressed　about　him；　won　him　a

respect　often　given　to　external　appearances　that　are　only　deceitful。



Philippe；　whose　conduct　was　carefully　considered　and　planned；　had

indeed　made　many　reflections　while　in　prison　as　to　the　inconveniences

of　leading　a　debauched　life。　He　did　not　need　Desroches's　lecture　to

understand　the　necessity　of　conciliating　the　people　at　Issoudun　by

decent；　sober；　and　respectable　conduct。　Delighted　to　attract　Max's

ridicule　by　behaving　with　the　propriety　of　a　Mignonnet；　he　went

further；　and　endeavored　to　lull　Gilet's　suspicions　by　deceiving　him　as

to　his　real　character。　He　was　bent　on　being　taken　for　a　fool　by

appearing　generous　and　disinterested；　all　the　while　drawing　a　net

around　his　adversary；　and　keeping　his　eye　on　his　uncle's　property。　His

mother　and　brother；　on　the　contrary；　who　were　really　disinterested；

generous；　and　lofty；　had　been　accused　of　greed　because　they　had　acted

with　straightforward　simplicity。　Philippe's　covetousness　was　fully

roused　by　Monsieur　Hochon；　who　gave　him　all　the　details　of　his　uncle's

property。　In　the　first　secret　conversation　which　he　held　with　the

octogenarian；　they　agreed　that　Philippe　must　not　awaken　Max's

suspicions；　for　the　game　would　be　lost　if　Flore　and　Max　were　to　carry

off　their　victim；　though　no　further　than　Bourges。



Once　a　week　the　colonel　dined　with　Mignonnet；　another　day　with

Carpentier；　and　every　Thursday　with　Monsieur　Hochon。　At　the　end　of

three　weeks　he　received　other　invitations　for　the　remaining　days；　so

that　he　had　little　more　than　his　breakfast　to　provide。　He　never　spoke

of　his　uncle；　nor　of　the　Rabouilleuse；　nor　of　Gilet；　unless　it　were　in

connection　with　his　mother　and　his　brother's　stay　in　Issoudun。　The

three　officersthe　only　soldiers　in　the　town　who　were　decorated；　and

among　whom　Philippe　had　the　advantage　of　the　rosette；　which　in　the

eyes　of　all　provincials　gave　him　a　marked　superioritytook　a　habit　of

walking　together　every　day　before　dinner；　keeping；　as　the　saying　is；

to　themselves。　This　reserve　and　tranquillity　of　demeanor　had　an

excellent　effect　on　Issoudun。　All　Max's　adherents　thought　Philippe　a

〃sabreur；〃an　expression　applied　by　soldiers　to　the　commonest　sort　of

courage　in　their　superior　officers；　while　denying　that　they　possess

the　requisite　qualities　of　a　commander。



〃He　is　a　very　honorable　man；〃　said　Go