the two brothers-第47章

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youthunder！　I'll　thrash　her。〃



〃Oh！　I　never　could　allow　that。　A　blow　struck　at　Flore　would　break　my

heart。〃



〃But　it　is　the　only　way　to　govern　women　and　horses。　A　man　makes

himself　feared；　or　loved；　or　respected。　Now　that　is　what　I　wanted　to

whisper　in　your　earGood…morning；　gentlemen；〃　he　said　to　Mignonnet

and　Carpentier；　who　came　up　at　the　moment；　〃I　am　taking　my　uncle　for　a

walk；　as　you　see；　and　trying　to　improve　him；　for　we　are　in　an　age　when

children　are　obliged　to　educate　their　grandparents。〃



They　all　bowed　to　each　other。



〃You　behold　in　my　dear　uncle　the　effects　of　an　unhappy　passion。　Those

two　want　to　strip　him　of　his　fortune　and　leave　him　in　the　lurchyou

know　to　whom　I　refer？　He　sees　the　plot；　but　he　hasn't　the　courage　to

give　up　his　SUGAR…PLUM　for　a　few　days　so　as　to　baffle　it。〃



Philippe　briefly　explained　his　uncle's　position。



〃Gentlemen；〃　he　remarked；　in　conclusion；　〃you　see　there　are　no　two

ways　of　saving　him：　either　Colonel　Bridau　must　kill　Captain　Gilet；　or

Captain　Gilet　must　kill　Colonel　Bridau。　We　celebrate　the　Emperor's

coronation　on　the　day　after　to…morrow；　I　rely　upon　you　to　arrange　the

seats　at　the　banquet　so　that　I　shall　sit　opposite　to　Gilet。　You　will

do　me　the　honor；　I　hope；　of　being　my　seconds。〃



〃We　will　appoint　you　to　preside；　and　sit　ourselves　on　either　side　of

you。　Max；　as　vice…president；　will　of　course　sit　opposite；〃　said

Mignonnet。



〃Oh！　the　scoundrel　will　have　Potel　and　Renard　with　him；〃　said

Carpentier。　〃In　spite　of　all　that　Issoudun　now　knows　and　says　of　his

midnight　maraudings；　those　two　worthy　officers；　who　have　already　been

his　seconds；　remain　faithful　to　him。〃



〃You　see　how　it　all　maps　out；　uncle；〃　said　Philippe。　〃Therefore；　sign

no　paper　before　the　third　of　December；　the　next　day　you　shall　be　free；

happy；　and　beloved　by　Flore；　without　having　to　coax　for　it。〃



〃You　don't　know　him；　Philippe；〃　said　the　terrified　old　man。　〃Maxence

has　killed　nine　men　in　duels。〃



〃Yes；　but　ninety　thousand　francs　a　year　didn't　depend　on　it；〃　answered

Philippe。



〃A　bad　conscience　shakes　the　hand；〃　remarked　Mignonnet　sententiously。



〃In　a　few　days　from　now；〃　resumed　Philippe；　〃you　and　the　Rabouilleuse

will　be　living　together　as　sweet　as　honey；that　is；　after　she　gets

through　mourning。　At　first　she'll　twist　like　a　worm；　and　yelp；　and

weep；　but　never　mind；　let　the　water　run！〃



The　two　soldiers　approved　of　Philippe's　arguments；　and　tried　to

hearten　up　old　Rouget；　with　whom　they　walked　about　for　nearly　two

hours。　At　last　Philippe　took　his　uncle　home；　saying　as　they　parted：



〃Don't　take　any　steps　without　me。　I　know　women。　I　have　paid　for　one；

who　cost　me　far　more　than　Flore　can　ever　cost　you。　But　she　taught　me

how　to　behave　to　the　fair　sex　for　the　rest　of　my　days。　Women　are　bad

children；　they　are　inferior　animals　to　men；　we　must　make　them　fear　us；

the　worst　condition　in　the　world　is　to　be　governed　by　such　brutes。〃



It　was　about　half…past　two　in　the　afternoon　when　the　old　man　got　home。

Kouski　opened　the　door　in　tears；that　is；　by　Max's　orders；　he　gave

signs　of　weeping。



〃Oh！　Monsieur；　Madame　has　gone　away；　and　taken　Vedie　with　her！〃



〃Goneaway！〃　said　the　old　man　in　a　strangled　voice。



The　blow　was　so　violent　that　Rouget　sat　down　on　the　stairs；　unable　to

stand。　A　moment　after；　he　rose；　looked　about　the　hall；　into　the

kitchen；　went　up　to　his　own　room；　searched　all　the　chambers；　and

returned　to　the　salon；　where　he　threw　himself　into　a　chair；　and　burst

into　tears。



〃Where　is　she？〃　he　sobbed。　〃Oh！　where　is　she？　where　is　Max？〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　answered　Kouski。　〃The　captain　went　out　without　telling

me。〃



Gilet　thought　it　politic　to　be　seen　sauntering　about　the　town。　By

leaving　the　old　man　alone　with　his　despair；　he　knew　he　should　make　him

feel　his　desertion　the　more　keenly；　and　reduce　him　to　docility。　To

keep　Philippe　from　assisting　his　uncle　at　this　crisis；　he　had　given

Kouski　strict　orders　not　to　open　the　door　to　any　one。　Flore　away；　the

miserable　old　man　grew　frantic；　and　the　situation　of　things　approached

a　crisis。　During　his　walk　through　the　town；　Maxence　Gilet　was　avoided

by　many　persons　who　a　day　or　two　earlier　would　have　hastened　to　shake

hands　with　him。　A　general　reaction　had　set　in　against　him。　The　deeds

of　the　Knights　of　Idleness　were　ringing　on　every　tongue。　The　tale　of

Joseph　Bridau's　arrest；　now　cleared　up；　disgraced　Max　in　the　eyes　of

all；　and　his　life　and　conduct　received　in　one　day　their　just　award。

Gilet　met　Captain　Potel；　who　was　looking　for　him；　and　seemed　almost

beside　himself。



〃What's　the　matter　with　you；　Potel？〃



〃My　dear　fellow；　the　Imperial　Guard　is　being　black…guarded　all　over

the　town！　These　civilians　are　crying　you　down！　and　it　goes　to　the

bottom　of　my　heart。〃



〃What　are　they　complaining　of？〃　asked　Max。



〃Of　what　you　do　at　night。〃



〃As　if　we　couldn't　amuse　ourselves　a　little！〃



〃But　that　isn't　all；〃　said　Potel。



Potel　belonged　to　the　same　class　as　the　officer　who　replied　to　the

burgomasters：　〃Eh！　your　town　will　be　paid　for；　if　we　do　burn　it！〃　So

he　was　very　little　troubled　about　the　deeds　of　the　Order　of　Idleness。



〃What　more？〃　inquired　Gilet。



〃The　Guard　is　against　the　Guard。　It　is　that　that　breaks　my　heart。

Bridau　has　set　all　these　bourgeois　on　you。　The　Guard　against　the

Guard！　no；　it　ought　not　to　be！　You　can't　back　down；　Max；　you　must　meet

Bridau。　I　had　a　great　mind　to　pick　a　quarrel　with　the　low　scoundrel

myself　and　send　him　to　the　shades；　I　wish　I　had；　and　then　the

bourgeois　wouldn't　have　seen　the　spectacle　of　the　Guard　against　the

Guard。　In　war　times；　I　don't　say　anything　against　it。　Two　heroes　of

the　Guard　may　quarrel；　and　fight；but　at　least　there　are　no　civilians

to　look　on　and　sneer。　No；　I　say　that　big　villain　never　served　in　the

Guard。　A　guardsman　would　never　behave　as　he　does　to　another　guardsman；

under　the　very　eyes　of　the　bourgeois；　impossible！　Ah！　it's　all　wrong；

the　Guard　is　disgracedand　here；　at　Issoudun！　where　it　was　once　so

honored。〃



〃Come；　Potel；　don't　worry　yourself；〃　answered　Max；　〃even　if　you　do　not

see　me　at　the　banquet〃



〃What！　do　you　mean　that　you　won't　be　there　the　day　after　to…morrow？〃

cried　Potel；　interrupting　his　friend。　〃Do　you　wish　to　be　called　a

coward？　and　have　it　said　you　are　running　away　from　Bridau？　No；　no！　The

unmounted　grenadiers　of　the　Guard　can　not　draw　back　before　the

dragoons　of　the　Guard。　Arrange　your　business　in　some　other　way　and　be

there！〃



〃One　more　to　send　to　the　shades！〃　said　Max。　〃Well；　I　think　I　can

manage　my　business　so　as　to　get　thereFor；〃　he　thought　to　himself；

〃that　power　of　attorney　ought　not　to　be　in　my　name；　as　old　Heron　says；

it　would　look　too　much　like　theft。〃



This　lion；　tangled　in　the　meshes　Philippe　Bridau　was　weaving　for　him；

muttered　between　his　teeth　as　he　went　along；　he　avoided　the　looks　of

those　he　met　and　returned　home　by　the　boulevard　Vilatte；　still　talking

to　himself。



〃I　will　have　that　money　before　I　fight；〃　he　said。　〃If　I　die；　it　shall

not　go　to　Philippe。　I　must　put　it　in　Flore's　name。　She　will　follow　my

instructions；　and　go　straight　to　Paris。　Once　there；　she　can　marry；　if

she　chooses；　the　son　of　some　marshal　of　France　who　has　been　sent　to

the　right…about。　I'll　have　that　power　of　attorney　made　in　Baruch's

name；　and　he'll　transfer　the　property　by　my　order。〃



Max；　to　do　him　justice；　was　never　more　cool　and　calm　in　appearance

than　when　his　blood　and　his　ideas　were　boiling。　No　man　ever　united　in

a　higher　degree　the　qualities　which　make　a　great　general。　If　his

career　had　not　been　cut　short　by　his　captivity　at　Cabrera；　the　Emperor

would　certainly　have　found　him　one　of　those　men　who　are　necessary　to

the　success　of　vast　enterprises。　When　he　entered　the　room　where　the

hapless　victim　of　all　these　comic　and　tragic　scenes　was　still　weeping；

Max　asked　the　meaning　of　such　distress；　seemed　surprised；　pretended

that　he　knew　nothing；　and　heard；　with　well…acted　amazement；　of　Flore's

departure。　He　questioned　Kouski；　to　obtain　some　light　on　the　object　of

this　inexplicable　journey。



〃Madame　said　like　this；〃　Kouski　replied；　〃that　I　was　to　tell

monsieur　she　had　taken　twenty　thousand　francs　in　gold　from　his　drawer；

thinking　that　monsieur　wouldn't　refuse　her　that　amount　as　wages　for

the　last　twenty…two　years。〃



〃Wages？〃　exclaimed　Rouget。



〃Yes；〃　replied　Kouski。　〃Ah！　I　shall　never　come　back；〃　she　said　to

Vedie　as　she　drove　away。　〃Poor　Vedie；　who　is　so　attached　to　monsieur；

remonstrated　with　madame。　'No；　no；'　she　answered；　'he　has　no　affection

for　me；　he　lets　his　nephew　treat　me　like　the　lowest　of　the　low'；　and

she　weptoh！　bitterly。〃



〃Eh！　what　do　I　care　for　Philippe？〃　cried　the　old　man；　whom　Max　was

watching。　〃Where　is　Flore？　how　can　we　find　out　where　she　is？〃



〃Philippe；　whose　advice　you　follow；　will　help　you；〃　said　Max　coldly。



〃Philippe？〃　said　the　old　man；　〃what　has　he　to　do　with　the　poor　child？

There　is　no　one　but　you；　my　good　Max；　who　can　find　Flore。　She　will

follow　youyou　could　bring　her　back　to　me〃



〃I　don't　wish　to　oppose　Monsieur　Bridau；〃　observed　Max。



〃As　for　that；〃　cried　Rouget；　〃if　that　hinders　you；　he　told　me　he　meant

to　kill　you。〃



〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Gilet；　laughing；　〃we　will　see　about　it！〃



〃My　friend；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃find　Flore；　and　I　will　do　all　she

wants　of　me。〃



〃Some　one　must　have　seen　her　as　she　passed　through　the　town；〃　said

Maxence　to　Kouski。　〃Serve　dinner；　put　everything　on　the　table；　and

then　go　and　make　inquiries　from　place　to　place。　Let　us　know；　by

dessert；　which　road　Mademoiselle　Brazier　has　taken。〃



This　order　quieted　for　a　time　the　poor　creature；　who　was　moaning　like

a　child　that　has　lost　its　nurse。　At　this　moment　Rouget；　who　hated　Max；

thought　his　tormentor　an　angel。　A　passion　like　that　of　this　miserable

old　man　for　Flore　is　astonishingly　like　the　emotions　of　childhood。　At

six　o'clock；　the　Pole；　who　had　merely　taken　a　walk；　returned　to

announce　that　Flore　had　driven　towards　Vatan。



〃Madame　is　going　back　to　her　own　people；　that's　plain；〃　said　Kouski。



〃Would　you　like　to　go　to　Vatan　to…night？〃　said　Max。　〃The　road　is　bad；

but　Kouski　knows　how　to　drive；　and　you'll　make　your　peace　better　to…

night　than　to…morrow　morning。〃



〃Let　us　go！〃　cried　Rouget。



〃Put　the　horse　in　quietly；〃　said　Max　to　Kouski；　〃manage；　if　you　can；

that　the　town　shall　not　know　of　this　nonsense；　for　Monsieur　Rouget's

sake。　Saddle　my　horse；〃　he　added　in　a　whisper。　〃I　will　ride　on　ahead

of　you。〃



Monsieur　Hochon　had　already　notified　Philippe　of　Flore's　departure；

and　the　colonel　rose　from　Monsieur　Mignonnet's　dinner…table　to　rush　to

the　place　Saint…Jean；　for　he　at　once　guessed　the　meaning　of　this

clever　strategy。　When　Philippe　presented　himself　at　his　uncle's　house；

Kouski　answered　through　a　window　that　Monsieur　Rouget　was　unable　to

see　any　one。



〃Fario；〃　said　Philippe　to　the　Spaniar