the two brothers-第49章

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to…night；　get　your　things　together；　and　go。　Benjamin　takes　your

place。〃



〃Are　you　the　master　here？〃　said　Flore　sarcastically。



〃With　your　permission；〃　replied　Philippe；　squeezing　her　hand　as　if　in

a　vice。　〃Come！　we　must　have　an　understanding；　you　and　I〃；　and　he　led

the　bewildered　woman　out　into　the　place　Saint…Jean。



〃My　fine　lady；〃　began　the　old　campaigner；　stretching　out　his　right

hand；　〃three　days　hence；　Maxence　Gilet　will　be　sent　to　the　shades　by

that　arm；　or　his　will　have　taken　me　off　guard。　If　I　die；　you　will　be

the　mistress　of　my　poor　imbecile　uncle；　'bene　sit。'　If　I　remain　on　my

pins；　you'll　have　to　walk　straight；　and　keep　him　supplied　with　first…

class　happiness。　If　you　don't；　I　know　girls　in　Paris　who　are；　with　all

due　respect；　much　prettier　than　you；　for　they　are　only　seventeen　years

old：　they　would　make　my　uncle　excessively　happy；　and　they　are　in　my

interests。　Begin　your　attentions　this　very　evening；　if　the　old　man　is

not　as　gay　as　a　lark　to…morrow　morning；　I　have　only　a　word　to　say　to

you；　it　is　this；　pay　attention　to　it；there　is　but　one　way　to　kill　a

man　without　the　interference　of　the　law；　and　that　is　to　fight　a　duel

with　him；　but　I　know　three　ways　to　get　rid　of　a　woman：　mind　that；　my

beauty！〃



During　this　address；　Flore　shook　like　a　person　with　the　ague。



〃Kill　Max？〃　she　said；　gazing　at　Philippe　in　the　moonlight。



〃Come；　here's　my　uncle。〃



Old　Rouget；　turning　a　deaf　ear　to　Monsieur　Hochon's　remonstrances；　now

came　out　into　the　street；　and　took　Flore　by　the　hand；　as　a　miser　might

have　grasped　his　treasure；　he　drew　her　back　to　the　house　and　into　his

own　room　and　shut　the　door。



〃This　is　Saint…Lambert's　day；　and　he　who　deserts　his　place；　loses　it；〃

remarked　Benjamin　to　the　Pole。



〃My　master　will　shut　your　mouth　for　you；〃　answered　Kouski；　departing

to　join　Max　who　established　himself　at　the　hotel　de　la　Poste。



On　the　morrow；　between　nine　and　eleven　o'clock；　all　the　women　talked

to　each　other　from　door　to　door　throughout　the　town。　The　story　of　the

wonderful　change　in　the　Rouget　household　spread　everywhere。　The　upshot

of　the　conversations　was　the　same　on　all　sides；



〃What　will　happen　at　the　banquet　between　Max　and　Colonel　Bridau？〃



Philippe　said　but　few　words　to　the　Vedie；〃Six　hundred　francs'

annuity；　or　dismissal。〃　They　were　enough；　however；　to　keep　her

neutral；　for　a　time；　between　the　two　great　powers；　Philippe　and　Flore。



Knowing　Max's　life　to　be　in　danger；　Flore　became　more　affectionate　to

Rouget　than　in　the　first　days　of　their　alliance。　Alas！　in　love；　a

self…interested　devotion　is　sometimes　more　agreeable　than　a　truthful

one；　and　that　is　why　many　men　pay　so　much　for　clever　deceivers。　The

Rabouilleuse　did　not　appear　till　the　next　morning；　when　she　came　down

to　breakfast　with　Rouget　on　her　arm。　Tears　filled　her　eyes　as　she

beheld；　sitting　in　Max's　place；　the　terrible　adversary；　with　his

sombre　blue　eyes；　and　the　cold；　sinister　expression　on　his　face。



〃What　is　the　matter；　mademoiselle？〃　he　said；　after　wishing　his　uncle

good…morning。



〃She　can't　endure　the　idea　of　your　fighting　Maxence；〃　said　old　Rouget。



〃I　have　not　the　slightest　desire　to　kill　Gilet；〃　answered　Philippe。

〃He　need　only　take　himself　off　from　Issoudun　and　go　to　America　on　a

venture。　I　should　be　the　first　to　advise　you　to　give　him　an　outfit；

and　to　wish　him　a　safe　voyage。　He　would　soon　make　a　fortune　there；　and

that　is　far　more　honorable　than　turning　Issoudun　topsy…turvy　at　night；

and　playing　the　devil　in　your　household。〃



〃Well；　that's　fair　enough；〃　said　Rouget；　glancing　at　Flore。



〃A…mer…i…ca！〃　she　ejaculated；　sobbing。



〃It　is　better　to　kick　his　legs　about　in　a　free　country　than　have　them

rot　in　a　pine　box　in　France。　However；　perhaps　you　think　he　is　a　good

shot；　and　can　kill　me；　it's　on　the　cards；〃　observed　the　colonel。



〃Will　you　let　me　speak　to　him？〃　said　Flore；　imploring　Philippe　in　a

humble　and　submissive　tone。



〃Certainly；　he　can　come　here　and　pack　up　his　things。　I　will　stay　with

my　uncle　during　that　time；　for　I　shall　not　leave　the　old　man　again；〃

replied　Philippe。



〃Vedie；〃　cried　Flore；　〃run　to　the　hotel；　and　tell　Monsieur　Gilet　that

I　beg　him〃



〃to　come　and　get　his　belongings；〃　said　Philippe；　interrupting

Flore's　message。



〃Yes；　yes；　Vedie；　that　will　be　a　good　pretext　to　see　me；　I　must　speak

to　him。〃



Terror　controlled　her　hatred；　and　the　shock　which　her　whole　being

experienced　when　she　first　encountered　this　strong　and　pitiless　nature

was　now　so　overwhelming　that　she　bowed　before　Philippe　just　as　Rouget

had　been　in　the　habit　of　bending　before　her。　She　anxiously　awaited

Vedie's　return。　The　woman　brought　a　formal　refusal　from　Max；　who

requested　Mademoiselle　Brazier　to　send　his　things　to　the　hotel　de　la

Poste。



〃Will　you　allow　me　to　take　them　to　him？〃　she　said　to　Jean…Jacques

Rouget。



〃Yes；　but　will　you　come　back？〃　said　the　old　man。



〃If　Mademoiselle　is　not　back　by　midday；　you　will　give　me　a　power　of

attorney　to　attend　to　your　property；〃　said　Philippe；　looking　at　Flore。

〃Take　Vedie　with　you；　to　save　appearances；　mademoiselle。　In　future　you

are　to　think　of　my　uncle's　honor。〃



Flore　could　get　nothing　out　of　Max。　Desperate　at　having　allowed

himself；　before　the　eyes　of　the　whole　town；　to　be　routed　out　of　his

shameless　position；　Gilet　was　too　proud　to　run　away　from　Philippe。　The

Rabouilleuse　combated　this　objection；　and　proposed　that　they　should

fly　together　to　America；　but　Max；　who　did　not　want　Flore　without　her

money；　and　yet　did　not　wish　the　girl　to　see　the　bottom　of　his　heart；

insisted　on　his　intention　of　killing　Philippe。



〃We　have　committed　a　monstrous　folly；〃　he　said。　〃We　ought　all　three　to

have　gone　to　Paris　and　spent　the　winter　there；　but　how　could　one

guess；　from　the　mere　sight　of　that　fellow's　big　carcass；　that　things

would　turn　out　as　they　have？　The　turn　of　events　is　enough　to　make　one

giddy！　I　took　the　colonel　for　one　of　those　fire…eaters　who　haven't　two

ideas　in　their　head；　that　was　the　blunder　I　made。　As　I　didn't　have　the

sense　to　double　like　a　hare　in　the　beginning；　I'll　not　be　such　a

coward　as　to　back　down　before　him。　He　has　lowered　me　in　the　estimation

of　this　town；　and　I　cannot　get　back　what　I　have　lost　unless　I　kill

him。〃



〃Go　to　America　with　forty　thousand　francs。　I'll　find　a　way　to　get　rid

of　that　scoundrel；　and　join　you。　It　would　be　much　wiser。〃



〃What　would　people　say　of　me？〃　he　exclaimed。　〃No；　I　have　buried　nine

already。　The　fellow　doesn't　seem　as　if　he　knew　much；　he　went　from

school　to　the　army；　and　there　he　was　always　fighting　till　1815；　then

he　went　to　America；　and　I　doubt　if　the　brute　ever　set　foot　in　a

fencing…alley；　while　I　have　no　match　with　the　sabre。　The　sabre　is　his

arm；　I　shall　seem　very　generous　in　offering　it　to　him；for　I　mean；　if

possible；　to　let　him　insult　me；and　I　can　easily　run　him　through。

Unquestionably；　it　is　my　wisest　course。　Don't　be　uneasy；　we　shall　be

masters　of　the　field　in　a　couple　of　days。〃



That　it　was　that　a　stupid　point　of　honor　had　more　influence　over　Max

than　sound　policy。　When　Flore　got　home　she　shut　herself　up　to　cry　at

ease。　During　the　whole　of　that　day　gossip　ran　wild　in　Issoudun；　and

the　duel　between　Philippe　and　Maxence　was　considered　inevitable。



〃Ah！　Monsieur　Hochon；〃　said　Mignonnet；　who；　accompanied　by　Carpentier；

met　the　old　man　on　the　boulevard　Baron；　〃we　are　very　uneasy；　for　Gilet

is　clever　with　all　weapons。〃



〃Never　mind；〃　said　the　old　provincial　diplomatist；　〃Philippe　has

managed　this　thing　well　from　the　beginning。　I　should　never　have

thought　that　big；　easy…going　fellow　would　have　succeeded　as　he　has。

The　two　have　rolled　together　like　a　couple　of　thunder…clouds。〃



〃Oh！〃　said　Carpentier；　〃Philippe　is　a　remarkable　man。　His　conduct

before　the　Court　of　Peers　was　a　masterpiece　of　diplomacy。〃



〃Well；　Captain　Renard；〃　said　one　of　the　townsfolk　to　Max's　friend。

〃They　say　wolves　don't　devour　each　other；　but　it　seems　that　Max　is

going　to　set　his　teeth　in　Colonel　Bridau。　That's　pretty　serious　among

you　gentlemen　of　the　Old　Guard。〃



〃You　make　fun　of　it；　do　you？　Because　the　poor　fellow　amused　himself　a

little　at　night；　you　are　all　against　him；〃　said　Potel。　〃But　Gilet　is　a

man　who　couldn't　stay　in　a　hole　like　Issoudun　without　finding

something　to　do。〃



〃Well；　gentlemen；〃　remarked　another；　〃Max　and　the　colonel　must　play

out　their　game。　Bridau　had　to　avenge　his　brother。　Don't　you　remember

Max's　treachery　to　the　poor　lad？〃



〃Bah！　nothing　but　an　artist；〃　said　Renard。



〃But　the　real　question　is　about　the　old　man's　property；〃　said　a　third。

〃They　say　Monsieur　Gilet　was　laying　hands　on　fifty　thousand　francs　a

year；　when　the　colonel　turned　him　out　of　his　uncle's　house。〃



〃Gilet　rob　a　man！　Come；　don't　say　that　to　any　one　but　me；　Monsieur

Canivet；〃　cried　Potel。　〃If　you　do；　I'll　make　you　swallow　your　tongue；

and　without　any　sauce。〃



Every　household　in　town　offered　prayers　for　the　honorable　Colonel

Bridau。







CHAPTER　XVI



Towards　four　o'clock　the　following　day；　the　officers　of　the　old　army

who　were　at　Issoudun　or　its　environs；　were　sauntering　about　the　place

du　Marche；　in　front　of　an　eating…house　kept　by　a　man　named　Lacroix；

and　waiting　the　arrival　of　Colonel　Philippe　Bridau。　The　banquet　in

honor　of　the　coronation　was　to　take　place　with　military　punctuality　at

five　o'clock。　Various　groups　of　persons　were　talking　of　Max's

discomfiture；　and　his　dismissal　from　old　Rouget's　house；　for　not　only

were　the　officers　to　dine　at　Lacroix's；　but　the　common　soldiers　had

determined　on　a　meeting　at　a　neighboring　wine…shop。　Among　the

officers；　Potel　and　Renard　were　the　only　ones　who　attempted　to　defend

Max。



〃Is　it　any　of　our　business　what　takes　place　among　the　old　man's

heirs？〃　said　Renard。



〃Max　is　weak　with　women；〃　remarked　the　cynical　Potel。



〃There'll　be　sabres　unsheathed　before　long；〃　said　an　old　sub…

lieutenant；　who　cultivated　a　kitchen…garden　in　the　upper　Baltan。　〃If

Monsieur　Maxence　Gilet　committed　the　folly　of　going　to　live　under　old

Rouget's　roof；　he　would　he　a　coward　if　he　allowed　himself　to　be　turned

off　like　a　valet　without　asking　why。〃



〃Of　course；〃　said　Mignonnet　dryly。　〃A　folly　that　doesn't　succeed

becomes　a　crime。〃



At　this　moment　Max　joined　the　old　soldiers　of　Napoleon；　and　was

received　in　significant　silence。　Potel　and　Renard　each　took　an　arm　of

their　friend；　and　walked　about　with　him；　conversing。　Presently

Philippe　was　seen　approaching　in　full　dress；　he　trailed　his　cane　after

him　with　an　imperturbable　air　which　contrasted　with　the　forced

attention　Max　was　paying　to　the　remarks　of　his　two　supporters。

Bridau's　hand　was　grasped　by　Mignonnet；　Carpentier；　and　several

others。　This　welcome；　so　different　from　that　accorded　to　Max；

dispelled　the　last　feeling　of　cowardice；　or；　if　you　prefer　it；　wisdom；

which　Flore's　entreaties；　and　above　all；　her　tender