the two brothers-第51章

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phenomenon　very　like　that　which　takes　place　among　the　lower　classes；

during　the　terrible　tussle　called　〃the　savante；〃　which　is　fought　with

the　feet；　as　the　name　implies。　Victory　depends　on　a　false　movement；　on

some　error　of　the　calculation；　rapid　as　lightning；　which　must　be　made

and　followed　almost　instinctively。　During　a　period　of　time　as　short　to

the　spectators　as　it　seems　long　to　the　combatants；　the　contest　lies　in

observation；　so　keen　as　to　absorb　the　powers　of　mind　and　body；　and　yet

concealed　by　preparatory　feints　whose　slowness　and　apparent　prudence

seem　to　show　that　the　antagonists　are　not　intending　to　fight。　This

moment；　which　is　followed　by　a　rapid　and　decisive　struggle；　is

terrible　to　a　connoisseur。　At　a　bad　parry　from　Max　the　colonel　sent

the　sabre　spinning　from　his　hand。



〃Pick　it　up；〃　he　said；　pausing；　〃I　am　not　the　man　to　kill　a　disarmed

enemy。〃



There　was　something　atrocious　in　the　grandeur　of　these　words；　they

seemed　to　show　such　consciousness　of　superiority　that　the　onlookers

took　them　for　a　shrewd　calculation。　In　fact；　when　Max　replaced　himself

in　position；　he　had　lost　his　coolness；　and　was　once　more　confronted

with　his　adversary's　raised　guard　which　defended　the　colonel's　whole

person　while　it　menaced　his。　He　resolved　to　redeem　his　shameful　defeat

by　a　bold　stroke。　He　no　longer　guarded　himself；　but　took　his　sabre　in

both　hands　and　rushed　furiously　on　his　antagonist；　resolved　to　kill

him；　if　he　had　to　lose　his　own　life。　Philippe　received　a　sabre…cut

which　slashed　open　his　forehead　and　a　part　of　his　face；　but　he　cleft

Max's　head　obliquely　by　the　terrible　sweep　of　a　〃moulinet；〃　made　to

break　the　force　of　the　annihilating　stroke　Max　aimed　at　him。　These　two

savage　blows　ended　the　combat；　at　the　ninth　minute。　Fario　came　down　to

gloat　over　the　sight　of　his　enemy　in　the　convulsions　of　death；　for　the

muscles　of　a　man　of　Maxence　Gilet's　vigor　quiver　horribly。　Philippe

was　carried　back　to　his　uncle's　house。



Thus　perished　a　man　destined　to　do　great　deeds　had　he　lived　his　life

amid　environments　which　were　suited　to　him；　a　man　treated　by　Nature　as

a　favorite　child；　for　she　gave　him　courage；　self…possession；　and　the

political　sagacity　of　a　Cesar　Borgia。　But　education　had　not　bestowed

upon　him　that　nobility　of　conduct　and　ideas　without　which　nothing

great　is　possible　in　any　walk　of　life。　He　was　not　regretted；　because

of　the　perfidy　with　which　his　adversary；　who　was　a　worse　man　than　he；

had　contrived　to　bring　him　into　disrepute。　His　death　put　an　end　to　the

exploits　of　the　Order　of　Idleness；　to　the　great　satisfaction　of　the

town　of　Issoudun。　Philippe　therefore　had　nothing　to　fear　in

consequence　of　the　duel；　which　seemed　almost　the　result　of　divine

vengeance：　its　circumstances　were　related　throughout　that　whole　region

of　country；　with　unanimous　praise　for　the　bravery　of　the　two

combatants。



〃But　they　had　better　both　have　been　killed；〃　remarked　Monsieur

Mouilleron；　〃it　would　have　been　a　good　riddance　for　the　Government。〃



The　situation　of　Flore　Brazier　would　have　been　very　embarrassing　were

it　not　for　the　condition　into　which　she　was　thrown　by　Max's　death。　A

brain…fever　set　in；　combined　with　a　dangerous　inflammation　resulting

from　her　escapade　to　Vatan。　If　she　had　had　her　usual　health；　she　might

have　fled　the　house　where；　in　the　room　above　her；　Max's　room；　and　in

Max's　bed；　lay　and　suffered　Max's　murderer。　She　hovered　between　life

and　death　for　three　months；　attended　by　Monsieur　Goddet；　who　was　also

attending　Philippe。



As　soon　as　Philippe　was　able　to　hold　a　pen；　he　wrote　the　following

letters：



　　To　Monsieur　Desroches：



　　I　have　already　killed　the　most　venomous　of　the　two　reptiles；　not

　　however　without　getting　my　own　head　split　open　by　a　sabre；　but　the

　　rascal　struck　with　a　dying　hand。　The　other　viper　is　here；　and　I

　　must　come　to　an　understanding　with　her；　for　my　uncle　clings　to　her

　　like　the　apple　of　his　eye。　I　have　been　half　afraid　the　girl；　who

　　is　devilishly　handsome；　might　run　away；　and　then　my　uncle　would

　　have　followed　her；　but　an　illness　which　seized　her　suddenly　has

　　kept　her　in　bed。　If　God　desired　to　protect　me；　he　would　call　her

　　soul　to　himself；　now；　while　she　is　repenting　of　her　sins。

　　Meantime；　on　my　side　I　have；　thanks　to　that　old　trump；　Hochon；　the

　　doctor　of　Issoudun；　one　named　Goddet；　a　worthy　soul　who　conceives

　　that　the　property　of　uncles　ought　to　go　to　nephews　rather　than　to

　　sluts。



　　Monsieur　Hochon　has　some　influence　on　a　certain　papa　Fichet；　who

　　is　rich；　and　whose　daughter　Goddet　wants　as　a　wife　for　his　son：　so

　　the　thousand　francs　they　have　promised　him　if　he　mends　up　my　pate

　　is　not　the　chief　cause　of　his　devotion。　Moreover；　this　Goddet；　who

　　was　formerly　head…surgeon　to　the　3rd　regiment　of　the　line；　has

　　been　privately　advised　by　my　staunch　friends；　Mignonnet　and

　　Carpentier；　so　he　is　now　playing　the　hypocrite　with　his　other

　　patient。　He　says　to　Mademoiselle　Brazier；　as　he　feels　her　pulse；

　　〃You　see；　my　child；　that　there's　a　God　after　all。　You　have　been

　　the　cause　of　a　great　misfortune；　and　you　must　now　repair　it。　The

　　finger　of　God　is　in　all　this　＇it　is　inconceivable　what　they　don't

　　say　the　finger　of　God　is　in！＇。　Religion　is　religion：　submit；

　　resign　yourself；　and　that　will　quiet　you　better　than　my　drugs。

　　Above　all；　resolve　to　stay　here　and　take　care　of　your　master：

　　forget　and　forgive；that's　Christianity。〃



　　Goddet　has　promised　to　keep　the　Rabouilleuse　three　months　in　her

　　bed。　By　degrees　the　girl　will　get　accustomed　to　living　under　the

　　same　roof　with　me。　I　have　bought　over　the　cook。　That　abominable

　　old　woman　tells　her　mistress　Max　would　have　led　her　a　hard　life；

　　and　declares　she　overheard　him　say　that　if；　after　the　old　man's

　　death；　he　was　obliged　to　marry　Flore；　he　didn't　mean　to　have　his

　　prospects　ruined　by　it；　and　he　should　find　a　way　to　get　rid　of

　　her。



　　Thus；　all　goes　well；　so　far。　My　uncle；　by　old　Hochon's　advice；　has

　　destroyed　his　will。



To　Monsieur　Giroudeau；　care　of　Mademoiselle　Florentine。　Rue　de

Vendome；　Marais：



　　My　dear　old　Fellow；Find　out　if　the　little　rat　Cesarine　has　any

　　engagement；　and　if　not；　try　to　arrange　that　she　can　come　to

　　Issoudun　in　case　I　send　for　her；　if　I　do；　she　must　come　at　once。

　　It　is　a　matter　this　time　of　decent　behavior；　no　theatre　morals。

　　She　must　present　herself　as　the　daughter　of　a　brave　soldier；

　　killed　on　the　battle…field。　Therefore；　mind；sober　manners；

　　schoolgirl's　clothes；　virtue　of　the　best　quality；　that's　the

　　watchword。　If　I　need　Cesarine；　and　if　she　answers　my　purpose；　I

　　will　give　her　fifty　thousand　francs　on　my　uncle's　death。　If

　　Cesarine　has　other　engagements；　explain　what　I　want　to　Florentine；

　　and　between　you；　find　me　some　ballet…girl　capable　of　playing　the

　　part。



　　I　have　had　my　skull　cracked　in　a　duel　with　the　fellow　who　was

　　filching　my　inheritance；　and　is　now　feeding　the　worms。　I'll　tell

　　you　all　about　it　some　day。　Ah！　old　fellow；　the　good　times　are

　　coming　back　for　you　and　me；　we'll　amuse　ourselves　once　more；　or　we

　　are　not　the　pair　we　really　are。　If　you　can　send　me　five　hundred

　　more　cartridges　I'll　bite　them。



　　Adieu；　my　old　fire…eater。　Light　your　pipe　with　this　letter。　Mind；

　　the　daughter　of　the　officer　is　to　come　from　Chateauroux；　and　must

　　seem　to　be　in　need　of　assistance。　I　hope　however　that　I　shall　not

　　be　driven　to　such　dangerous　expedients。　Remember　me　to　Mariette

　　and　all　our　friends。



Agathe；　informed　by　Madame　Hochon　of　what　had　happened；　rushed　to

Issoudun；　and　was　received　by　her　brother；　who　gave　her　Philippe's

former　room。　The　poor　mother's　tenderness　for　the　worthless　son

revived　in　all　its　maternal　strength；　a　few　happy　days　were　hers　at

last；　as　she　listened　to　the　praises　which　the　whole　town　bestowed

upon　her　hero。



〃After　all；　my　child；〃　said　Madame　Hochon　on　the　day　of　her　arrival；

〃youth　must　have　its　fling。　The　dissipations　of　a　soldier　under　the

Empire　must；　of　course；　be　greater　than　those　of　young　men　who　are

looked　after　by　their　fathers。　Oh！　if　you　only　knew　what　went　on　here

at　night　under　that　wretched　Max！　Thanks　to　your　son；　Issoudun　now

breathes　and　sleeps　in　peace。　Philippe　has　come　to　his　senses　rather

late；　he　told　us　frankly　that　those　three　months　in　the　Luxembourg

sobered　him。　Monsieur　Hochon　is　delighted　with　his　conduct　here；　every

one　thinks　highly　of　it。　If　he　can　be　kept　away　from　the　temptations

of　Paris；　he　will　end　by　being　a　comfort　to　you。〃



Hearing　these　consolatory　words　Agathe's　eyes　filled　with　tears。



Philippe　played　the　saint　to　his　mother；　for　he　had　need　of　her。　That

wily　politician　did　not　wish　to　have　recourse　to　Cesarine　unless　he

continued　to　be　an　object　of　horror　to　Mademoiselle　Brazier。　He　saw

that　Flore　had　been　thoroughly　broken　to　harness　by　Max；　he　knew　she

was　an　essential　part　of　his　uncle's　life；　and　he　greatly　preferred　to

use　her　rather　than　send　for　the　ballet…girl；　who　might　take　it　into

her　head　to　marry　the　old　man。　Fouche　advised　Louis　XVIII。　to　sleep　in

Napoleon's　sheets　instead　of　granting　the　charter；　and　Philippe　would

have　liked　to　remain　in　Gilet's　sheets；　but　he　was　reluctant　to　risk

the　good　reputation　he　had　made　for　himself　in　Berry。　To　take　Max's

place　with　the　Rabouilleuse　would　be　as　odious　on　his　part　as　on　hers。

He　could；　without　discredit　and　by　the　laws　of　nepotism；　live　in　his

uncle's　house　and　at　his　uncle's　expense；　but　he　could　not　have　Flore

unless　her　character　were　whitewashed。　Hampered　by　this　difficulty；

and　stimulated　by　the　hope　of　finally　getting　hold　of　the　property；

the　idea　came　into　his　head　of　making　his　uncle　marry　the

Rabouilleuse。　With　this　in　view　he　requested　his　mother　to　go　and　see

the　girl　and　treat　her　in　a　sisterly　manner。



〃I　must　confess；　my　dear　mother；〃　he　said；　in　a　canting　tone；　looking

at　Monsieur　and　Madame　Hochon　who　accompanied　her；　〃that　my　uncle's

way　of　life　is　not　becoming；　he　could；　however；　make　Mademoiselle

Brazier　respected　by　the　community　if　he　chose。　Wouldn't　it　be　far

better　for　her　to　be　Madame　Rouget　than　the　servant…mistress　of　an　old

bachelor？　She　had　better　obtain　a　definite　right　to　his　property　by　a

marriage　contract　then　threaten　a　whole　family　with　disinheritance。　If

you；　or　Monsieur　Hochon；　or　some　good　priest　would　speak　of　the　matter

to　both　parties；　you　might　put　a　stop　to　the　scandal　which　offends

decent　people。　Mademoiselle　Brazier　would　be　only　too　happy　if　you

were　to　welcome　her　as　a　sister；　and　I　as　an　aunt。〃



On　the　morrow　Agathe　and　Madame　Hochon　appeared　at　Flore's　bedside；

and　repeated　to　the　sick　girl　and　to　Rouget；　the　excellent　sentiments

expressed　by　Philippe。　Throughout　Issoudun　the　colonel　was　talked　of

as　a　man　of　noble　character；　especially　because　of　his　conduct　towards

Flore。　For　a　month；　the　Rabouilleuse　heard　Goddet；　her　doctor；　the

individual　wh