the two brothers-第53章

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later；　I　must　have　a　special　power　of　attorney　to　transfer　the　income

in　the　Funds。　When　that　stands　in　my　name；　you　and　I　have　an　equal

interest　in　marrying　each　other。　There　it　all　is；　my　beautiful　aunt；

as　plain　as　day。　Between　you　and　me　there　must　be　no　ambiguity。　I　can

marry　my　aunt　at　the　end　of　a　year's　widowhood；　but　I　could　not　marry

a　disgraced　girl。〃



He　left　the　room　without　waiting　for　an　answer。　When　Vedie　came　in；

fifteen　minutes　later；　to　clear　the　table；　she　found　her　mistress　pale

and　moist　with　perspiration；　in　spite　of　the　season。　Flore　felt　like　a

woman　who　had　fallen　to　the　bottom　of　a　precipice；　the　future　loomed

black　before　her；　and　on　its　blackness；　in　the　far　distance；　were

shapes　of　monstrous　things；　indistinctly　perceptible；　and　terrifying。

She　felt　the　damp　chill　of　vaults；　instinctive　fear　of　the　man　crushed

her；　and　yet　a　voice　cried　in　her　ear　that　she　deserved　to　have　him

for　her　master。　She　was　helpless　against　her　fate。　Flore　Brazier　had

had　a　room　of　her　own　in　Rouget's　house；　but　Madame　Rouget　belonged　to

her　husband；　and　was　now　deprived　of　the　free…will　of　a　servant…

mistress。　In　the　horrible　situation　in　which　she　now　found　herself；

the　hope　of　having　a　child　came　into　her　mind；　but　she　soon　recognized

its　impossibility。　The　marriage　was　to　Jean…Jacques　what　the　second

marriage　of　Louis　XII。　was　to　that　king。　The　incessant　watchfulness　of

a　man　like　Philippe；　who　had　nothing　to　do　and　never　quitted　his　post

of　observation；　made　any　form　of　vengeance　impossible。　Benjamin　was

his　innocent　and　devoted　spy。　The　Vedie　trembled　before　him。　Flore

felt　herself　deserted　and　utterly　helpless。　She　began　to　fear　death。

Without　knowing　how　Philippe　might　manage　to　kill　her；　she　felt

certain　that　whenever　he　suspected　her　of　pregnancy　her　doom　would　be

sealed。　The　sound　of　that　voice；　the　veiled　glitter　of　that　gambler's

eye；　the　slightest　movement　of　the　soldier；　who　treated　her　with　a

brutality　that　was　still　polite；　made　her　shudder。　As　to　the　power　of

attorney　demanded　by　the　ferocious　colonel；　who　in　the　eyes　of　all

Issoudun　was　a　hero；　he　had　it　as　soon　as　he　wanted　it；　for　Flore　fell

under　the　man's　dominion　as　France　had　fallen　under　that　of　Napoleon。



Like　a　butterfly　whose　feet　are　caught　in　the　incandescent　wax　of　a

taper；　Rouget　rapidly　dissipated　his　remaining　strength。　In　presence

of　that　decay；　the　nephew　remained　as　cold　and　impassible　as　the

diplomatists　of　1814　during　the　convulsions　of　imperial　France。



Philippe；　who　did　not　believe　in　Napoleon　II。；　now　wrote　the　following

letter　to　the　minister　of　war；　which　Mariette　made　the　Duc　de

Maufrigneuse　convey　to　that　functionary：



　　Monseigneur；Napoleon　is　no　more。　I　desired　to　remain　faithful　to

　　him　according　to　my　oath；　now　I　am　free　to　offer　my　services　to

　　His　Majesty。　If　your　Excellency　deigns　to　explain　my　conduct　to

　　His　Majesty；　the　King　will　see　that　it　is　in　keeping　with　the　laws

　　of　honor；　if　not　with　those　of　his　government。　The　King；　who

　　thought　it　proper　that　his　aide…de…camp；　General　Rapp；　should

　　mourn　his　former　master；　will　no　doubt　feel　indulgently　for　me。

　　Napoleon　was　my　benefactor。



　　I　therefore　entreat　your　Excellency　to　take　into　consideration　the

　　request　I　make　for　employment　in　my　proper　rank；　and　I　beg　to

　　assure　you　of　my　entire　submission。　The　King　will　find　in　me　a

　　faithful　subject。



　　Deign　to　accept　the　assurance　of　respect　with　which　I　have　the

　　honor　to　be；

　　Your　Excellency's　very　submissive　and



　　Very　humble　servant；



　　Philippe　Bridau



　　Formerly　chief　of　squadron　in　the　dragoons　of　the　Guard；　officer

　　of　the　Legion　of　honor；　now　under　police　surveillance　at　Issoudun。





To　this　letter　was　joined　a　request　for　permission　to　go　to　Paris　on

urgent　family　business；　and　Monsieur　Mouilleron　annexed　letters　from

the　mayor；　the　sub…prefect；　and　the　commissary　of　police　at　Issoudun；

all　bestowing　many　praises　on　Philippe's　conduct；　and　dwelling　upon

the　newspaper　article　relating　to　his　uncle's　marriage。



Two　weeks　later；　Philippe　received　the　desired　permission；　and　a

letter；　in　which　the　minister　of　war　informed　him　that；　by　order　of

the　King；　he　was；　as　a　preliminary　favor；　reinstated　lieutenant…

colonel　in　the　royal　army。







CHAPTER　XVII



Lieutenant…Colonel　Bridau　returned　to　Paris；　taking　with　him　his　aunt

and　the　helpless　Rouget；　whom　he　escorted；　three　days　after　their

arrival；　to　the　Treasury；　where　Jean…Jacques　signed　the　transfer　of

the　income；　which　henceforth　became　Philippe's。　The　exhausted　old　man

and　the　Rabouilleuse　were　now　plunged　by　their　nephew　into　the

excessive　dissipations　of　the　dangerous　and　restless　society　of

actresses；　journalists；　artists；　and　the　equivocal　women　among　whom

Philippe　had　already　wasted　his　youth；　where　old　Rouget　found

excitements　that　soon　after　killed　him。　Instigated　by　Giroudeau；

Lolotte；　one　of　the　handsomest　of　the　Opera　ballet…girls；　was　the

amiable　assassin　of　the　old　man。　Rouget　died　after　a　splendid　supper

at　Florentine's；　and　Lolotte　threw　the　blame　of　his　death　upon　a　slice

of　pate　de　foie　gras；　as　the　Strasburg　masterpiece　could　make　no

defence；　it　was　considered　settled　that　the　old　man　died　of

indigestion。



Madame　Rouget　was　in　her　element　in　the　midst　of　this　excessively

decollete　society；　but　Philippe　gave　her　in　charge　of　Mariette；　and

that　monitress　did　not　allow　the　widowwhose　mourning　was　diversified

with　a　few　amusementsto　commit　any　actual　follies。



In　October；　1823；　Philippe　returned　to　Issoudun；　furnished　with　a

power　of　attorney　from　his　aunt；　to　liquidate　the　estate　of　his　uncle；

a　business　that　was　soon　over；　for　he　returned　to　Paris　in　March；

1824；　with　sixteen　hundred　thousand　francs；the　net　proceeds　of　old

Rouget's　property；　not　counting　the　precious　pictures；　which　had　never

left　Monsieur　Hochon's　hands。　Philippe　put　the　whole　property　into　the

hands　of　Mongenod　and　Sons；　where　young　Baruch　Borniche　was　employed；

and　on　whose　solvency　and　business　probity　old　Hochon　had　given　him

satisfactory　assurances。　This　house　took　his　sixteen　hundred　thousand

francs　at　six　per　cent　per　annum；　on　condition　of　three　months'　notice

in　case　of　the　withdrawal　of　the　money。



One　fine　day；　Philippe　went　to　see　his　mother；　and　invited　her　to　be

present　at　his　marriage；　which　was　witnessed　by　Giroudeau；　Finot；

Nathan；　and　Bixiou。　By　the　terms　of　the　marriage　contract；　the　widow

Rouget；　whose　portion　of　her　late　husband's　property　amounted　to　a

million　of　francs；　secured　to　her　future　husband　her　whole　fortune　in

case　she　died　without　children。　No　invitations　to　the　wedding　were

sent　out；　nor　any　〃billets　de　faire　part〃；　Philippe　had　his　designs。

He　lodged　his　wife　in　an　appartement　in　the　rue　Saint…Georges；　which

he　bought　ready…furnished　from　Lolotte。　Madame　Bridau　the　younger

thought　it　delightful；　and　her　husband　rarely　set　foot　in　it。　Without

her　knowledge；　Philippe　purchased　in　the　rue　de　Clichy；　at　a　time　when

no　one　suspected　the　value　which　property　in　that　quarter　would　one

day　acquire；　a　magnificent　hotel　for　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand

francs；　of　which　he　paid　one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　down；　taking

two　years　to　pay　the　remainder。　He　spent　large　sums　in　altering　the

interior　and　furnishing　it；　in　fact；　he　put　his　income　for　two　years

into　this　outlay。　The　pictures；　now　restored；　and　estimated　at　three

hundred　thousand　francs；　appeared　in　such　surroundings　in　all　their

beauty。



The　accession　of　Charles　X。　had　brought　into　still　greater　court　favor

the　family　of　the　Duc　de　Chaulieu；　whose　eldest　son；　the　Duc　de

Rhetore；　was　in　the　habit　of　seeing　Philippe　at　Tullia's。　Under

Charles　X。；　the　elder　branch　of　the　Bourbons；　believing　itself

permanently　seated　on　the　throne；　followed　the　advice　previously　given

by　Marshal　Gouvion…Saint…Cyr　to　encourage　the　adherence　of　the

soldiers　of　the　Empire。　Philippe；　who　had　no　doubt　made　invaluable

revelations　as　to　the　conspiracies　of　1820　and　1822；　was　appointed

lieutenant…colonel　in　the　regiment　of　the　Duc　de　Maufrigneuse。　That

fascinating　nobleman　thought　himself　bound　to　protect　the　man　from

whom　he　had　taken　Mariette。　The　corps…de…ballet　went　for　something；

therefore；　in　the　appointment。　Moreover；　it　was　decided　in　the　private

councils　of　Charles　X。；　to　give　a　faint　tinge　of　liberalism　to　the

surroundings　of　Monseigneur　the　Dauphin。　Philippe；　now　a　sort　of

equerry　to　the　Duc　de　Maufrigneuse；　was　presented　not　only　to　the

Dauphin；　but　also　to　the　Dauphine；　who　was　not　averse　to　brusque　and

soldierly　characters　who　had　become　noted　for　a　past　fidelity。

Philippe　thoroughly　understood　the　part　the　Dauphin　had　to　play；　and

he　turned　the　first　exhibition　of　that　spurious　liberalism　to　his　own

profit；　by　getting　himself　appointed　aide…de…camp　to　a　marshal　who

stood　well　at　court。



In　January；　1827；　Philippe；　who　was　now　promoted　to　the　Royal　Guard　as

lieutenant…colonel　in　a　regiment　then　commanded　by　the　Duc　de

Maufrigneuse；　solicited　the　honor　of　being　ennobled。　Under　the

Restoration；　nobility　became　a　sort　of　perquisite　to　the　〃roturiers〃

who　served　in　the　Guard。　Colonel　Bridau　had　lately　bought　the　estate

of　Brambourg；　and　he　now　asked　to　be　allowed　to　entail　it　under　the

title　of　count。　This　favor　was　accorded　through　the　influence　of　his

many　intimacies　in　the　highest　rank　of　society；　where　he　now　appeared

in　all　the　luxury　of　horses；　carriages；　and　liveries；　in　short；　with

the　surroundings　of　a　great　lord。　As　soon　as　he　saw　himself　gazetted

in　the　Almanack　under　the　title　of　Comte　de　Brambourg；　he　began　to

frequent　the　house　of　a　lieutenant…general　of　artillery；　the　Comte　de

Soulanges。



Insatiable　in　his　wants；　and　backed　by　the　mistresses　of　influential

men；　Philippe　now　solicited　the　honor　of　being　one　of　the　Dauphin's

aides…de…camp。　He　had　the　audacity　to　say　to　the　Dauphin　that　〃an　old

soldier；　wounded　on　many　a　battle…field　and　who　knew　real　warfare；

might；　on　occasion；　be　serviceable　to　Monseigneur。〃　Philippe；　who

could　take　the　tone　of　all　varieties　of　sycophancy；　became　in　the

regions　of　the　highest　social　life　exactly　what　the　position　required

him　to　be；　just　as　at　Issoudun；　he　had　copied　the　respectability　of

Mignonnet。　He　had；　moreover；　a　fine　establishment　and　gave　fetes　and

dinners；　admitting　none　of　his　old　friends　to　his　house　if　he　thought

their　position　in　life　likely　to　compromise　his　future。　He　was

pitiless　to　the　companions　of　his　former　debauches；　and　curtly　refused

Bixiou　when　that　lively　satirist　asked　him　to　say　a　word　in　favor　of

Giroudeau；　who　wanted　to　re…enter　the　army　after　the　desertion　of

Florentine。



〃The　man　has　neither　manners　nor　morals；〃　said　Philippe。



〃Ha！　did　he　say　that　of　me？〃　cried　Giroudeau；　〃of　me；　who　helped　him

to　get　rid　of　his　uncle！〃



〃We'll　pay　him　off　yet；〃　said　Bixiou。