the two brothers-第57章
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metamorphosed himself； by the all…powerful aid of dress； into a
secularized priest with green spectacles； then he took a carriage and
drove to the hotel de Soulanges。 Received by the count； on sending in
a message that he wanted to speak with him on a matter of serious
importance； he related in a feigned voice the whole story of the dead
countess； the secret particulars of whose horrible death had been
confided to him by Bianchon； the history of Agathe's death； the
history of old Rouget's death； of which the Comte de Brambourg had
openly boasted； the history of Madame Descoings's death； the history
of the theft from the newspaper； and the history of Philippe's private
morals during his early days。
〃Monsieur le comte； don't give him your daughter until you have made
every inquiry； interrogate his former comrades；Bixiou； Giroudeau；
and others。〃
Three months later； the Comte de Brambourg gave a supper to du Tillet；
Nucingen； Eugene de Rastignac； Maxime de Trailles； and Henri de
Marsay。 The amphitryon accepted with much nonchalance the half…
consolatory condolences they made to him as to his rupture with the
house of Soulanges。
〃You can do better；〃 said Maxime de Trailles。
〃How much money must a man have to marry a demoiselle de Grandlieu？〃
asked Philippe of de Marsay。
〃You？ They wouldn't give you the ugliest of the six for less than ten
millions；〃 answered de Marsay insolently。
〃Bah！〃 said Rastignac。 〃With an income of two hundred thousand francs
you can have Mademoiselle de Langeais； the daughter of the marquis；
she is thirty years old； and ugly； and she hasn't a sou； that ought to
suit you。〃
〃I shall have ten millions two years from now；〃 said Philippe Bridau。
〃It is now the 16th of January； 1829；〃 cried du Tillet； laughing。 〃I
have been hard at work for ten years and I have not made as much as
that yet。〃
〃We'll take counsel of each other；〃 said Bridau； 〃you shall see how
well I understand finance。〃
〃How much do you really own？〃 asked Nucingen。
〃Three millions； excluding my house and my estate； which I shall not
sell； in fact； I cannot； for the property is now entailed and goes
with the title。〃
Nucingen and du Tillet looked at each other； after that sly glance du
Tillet said to Philippe； 〃My dear count； I shall be delighted to do
business with you。〃
De Marsay intercepted the look du Tillet had exchanged with Nucingen；
and which meant； 〃We will have those millions。〃 The two bank magnates
were at the centre of political affairs； and could； at a given time；
manipulate matters at the Bourse； so as to play a sure game against
Philippe； when the probabilities might all seem for him and yet be
secretly against him。
The occasion came。 In July； 1830； du Tillet and Nucingen had helped
the Comte de Brambourg to make fifteen hundred thousand francs； he
could therefore feel no distrust of those who had given him such good
advice。 Philippe； who owed his rise to the Restoration； was misled by
his profound contempt for 〃civilians〃； he believed in the triumph of
the Ordonnances； and was bent on playing for a rise； du Tillet and
Nucingen； who were sure of a revolution； played against him for a
fall。 The crafty pair confirmed the judgment of the Comte de Brambourg
and seemed to share his convictions； they encouraged his hopes of
doubling his millions； and apparently took steps to help him。 Philippe
fought like a man who had four millions depending on the issue of the
struggle。 His devotion was so noticeable； that he received orders to
go to Saint…Cloud with the Duc de Maufrigneuse and attend a council。
This mark of favor probably saved Philippe's life； for when the order
came； on the 25th of July； he was intending to make a charge and sweep
the boulevards； when he would undoubtedly have been shot down by his
friend Giroudeau； who commanded a division of the assailants。
A month later； nothing was left of Colonel Bridau's immense fortune
but his house and furniture； his estates； and the pictures which had
come from Issoudun。 He committed the still further folly； as he said
himself； of believing in the restoration of the elder branch； to which
he remained faithful until 1834。 The not imcomprehensible jealousy
Philippe felt on seeing Giroudeau a colonel drove him to re…enter the
service。 Unluckily for himself； he obtained； in 1835； the command of a
regiment in Algiers； where he remained three years in a post of
danger； always hoping for the epaulets of a general。 But some
malignant influencethat； in fact； of General Giroudeau；continually
balked him。 Grown hard and brutal； Philippe exceeded the ordinary
severity of the service； and was hated； in spite of his bravery a la
Murat。
At the beginning of the fatal year 1839； while making a sudden dash
upon the Arabs during a retreat before superior forces； he flung
himself against the enemy； followed by only a single company； and fell
in； unfortunately； with the main body of the enemy。 The battle was
bloody and terrible； man to man； and only a few horsemen escaped
alive。 Seeing that their colonel was surrounded； these men； who were
at some distance； were unwilling to perish uselessly in attempting to
rescue him。 They heard his cry： 〃Your colonel！ to me！ a colonel of the
Empire！〃 but they rejoined the regiment。 Philippe met with a horrible
death； for the Arabs； after hacking him to pieces with their
scimitars； cut off his head。
Joseph； who was married about this time； through the good offices of
the Comte de Serizy； to the daughter of a millionaire farmer；
inherited his brother's house in Paris and the estate of Brambourg； in
consequence of the entail； which Philippe； had he foreseen this
result； would certainly have broken。 The chief pleasure the painter
derived from his inheritance was in the fine collection of paintings
from Issoudun。 He now possesses an income of sixty thousand francs；
and his father…in…law； the farmer； continues to pile up the five…franc
pieces。 Though Joseph Bridau paints magnificent pictures； and renders
important services to artists； he is not yet a member of the
Institute。 As the result of a clause in the deed of entail； he is now
Comte de Brambourg； a fact which often makes him roar with laughter
among his friends in the atelier。
ADDENDUM
The following personages appear in other stories of the Human Comedy。
Note： The Two Brothers is also known as A Bachelor's Establishment and
The Black Sheep。 In other Addendum appearances it is referred to as A
Bachelor's Establishment。
Bianchon； Horace
Father Goriot
The Atheist's Mass
Cesar Birotteau
The Commission in Lunacy
Lost Illusions
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
The Secrets of a Princess
The Government Clerks
Pierrette
A Study of Woman
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life
Honorine
The Seamy Side of History
The Magic Skin
A Second Home
A Prince of Bohemia
Letters of Two Brides
The Muse of the Department
The Imaginary Mistress
The Middle Classes
Cousin Betty
The Country Parson
In addition； M。 Bianchon narrated the following：
Another Study of Woman
La Grande Breteche
Birotteau； Cesar
Cesar Birotteau
At the Sign of the Cat and Racket
Bixiou； Jean…Jacques
The Purse
The Government Clerks
Modeste Mignon
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life
The Firm of Nucingen
The Muse of the Department
Cousin Betty
The Member for Arcis
Beatrix
A Man of Business
Gaudissart II。
The Unconscious Humorists
Cousin Pons
Brambourg； Comte de （Title of Philippe Bridau； later Joseph）
The Unconscious Humorists
Bridau； Philippe
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life
Bridau； Joseph
The Purse
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
A Start in Life
Modeste Mignon
Another Study of Woman
Pierre Grassou
Letters of Two Brides
Cousin Betty
The Member for Arcis
Bruel； Jean Francois du
The Government Clerks
A Start in Life
A Prince of Bohemia
The Middle Classes
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
A Daughter of Eve
Bruel； Claudine Chaffaroux； Madame du
A Prince of Bohemia
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
Letters of Two Brides
The Middle Classes
Cabirolle； Madame
A Start in Life
Cabirolle； Agathe…Florentine
A Start in Life
Lost Illusions
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
Camusot
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
Cousin Pons
The Muse of the Department
Cesar Birotteau
At the Sign of the Cat and Racket
Cardot； Jean…Jerome…Severin
A Start in Life
Lost Illusions
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
At the Sign of the Cat and Racket
Cesar Birotteau
Chaulieu； Henri； Duc de
Letters of Two Brides
Modest Mignon
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life
The Thirteen
Chrestien； Michel
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
The Secrets of a Princess
Claparon； Charles
Cesar Birotteau
Melmoth Reconciled
The Firm of Nucingen
A Man of Business
The Middle Classes
Coloquinte
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
Coralie； Mademoiselle
A Start in Life
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
Desplein
The Atheist's Mass
Cousin Pons
Lost Illusions
The Thirteen
The Government Clerks
Pierrette
The Seamy Side of History
Modest Mignon
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life
Honorine
Desroches （son）
Colonel Chabert
A Start in Life
A Woman of Thirty
The Commission in Lunacy
The Government Clerks
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life
The Firm of Nucingen
A Man of Business
The Middle Classes
Finot； Andoche
Cesar Birotteau
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life
The Government Clerks
A Start in Life
Gaudissart the Great
The Firm of Nucingen
Gaillard； Madame Theodore
Jealousies of a Country Town
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life
Beatrix
The Unconscious Humorists
Gerard； Francois…Pascal…Simon； Baron
Beatrix
Giraud； Leon
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
The Secrets of a Princess
The Unconscious Humorists
Giroudeau
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
A Start in Life
Gobseck； Esther Van
Gobseck
The Firm of Nucingen
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life
Godeschal； Francois…Claude…Marie
Colonel Chabert
A Start in Life
The Commission in Lunacy
The Middle Classes
Cousin Pons
Godeschal； Marie
A Start in Life
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life
Cousin Pons
Grandlieu； Duc Ferdinand de
The Gondreville Mystery
The Thirteen
Modeste
