the two brothers-第8章

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〃Dear　Joseph！〃　cried　Agathe　in　tears；　kissing　her　son；　〃God　will　bless

you。　You　do　love　him；　then；　poor　persecuted　fellow？　He　is　indeed　our

glory　and　our　hope　for　the　future。　So　young；　so　brave；　so　unfortunate！

everything　is　against　him；　we　three　must　always　stand　by　him。〃



〃You　see　now　that　painting　is　good　for　something；〃　cried　Joseph；

overjoyed　to　have　won　his　mother's　permission　to　be　a　great　artist。



Madame　Bridau　rushed　to　meet　her　beloved　son；　Colonel　Philippe；　at

Havre。　Once　there；　she　walked　every　day　beyond　the　round　tower　built

by　Francois　I。；　to　look　out　for　the　American　packet；　enduring　the

keenest　anxieties。　Mothers　alone　know　how　such　sufferings　quicken

maternal　love。　The　vessel　arrived　on　a　fine　morning　in　October；　1819；

without　delay；　and　having　met　with　no　mishap。　The　sight　of　a　mother

and　the　air　of　one's　native　land　produces　a　certain　affect　on　the

coarsest　nature；　especially　after　the　miseries　of　a　sea…voyage。

Philippe　gave　way　to　a　rush　of　feeling；　which　made　Agathe　think　to

herself；　〃Ah！　how　he　loves　me！〃　Alas；　the　hero　loved　but　one　person　in

the　world；　and　that　person　was　Colonel　Philippe。　His　misfortunes　in

Texas；　his　stay　in　New　York；a　place　where　speculation　and

individualism　are　carried　to　the　highest　pitch；　where　the　brutality　of

self…interest　attains　to　cynicism；　where　man；　essentially　isolated；　is

compelled　to　push　his　way　for　himself　and　by　himself；　where　politeness

does　not　exist；in　fact；　even　the　minor　events　of　Philippe's　journey

had　developed　in　him　the　worst　traits　of　an　old　campaigner：　he　had

grown　brutal；　selfish；　rude；　he　drank　and　smoked　to　excess；　physical

hardships　and　poverty　had　depraved　him。　Moreover；　he　considered

himself　persecuted；　and　the　effect　of　that　idea　is　to　make　persons　who

are　unintelligent　persecutors　and　bigots　themselves。　To　Philippe's

conception　of　life；　the　universe　began　at　his　head　and　ended　at　his

feet；　and　the　sun　shone　for　him　alone。　The　things　he　had　seen　in　New

York；　interpreted　by　his　practical　nature；　carried　away　his　last

scruples　on　the　score　of　morality。　For　such　beings；　there　are　but　two

ways　of　existence。　Either　they　believe；　or　they　do　not　believe；　they

have　the　virtues　of　honest　men；　or　they　give　themselves　up　to　the

demands　of　necessity；　in　which　case　they　proceed　to　turn　their

slightest　interests　and　each　passing　impulse　of　their　passions　into

necessities。



Such　a　system　of　life　carries　a　man　a　long　way。　It　was　only　in

appearance　that　Colonel　Philippe　retained　the　frankness；　plain…

dealing；　and　easy…going　freedom　of　a　soldier。　This　made　him；　in

reality；　very　dangerous；　he　seemed　as　guileless　as　a　child；　but；

thinking　only　of　himself；　he　never　did　anything　without　reflecting

what　he　had　better　do；like　a　wily　lawyer　planning　some　trick　〃a　la

Maitre　Gonin〃；　words　cost　him　nothing；　and　he　said　as　many　as　he　could

to　get　people　to　believe。　If；　unfortunately；　some　one　refused　to

accept　the　explanations　with　which　he　justified　the　contradictions

between　his　conduct　and　his　professions；　the　colonel；　who　was　a　good

shot　and　could　defy　the　most　adroit　fencing…master；　and　possessed　the

coolness　of　one　to　whom　life　is　indifferent；　was　quite　ready　to　demand

satisfaction　for　the　first　sharp　word；　and　when　a　man　shows　himself

prepared　for　violence　there　is　little　more　to　be　said。　His　imposing

stature　had　taken　on　a　certain　rotundity；　his　face　was　bronzed　from

exposure　in　Texas；　he　was　still　succinct　in　speech；　and　had　acquired

the　decisive　tone　of　a　man　obliged　to　make　himself　feared　among　the

populations　of　a　new　world。　Thus　developed；　plainly　dressed；　his　body

trained　to　endurance　by　his　recent　hardships；　Philippe　in　the　eyes　of

his　mother　was　a　hero；　in　point　of　fact；　he　had　simply　become　what

people　（not　to　mince　matters）　call　a　blackguard。



Shocked　at　the　destitution　of　her　cherished　son；　Madame　Bridau　bought

him　a　complete　outfit　of　clothes　at　Havre。　After　listening　to　the　tale

of　his　woes；　she　had　not　the　heart　to　stop　his　drinking　and　eating　and

amusing　himself　as　a　man　just　returned　from　the　Champ　d'Asile　was

likely　to　eat　and　drink　and　divert　himself。　It　was　certainly　a　fine

conception；that　of　conquering　Texas　with　the　remains　of　the　imperial

army。　The　failure　was　less　in　the　idea　than　in　the　men　who　conceived

it；　for　Texas　is　to…day　a　republic；　with　a　future　full　of　promise。

This　scheme　of　Liberalism　under　the　Restoration　distinctly　proves　that

the　interests　of　the　party　were　purely　selfish　and　not　national；

seeking　power　and　nothing　else。　Neither　men；　nor　occasion；　nor　cause；

nor　devotion　were　lacking；　only　the　money　and　the　support　of　the

hypocritical　party　at　home　who　dispensed　enormous　sums；　but　gave

nothing　when　it　came　to　recovering　empire。　Household　managers　like

Agathe　have　a　plain　common…sense　which　enables　them　to　perceive　such

political　chicane：　the　poor　woman　saw　the　truth　through　the　lines　of

her　son's　tale；　for　she　had　read；　in　the　exile's　interests；　all　the

pompous　editorials　of　the　constitutional　journals；　and　watched　the

management　of　the　famous　subscription；　which　produced　barely　one

hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs　when　it　ought　to　have　yielded　five

or　six　millions。　The　Liberal　leaders　soon　found　out　that　they　were

playing　into　the　hands　of　Louis　XVIII。　by　exporting　the　glorious

remnants　of　our　grand　army；　and　they　promptly　abandoned　to　their　fate

the　most　devoted；　the　most　ardent；　the　most　enthusiastic　of　its

heroes；those；　in　short；　who　had　gone　in　the　advance。　Agathe　was

never　able；　however；　to　make　her　son　see　that　he　was　more　duped　than

persecuted。　With　blind　belief　in　her　idol；　she　supposed　herself

ignorant；　and　deplored；　as　Philippe　did；　the　evil　times　which　had　done

him　such　wrong。　Up　to　this　time　he　was；　to　her　mind；　throughout　his

misfortunes；　less　faulty　than　victimized　by　his　noble　nature；　his

energy；　the　fall　of　the　Emperor；　the　duplicity　of　the　Liberals；　and

the　rancor　of　the　Bourbons　against　the　Bonapartists。　During　the　week

at　Havre；　a　week　which　was　horribly　costly；　she　dared　not　ask　him　to

make　terms　with　the　royal　government　and　apply　to　the　minister　of　war。

She　had　hard　work　to　get　him　away　from　Havre；　where　living　is　very

expensive；　and　to　bring　him　back　to　Paris　before　her　money　gave　out。

Madame　Descoings　and　Joseph；　who　were　awaiting　their　arrival　in　the

courtyard　of　the　coach…office　of　the　Messageries　Royales；　were　struck

with　the　change　in　Agathe's　face。



〃Your　mother　has　aged　ten　years　in　two　months；〃　whispered　the

Descoings　to　Joseph；　as　they　all　embraced；　and　the　two　trunks　were

being　handed　down。



〃How　do　you　do；　mere　Descoings？〃　was　the　cool　greeting　the　colonel

bestowed　on　the　old　woman　whom　Joseph　was　in　the　habit　of　calling

〃maman　Descoings。〃



〃I　have　no　money　to　pay　for　a　hackney…coach；〃　said　Agathe；　in　a　sad

voice。



〃I　have；〃　replied　the　young　painter。　〃What　a　splendid　color　Philippe

has　turned！〃　he　cried；　looking　at　his　brother。



〃Yes；　I've　browned　like　a　pipe；〃　said　Philippe。　〃But　as　for　you；

you're　not　a　bit　changed；　little　man。〃



Joseph；　who　was　now　twenty…one；　and　much　thought　of　by　the　friends　who

had　stood　by　him　in　his　days　of　trial；　felt　his　own　strength　and　was

aware　of　his　talent；　he　represented　the　art　of　painting　in　a　circle　of

young　men　whose　lives　were　devoted　to　science；　letters；　politics；　and

philosophy。　Consequently；　he　was　wounded　by　his　brother's　contempt；

which　Philippe　still　further　emphasized　with　a　gesture；　pulling　his

ears　as　if　he　were　still　a　child。　Agathe　noticed　the　coolness　which

succeeded　the　first　glow　of　tenderness　on　the　part　of　Joseph　and

Madame　Descoings；　but　she　hastened　to　tell　them　of　Philippe's

sufferings　in　exile；　and　so　lessened　it。　Madame　Descoings；　wishing　to

make　a　festival　of　the　return　of　the　prodigal；　as　she　called　him　under

her　breath；　had　prepared　one　of　her　good　dinners；　to　which　old

Claparon　and　the　elder　Desroches　were　invited。　All　the　family　friends

were　to　come；　and　did　come；　in　the　evening。　Joseph　had　invited　Leon

Giraud；　d'Arthez；　Michel　Chrestien；　Fulgence　Ridal；　and　Horace

Bianchon；　his　friends　of　the　fraternity。　Madame　Descoings　had　promised

Bixiou；　her　so…called　step…son；　that　the　young　people　should　play　at

ecarte。　Desroches　the　younger；　who　had　now　taken；　under　his　father's

stern　rule；　his　degree　at　law；　was　also　of　the　party。　Du　Bruel；

Claparon；　Desroches；　and　the　Abbe　Loraux　carefully　observed　the

returned　exile；　whose　manners　and　coarse　features；　and　voice　roughened

by　the　abuse　of　liquors；　together　with　his　vulgar　glance　and

phraseology；　alarmed　them　not　a　little。　While　Joseph　was　placing　the

card…tables；　the　more　intimate　of　the　family　friends　surrounded　Agathe

and　asked；



〃What　do　you　intend　to　make　of　Philippe？〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　she　answered；　〃but　he　is　determined　not　to　serve　the

Bourbons。〃



〃Then　it　will　be　very　difficult　for　you　to　find　him　a　place　in　France。

If　he　won't　re…enter　the　army；　he　can't　be　readily　got　into　government

employ；〃　said　old　Du　Bruel。　〃And　you　have　only　to　listen　to　him　to　see

he　could　never；　like　my　son；　make　his　fortune　by　writing　plays。〃



The　motion　of　Agathe's　eyes；　with　which　alone　she　replied　to　this

speech；　showed　how　anxious　Philippe's　future　made　her；　they　all　kept

silence。　The　exile　himself；　Bixiou；　and　the　younger　Desroches　were

playing　at　ecarte；　a　game　which　was　then　the　rage。



〃Maman　Descoings；　my　brother　has　no　money　to　play　with；〃　whispered

Joseph　in　the　good　woman's　ear。



The　devotee　of　the　Royal　Lottery　fetched　twenty　francs　and　gave　them

to　the　artist；　who　slipped　them　secretly　into　his　brother's　hand。　All

the　company　were　now　assembled。　There　were　two　tables　of　boston；　and

the　party　grew　lively。　Philippe　proved　a　bad　player：　after　winning　for

awhile；　he　began　to　lose；　and　by　eleven　o'clock　he　owed　fifty　francs

to　young　Desroches　and　to　Bixiou。　The　racket　and　the　disputes　at　the

ecarte　table　resounded　more　than　once　in　the　ears　of　the　more　peaceful

boston　players；　who　were　watching　Philippe　surreptitiously。　The　exile

showed　such　signs　of　bad　temper　that　in　his　final　dispute　with　the

younger　Desroches；　who　was　none　too　amiable　himself；　the　elder

Desroches　joined　in；　and　though　his　son　was　decidedly　in　the　right；　he

declared　he　was　in　the　wrong；　and　forbade　him　to　play　any　more。　Madame

Descoings　did　the　same　with　her　grandson；　who　was　beginning　to　let　fly

certain　witticisms；　and　although　Philippe；　so　far；　had　not　understood

him；　there　was　always　a　chance　that　one　of　the　barbed　arrows　might

piece　the　colonel's　thick　skull　and　put　the　sharp　jester　in　peril。



〃You　must　be　tired；〃　whispered　Agathe　in　Philippe's　ear；　〃come　to

bed。〃



〃Travel　educates　youth；〃　said　Bixiou；　grinning；　when　Madame　Bridau　and

the　colonel　had　disappeared。



Joseph；　who　got　up　at　dawn　and　went　to　bed　early；　did　not　see　the　end

of　the　party。　The　next　morning　Agathe　and　Madame　Descoings；