the two brothers-第50部分

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able　to　bear　up　under　their　criminal　practices；　she　formed　the　very

simple　plan　of　leaving　Issoudun　and　being　married　to　Maxence　in　Paris；

after　obtaining　from　Jean…Jacques　the　transfer　of　the　income　in　the

Funds。　The　old　bachelor；　guided；　not　by　any　justice　to　his　family；　nor

by　personal　avarice；　but　solely　by　his　passion；　steadily　refused　to

make　the　transfer；　on　the　ground　that　Flore　was　to　be　his　sole　heir。

The　unhappy　creature　knew　to　what　extent　Flore　loved　Max；　and　he

believed　he　would　be　abandoned　the　moment　she　was　made　rich　enough　to

marry。　When　Flore；　after　employing　the　tenderest　cajoleries；　was

unable　to　succeed；　she　tried　rigor；　she　no　longer　spoke　to　her　master；

Vedie　was　sent　to　wait　upon　him；　and　found　him　in　the　morning　with　his

eyes　swollen　and　red　with　weeping。　For　a　week　or　more；　poor　Rouget　had

breakfasted　alone；　and　Heaven　knows　on　what　food！



The　day　after　Philippe's　conversation　with　Monsieur　Hochon；　he

determined　to　pay　a　second　visit　to　his　uncle；　whom　he　found　much

changed。　Flore　stayed　beside　the　old　man；　speaking　tenderly　and

looking　at　him　with　much　affection；　she　played　the　comedy　so　well　that

Philippe　guessed　some　immediate　danger；　merely　from　the　solicitude

thus　displayed　in　his　presence。　Gilet；　whose　policy　it　was　to　avoid

all　collision　with　Philippe；　did　not　appear。　After　watching　his　uncle

and　Flore　for　a　time　with　a　discerning　eye；　the　colonel　judged　that

the　time　had　come　to　strike　his　grand　blow。



〃Adieu；　my　dear　uncle；〃　he　said；　rising　as　if　to　leave　the　house。



〃Oh！　don't　go　yet；〃　cried　the　old　man；　who　was　comforted　by　Flore's

false　tenderness。　〃Dine　with　us；　Philippe。〃



〃Yes；　if　you　will　come　and　take　a　walk　with　me。〃



〃Monsieur　is　very　feeble；〃　interposed　Mademoiselle　Brazier；　〃just　now

he　was　unwilling　even　to　go　out　in　the　carriage；〃　she　added；　turning

upon　the　old　man　the　fixed　look　with　which　keepers　quell　a　maniac。



Philippe　took　Flore　by　the　arm；　compelling　her　to　look　at　him；　and

looking　at　her　in　return　as　fixedly　as　she　had　just　looked　at　her

victim。



〃Tell　me；　mademoiselle；〃　he　said；　〃is　it　a　fact　that　my　uncle　is　not

free　to　take　a　walk　with　me？〃



〃Why；　yes　he　is；　monsieur；〃　replied　Flore；　who　was　unable　to　make　any

other　answer。



〃Very　well。　Come；　uncle。　Mademoiselle；　give　him　his　hat　and　cane。〃



〃Buthe　never　goes　out　without　me。　Do　you；　monsieur？〃



〃Yes；　Philippe；　yes；　I　always　want　her〃



〃It　would　be　better　to　take　the　carriage；〃　said　Flore。



〃Yes；　let　us　take　the　carriage；〃　cried　the　old　man；　in　his　anxiety　to

make　his　two　tyrants　agree。



〃Uncle；　you　will　come　with　me；　alone；　and　on　foot；　or　I　shall　never

return　here；　I　shall　know　that　the　town　of　Issoudun　tells　the　truth；

when　it　declares　you　are　under　the　dominion　of　Mademoiselle　Flore

Brazier。　That　my　uncle　should　love　you；　is　all　very　well；〃　he　resumed；

holding　Flore　with　a　fixed　eye；　〃that　you　should　not　love　my　uncle　is

also　on　the　cards；　but　when　it　comes　to　your　making　him　unhappyhalt！

If　people　want　to　get　hold　of　an　inheritance；　they　must　earn　it。　Are

you　coming；　uncle？〃



Philippe　saw　the　eyes　of　the　poor　imbecile　roving　from　himself　to

Flore；　in　painful　hesitation。



〃Ha！　that's　how　it　is；　is　it？〃　resumed　the　lieutenant…colonel。　〃Well；

adieu；　uncle。　Mademoiselle；　I　kiss　your　hands。〃



He　turned　quickly　when　he　reached　the　door；　and　caught　Flore　in　the

act　of　making　a　menacing　gesture　at　his　uncle。



〃Uncle；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　wish　to　go　with　me；　I　will　meet　you　at　your

door　in　ten　minutes：　I　am　now　going　to　see　Monsieur　Hochon。　If　you　and

I　do　not　take　that　walk；　I　shall　take　upon　myself　to　make　some　others

walk。〃



So　saying；　he　went　away；　and　crossed　the　place　Saint…Jean　to　the

Hochons。



Every　one　can　imagine　the　scenes　which　the　revelations　made　by

Philippe　to　Monsieur　Hochon　had　brought　about　within　that　family。　At

nine　o'clock；　old　Monsieur　Heron；　the　notary；　presented　himself　with　a

bundle　of　papers；　and　found　a　fire　in　the　hall　which　the　old　miser；

contrary　to　all　his　habits；　had　ordered　to　be　lighted。　Madame　Hochon；

already　dressed　at　this　unusual　hour；　was　sitting　in　her　armchair　at

the　corner　of　the　fireplace。　The　two　grandsons；　warned　the　night

before　by　Adolphine　that　a　storm　was　gathering　about　their　heads；　had

been　ordered　to　stay　in　the　house。　Summoned　now　by　Gritte；　they　were

alarmed　at　the　formal　preparations　of　their　grandparents；　whose

coldness　and　anger　they　had　been　made　to　feel　in　the　air　for　the　last

twenty…four　hours。



〃Don't　rise　for　them；〃　said　their　grandfather　to　Monsieur　Heron；　〃you

see　before　you　two　miscreants；　unworthy　of　pardon。〃



〃Oh；　grandpapa！〃　said　Francois。



〃Be　silent！〃　said　the　old　man　sternly。　〃I　know　of　your　nocturnal　life

and　your　intimacy　with　Monsieur　Maxence　Gilet。　But　you　will　meet　him

no　more　at　Mere　Cognette's　at　one　in　the　morning；　for　you　will　not

leave　this　house；　either　of　you；　until　you　go　to　your　respective

destinations。　Ha！　it　was　you　who　ruined　Fario；　was　it？　you；　who　have

narrowly　escaped　the　police…courts　Hold　your　tongue！〃　he　said；

seeing　that　Baruch　was　about　to　speak。　〃You　both　owe　money　to　Monsieur

Maxence　Gilet；　who；　for　six　years；　has　paid　for　your　debauchery。

Listen；　both　of　you；　to　my　guardianship　accounts；　after　that；　I　shall

have　more　to　say。　You　will　see；　after　these　papers　are　read；　whether

you　can　still　trifle　with　me；still　trifle　with　family　laws　by

betraying　the　secrets　of　this　house；　and　reporting　to　a　Monsieur

Maxence　Gilet　what　is　said　and　what　is　done　here。　For　three　thousand

francs；　you　became　spies；　for　ten　thousand；　you　would；　no　doubt；

become　assassins。　You　did　almost　kill　Madame　Bridau；　for　Monsieur

Gilet　knew　very　well　it　was　Fario　who　stabbed　him　when　he　threw　the

crime　upon　my　guest；　Monsieur　Joseph　Bridau。　If　that　jail…bird　did　so

wicked　an　act；　it　was　because　you　told　him　what　Madame　Bridau　meant　to

do。　You；　my　grandsons；　the　spies　of　such　a　man！　You；　house…breakers

and　marauders！　Don't　you　know　that　your　worthy　leader　killed　a　poor

young　woman；　in　1806？　I　will　not　have　assassins　and　thieves　in　my

family。　Pack　your　things；　you　shall　go　hang　elsewhere！〃



The　two　young　men　turned　white　and　stiff　as　plaster　casts。



〃Read　on；　Monsieur　Heron；〃　said　Hochon。



The　old　notary　read　the　guardianship　accounts；　from　which　it　appeared

that　the　net　fortune　of　the　two　Borniche　children　amounted　to　seventy

thousand　francs；　a　sum　derived　from　the　dowry　of　their　mother：　but

Monsieur　Hochon　had　lent　his　daughter　various　large　sums；　and　was　now；

as　creditor；　the　owner　of　a　part　of　the　property　of　his　Borniche

grandchildren。　The　portion　coming　to　Baruch　amounted　to　only　twenty

thousand　francs。



〃Now　you　are　rich；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃take　your　money；　and　go。　I

remain　master　of　my　own　property　and　that　of　Madame　Hochon；　who　in

this　matter　shares　all　my　intentions；　and　I　shall　give　it　to　whom　I

choose；　namely；　our　dear　Adolphine。　Yes；　we　can　marry　her　if　we　please

to　the　son　of　a　peer　of　France；　for　she　will　be　an　heiress。〃



〃A　noble　fortune！〃　said　Monsieur　Heron。



〃Monsieur　Maxence　Gilet　will　make　up　this　loss　to　you；〃　said　Madame

Hochon。



〃Let　my　hard…saved　money　go　to　a　scapegrace　like　you？　no；　indeed！〃

cried　Monsieur　Hochon。



〃Forgive　me！〃　stammered　Baruch。



〃'Forgive；　and　I　won't　do　it　again；'〃　sneered　the　old　man；　imitating　a

child's　voice。　〃If　I　were　to　forgive　you；　and　let　you　out　of　this

house；　you　would　go　and　tell　Monsieur　Maxence　what　has　happened；　and

warn　him　to　be　on　his　guard。　No；　no；　my　little　men。　I　shall　keep　my

eye　on　you；　and　I　have　means　of　knowing　what　you　do。　As　you　behave；　so

shall　I　behave　to　you。　It　will　be　by　a　long　course　of　good　conduct；

not　that　of　a　day　or　a　month；　but　of　years；　that　I　shall　judge　you。　I

am　strong　on　my　legs；　my　eyes　are　good；　my　health　is　sound；　I　hope　to

live　long　enough　to　see　what　road　you　take。　Your　first　move　will　be　to

Paris；　where　you　will　study　banking　under　Messieurs　Mongenod　and　Sons。

Ill…luck　to　you　if　you　don't　walk　straight；　you　will　be　watched。　Your

property　is　in　the　hand　of　Messieurs　Mongenod；　here　is　a　cheque　for

the　amount。　Now　then；　release　me　as　guardian；　and　sign　the　accounts；

and　also　this　receipt；〃　he　added；　taking　the　papers　from　Monsieur

Heron　and　handing　them　to　Baruch。



〃As　for　you；　Francois　Hochon；　you　owe　me　money　instead　of　having　any

to　receive；〃　said　the　old　man；　looking　at　his　other　grandson。

〃Monsieur　Heron；　read　his　account；　it　is　all　clearperfectly　clear。〃



The　reading　was　done　in　the　midst　of　perfect　stillness。



〃You　will　have　six　hundred　francs　a　year；　and　with　that　you　will　go　to

Poitiers　and　study　law；〃　said　the　grandfather；　when　the　notary　had

finished。　〃I　had　a　fine　life　in　prospect　for　you；　but　now；　you　must

earn　your　living　as　a　lawyer。　Ah！　my　young　rascals；　you　have　deceived

me　for　six　years；　you　now　know　it　has　taken　me　but　one　hour　to　get

even　with　you：　I　have　seven…leagued　boots。〃



Just　as　old　Monsieur　Heron　was　preparing　to　leave　with　the　signed

papers；　Gritte　announced　Colonel　Bridau。　Madame　Hochon　left　the　room；

taking　her　grandsons　with　her；　that　she　might；　as　old　Hochon　said；

confess　them　privately　and　find　out　what　effect　this　scene　had

produced　upon　them。



Philippe　and　the　old　man　stood　in　the　embrasure　of　a　window　and　spoke

in　low　tones。



〃I　have　been　reflecting　on　the　state　of　your　affairs　over　there；〃　said

Monsieur　Hochon　pointing　to　the　Rouget　house。　〃I　have　just　had　a　talk

with　Monsieur　Heron。　The　security　for　the　fifty　thousand　francs　a　year

from　the　property　in　the　Funds　cannot　be　sold　unless　by　the　owner

himself　or　some　one　with　a　power　of　attorney　from　him。　Now；　since　your

arrival　here；　your　uncle　has　not　signed　any　such　power　before　any

notary；　and；　as　he　has　not　left　Issoudun；　he　can't　have　signed　one

elsewhere。　If　he　attempts　to　give　a　power　of　attorney　here；　we　shall

k