the two brothers-第51部分

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

know　it　instantly；　if　he　goes　away　to　give　one；　we　shall　also　know　it；

for　it　will　have　to　be　registered；　and　that　excellent　Heron　has　means

of　finding　it　out。　Therefore；　if　Rouget　leaves　Issoudun；　have　him

followed；　learn　where　he　goes；　and　we　will　find　a　way　to　discover　what

he　does。〃



〃The　power　of　attorney　has　not　been　given；〃　said　Philippe；　〃they　are

trying　to　get　it；　buttheywillnotsucceed〃　added　the

vagabond；　whose　eye　just　then　caught　sight　of　his　uncle　on　the　steps

of　the　opposite　house：　he　pointed　him　out　to　Monsieur　Hochon；　and

related　succinctly　the　particulars；　at　once　so　petty　and　so　important；

of　his　visit。



〃Maxence　is　afraid　of　me；　but　he　can't　evade　me。　Mignonnet　says　that

all　the　officers　of　the　old　army　who　are　in　Issoudun　give　a　yearly

banquet　on　the　anniversary　of　the　Emperor's　coronation；　so　Maxence

Gilet　and　I　are　sure　to　meet　in　a　few　days。〃



〃If　he　gets　a　power　of　attorney　by　the　morning　of　the　first　of

December；〃　said　Hochon；　〃he　might　take　the　mail…post　for　Paris；　and

give　up　the　banquet。〃



〃Very　good。　The　first　thing　is；　then；　to　get　possession　of　my　uncle；

I've　an　eye　that　cows　a　fool；〃　said　Philippe；　giving　Monsieur　Hochon

an　atrocious　glance　that　made　the　old　man　tremble。



〃If　they　let　him　walk　with　you；　Maxence　must　believe　he　has　found　some

means　to　win　the　game；〃　remarked　the　old　miser。



〃Oh！　Fario　is　on　the　watch；〃　said　Philippe；　〃and　he　is　not　alone。　That

Spaniard　has　discovered　one　of　my　old　soldiers　in　the　neighborhood　of

Vatan；　a　man　I　once　did　some　service　to。　Without　any　one's　suspecting

it；　Benjamin　Bourdet　is　under　Fario's　orders；　who　has　lent　him　a　horse

to　get　about　with。〃



〃If　you　kill　that　monster　who　has　corrupted　my　grandsons；　I　shall　say

you　have　done　a　good　deed。〃



〃Thanks　to　me；　the　town　of　Issoudun　now　knows　what　Monsieur　Maxence

Gilet　has　been　doing　at　night　for　the　last　six　years；〃　replied

Philippe；　〃and　the　cackle；　as　you　call　it　here；　is　now　started　on　him。

Morally　his　day　is　over。〃



The　moment　Philippe　left　his　uncle's　house　Flore　went　to　Max's　room　to

tell　him　every　particular　of　the　nephew's　bold　visit。



〃What's　to　be　done？〃　she　asked。



〃Before　trying　the　last　means；which　will　be　to　fight　that　big

reprobate；〃　replied　Maxence；　〃we　must　play　double　or　quits；　and　try

our　grand　stroke。　Let　the　old　idiot　go　with　his　nephew。〃



〃But　that　big　brute　won't　mince　matters；〃　remonstrated　Flore；　〃he'll

call　things　by　their　right　names。〃



〃Listen　to　me；〃　said　Maxence　in　a　harsh　voice。　〃Do　you　think　I've　not

kept　my　ears　open；　and　reflected　about　how　we　stand？　Send　to　Pere

Cognette　for　a　horse　and　a　char…a…banc；　and　say　we　want　them

instantly：　they　must　be　here　in　five　minutes。　Pack　all　your

belongings；　take　Vedie；　and　go　to　Vatan。　Settle　yourself　there　as　if

you　mean　to　stay；　carry　off　the　twenty　thousand　francs　in　gold　which

the　old　fellow　has　got　in　his　drawer。　If　I　bring　him　to　you　in　Vatan；

you　are　to　refuse　to　come　back　here　unless　he　signs　the　power　of

attorney。　As　soon　as　we　get　it　I'll　slip　off　to　Paris；　while　you're

returning　to　Issoudun。　When　Jean…Jacques　gets　back　from　his　walk　and

finds　you　gone；　he'll　go　beside　himself；　and　want　to　follow　you。　Well！

when　he　does；　I'll　give　him　a　talking　to。〃







CHAPTER　XV



While　the　foregoing　plot　was　progressing；　Philippe　was　walking　arm　in

arm　with　his　uncle　along　the　boulevard　Baron。



〃The　two　great　tacticians　are　coming　to　close　quarters　at　last；〃

thought　Monsieur　Hochon　as　he　watched　the　colonel　marching　off　with

his　uncle；　〃I　am　curious　to　see　the　end　of　the　game；　and　what　becomes

of　the　stake　of　ninety　thousand　francs　a　year。〃



〃My　dear　uncle；〃　said　Philippe；　whose　phraseology　had　a　flavor　of　his

affinities　in　Paris；　〃you　love　this　girl；　and　you　are　devilishly

right。　She　is　damnably　handsome！　Instead　of　billing　and　cooing　she

makes　you　trot　like　a　valet；　well；　that's　all　simple　enough；　but　she

wants　to　see　you　six　feet　underground；　so　that　she　may　marry　Max；　whom

she　adores。〃



〃I　know　that；　Philippe；　but　I　love　her　all　the　same。〃



〃Well；　I　have　sworn　by　the　soul　of　my　mother；　who　is　your　own　sister；〃

continued　Philippe；　〃to　make　your　Rabouilleuse　as　supple　as　my　glove；

and　the　same　as　she　was　before　that　scoundrel；　who　is　unworthy　to　have

served　in　the　Imperial　Guard；　ever　came　to　quarter　himself　in　your

house。〃



〃Ah！　if　you　could　do　that！〃　said　the　old　man。



〃It　is　very　easy；〃　answered　Philippe；　cutting　his　uncle　short。　〃I'll

kill　Max　as　I　would　a　dog；　buton　one　condition；〃　added　the　old

campaigner。



〃What　is　that？〃　said　Rouget；　looking　at　his　nephew　in　a　stupid　way。



〃Don't　sign　that　power　of　attorney　which　they　want　of　you　before　the

third　of　December；　put　them　off　till　then。　Your　torturers　only　want　it

to　enable　them　to　sell　the　fifty　thousand　a　year　you　have　in　the

Funds；　so　that　they　may　run　off　to　Paris　and　pay　for　their　wedding

festivities　out　of　your　millions。〃



〃I　am　afraid　so；〃　replied　Rouget。



〃Well；　whatever　they　may　say　or　do　to　you；　put　off　giving　that　power

of　attorney　until　next　week。〃



〃Yes；　but　when　Flore　talks　to　me　she　stirs　my　very　soul；　till　I　don't

know　what　I　do。　I　give　you　my　word；　when　she　looks　at　me　in　a　certain

way；　her　blue　eyes　seem　like　paradise；　and　I　am　no　longer　master　of

myself；especially　when　for　some　days　she　had　been　harsh　to　me。〃



〃Well；　whether　she　is　sweet　or　sour；　don't　do　more　than　promise　to

sign　the　paper；　and　let　me　know　the　night　before　you　are　going　to　do

it。　That　will　answer。　Maxence　shall　not　be　your　proxy　unless　he　first

kills　me。　If　I　kill　him；　you　must　agree　to　take　me　in　his　place；　and

I'll　undertake　to　break　in　that　handsome　girl　and　keep　her　at　your

beck　and　call。　Yes；　Flore　shall　love　you；　and　if　she　doesn't　satisfy

youthunder！　I'll　thrash　her。〃



〃Oh！　I　never　could　allow　that。　A　blow　struck　at　Flore　would　break　my

heart。〃



〃But　it　is　the　only　way　to　govern　women　and　horses。　A　man　makes

himself　feared；　or　loved；　or　respected。　Now　that　is　what　I　wanted　to

whisper　in　your　earGood…morning；　gentlemen；〃　he　said　to　Mignonnet

and　Carpentier；　who　came　up　at　the　moment；　〃I　am　taking　my　uncle　for　a

walk；　as　you　see；　and　trying　to　improve　him；　for　we　are　in　an　age　when

children　are　obliged　to　educate　their　grandparents。〃



They　all　bowed　to　each　other。



〃You　behold　in　my　dear　uncle　the　effects　of　an　unhappy　passion。　Those

two　want　to　strip　him　of　his　fortune　and　leave　him　in　the　lurchyou

know　to　whom　I　refer？　He　sees　the　plot；　but　he　hasn't　the　courage　to

give　up　his　SUGAR…PLUM　for　a　few　days　so　as　to　baffle　it。〃



Philippe　briefly　explained　his　uncle's　position。



〃Gentlemen；〃　he　remarked；　in　conclusion；　〃you　see　there　are　no　two

ways　of　saving　him：　either　Colonel　Bridau　must　kill　Captain　Gilet；　or

Captain　Gilet　must　kill　Colonel　Bridau。　We　celebrate　the　Emperor's

coronation　on　the　day　after　to…morrow；　I　rely　upon　you　to　arrange　the

seats　at　the　banquet　so　that　I　shall　sit　opposite　to　Gilet。　You　will

do　me　the　honor；　I　hope；　of　being　my　seconds。〃



〃We　will　appoint　you　to　preside；　and　sit　ourselves　on　either　side　of

you。　Max；　as　vice…president；　will　of　course　sit　opposite；〃　said

Mignonnet。



〃Oh！　the　scoundrel　will　have　Potel　and　Renard　with　him；〃　said

Carpentier。　〃In　spite　of　all　that　Issoudun　now　knows　and　says　of　his

midnight　maraudings；　those　two　worthy　officers；　who　have　already　been

his　seconds；　remain　faithful　to　him。〃



〃You　see　how　it　all　maps　out；　uncle；〃　said　Philippe。　〃Therefore；　sign

no　paper　before　the　third　of　December；　the　next　day　you　shall　be　free；

happy；　and　beloved　by　Flore；　without　having　to　coax　for　it。〃



〃You　don't　know　him；　Philippe；〃　said　the　terrified　old　man。　〃Maxence

has　killed　nine　men　in　duels。〃



〃Yes；　but　ninety　thousand　francs　a　year　didn't　depend　on　it；〃　answered

Philippe。



〃A　bad　conscience　shakes　the　hand；〃　remarked　Mignonnet　sententiously。



〃In　a　few　days　from　now；〃　resumed　Philippe；　〃you　and　the　Rabouilleuse

will　be　living　together　as　sweet　as　honey；that　is；　after　she　gets

through　mourning。　At　first　she'll　twist　like　a　worm；　and　yelp；　and

weep；　but　never　mind；　let　the　water　run！〃



The　two　soldiers　approved　of　Philippe's　arguments；　and　tried　to

hearten　up　old　Rouget；　with　whom　they　walked　about　for　nearly　two

hours。　At　last　Philippe　took　his　uncle　home；　saying　as　they　parted：



〃Don't　take　any　steps　without　me。　I　know　women。　I　have　paid　for　one；

who　cost　me　far　more　than　Flore　can　ever　cost　you。　But　she　taught　me

how　to　behave　to　the　fair　sex　for　the　rest　of　my　days。　Women　are　bad

children；　they　are　inferior　animals　to　men；　we　must　make　them　fear　us；

the　worst　condition　in　the　world　is　to　be　governed　by　such　brutes。〃



It　was　about　half…past　two　in　the　afternoon　when　the　old　man　got　home。

Kouski　opened　the　door　in　tears；that　is；　by　Max's　orders；　he　gave

signs　of　weeping。



〃Oh！　Monsieur；　Madame　has　gone　away；　and　taken　Vedie　with　her！〃



〃Goneaway！〃　said　the　old　man　in　a　strangled　voice。



The　blow　was　so　violent　that　Rouget　sat　down　on　the　stairs；　unable　to

stand。　A　moment　after；　he　rose；　looked　about　the　hall；　into　the

kitchen；　went　up　to　his　own　room；　searched　all　the　chambers；　and

returned　to　the　salon；　where　he　threw　himself　into　a　chair；　and　burst

into　tears。



〃Where　is　she？〃　he　sobbed。　〃Oh！　where　is　she？　where　is　Max？〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　answered　Kouski。　〃The　captain　went　out　without　telling

me。〃



Gilet　thought　it　politic　to　be　seen　sauntering　about　the　town。　By

leaving　the　old　man　alone　with　his　despair；　he　knew　he　should　make　him

feel　his　desertion　the　more　keenly；　and　reduce　him　to　docility。　To

keep　Philippe　from　assisting　his　uncle　at　this　crisis；　he　had　given

Kouski　strict　orders　not　to　open　the　door　to　any　one。　Flore　away；　the

miserable　old　man　grew　frantic；　and　t