the two brothers-第37节

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declared　she　would　devote　herself　for　life　or　death　to　Max　and　Flore。

In　the　name　of　the　two　powers；　Mere　Cognette　promised　her　an　annuity

of　three　hundred　francs　a　year　at　the　end　of　ten　years；　if　she　served

them　loyally；　honestly；　and　discreetly。　The　Vedie；　as　she　was　called；

was　noticeable　for　a　face　deeply　pitted　by　the　small…pox；　and

correspondingly　ugly。



After　the　new　cook　had　entered　upon　her　duties；　the　Rabouilleuse　took

the　title　of　Madame　Brazier。　She　wore　corsets；　she　had　silk；　or

handsome　woollen　and　cotton　dresses；　according　to　the　season；

expensive　neckerchiefs；　embroidered　caps　and　collars；　lace　ruffles　at

her　throat；　boots　instead　of　shoes；　and；　altogether；　adopted　a

richness　and　elegance　of　apparel　which　renewed　the　youthfulness　of　her

appearance。　She　was　like　a　rough　diamond；　that　needed　cutting　and

mounting　by　a　jeweller　to　bring　out　its　full　value。　Her　desire　was　to

do　honor　to　Max。　At　the　end　of　the　first　year；　in　1817；　she　brought　a

horse；　styled　English；　from　Bourges；　for　the　poor　cavalry　captain；　who

was　weary　of　going　afoot。　Max　had　picked　up　in　the　purlieus　of

Issoudun　an　old　lancer　of　the　Imperial　Guard；　a　Pole　named　Kouski；　now

very　poor；　who　asked　nothing　better　than　to　quarter　himself　in

Monsieur　Rouget's　house　as　the　captain's　servant。　Max　was　Kouski's

idol；　especially　after　the　duel　with　the　three　royalists。　So；　from

1817；　the　household　of　the　old　bachelor　was　made　up　of　five　persons；

three　of　whom　were　masters；　and　the　expenses　advanced　to　about　eight

thousand　francs　a　year。







CHAPTER　X



At　the　time　when　Madame　Bridau　returned　to　Issoudun　to　saveas　Maitre

Desroches　expressed　itan　inheritance　that　was　seriously　threatened；

Jean…Jacques　Rouget　had　reached　by　degrees　a　condition　that　was　semi…

vegetative。　In　the　first　place；　after　Max's　instalment；　Flore　put　the

table　on　an　episcopal　footing。　Rouget；　thrown　in　the　way　of　good

living；　ate　more　and　still　more；　enticed　by　the　Vedie's　excellent

dishes。　He　grew　no　fatter；　however；　in　spite　of　this　abundant　and

luxurious　nourishment。　From　day　to　day　he　weakened　like　a　worn…out

man；fatigued；　perhaps；　with　the　effort　of　digestion；and　his　eyes

had　dark　circles　around　them。　Still；　when　his　friends　and　neighbors

met　him　in　his　walks　and　questioned　him　about　his　health；　he　always

answered　that　he　was　never　better　in　his　life。　As　he　had　always　been

thought　extremely　deficient　in　mind；　people　did　not　notice　the

constant　lowering　of　his　faculties。　His　love　for　Flore　was　the　one

thing　that　kept　him　alive；　in　fact；　he　existed　only　for　her；　and　his

weakness　in　her　presence　was　unbounded；　he　obeyed　the　creature's　mere

look；　and　watched　her　movements　as　a　dog　watches　every　gesture　of　his

master。　In　short；　as　Madame　Hochon　remarked；　at　fifty…seven　years　of

age　he　seemed　older　than　Monsieur　Hochon；　an　octogenarian。



Every　one　will　suppose；　and　with　reason；　that　Max's　appartement　was

worthy　of　so　charming　a　fellow。　In　fact；　in　the　course　of　six　years

our　captain　had　by　degrees　perfected　the　comfort　of　his　abode　and

adorned　every　detail　of　it；　as　much　for　his　own　pleasure　as　for

Flore's。　But　it　was；　after　all；　only　the　comfort　and　luxury　of

Issoudun；colored　tiles；　rather　elegant　wallpapers；　mahogany

furniture；　mirrors　in　gilt　frames；　muslin　curtains　with　red　borders；　a

bed　with　a　canopy；　and　draperies　arranged　as　the　provincial

upholsterers　arrange　them　for　a　rich　bride；　which　in　the　eyes　of

Issoudun　seemed　the　height　of　luxury；　but　are　so　common　in　vulgar

fashion…plates　that　even　the　petty　shopkeepers　in　Paris　have　discarded

them　at　their　weddings。　One　very　unusual　thing　appeared；　which　caused

much　talk　in　Issoudun；　namely；　a　rush…matting　on　the　stairs；　no　doubt

to　muffle　the　sound　of　feet。　In　fact；　though　Max　was　in　the　habit　of

coming　in　at　daybreak；　he　never　woke　any　one；　and　Rouget　was　far　from

suspecting　that　his　guest　was　an　accomplice　in　the　nocturnal

performances　of　the　Knights　of　Idleness。



About　eight　o'clock　the　next　morning；　Flore；　wearing　a　dressing…gown

of　some　pretty　cotton　stuff　with　narrow　pink　stripes；　a　lace　cap　on

her　head；　and　her　feet　in　furred　slippers；　softly　opened　the　door　of

Max's　chamber；　seeing　that　he　slept；　she　remained　standing　beside　the

bed。



〃He　came　in　so　late！〃　she　said　to　herself。　〃It　was　half…past　three。　He

must　have　a　good　constitution　to　stand　such　amusements。　Isn't　he

strong；　the　dear　love！　I　wonder　what　they　did　last　night。〃



〃Oh；　there　you　are；　my　little　Flore！〃　said　Max；　waking　like　a　soldier

trained　by　the　necessities　of　war　to　have　his　wits　and　his　self…

possession　about　him　the　instant　that　he　waked；　however　suddenly　it

might　happen。



〃You　are　sleepy；　I'll　go　away。〃



〃No；　stay；　there's　something　serious　going　on。〃



〃Were　you　up　to　some　mischief　last　night？〃



〃Ah；　bah！　It　concerns　you　and　me　and　that　old　fool。　You　never　told　me

he　had　a　family！　Well；　his　family　are　coming；coming　here；no　doubt

to　turn　us　out；　neck　and　crop。〃



〃Ah！　I'll　shake　him　well；〃　said　Flore。



〃Mademoiselle　Brazier；〃　said　Max　gravely；　〃things　are　too　serious　for

giddiness。　Send　me　my　coffee；　I'll　take　it　in　bed；　where　I'll　think

over　what　we　had　better　do。　Come　back　at　nine　o'clock；　and　we'll　talk

about　it。　Meanwhile；　behave　as　if　you　had　heard　nothing。〃



Frightened　at　the　news；　Flore　left　Max　and　went　to　make　his　coffee；

but　a　quarter　of　an　hour　later；　Baruch　burst　into　Max's　bedroom；

crying　out　to　the　grand　master；



〃Fario　is　hunting　for　his　barrow！〃



In　five　minutes　Max　was　dressed　and　in　the　street；　and　though　he

sauntered　along　with　apparent　indifference；　he　soon　reached　the　foot

of　the　tower　embankment；　where　he　found　quite　a　collection　of　people。



〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Max；　making　his　way　through　the　crowd　and　reaching

the　Spaniard。



Fario　was　a　withered　little　man；　as　ugly　as　though　he　were　a　blue…

blooded　grandee。　His　fiery　eyes；　placed　very　close　to　his　nose　and

piercing　as　a　gimlet；　would　have　won　him　the　name　of　a　sorcerer　in

Naples。　He　seemed　gentle　because　he　was　calm；　quiet；　and　slow　in　his

movements；　and　for　this　reason　people　commonly　called　him　〃goodman

Fario。〃　But　his　skinthe　color　of　gingerbreadand　his　softness　of

manner　only　hid　from　stupid　eyes；　and　disclosed　to　observing　ones；　the

half…Moorish　nature　of　a　peasant　of　Granada；　which　nothing　had　as　yet

roused　from　its　phlegmatic　indolence。



〃Are　you　sure；〃　Max　said　to　him；　after　listening　to　his　grievance；

〃that　you　brought　your　cart　to　this　place？　for；　thank　God；　there　are

no　thieves　in　Issoudun。〃



〃I　left　it　just　there〃



〃If　the　horse　was　harnessed　to　it；　hasn't　he　drawn　it　somewhere。〃



〃Here's　the　horse；〃　said　Fario；　pointing　to　the　animal；　which　stood

harnessed　thirty　feet　away。



Max　went　gravely　up　to　the　place　where　the　horse　stood；　because　from

there　the　bottom　of　the　tower　at　the　top　of　the　embankment　could　be

seen；the　crowd　being　at　the　foot　of　the　mound。　Everybody　followed

Max；　and　that　was　what　the　scoundrel　wanted。



〃Has　anybody　thoughtlessly　put　a　cart　in　his　pocket？〃　cried　Francois。



〃Turn　out　your　pockets；　all　of　you！〃　said　Baruch。



Shouts　of　laughter　resounded　on　all　sides。　Fario　swore。　Oaths；　with　a

Spaniard；　denote　the　highest　pitch　of　anger。



〃Was　your　cart　light？〃　asked　Max。



〃Light！〃　cried　Fario。　〃If　those　who　laugh　at　me　had　it　on　their　feet；

their　corns　would　never　hurt　them　again。〃



〃Well；　it　must　be　devilishly　light；〃　answered　Max；　〃for　look　there！〃

pointing　to　the　foot　of　the　tower；　〃it　has　flown　up　the　embankment。〃



At　these　words　all　eyes　were　lifted　to　the　spot；　and　for　a　moment

there　was　a　perfect　uproar　in　the　market…place。　Each　man　pointed　at

the　barrow　bewitched；　and　all　their　tongues　wagged。



〃The　devil　makes　common　cause　with　the　inn…keepers；〃　said　Goddet　to

the　astonished　Spaniard。　〃He　means　to　teach　you　not　to　leave　your　cart

about　in　the　streets；　but　to　put　it　in　the　tavern　stables。〃



At　this　speech　the　crowd　hooted；　for　Fario　was　thought　to　be　a　miser。



〃Come；　my　good　fellow；〃　said　Max；　〃don't　lose　heart。　We'll　go　up　to

the　tower　and　see　how　your　barrow　got　there。　Thunder　and　cannon！　we'll

lend　you　a　hand！　Come　along；　Baruch。〃



〃As　for　you；〃　he　whispered　to　Francois；　〃get　the　people　to　stand　back；

and　make　sure　there　is　nobody　at　the　foot　of　the　embankment　when　you

see　us　at　the　top。〃



Fario；　Max；　Baruch；　and　three　other　knights　climbed　to　the　foot　of　the

tower。　During　the　rather　perilous　ascent　Max　and　Fario　noticed　that　no

damage　to　the　embankment；　nor　even　trace　of　the　passage　of　the　barrow；

could　be　seen。　Fario　began　to　imagine　witchcraft；　and　lost　his　head。

When　they　reached　the　top　and　examined　into　the　matter；　it　really

seemed　a　thing　impossible　that　the　cart　had　got　there。



〃How　shall　I　ever　get　it　down？〃　said　the　Spaniard；　whose　little　eyes

began　for　the　first　time　to　show　fear；　while　his　swarthy　yellow　face；

whic