the two brothers-第38节
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began for the first time to show fear; while his swarthy yellow face;
which seemed as it if could never change color; whitened。
〃How?〃 said Max。 〃Why; that's not difficult。〃
And taking advantage of the Spaniard's stupefaction; he raised the
barrow by the shafts with his robust arms and prepared to fling it
down; calling in thundering tones as it left his grasp; 〃Look out
there; below!〃
No accident happened; for the crowd; persuaded by Francois and eaten
up with curiosity; had retired to a distance from which they could see
more clearly what went on at the top of the embankment。 The cart was
dashed to an infinite number of pieces in a very picturesque manner。
〃There! you have got it down;〃 said Baruch。
〃Ah; brigands! ah; scoundrels!〃 cried Fario; 〃perhaps it was you who
brought it up here!〃
Max; Baruch; and their three comrades began to laugh at the Spaniard's
rage。
〃I wanted to do you a service;〃 said Max coolly; 〃and in handling the
damned thing I came very near flinging myself after it; and this is
how you thank me; is it? What country do you come from?〃
〃I come from a country where they never forgive;〃 replied Fario;
trembling with rage。 〃My cart will be the cab in which you shall drive
to the devil!unless;〃 he said; suddenly becoming as meek as a lamb;
〃you will give me a new one。〃
〃We will talk about that;〃 said Max; beginning to descend。
When they reached the bottom and met the first hilarious group; Max
took Fario by the button of his jacket and said to him;
〃Yes; my good Fario; I'll give you a magnificent cart; if you will
give me two hundred and fifty francs; but I won't warrant it to go;
like this one; up a tower。〃
At this last jest Fario became as cool as though he were making a
bargain。
〃Damn it!〃 he said; 〃give me the wherewithal to replace my barrow; and
it will be the best use you ever made of old Rouget's money。〃
Max turned livid; he raised his formidable fist to strike Fario; but
Baruch; who knew that the blow would descend on others besides the
Spaniard; plucked the latter away like a feather and whispered to
Max;
〃Don't commit such a folly!〃
The grand master; thus called to order; began to laugh and said to
Fario;
〃If I; by accident; broke your barrow; and you in return try to
slander me; we are quits。〃
〃Not yet;〃 muttered Fario。 〃But I am glad to know what my barrow was
worth。〃
〃Ah; Max; you've found your match!〃 said a spectator of the scene; who
did not belong to the Order of Idleness。
〃Adieu; Monsieur Gilet。 I haven't thanked you yet for lending me a
hand;〃 cried the Spaniard; as he kicked the sides of his horse and
disappeared amid loud hurrahs。
〃We will keep the tires of the wheels for you;〃 shouted a wheelwright;
who had come to inspect the damage done to the cart。
One of the shafts was sticking upright in the ground; as straight as a
tree。 Max stood by; pale and thoughtful; and deeply annoyed by Fario's
speech。 For five days after this; nothing was talked of in Issoudun
but the tale of the Spaniard's barrow; it was even fated to travel
abroad; as Goddet remarked;for it went the round of Berry; where the
speeches of Fario and Max were repeated; and at the end of a week the
affair; greatly to the Spaniard's satisfaction; was still the talk of
the three departments and the subject of endless gossip。 In
consequence of the vindictive Spaniard's terrible speech; Max and the
Rabouilleuse became the object of certain comments which were merely
whispered in Issoudun; though they were spoken aloud in Bourges;
Vatan; Vierzon; and Chateauroux。 Maxence Gilet knew enough of that
region of the country to guess how envenomed such comments would
become。
〃We can't stop their tongues;〃 he said at last。 〃Ah! I did a foolish
thing!〃
〃Max!〃 said Francois; taking his arm。 〃They are coming to…night。〃
〃They! Who!〃
〃The Bridaus。 My grandmother has just had a letter from her
goddaughter。〃
〃Listen; my boy;〃 said Max in a low voice。 〃I have been thinking
deeply of this matter。 Neither Flore nor I ought to seem opposed to
the Bridaus。 If these heirs are to be got rid of; it is for you
Hochons to drive them out of Issoudun。 Find out what sort of people
they are。 To…morrow at Mere Cognette's; after I've taken their
measure; we can decide what is to be done; and how we can set your
grandfather against them。〃
〃The Spaniard found the flaw in Max's armor;〃 said Baruch to his
cousin Francois; as they turned into Monsieur Hochon's house and
watched their comrade entering his own door。
While Max was thus employed; Flore; in spite of her friend's advice;
was unable to restrain her wrath; and without knowing whether she
would help or hinder Max's plans; she burst forth upon the poor
bachelor。 When Jean…Jacques incurred the anger of his mistress; the
little attentions and vulgar fondlings which were all his joy were
suddenly suppressed。 Flore sent her master; as the children say; into
disgrace。 No more tender glances; no more of the caressing little
words in various tones with which she decked her conversation;〃my
kitten;〃 〃my old darling;〃 〃my bibi;〃 〃my rat;〃 etc。 A 〃you;〃 cold and
sharp and ironically respectful; cut like the blade of a knife through
the heart of the miserable old bachelor。 The 〃you〃 was a declaration
of war。 Instead of helping the poor man with his toilet; handing him
what he wanted; forestalling his wishes; looking at him with the sort
of admiration which all women know how to express; and which; in some
cases; the coarser it is the better it pleases;saying; for instance;
〃You look as fresh as a rose!〃 or; 〃What health you have!〃 〃How
handsome you are; my old Jean!〃in short; instead of entertaining him
with the lively chatter and broad jokes in which he delighted; Flore
left him to dress alone。 If he called her; she answered from the foot
of the staircase; 〃I can't do everything at once; how can I look after
your breakfast and wait upon you up there? Are not you big enough to
dress your own self?〃
〃Oh; dear! what have I done to displease her?〃 the old man asked
himself that morning; as he got one of these rebuffs after calling for
his shaving…water。
〃Vedie; take up the hot water;〃 cried Flore。
〃Vedie!〃 exclaimed the poor man; stupefied with fear of the anger that
was crushing him。 〃Vedie; what is the matter with Madame this
morning?〃
Flore Brazier required her master and Vedie and Kouski and Max to call
her Madame。
〃She seems to have heard something about you which isn't to your
credit;〃 answered Vedie; assuming an air of deep concern。 〃You are
doing wrong; monsieur。 I'm only a poor servant…woman; and you may say
I have no right to poke my nose into your affairs; but I do say you
may search through all the women in the world; like that king in holy
Scripture; and you won't find the equal of Madame。 You ought to kiss
the ground she steps on。 Goodness! if you make her unhappy; you'll
only spoil your own life。 There she is; poor thing; with her eyes full
of tears。〃
Vedie left the poor man utterly cast down; he dropped into an armchair
and gazed into vacancy like the melancholy imbecile that he was; and
forgot to shave。 These alternations of tenderness and severity worked
upon this feeble creature whose only life was through his amorous
fibre; the same morbid effect which great changes from tropical heat
to arctic cold produce upon the human body。 It was a moral pleurisy;
which wore him out like a physical disease。 Flore alone could thus
affect him; for to her; and to her alone; he was as good as he was
foolish。
〃Well; haven't you shaved yet?〃 she said; appearing at his door。
Her sudden presence made the old man start violently; and from being
pale and cast down he grew red for an instant; without; however;
daring to complain of her treatment。
〃Your breakfast is waiting;〃 she added。 〃You can come down as you are;
in dressing…gown and slippers; for you'll breakfast alone; I can tell
you。〃
Without waiting for an answer; she disappeared。 To make him breakfast
alone was the punishment he dreaded most; he loved to talk to her as
he ate his meals。 When he got to the foot of the staircase he was
taken with a fit of coughing; for emotion excited his catarrh。
〃Cough away!〃 said Flore in the kitchen; without caring whether he
heard her or not。 〃Confound the old wretch! he is able enough to get
over it without bothering others。 If he coughs up his soul; it will
only be after〃
Such were the amenities the Rabouilleuse addressed to Rouget when she
was angry。 The poor man sat down in deep distress at a corner of the
table in the middle of the room; and looked at his old furniture and
the old pictures with a disconsolate air。
〃You might at least have put on a cravat;〃 said Flore。 〃Do you think
it is pleasant for people to see such a neck as yo