the two brothers-第53节

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clothing。　When　the　convalescent　of　the　Hopital　du　Midi；　the　prisoner

of　the　Luxembourg；　entered　the　room；　Flore　Brazier　felt　a　shiver　pass

over　her　at　the　repulsive　sight。　Gilet　himself　was　conscious　of　that

particular　disturbance　both　of　mind　and　body；　by　which　Nature

sometimes　warns　us　of　a　latent　enmity；　or　a　coming　danger。　If　there

was　something　indescribably　sinister　in　Philippe's　countenance；　due　to

his　recent　misfortunes；　the　effect　was　heightened　by　his　clothes。　His

forlorn　blue　great…coat　was　buttoned　in　military　fashion　to　the

throat；　for　painful　reasons；　and　yet　it　showed　much　that　it　pretended

to　conceal。　The　bottom　edges　of　the　trousers；　ragged　like　those　of　an

almshouse　beggar；　were　the　sign　of　abject　poverty。　The　boots　left　wet

splashes　on　the　floor；　as　the　mud　oozed　from　fissures　in　the　soles。

The　gray　hat；　which　the　colonel　held　in　his　hand；　was　horribly　greasy

round　the　rim。　The　malacca　cane；　from　which　the　polish　had　long

disappeared；　must　have　stood　in　all　the　corners　of　all　the　cafes　in

Paris；　and　poked　its　worn…out　end　into　many　a　corruption。　Above　the

velvet　collar；　rubbed　and　worn　till　the　frame　showed　through　it；　rose

a　head　like　that　which　Frederick　Lemaitre　makes　up　for　the　last　act　in

〃The　Life　of　a　Gambler；〃where　the　exhaustion　of　a　man　still　in　the

prime　of　life　is　betrayed　by　the　metallic；　brassy　skin；　discolored　as

if　with　verdigris。　Such　tints　are　seen　on　the　faces　of　debauched

gamblers　who　spend　their　nights　in　play：　the　eyes　are　sunken　in　a

dusky　circle；　the　lids　are　reddened　rather　than　red；　the　brow　is

menacing　from　the　wreck　and　ruin　it　reveals。　Philippe's　cheeks；　which

were　sunken　and　wrinkled；　showed　signs　of　the　illness　from　which　he

had　scarcely　recovered。　His　head　was　bald；　except　for　a　fringe　of　hair

at　the　back　which　ended　at　the　ears。　The　pure　blue　of　his　brilliant

eyes　had　acquired　the　cold　tones　of　polished　steel。



〃Good…morning；　uncle；〃　he　said；　in　a　hoarse　voice。　〃I　am　your　nephew；

Philippe　Bridau；a　specimen　of　how　the　Bourbons　treat　a　lieutenant…

colonel；　an　old　soldier　of　the　old　army；　one　who　carried　the　Emperor's

orders　at　the　battle　of　Montereau。　If　my　coat　were　to　open；　I　should

be　put　to　shame　in　presence　of　Mademoiselle。　Well；　it　is　the　rule　of

the　game！　We　hoped　to　begin　it　again；　we　tried　it；　and　we　have　failed！

I　am　to　reside　in　your　city　by　the　order　of　the　police；　with　a　full

pay　of　sixty　francs　a　month。　So　the　inhabitants　needn't　fear　that　I

shall　raise　the　price　of　provisions！　I　see　you　are　in　good　and　lovely

company。〃



〃Ah！　you　are　my　nephew；〃　said　Jean…Jacques。



〃Invite　monsieur　le　colonel　to　breakfast　with　us；〃　said　Flore。



〃No；　I　thank　you；　madame；〃　answered　Philippe；　〃I　have　breakfasted。

Besides；　I　would　cut　off　my　hand　sooner　than　ask　a　bit　of　bread　or　a

farthing　from　my　uncle；　after　the　treatment　my　mother　and　brother

received　in　this　town。　It　did　not　seem　proper；　however；　that　I　should

settle　here；　in　Issoudun；　without　paying　my　respects　to　him　from　time

to　time。　You　can　do　what　you　like；〃　he　added；　offering　the　old　man　his

hand；　into　which　Rouget　put　his　own；　which　Philippe　shook；　〃whatever

you　like。　I　shall　have　nothing　to　say　against　it；　provided　the　honor

of　the　Bridaus　is　untouched。〃



Gilet　could　look　at　the　lieutenant…colonel　as　much　as　he　pleased；　for

Philippe　pointedly　avoided　casting　his　eyes　in　his　direction。　Max；

though　the　blood　boiled　in　his　veins；　was　too　well　aware　of　the

importance　of　behaving　with　political　prudencewhich　occasionally

resembles　cowardiceto　take　fire　like　a　young　man；　he　remained；

therefore；　perfectly　calm　and　cold。



〃It　wouldn't　be　right；　monsieur；〃　said　Flore；　〃to　live　on　sixty　francs

a　month　under　the　nose　of　an　uncle　who　has　forty　thousand　francs　a

year；　and　who　has　already　behaved　so　kindly　to　Captain　Gilet；　his

natural　relation；　here　present〃



〃Yes；　Philippe；〃　cried　the　old　man；　〃you　must　see　that！〃



On　Flore's　presentation；　Philippe　made　a　half…timid　bow　to　Max。



〃Uncle；　I　have　some　pictures　to　return　to　you；　they　are　now　at

Monsieur　Hochon's。　Will　you　be　kind　enough　to　come　over　some　day　and

identify　them。〃



Saying　these　last　words　in　a　curt　tone；　lieutenant…colonel　Philippe

Bridau　departed。　The　tone　of　his　visit　made；　if　possible；　a　deeper

impression　on　Flore's　mind；　and　also　on　that　of　Max；　than　the　shock

they　had　felt　at　the　first　sight　of　that　horrible　campaigner。　As　soon

as　Philippe　had　slammed　the　door；　with　the　violence　of　a　disinherited

heir；　Max　and　Flore　hid　behind　the　window…curtains　to　watch　him　as　he

crossed　the　road；　to　the　Hochons'。



〃What　a　vagabond！〃　exclaimed　Flore；　questioning　Max　with　a　glance　of

her　eye。



〃Yes；　unfortunately　there　were　men　like　him　in　the　armies　of　the

Emperor；　I　sent　seven　to　the　shades　at　Cabrera；〃　answered　Gilet。



〃I　do　hope；　Max；　that　you　won't　pick　a　quarrel　with　that　fellow；〃　said

Mademoiselle　Brazier。



〃He　smelt　so　of　tobacco；〃　complained　the　old　man。



〃He　was　smelling　after　your　money…bags；〃　said　Flore；　in　a　peremptory

tone。　〃My　advice　is　that　you　don't　let　him　into　the　house　again。〃



〃I'd　prefer　not　to；〃　replied　Rouget。



〃Monsieur；〃　said　Gritte；　entering　the　room　where　the　Hochon　family

were　all　assembled　after　breakfast；　〃here　is　the　Monsieur　Bridau　you

were　talking　about。〃



Philippe　made　his　entrance　politely；　in　the　midst　of　a　dead　silence

caused　by　general　curiosity。　Madame　Hochon　shuddered　from　head　to　foot

as　she　beheld　the　author　of　all　Agathe's　woes　and　the　murderer　of　good

old　Madame　Descoings。　Adolphine　also　felt　a　shock　of　fear。　Baruch　and

Francois　looked　at　each　other　in　surprise。　Old　Hochon　kept　his　self…

possession；　and　offered　a　seat　to　the　son　of　Madame　Bridau。



〃I　have　come；　monsieur；〃　said　Philippe；　〃to　introduce　myself　to　you；　I

am　forced　to　consider　how　I　can　manage　to　live　here；　for　five　years；

on　sixty　francs　a　month。〃



〃It　can　be　done；〃　said　the　octogenarian。



Philippe　talked　about　things　in　general；　with　perfect　propriety。　He

mentioned　the　journalist　Lousteau；　nephew　of　the　old　lady；　as　a　〃rara

avis；〃　and　won　her　good　graces　from　the　moment　she　heard　him　say　that

the　name　of　Lousteau　would　become　celebrated。　He　did　not　hesitate　to

admit　his　faults　of　conduct。　To　a　friendly　admonition　which　Madame

Hochon　addressed　to　him　in　a　low　voice；　he　replied　that　he　had

reflected　deeply　while　in　prison；　and　could　promise　that　in　future　he

would　live　another　life。



On　a　hint　from　Philippe；　Monsieur　Hochon　went　out　with　him　when　he

took　his　leave。　When　the　miser　and　the　soldier　reached　the　boulevard

Baron；　a　place　where　no　one　could　overhear　them；　the　colonel　turned　to

the　old　man；



〃Monsieur；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　will　be　guided　by　me；　we　will　never　speak

together　of　matters　and　things；　or　people　either；　unless　we　are

walking　in　the　open　country；　or　in　places　where　we　cannot　be　heard。

Maitre　Desroches　has　fully　explained　to　me　the　influence　of　the　gossip

of　a　little　town。　Therefore　I　don't　wish　you　to　be　suspected　of

advising　me；　though　Desroches　has　told　me　to　ask　for　your　advice；　and

I　beg　you　not　to　be　chary　of　giving　it。　We　have　a　powerful　enemy　in

our　front；　and　it　won't　do　to　neglect　any　precaution　which　may　help　to

defeat　him。　In　the　first　place；　therefore；　excuse　me　if　I　do　not　call

upon　you　again。　A　little　coldness　between　us　will　clear　you　of　all

suspicion　of　influencing　my　conduct。　When　I　want　to　consult　you；　I

will　pass　along　the　square　at　half…past　nine；　just　as　you　are　coming

out　after　breakfast。　If　you　see　me　carry　my　cane　on　my　shoulder；　that

will　mean　that　we　must　meetaccidentallyin　some　open　space　which

you　will　point　out　to　me。〃



〃I　see　you　are　a　prudent　man；　bent　on　success；〃　said　old　Hochon。



〃I　shall　succeed；　monsieur。　First　of　all；　give　me　the　names　of　the

officers　of　the　old　army　now　living　in　Issoudun；　who　have　not　taken

sides　with　Maxence　Gilet；　I　wish　to　make　their　acquaintance。〃



〃Well；　there's　a　captain　of　the　artillery　of　the　Guard；　Monsieur

Mignonnet；　a　man　about　forty　years　of　age；　who　was　brought　up　at　the

Ecole　Polytechnique；　and　lives　in　a　quiet　way。　He　is　a　very　honorable

man；　and　openly　disapproves　of　Max；　whose　conduct　he　considers

unworthy　of　a　true　soldier。〃



〃Good！〃　remarked　the　lieutenant…colonel。



〃There　are　not　many　soldiers　here　of　that　stripe；〃　resumed　Monsieur

Hochon；　〃the　only　other　that　I　know　is　an　old　cavalry　captain。〃



〃That　is　my　arm；〃　said　Philippe。　〃Was　he　in　the　Guard？〃



〃Yes；〃　replied　Monsieur　Hochon。　〃Carpentier　was；　in　1810；　sergeant…

major　in　the　dragoons；　then　he　rose　to　be　sub…lieutenant　in　the　line；

and　subsequently　captain　of　cavalry。〃



〃Giroudeau　may　know　him；〃　thought　Philippe。



〃This　Monsieur　Carpentier　took　the　place　in　the　mayor's　office　which

Gilet　threw　up；　he　is　a　friend　of　Monsieur　Mignonnet。〃



〃How　can　I　earn　my　living　here？〃



〃They　are　going；　I　think；　to　establish　a　mutual　insurance　a