the two brothers-第54节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





〃How　can　I　earn　my　living　here？〃



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

Issoudun；　for　the　department　of　the　Cher；　you　might　get　a　place　in　it；

but　the　pay　won't　be　more　than　fifty　francs　a　month　at　the　outside。〃



〃That　will　be　enough。〃



At　the　end　of　a　week　Philippe　had　a　new　suit　of　clothes；coat；

waistcoat；　and　trousers；of　good　blue　Elbeuf　cloth；　bought　on　credit；

to　be　paid　for　at　so　much　a　month；　also　new　boots；　buckskin　gloves；

and　a　hat。　Giroudeau　sent　him　some　linen；　with　his　weapons　and　a

letter　for　Carpentier；　who　had　formerly　served　under　Giroudeau。　The

letter　secured　him　Carpentier's　good…will；　and　the　latter　presented

him　to　his　friend　Mignonnet　as　a　man　of　great　merit　and　the　highest

character。　Philippe　won　the　admiration　of　these　worthy　officers　by

confiding　to　them　a　few　facts　about　the　late　conspiracy；　which　was；　as

everybody　knows；　the　last　attempt　of　the　old　army　against　the

Bourbons；　for　the　affair　of　the　sergeants　at　La　Rochelle　belongs　to

another　order　of　ideas。



Warned　by　the　fate　of　the　conspiracy　of　the　19th　of　August；　1820；　and

of　those　of　Berton　and　Caron；　the　soldiers　of　the　old　army　resigned

themselves；　after　their　failure　in　1822；　to　await　events。　This　last

conspiracy；　which　grew　out　of　that　of　the　19th　of　August；　was　really　a

continuation　of　the　latter；　carried　on　by　a　better　element。　Like　its

predecessor；　it　was　absolutely　unknown　to　the　royal　government。

Betrayed　once　more；　the　conspirators　had　the　wit　to　reduce　their　vast

enterprise　to　the　puny　proportions　of　a　barrack　plot。　This　conspiracy；

in　which　several　regiments　of　cavalry；　infantry；　and　artillery　were

concerned；　had　its　centre　in　the　north　of　France。　The　strong　places

along　the　frontier　were　to　be　captured　at　a　blow。　If　success　had

followed；　the　treaties　of　1815　would　have　been　broken　by　a　federation

with　Belgium；　which；　by　a　military　compact　made　among　the　soldiers；

was　to　withdraw　from　the　Holy　Alliance。　Two　thrones　would　have　been

plunged　in　a　moment　into　the　vortex　of　this　sudden　cyclone。　Instead　of

this　formidable　schemeconcerted　by　strong　minds　and　supported　by

personages　of　high　rankbeing　carried　out；　one　small　part　of　it；　and

that　only；　was　discovered　and　brought　before　the　Court　of　Peers。

Philippe　Bridau　consented　to　screen　the　leaders；　who　retired　the

moment　the　plot　was　discovered　（either　by　treachery　or　accident）；　and

from　their　seats　in　both　Chambers　lent　their　co…operation　to　the

inquiry　only　to　work　for　the　ultimate　success　of　their　purpose　at　the

heart　of　the　government。



To　recount　this　scheme；　which；　since　1830；　the　Liberals　have　openly

confessed　in　all　its　ramifications；　would　trench　upon　the　domain　of

history　and　involve　too　long　a　digression。　This　glimpse　of　it　is

enough　to　show　the　double　part　which　Philippe　Bridau　undertook　to

play。　The　former　staff…officer　of　the　Emperor　was　to　lead　a　movement

in　Paris　solely　for　the　purpose　of　masking　the　real　conspiracy　and

occupying　the　mind　of　the　government　at　its　centre；　while　the　great

struggle　should　burst　forth　at　the　north。　When　the　latter　miscarried

before　discovery；　Philippe　was　ordered　to　break　all　links　connecting

the　two　plots；　and　to　allow　the　secrets　of　the　secondary　plot　only　to

become　known。　For　this　purpose；　his　abject　misery；　to　which　his　state

of　health　and　his　clothing　bore　witness；　was　amply　sufficient　to

undervalue　the　character　of　the　conspiracy　and　reduce　its　proportions

in　the　eyes　of　the　authorities。　The　role　was　well　suited　to　the

precarious　position　of　the　unprincipled　gambler。　Feeling　himself

astride　of　both　parties；　the　crafty　Philippe　played　the　saint　to　the

royal　government；　all　the　while　retaining　the　good　opinion　of　the　men

in　high　places　who　were　of　the　other　party；determined　to　cast　in　his

lot　at　a　later　day　with　whichever　side　he　might　then　find　most　to　his

advantage。



These　revelations　as　to　the　vast　bearings　of　the　real　conspiracy　made

Philippe　a　man　of　great　distinction　in　the　eyes　of　Carpentier　and

Mignonnet；　to　whom　his　self…devotion　seemed　a　state…craft　worthy　of

the　palmy　days　of　the　Convention。　In　a　short　time　the　tricky

Bonapartist　was　seen　to　be　on　friendly　terms　with　the　two　officers；

and　the　consideration　they　enjoyed　in　the　town　was；　of　course；　shared

by　him。　He　soon　obtained；　through　their　recommendation；　the　situation

in　the　insurance　office　that　old　Hochon　had　suggested；　which　required

only　three　hours　of　his　day。　Mignonnet　and　Carpentier　put　him　up　at

their　club；　where　his　good　manners　and　bearing；　in　keeping　with　the

high　opinion　which　the　two　officers　expressed　about　him；　won　him　a

respect　often　given　to　external　appearances　that　are　only　deceitful。



Philippe；　whose　conduct　was　carefully　considered　and　planned；　had

indeed　made　many　reflections　while　in　prison　as　to　the　inconveniences

of　leading　a　debauched　life。　He　did　not　need　Desroches's　lecture　to

understand　the　necessity　of　conciliating　the　people　at　Issoudun　by

decent；　sober；　and　respectable　conduct。　Delighted　to　attract　Max's

ridicule　by　behaving　with　the　propriety　of　a　Mignonnet；　he　went

further；　and　endeavored　to　lull　Gilet's　suspicions　by　deceiving　him　as

to　his　real　character。　He　was　bent　on　being　taken　for　a　fool　by

appearing　generous　and　disinterested；　all　the　while　drawing　a　net

around　his　adversary；　and　keeping　his　eye　on　his　uncle's　property。　His

mother　and　brother；　on　the　contrary；　who　were　really　disinterested；

generous；　and　lofty；　had　been　accused　of　greed　because　they　had　acted

with　straightforward　simplicity。　Philippe's　covetousness　was　fully

roused　by　Monsieur　Hochon；　who　gave　him　all　the　details　of　his　uncle's

property。　In　the　first　secret　conversation　which　he　held　with　the

octogenarian；　they　agreed　that　Philippe　must　not　awaken　Max's

suspicions；　for　the　game　would　be　lost　if　Flore　and　Max　were　to　carry

off　their　victim；　though　no　further　than　Bourges。



Once　a　week　the　colonel　dined　with　Mignonnet；　another　day　with

Carpentier；　and　every　Thursday　with　Monsieur　Hochon。　At　the　end　of

three　weeks　he　received　other　invitations　for　the　remaining　days；　so

that　he　had　little　more　than　his　breakfast　to　provide。　He　never　spoke

of　his　uncle；　nor　of　the　Rabouilleuse；　nor　of　Gilet；　unless　it　were　in

connection　with　his　mother　and　his　brother's　stay　in　Issoudun。　The

three　officersthe　only　soldiers　in　the　town　who　were　decorated；　and

among　whom　Philippe　had　the　advantage　of　the　rosette；　which　in　the

eyes　of　all　provincials　gave　him　a　marked　superioritytook　a　habit　of

walking　together　every　day　before　dinner；　keeping；　as　the　saying　is；

to　themselves。　This　reserve　and　tranquillity　of　demeanor　had　an

excellent　effect　on　Issoudun。　All　Max's　adherents　thought　Philippe　a

〃sabreur；〃an　expression　applied　by　soldiers　to　the　commonest　sort　of

courage　in　their　superior　officers；　while　denying　that　they　possess

the　requisite　qualities　of　a　commander。



〃He　is　a　very　honorable　man；〃　said　Goddet　the　surgeon；　to　Max。



〃Bah！〃　replied　Gilet；　〃his　behavior　before　the　Court　of　Peers　proves

him　to　have　been　either　a　dupe　or　a　spy；　he　is；　as　you　say；　ninny

enough　to　have　been　duped　by　the　great　players。〃



After　obtaining　his　situation；　Philippe；　who　was　well　informed　as　to

the　gossip　of　the　town；　wished　to　conceal　certain　circumstances　of　his

present　life　as　much　as　possible　from　the　knowledge　of　the

inhabitants；　he　therefore　went　to　live　in　a　house　at　the　farther　end

of　the　faubourg　Saint…Paterne；　to　which　was　attached　a　large　garden。

Here　he　was　able　in　the　utmost　secrecy　to　fence　with　Carpentier；　who

had　been　a　fencing…master　in　the　infantry　before　entering　the　cavalry。

Philippe　soon　recovered　his　early　dexterity；　and　learned　other　and　new

secrets　from　Carpentier；　which　convinced　him　that　he　need　not　fear　the

prowess　of　any　adversary。　This　done；　he　began　openly　to　practise　with

pistols；　with　Mignonnet　and　Carpentier；　declaring　it　was　for

amusement；　but　really　intending　to　make　Max　believe　that；　in　case　of　a

duel；　he　should　rely　on　that　weapon。　Whenever　Philippe　met　Gilet　he

waited　for　him　to　bow　first；　and　answered　the　salutation　by　touching

the　brim　of　his　hat　cavalierly；　as　an　officer　acknowledges　the　salute

of　a　private。　Maxence　Gilet　gave　no　sign　of　impatience　or　displeasure；

he　never　uttered　a　single　word　about　Bridau　at　the　Cognettes'　where　he

still　gave　suppers；　although；　since　Fario's　attack；　the　pranks　of　the

Order　of　Idleness　were　temporarily　suspended。



After　a　while；　however；　the　contempt　shown　by　Lieutenant…colonel

Bridau　for　the　former　cavalry　captain；　Gilet；　was　a　settled　fact；

which　certain　Knights　of　Idleness；　who　were　less　bound　to　Max　than

Francois；　Baruch；　and　three　or　four　others；　discussed　among

themselves。　They　were　much　surprised　to　see　the　violent　and　fiery　Max

behave　with　such　discretion。　No　one　in　Issoudun；　not　even　Potel　or

Renard；　dared　broach　so　delicate　a　subject　with　him。　Potel；　somewhat

disturbed