the two brothers-第60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！





〃What　is　the　matter；　mademoiselle？〃　he　said；　after　wishing　his　uncle

good…morning。



〃She　can't　endure　the　idea　of　your　fighting　Maxence；〃　said　old　Rouget。



〃I　have　not　the　slightest　desire　to　kill　Gilet；〃　answered　Philippe。

〃He　need　only　take　himself　off　from　Issoudun　and　go　to　America　on　a

venture。　I　should　be　the　first　to　advise　you　to　give　him　an　outfit；

and　to　wish　him　a　safe　voyage。　He　would　soon　make　a　fortune　there；　and

that　is　far　more　honorable　than　turning　Issoudun　topsy…turvy　at　night；

and　playing　the　devil　in　your　household。〃



〃Well；　that's　fair　enough；〃　said　Rouget；　glancing　at　Flore。



〃A…mer…i…ca！〃　she　ejaculated；　sobbing。



〃It　is　better　to　kick　his　legs　about　in　a　free　country　than　have　them

rot　in　a　pine　box　in　France。　However；　perhaps　you　think　he　is　a　good

shot；　and　can　kill　me；　it's　on　the　cards；〃　observed　the　colonel。



〃Will　you　let　me　speak　to　him？〃　said　Flore；　imploring　Philippe　in　a

humble　and　submissive　tone。



〃Certainly；　he　can　come　here　and　pack　up　his　things。　I　will　stay　with

my　uncle　during　that　time；　for　I　shall　not　leave　the　old　man　again；〃

replied　Philippe。



〃Vedie；〃　cried　Flore；　〃run　to　the　hotel；　and　tell　Monsieur　Gilet　that

I　beg　him〃



〃to　come　and　get　his　belongings；〃　said　Philippe；　interrupting

Flore's　message。



〃Yes；　yes；　Vedie；　that　will　be　a　good　pretext　to　see　me；　I　must　speak

to　him。〃



Terror　controlled　her　hatred；　and　the　shock　which　her　whole　being

experienced　when　she　first　encountered　this　strong　and　pitiless　nature

was　now　so　overwhelming　that　she　bowed　before　Philippe　just　as　Rouget

had　been　in　the　habit　of　bending　before　her。　She　anxiously　awaited

Vedie's　return。　The　woman　brought　a　formal　refusal　from　Max；　who

requested　Mademoiselle　Brazier　to　send　his　things　to　the　hotel　de　la

Poste。



〃Will　you　allow　me　to　take　them　to　him？〃　she　said　to　Jean…Jacques

Rouget。



〃Yes；　but　will　you　come　back？〃　said　the　old　man。



〃If　Mademoiselle　is　not　back　by　midday；　you　will　give　me　a　power　of

attorney　to　attend　to　your　property；〃　said　Philippe；　looking　at　Flore。

〃Take　Vedie　with　you；　to　save　appearances；　mademoiselle。　In　future　you

are　to　think　of　my　uncle's　honor。〃



Flore　could　get　nothing　out　of　Max。　Desperate　at　having　allowed

himself；　before　the　eyes　of　the　whole　town；　to　be　routed　out　of　his

shameless　position；　Gilet　was　too　proud　to　run　away　from　Philippe。　The

Rabouilleuse　combated　this　objection；　and　proposed　that　they　should

fly　together　to　America；　but　Max；　who　did　not　want　Flore　without　her

money；　and　yet　did　not　wish　the　girl　to　see　the　bottom　of　his　heart；

insisted　on　his　intention　of　killing　Philippe。



〃We　have　committed　a　monstrous　folly；〃　he　said。　〃We　ought　all　three　to

have　gone　to　Paris　and　spent　the　winter　there；　but　how　could　one

guess；　from　the　mere　sight　of　that　fellow's　big　carcass；　that　things

would　turn　out　as　they　have？　The　turn　of　events　is　enough　to　make　one

giddy！　I　took　the　colonel　for　one　of　those　fire…eaters　who　haven't　two

ideas　in　their　head；　that　was　the　blunder　I　made。　As　I　didn't　have　the

sense　to　double　like　a　hare　in　the　beginning；　I'll　not　be　such　a

coward　as　to　back　down　before　him。　He　has　lowered　me　in　the　estimation

of　this　town；　and　I　cannot　get　back　what　I　have　lost　unless　I　kill

him。〃



〃Go　to　America　with　forty　thousand　francs。　I'll　find　a　way　to　get　rid

of　that　scoundrel；　and　join　you。　It　would　be　much　wiser。〃



〃What　would　people　say　of　me？〃　he　exclaimed。　〃No；　I　have　buried　nine

already。　The　fellow　doesn't　seem　as　if　he　knew　much；　he　went　from

school　to　the　army；　and　there　he　was　always　fighting　till　1815；　then

he　went　to　America；　and　I　doubt　if　the　brute　ever　set　foot　in　a

fencing…alley；　while　I　have　no　match　with　the　sabre。　The　sabre　is　his

arm；　I　shall　seem　very　generous　in　offering　it　to　him；for　I　mean；　if

possible；　to　let　him　insult　me；and　I　can　easily　run　him　through。

Unquestionably；　it　is　my　wisest　course。　Don't　be　uneasy；　we　shall　be

masters　of　the　field　in　a　couple　of　days。〃



That　it　was　that　a　stupid　point　of　honor　had　more　influence　over　Max

than　sound　policy。　When　Flore　got　home　she　shut　herself　up　to　cry　at

ease。　During　the　whole　of　that　day　gossip　ran　wild　in　Issoudun；　and

the　duel　between　Philippe　and　Maxence　was　considered　inevitable。



〃Ah！　Monsieur　Hochon；〃　said　Mignonnet；　who；　accompanied　by　Carpentier；

met　the　old　man　on　the　boulevard　Baron；　〃we　are　very　uneasy；　for　Gilet

is　clever　with　all　weapons。〃



〃Never　mind；〃　said　the　old　provincial　diplomatist；　〃Philippe　has

managed　this　thing　well　from　the　beginning。　I　should　never　have

thought　that　big；　easy…going　fellow　would　have　succeeded　as　he　has。

The　two　have　rolled　together　like　a　couple　of　thunder…clouds。〃



〃Oh！〃　said　Carpentier；　〃Philippe　is　a　remarkable　man。　His　conduct

before　the　Court　of　Peers　was　a　masterpiece　of　diplomacy。〃



〃Well；　Captain　Renard；〃　said　one　of　the　townsfolk　to　Max's　friend。

〃They　say　wolves　don't　devour　each　other；　but　it　seems　that　Max　is

going　to　set　his　teeth　in　Colonel　Bridau。　That's　pretty　serious　among

you　gentlemen　of　the　Old　Guard。〃



〃You　make　fun　of　it；　do　you？　Because　the　poor　fellow　amused　himself　a

little　at　night；　you　are　all　against　him；〃　said　Potel。　〃But　Gilet　is　a

man　who　couldn't　stay　in　a　hole　like　Issoudun　without　finding

something　to　do。〃



〃Well；　gentlemen；〃　remarked　another；　〃Max　and　the　colonel　must　play

out　their　game。　Bridau　had　to　avenge　his　brother。　Don't　you　remember

Max's　treachery　to　the　poor　lad？〃



〃Bah！　nothing　but　an　artist；〃　said　Renard。



〃But　the　real　question　is　about　the　old　man's　property；〃　said　a　third。

〃They　say　Monsieur　Gilet　was　laying　hands　on　fifty　thousand　francs　a

year；　when　the　colonel　turned　him　out　of　his　uncle's　house。〃



〃Gilet　rob　a　man！　Come；　don't　say　that　to　any　one　but　me；　Monsieur

Canivet；〃　cried　Potel。　〃If　you　do；　I'll　make　you　swallow　your　tongue；

and　without　any　sauce。〃



Every　household　in　town　offered　prayers　for　the　honorable　Colonel

Bridau。







CHAPTER　XVI



Towards　four　o'clock　the　following　day；　the　officers　of　the　old　army

who　were　at　Issoudun　or　its　environs；　were　sauntering　about　the　place

du　Marche；　in　front　of　an　eating…house　kept　by　a　man　named　Lacroix；

and　waiting　the　arrival　of　Colonel　Philippe　Bridau。　The　banquet　in

honor　of　the　coronation　was　to　take　place　with　military　punctuality　at

five　o'clock。　Various　groups　of　persons　were　talking　of　Max's

discomfiture；　and　his　dismissal　from　old　Rouget's　house；　for　not　only

were　the　officers　to　dine　at　Lacroix's；　but　the　common　soldiers　had

determined　on　a　meeting　at　a　neighboring　wine…shop。　Among　the

officers；　Potel　and　Renard　were　the　only　ones　who　attempted　to　defend

Max。



〃Is　it　any　of　our　business　what　takes　place　among　the　old　man's

heirs？〃　said　Renard。



〃Max　is　weak　with　women；〃　remarked　the　cynical　Potel。



〃There'll　be　sabres　unsheathed　before　long；〃　said　an　old　sub…

lieutenant；　who　cultivated　a　kitchen…garden　in　the　upper　Baltan。　〃If

Monsieur　Maxence　Gilet　committed　the　folly　of　going　to　live　under　old

Rouget's　roof；　he　would　he　a　coward　if　he　allowed　himself　to　be　turned

off　like　a　valet　without　asking　why。〃



〃Of　course；〃　said　Mignonnet　dryly。　〃A　folly　that　doesn't　succeed

becomes　a　crime。〃



At　this　moment　Max　joined　the　old　soldiers　of　Napoleon；　and　was

received　in　significant　silence。　Potel　and　Renard　each　took　an　arm　of

their　friend；　and　walked　about　with　him；　conversing。　Presently

Philippe　was　seen　approaching　in　full　dress；　he　trailed　his　cane　after

him　with　an　imperturbable　air　which　contrasted　with　the　forced

attention　Max　was　paying　to　the　remarks　of　his　two　supporters。

Bridau's　hand　was　grasped　by　Mignonnet；　Carpentier；　and　several

others。　This　welcome；　so　different　from　that　accorded　to　Max；

dispelled　the　last　feeling　of　cowardice；　or；　if　you　prefer　it；　wisdom；

which　Flore's　entreaties；　and　above　all；　her　tendernesses；　had

awakened　in　the　latter's　mind。



〃We　shall　fight；〃　he　said　to　Renard；　〃and　to　the　death。　Therefore

don't　talk　to　me　any　more；　let　me　play　my　part　well。〃



After　these　words；　spoken　in　a　feverish　tone；　the　three　Bonapartists

returned　to　the　group　of　officers　and　mixed　among　them。　Max　bowed

first　to　Bridau；　who　returned　his　bow；　and　the　two　exchanged　a　frigid

glance。



〃Come；　gentlemen；　let　us　take　our　seats；〃　said　Potel。



〃And　drink　to　the　health　of　the　Little　Corporal；　who　is　now　in　the

paradise　of　heroes；〃　cried　Renard。



The　company　poured　into　the　long；　low　dining…hall　of　the　restaurant

Lacroix；　the　windows　of　which　opened　on　the　market…place。　Each　guest

took　his　seat　at　the　table；　where；　in　compliance　with　Philippe's

request；　the　two　adversaries　were　placed　directly　opposite　to　each

other。　Some　young　men　of　the　town；　among　them　several　Knights　of

Idleness；　anxious　to　know　what　might　happen　at　the　banquet；　were

walking　about　the　street　and　discussing　the　cr