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第34章

the two brothers-第34章

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Goddetnow the best doctor in the townfrom the other end of the

table; 〃that Madame Hochon's goddaughter is the sister of Rouget? If

she is coming here with her son; no doubt she means to make sure of

getting the property when he dies; and thengood…by to your harvest!〃



Max frowned。 Then; with a look which ran from one face to another all

round the table; he watched the effect of this announcement on the

minds of those present; and again replied;



〃What's that to me?〃



〃But;〃 said Francois; 〃I should think that if old Rouget revoked his

will;in case he has made one in favor of the Rabouilleuse〃



Here Max cut short his henchman's speech。 〃I've stopped the mouths of

people who have dared to meddle with you; my dear Francois;〃 he said;

〃and this is the way you pay your debts? You use a contemptuous

nickname in speaking of a woman to whom I am known to be attached。〃



Max had never before said as much as this about his relations with the

person to whom Francois had just applied a name under which she was

known at Issoudun。 The late prisoner at Cabrerathe major of the

grenadiers of the Guardknew enough of what honor was to judge

rightly as to the causes of the disesteem in which society held him。

He had therefore never allowed any one; no matter who; to speak to him

on the subject of Mademoiselle Flore Brazier; the servant…mistress of

Jean…Jacques Rouget; so energetically termed a 〃slut〃 by the

respectable Madame Hochon。 Everybody knew it was too ticklish a

subject with Max; ever to speak of it unless he began it; and hitherto

he had never begun it。 To risk his anger or irritate him was

altogether too dangerous; so that even his best friends had never

joked him about the Rabouilleuse。 When they talked of his liaison with

the girl before Major Potel and Captain Renard; with whom he lived on

intimate terms; Potel would reply;



〃If he is the natural brother of Jean…Jacques Rouget where else would

you have him live?〃



〃Besides; after all;〃 added Captain Renard; 〃the girl is a worthless

piece; and if Max does live with her where's the harm?〃



After this merited snub; Francois could not at once catch up the

thread of his ideas; but he was still less able to do so when Max said

to him; gently;



〃Go on。〃



〃Faith; no!〃 cried Francois。



〃You needn't get angry; Max;〃 said young Goddet; 〃didn't we agree to

talk freely to each other at Mere Cognette's? Shouldn't we all be

mortal enemies if we remembered outside what is said; or thought; or

done here? All the town calls Flore Brazier the Rabouilleuse; and if

Francois did happen to let the nickname slip out; is that a crime

against the Order of Idleness?〃



〃No;〃 said Max; 〃but against our personal friendship。 However; I

thought better of it; I recollected we were in session; and that was

why I said; 'Go on。'〃



A deep silence followed。 The pause became so embarrassing for the

whole company that Max broke it by exclaiming:



〃I'll go on for him;〃 'sensation' 〃for all of you;〃 'amazement'

〃and tell you what you are thinking〃 'profound sensation'。 〃You

think that Flore; the Rabouilleuse; La Brazier; the housekeeper of

Pere Rouget;for they call him so; that old bachelor; who can never

have any children!you think; I say; that that woman supplies all my

wants ever since I came back to Issoudun。 If I am able to throw three

hundred francs a month to the dogs; and treat you to suppers;as I do

to…night;and lend money to all of you; you think I get the gold out

of Mademoiselle Flore Brazier's purse? Well; yes〃 'profound

sensation'。 〃Yes; ten thousand times yes! Yes; Mademoiselle Brazier is

aiming straight for the old man's property。〃



〃She gets it from father to son;〃 observed Goddet; in his corner。



〃You think;〃 continued Max; smiling at Goddet's speech; 〃that I intend

to marry Flore when Pere Rouget dies; and so this sister and her son;

of whom I hear to…night for the first time; will endanger my future?〃



〃That's just it;〃 cried Francois。



〃That is what every one thinks who is sitting round this table;〃 said

Baruch。



〃Well; don't be uneasy; friends;〃 answered Max。 〃Forewarned is

forearmed! Now then; I address the Knights of Idleness。 If; to get rid

of these Parisians I need the help of the Order; will you lend me a

hand? Oh! within the limits we have marked out for our fooleries;〃 he

added hastily; perceiving a general hesitation。 〃Do you suppose I want

to kill them;poison them? Thank God I'm not an idiot。 Besides; if

the Bridaus succeed; and Flore has nothing but what she stands in; I

should be satisfied; do you understand that? I love her enough to

prefer her to Mademoiselle Fichet;if Mademoiselle Fichet would have

me。〃



Mademoiselle Fichet was the richest heiress in Issoudun; and the hand

of the daughter counted for much in the reported passion of the

younger Goddet for the mother。 Frankness of speech is a pearl of such

price that all the Knights rose to their feet as one man。



〃You are a fine fellow; Max!〃



〃Well said; Max; we'll stand by you!〃



〃A fig for the Bridaus!〃



〃We'll bridle them!〃



〃After all; it is only three swains to a shepherdess。〃



〃The deuce! Pere Lousteau loved Madame Rouget; isn't it better to love

a housekeeper who is not yoked?〃



〃If the defunct Rouget was Max's father; the affair is in the family。〃



〃Liberty of opinion now…a…days!〃



〃Hurrah for Max!〃



〃Down with all hypocrites!〃



〃Here's a health to the beautiful Flore!〃



Such were the eleven responses; acclamations; and toasts shouted forth

by the Knights of Idleness; and characteristic; we may remark; of

their excessively relaxed morality。 It is now easy to see what

interest Max had in becoming their grand master。 By leading the young

men of the best families in their follies and amusements; and by doing

them services; he meant to create a support for himself when the day

for recovering his position came。 He rose gracefully and waved his

glass of claret; while all the others waited eagerly for the coming

allocution。



〃As a mark of the ill…will I bear you; I wish you all a mistress who

is equal to the beautiful Flore! As to this irruption of relations; I

don't feel any present uneasiness; and as to the future; we'll see

what comes〃



〃Don't let us forget Fario's cart!〃



〃Hang it! that's safe enough!〃 said Goddet。



〃Oh! I'll engage to settle that business;〃 cried Max。 〃Be in the

market…place early; all of you; and let me know when the old fellow

goes for his cart。〃



It was striking half…past three in the morning as the Knights slipped

out in silence to go to their homes; gliding close to the walls of the

houses without making the least noise; shod as they were in list

shoes。 Max slowly returned to the place Saint…Jean; situated in the

upper part of the town; between the port Saint…Jean and the port

Vilatte; the quarter of the rich bourgeoisie。 Maxence Gilet had

concealed his fears; but the news had struck home。 His experience on

the hulks at Cabrera had taught him a dissimulation as deep and

thorough as his corruption。 First; and above all else; the forty

thousand francs a year from landed property which old Rouget owned

was; let it be clearly understood; the constituent element of Max's

passion for Flore Brazier。 By his present bearing it is easy to see

how much confidence the woman had given him in the financial future

she expected to obtain through the infatuation of the old bachelor。

Nevertheless; the news of the arrival of the legitimate heirs was of a

nature to shake Max's faith in Flore's influence。 Rouget's savings;

accumulating during the last seventeen years; still stood in his own

name; and even if the will; which Flore declared had long been made in

her favor; were revoked; these savings at least might be secured by

putting them in the name of Mademoiselle Brazier。



〃That fool of a girl never told me; in all these seven years; a w

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