the two brothers-第43章

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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　yours；　which　is　redder

and　more　wrinkled　than　a　turkey's？〃



〃But　what　have　I　done？〃　he　asked；　lifting　his　big　light…green　eyes；

full　of　tears；　to　his　tormentor；　and　trying　to　face　her　hard

countenance。



〃What　have　you　done？〃　she　exclaimed。　〃As　if　you　didn't　know？　Oh；　what

a　hypocrite！　Your　sister　Agathewho　is　as　much　your　sister　as　I　am

sister　of　the　tower　of　Issoudun；　if　one's　to　believe　your　father；　and

who　has　no　claim　at　all　upon　youis　coming　here　from　Paris　with　her

son；　a　miserable　two…penny　painter；　to　see　you。〃



〃My　sister　and　my　nephews　coming　to　Issoudun！〃　he　said；　bewildered。



〃Oh；　yes！　play　the　surprised；　do；　try　to　make　me　believe　you　didn't

send　for　them！　sewing　your　lies　with　white　bread；　indeed！　Don't　fash

yourself；　we　won't　trouble　your　Parisiansbefore　they　set　their　feet

in　this　house；　we　shall　have　shaken　the　dust　of　it　off　ours。　Max　and　I

will　be　gone；　never　to　return。　As　for　your　will；　I'll　tear　it　in

quarters　under　your　nose；　and　to　your　very　bearddo　you　hear？　Leave

your　property　to　your　family；　if　you　don't　think　we　are　your　family；

and　then　see　if　you'll　be　loved　for　yourself　by　a　lot　of　people　who

have　not　seen　you　for　thirty　years；who　in　fact　have　never　seen　you！

Is　it　that　sort　of　sister　who　can　take　my　place？　A　pinchbeck　saint！〃



〃If　that's　all；　my　little　Flore；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃I　won't　receive

my　sister；　or　my　nephews。　I　swear　to　you　this　is　the　first　word　I　have

heard　of　their　coming。　It　is　all　got　up　by　that　Madame　Hochona

sanctimonious　old〃



Max；　who　had　overheard　old　Rouget's　words；　entered　suddenly；　and　said

in　a　masterful　tone；



〃What's　all　this？〃



〃My　good　Max；〃　said　the　old　man；　glad　to　get　the　protection　of　the

soldier　who；　by　agreement　with　Flore；　always　took　his　side　in　a

dispute；　〃I　swear　by　all　that　is　most　sacred；　that　I　now　hear　this

news　for　the　first　time。　I　have　never　written　to　my　sister；　my　father

made　me　promise　not　to　leave　her