the two brothers-第49章

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or　they　shall　be　forced　to　go　of　their　own　accord；without；

understand　me；　injuring　the　venerable　ancestors　of　my　two　friends　here

present；　Baruch　and　Francois。〃



〃All　right！　I'll　think　of　it；〃　said　Goddet；　who　coveted　the　gun。



〃If　the　inventor　of　the　trick　doesn't　care　for　the　gun；　he　shall　have

my　horse；〃　added　Max。



After　this　night　twenty　brains　were　tortured　to　lay　a　plot　against

Agathe　and　her　son；　on　the　basis　of　Max's　programme。　But　the　devil

alone；　or　chance；　could　really　help　them　to　success；　for　the

conditions　given　made　the　thing　well…nigh　impossible。



The　next　morning　Agathe　and　Joseph　came　downstairs　just　before　the

second　breakfast；　which　took　place　at　ten　o'clock。　In　Monsieur

Hochon's　household　the　name　of　first　breakfast　was　given　to　a　cup　of

milk　and　slice　of　bread　and　butter　which　was　taken　in　bed；　or　when

rising。　While　waiting　for　Madame　Hochon；　who　notwithstanding　her　age

went　minutely　through　the　ceremonies　with　which　the　duchesses　of　Louis

XV。's　time　performed　their　toilette；　Joseph　noticed　Jean…Jacques

Rouget　planted　squarely　on　his　feet　at　the　door　of　his　house　across

the　street。　He　naturally　pointed　him　out　to　his　mother；　who　was　unable

to　recognize　her　brother；　so　little　did　he　look　like　what　he　was　when

she　left　him。



〃That　is　your　brother；〃　said　Adolphine；　who　entered；　giving　an　arm　to

her　grandmother。



〃What　an　idiot　he　looks　like！〃　exclaimed　Joseph。



Agathe　clasped　her　hands；　and　raised　her　eyes　to　heaven。



〃What　a　state　they　have　driven　him　to！　Good　God！　can　that　be　a　man

only　fifty…seven　years　old？〃



She　looked　attentively　at　her　brother；　and　saw　Flore　Brazier　standing

directly　behind　him；　with　her　hair　dressed；　a　pair　of　snowy　shoulders

and　a　dazzling　bosom　showing　through　a　gauze　neckerchief；　which　was

trimmed　with　lace；　she　was　wearing　a　dress　with　a　tight…fitting　waist；

made　of　grenadine　（a　silk　material　then　much　in　fashion）；　with　leg…of…

mutton　sleeves　so…called；　fastened　at　the　wrists　by　handsome

bracelets。　A　gold　chain　rippled　over　the　crab…girl's　bosom　as　she

leaned　forward　to　give　Jean…Jacques　his　black　silk　cap　lest　he　should

take　cold。　The　scene　was　evidently　studied。



〃Hey！〃　cried　Joseph；　〃there's　a　fine　woman；　and　a　rare　one！　She　is

made；　as　they　say；　to　paint。　What　flesh…tints！　Oh；　the　lovely　tones！

what　surface！　what　curves！　Ah；　those　shoulders！　She's　a　magnificent

caryatide。　What　a　model　she　would　have　been　for　one　of　Titians'

Venuses！〃



Adolphine　and　Madame　Hochon　thought　he　was　talking　Greek；　but　Agathe

signed　to　them　behind　his　back；　as　if　to　say　that　she　was　accustomed

to　such　jargon。



〃So　you　think　a　creature　who　is　depriving　you　of　your　property

handsome？〃　said　Madame　Hochon。



〃That　doesn't　prevent　her　from　being　a　splendid　model！just　plump

enough　not　to　spoil　the　hips　and　the　general　contour〃



〃My　son；　you　are　not　in　your　studio；〃　said　Agathe。　〃Adolphine　is

here。〃



〃Ah；　true！　I　did　wrong。　But　you　must　remember　that　ever　since　leaving

Paris　I　have　seen　nothing　but　ugly　women〃



〃My　dear　godmother；〃　said　Agathe　hastily；　〃how　shall　I　be　able　to　meet

my　brother；　if　that　creature　is　always　with　him？〃



〃Bah！〃　said　Joseph。　〃I'll　go　and　see　him　myself。　I　don't　think　him

such　an　idiot；　now　I　find　he　has　the　sense　to　rejoice　his　eyes　with　a

Titian's　Venus。〃



〃If　he　were　not　an　idiot；〃　said　Monsieur　Hochon；　who　had　come　in；　〃he

would　have　married　long　ago　and　had　children；　and　then　you　would　have

no　chance　at　the　property。　It　is　an　ill　wind　that　blows　no　good。〃



〃Your　son's　idea　is　very　good；〃　said　Madame　Hochon；　〃he　ought　to　pay

the　first　visit。　He　can　make　his　uncle　understand　that　if　you　call

there　he　must　be　alone。〃



〃That　will　affront　Mademoiselle　Brazier；〃　said　old　Hochon。　〃No；　no；

madame；　swallow　the　pill。　If　you　can't　get　the　whole　property；　secure

a　small　legacy。〃



The　Hochons　were　not　clever　enough　to　match　Max。　In　the　middle　of

breakfast　Kouski　brought　over　a　letter　from　Monsieur　Rouget；　addressed

to　his　sister；　Madame　Bridau。　Madame　Hochon　made　her　husband　read　it

aloud；　as　follows：



　　My　dear　Sister；I　learn　from　strangers　of　your　arrival　in

　　Issoudun。　I　can　guess　the　reason　which　made　you　prefer　the　house

　　of　Monsieur　and　Madame　Hochon　to　mine；　but　if　you　will　come　to　see

　　me　you　shall　be　received　as　you　ought　to　be。　I　should　certainly

　　pay　you　the　first　visit　if　my　health　did　not　compel　me　just　now　to

　　keep　the　house；　for　which　I　offer　my　affectionate　regrets。　I　shall

　　be　delighted　to　see　my　nephew；　whom　I　invite　to　dine　with　me　to…

　　morrow；young　men　are　less　sensitive　than　women　about　the

　　company。　It　will　give　me　pleasure　if　Messrs。　Baruch　Borniche　and

　　Francois　Hochon　will　accompany　him。



　　Your　affectionate　brother；



　　J。…J。　Rouget。





〃Say　that　we　are　at　breakfast；　but　that　Madame　Bridau　will　send　an

answer　presently；　and　the　invitations　are　all　accepted；〃　said　Monsieur

Hochon　to　the　servant。



The　old　man　laid　a　finger　on　his　lips；　to　require　silence　from

everybody。　When　the　street…door　was　shut；　Monsieur　Hochon；　little

suspecting　the　intimacy　between　his　grandsons　and　Max；　threw　one　of

his　slyest　looks　at　his　wife　and　Agathe；　remarking；



〃He　is　just　as　capable　of　writing　that　note　as　I　am　of　giving　away

twenty…five　louis；　it　is　the　soldier　who　is　corresponding　with　us！〃



〃What　does　that　portend？〃　asked　Madame　Hochon。　〃Well；　never　mind；　we

will　answer　him。　As　for　you；　monsieur；〃　she　added；　turning　to　Joseph；

〃you　must　dine　there；　but　if〃



The　old　lady　was　stopped　short　by　a　look　from　her　husband。　Knowing　how

warm　a　friendship　she　felt　for　Agathe；　old　Hochon　was　in　dread　lest

she　should　leave　some　legacy　to　her　goddaughter　in　case　the　latter

lost　the　Rouget　property。　Though　fifteen　years　older　than　his　wife；

the　miser　hoped　to　inherit　her　fortune；　and　to　become　eventually　the

sole　master　of　their　whole　property。　That　hope　was　a　fixed　idea　with

him。　Madame　Hochon　knew　that　the　best　means　of　obtaining　a　few

concessions　from　her　husband　was　to　threaten　him　with　her　will。

Monsieur　Hochon　now　took　sides　with　his　guests。　An　enormous　fortune

was　at　stake；　with　a　sense　of　social　justice；　he　wished　it　to　go　to

the　natural　heirs；　instead　of　being　pillaged　by　unworthy　outsiders。

Moreover；　the　sooner　the　matter　was　decided；　the　sooner　he　should　get

rid　of　his　guests。　Now　that　the　struggle　between　the　interlopers　and

the　heirs；　hitherto　existing　only　in　his　wife's　mind；　had　become　an

actual　fact；　Monsieur　Hochon's　keen　intelligence；　lulled　to　sleep　by

the　monotony　of　provincial　life；　was　fully　roused。　Madame　Hochon　had

been　agreeably　surprised　that　morning　to　perceive；　from　a　few

affectionate　words　which　the　old　man　had　said　to　her　about　Agathe；

that　so　able　and　subtle　an　auxiliary　was　on　the　Bridau　side。



Towards　midday　the　brains　of　Monsieur　and　Madame　Hochon；　of　Agathe；

and　Joseph　（the　latter　much　amazed　at　the　scrupulous　care　of　the　old

people　in　the　choice　of　words）；　were　delivered　of　the　following

answer；　concocted　solely　for　the　benefit　of　Max　and　Flore：



　　My　dear　Brother；If　I　have　stayed　away　from　Issoudun；　and　kept　up

　　no　intercourse　with　any　one；　not　even　with　you；　the　fault　lies　not

　　merely　with　the　strange　and　false　ideas　my　father　conceived　about

　　me；　but　with　the　joys　and　sorrows　of　my　life　in　Paris；　for　if　God

　　made　me　a　happy　wife；　he　has　also　deeply　afflicted　me　as　a　mother。

　　You　are　aware　that　my　son；　your　nephew　Philippe；　lies　under

　　accusation　of　a　capital　offence　in　consequence　of　his　devotion　to

　　the　Emperor。　Therefore　you　can　hardly　be　surprised　if　a　widow；

　　compelled　to　take　a　humble　situation　in　a　lottery…office　for　a

　　living；　should　come　to　seek　consolation　from　those　among　whom　she

　　was　born。



　　The　profession　adopted　by　the　son　who　accompanies　me　is　one　that

　　requires　great　talent；　many　sacrifices；　and　prolonged　studies

　　before　any　results　can　be　obtained。