the two brothers-第51章

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〃There　are　seven　or　eight　very　large　ones　up　in　the　garret；　which　were

kept　on　account　of　the　frames；〃　said　Gilet。



〃Let　me　see　them！〃　cried　the　artist；　and　Max　took　him　upstairs。



Joseph　came　down　wildly　enthusiastic。　Max　whispered　a　word　to　the

Rabouilleuse；　who　took　the　old　man　into　the　embrasure　of　a　window；

where　Joseph　heard　her　say　in　a　low　voice；　but　still　so　that　he　could

hear　the　words：



〃Your　nephew　is　a　painter；　you　don't　care　for　those　pictures；　be　kind；

and　give　them　to　him。〃



〃It　seems；〃　said　Jean…Jacques；　leaning　on　Flore's　arm　to　reach　the

place　were　Joseph　was　standing　in　ecstasy　before　an　Albano；　〃it　seems

that　you　are　a　painter〃



〃Only　a　'rapin；'〃　said　Joseph。



〃What　may　that　be？〃　asked　Flore。



〃A　beginner；〃　replied　Joseph。



〃Well；〃　continued　Jean…Jacques；　〃if　these　pictures　can　be　of　any　use

to　you　in　your　business；　I　give　them　to　you；but　without　the　frames。

Oh！　the　frames　are　gilt；　and　besides；　they　are　very　funny；　I　will

put〃



〃Well　done；　uncle！〃　cried　Joseph；　enchanted；　〃I'll　make　you　copies　of

the　same　dimensions；　which　you　can　put　into　the　frames。〃



〃But　that　will　take　your　time；　and　you　will　want　canvas　and　colors；〃

said　Flore。　〃You　will　have　to　spend　money。　Come；　Pere　Rouget；　offer

your　nephew　a　hundred　francs　for　each　copy；　here　are　twenty…seven

pictures；　and　I　think　there　are　eleven　very　big　ones　in　the　garret

which　ought　to　cost　double；call　the　whole　four　thousand　francs。　Oh；

yes；〃　she　went　on；　turning　to　Joseph；　〃your　uncle　can　well　afford　to

pay　you　four　thousand　francs　for　making　the　copies；　since　he　keeps　the

framesbut　bless　me！　you'll　want　frames；　and　they　say　frames　cost

more　than　pictures；　there's　more　gold　on　them。　Answer；　monsieur；〃　she

continued；　shaking　the　old　man's　arm。　〃Hein？　it　isn't　dear；　your

nephew　will　take　four　thousand　francs　for　new　pictures　in　the　place　of

the　old　ones。　It　is；〃　she　whispered　in　his　ear；　〃a　very　good　way　to

give　him　four　thousand　francs；　he　doesn't　look　to　me　very　flush〃



〃Well；　nephew；　I　will　pay　you　four　thousand　francs　for　the　copies〃



〃No；　no！〃　said　the　honest　Joseph；　〃four　thousand　francs　and　the

pictures；　that's　too　much；　the　pictures；　don't　you　see；　are

valuable〃



〃Accept；　simpleton！〃　said　Flore；　〃he　is　your　uncle；　you　know。〃



〃Very　good；　I　accept；〃　said　Joseph；　bewildered　by　the　luck　that　had

befallen　him；　for　he　had　recognized　a　Perugino。



The　result　was　that　the　artist　beamed　with　satisfaction　as　he　went　out

of　the　house　with　the　Rabouilleuse　on　his　arm；　all　of　which　helped

Maxence's　plans　immensely。　Neither　Flore；　nor　Rouget；　nor　Max；　nor

indeed　any　one　in　Issoudun　knew　the　value　of　the　pictures；　and　the

crafty　Max　thought　he　had　bought　Flore's　triumph　for　a　song；　as　she

paraded　triumphantly　before　the　eyes　of　the　astonished　town；　leaning

on　the　arm　of　her　master's　nephew；　and　evidently　on　the　best　of　terms

with　him。　People　flocked　to　their　doors　to　see　the　crab…girl's　triumph

over　the　family。　This　astounding　event　made　the　sensation　on　which　Max

counted；　so　that　when　they　all　returned　at　five　o'clock；　nothing　was

talked　of　in　every　household　but　the　cordial　understanding　between　Max

and　Flore　and　the　nephew　of　old　Rouget。　The　incident　of　the　pictures

and　the　four　thousand　francs　circulated　already。　The　dinner；　at　which

Lousteau；　one　of　the　court　judges；　and　the　Mayor　of　Issoudun　were

present；　was　splendid。　It　was　one　of　those　provincial　dinners　lasting

five　hours。　The　most　exquisite　wines　enlivened　the　conversation。　By

nine　o'clock；　at　dessert；　the　painter；　seated　opposite　to　his　uncle；

and　between　Flore　and　Max；　had　fraternized　with　the　soldier；　and

thought　him　the　best　fellow　on　earth。　Joseph　returned　home　at　eleven

o'clock　somewhat　tipsy。　As　to　old　Rouget；　Kouski　had　carried　him　to

his　bed　dead…drunk；　he　had　eaten　as　though　he　were　an　actor　from

foreign　parts；　and　had　soaked　up　the　wine　like　the　sands　of　the

desert。



〃Well；〃　said　Max　when　he　was　alone　with　Flore；　〃isn't　this　better　than

making　faces　at　them？　The　Bridaus　are　well　received；　they　get　small

presents；　and　are　smothered　with　attentions；　and　the　end　of　it　is　they

will　sing　our　praises；　they　will　go　away　satisfied　and　leave　us　in

peace。　To…morrow　morning　you　and　I　and　Kouski　will　take　down　all　those

pictures　and　send　them　over　to　the　painter；　so　that　he　shall　see　them

when　he　wakes　up。　We　will　put　the　frames　in　the　garret；　and　cover　the

walls　with　one　of　those　varnished　papers　which　represent　scenes　from

Telemachus；　such　as　I　have　seen　at　Monsieur　Mouilleron's。〃



〃Oh；　that　will　be　much　prettier！〃　said　Flore。



On　the　morrow；　Joseph　did　not　wake　up　till　midday。　From　his　bed　he　saw

the　pictures；　which　had　been　brought　in　while　he　was　asleep；　leaning

one　against　another　on　the　opposite　wall。　While　he　examined　them　anew；

recognizing　each　masterpiece；　studying　the　manner　of　each　painter；　and

searching　for　the　signature；　his　mother　had　gone　to　see　and　thank　her

brother；　urged　thereto　by　old　Hochon；　who；　having　heard　of　the　follies

the　painter　had　committed　the　night　before；　almost　despaired　of　the

Bridau　cause。



〃Your　adversaries　have　the　cunning　of　foxes；〃　he　said　to　Agathe。　〃In

all　my　days　I　never　saw　a　man　carry　things　with　such　a　high　hand　as

that　soldier；　they　say　war　educates　young　men！　Joseph　has　let　himself

be　fooled。　They　have　shut　his　mouth　with　wine；　and　those　miserable

pictures；　and　four　thousand　francs！　Your　artist　hasn't　cost　Maxence

much！〃



The　long…headed　old　man　instructed　Madame　Bridau　carefully　as　to　the

line　of　conduct　she　ought　to　pursue；advising　her　to　enter　into

Maxence's　ideas　and　cajole　Flore；　so　as　to　set　up　a　sort　of　intimacy

with　her；　and　thus　obtain　a　few　moments'　interview　with　Jean…Jacques

alone。　Madame　Bridau　was　very　warmly　received　by　her　brother；　to　whom

Flore　had　taught　his　lesson。　The　old　man　was　in　bed；　quite　ill　from

the　excesses　of　the　night　before。　As　Agathe；　under　the　circumstances；

could　scarcely　begin　at　once　to　speak　of　family　matters；　Max　thought

it　proper　and　magnanimous　to　leave　the　brother　and　sister　alone

together。　The　calculation　was　a　good　one。　Poor　Agathe　found　her

brother　so　ill　that　she　would　not　deprive　him　of　Madame　Brazier's

care。



〃Besides；〃　she　said　to　the　old　bachelor；　〃I　wish　to　know　a　person　to

whom　I　am　grateful　for　the　happiness　of　my　brother。〃



These　words　gave　evident　pleasure　to　the　old　man；　who　rang　for　Madame

Flore。　Flore；　as　we　may　well　believe；　was　not　far　off。　The　female

antagonists　bowed　to　each　other。　The　Rabouilleuse　showed　the　most

servile　attentions　and　the　utmost　tenderness　to　her　master；　fancied

his　head　was　too　low；　beat　up　the　pillows；　and　took　care　of　him　like　a

bride　of　yesterday。　The　poor　creature　received　it　with　a　rush　of

feeling。



〃We　owe　you　much　gratitude；　mademoiselle；〃　said　Agathe；　〃for　the

proofs　of　attachment　you　have　so　long　given　to　my　brother；　and　for　the

way　in　which　you　watch　over　his　happiness。〃



〃That　is　true；　my　dear　Agathe；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃she　has　taught　me

what　happiness　is；　she　is　a　woman　of　excellent　qualities。〃



〃And　therefore；　my　dear　brother；　you　ought　to　have　recompensed

Mademoiselle　by　making　her　your　wife。　Yes！　I　am　too　sincere　in　my

religion　not　to　wish　to　see　you　obey　the　precepts　of　the　church。　You

would　each　be　more　tranquil　in　mind　if　you　were　not　at　variance　with

morality　and　the　laws。　I　have　come　here；　dear　brother；　to　ask　for　help

in　my　affliction；　but　do　not　suppose　that　we　wish　to　make　any

remonstrance　as　to　the　manner　in　which　you　may　dispose　of　your

property〃



〃Madame；〃　said　Flore；　〃we　know　how　unjust　your　father　was　to　you。

Monsieur；　here；　can　tell　you；〃　she　went　on；　looking　fixedly　at　her

victim；　〃that　the　only　quarrels　we　have　ever　had　were　about　you。　I

have　always　told　him　that　he　owes　you　part　of　the　fortune　he　received

from　his　father；　and　your　father；　my　benefactor；for　he　was　my

benefactor；〃　she　added　in　a　tear