the two brothers-第57章

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him；　ending　with　Max's　declaration；　Joseph　was　astounded。



〃But；〃　said　he；　〃it　was　past　five　o'clock　when　I　left　the　house。　I

went　up　the　Grande　rue；　and　at　half…past　five　I　was　standing　looking

up　at　the　facade　of　the　parish　church　of　Saint…Cyr。　I　talked　there

with　the　sexton；　who　came　to　ring　the　angelus；　and　asked　him　for

information　about　the　building；　which　seems　to　me　fantastic　and

incomplete。　Then　I　passed　through　the　vegetable…market；　where　some

women　had　already　assembled。　From　there；　crossing　the　place　Misere；　I

went　as　far　as　the　mill　of　Landrole　by　the　Pont　aux　Anes；　where　I

watched　the　ducks　for　five　or　six　minutes；　and　the　miller's　men　must

have　noticed　me。　I　saw　the　women　going　to　wash；　they　are　probably

still　there。　They　made　a　little　fun　of　me；　and　declared　that　I　was　not

handsome；　I　told　them　it　was　not　all　gold　that　glittered。　From　there；

I　followed　the　long　avenue　to　Tivoli；　where　I　talked　with　the

gardener。　Pray　have　these　facts　verified；　and　do　not　even　arrest　me；

for　I　give　you　my　word　of　honor　that　I　will　stay　quietly　in　this

office　till　you　are　convinced　of　my　innocence。〃



These　sensible　words；　said　without　the　least　hesitation；　and　with　the

ease　of　a　man　who　is　perfectly　sure　of　his　facts；　made　some　impression

on　the　magistrates。



〃Yes；　we　must　find　all　these　persons　and　summon　them；〃　said　Monsieur

Mouilleron；　〃but　it　is　more　than　the　affair　of　a　day。　Make　up　your

mind；　therefore；　in　your　own　interests；　to　be　imprisoned　in　the

Palais。〃



〃Provided　I　can　write　to　my　mother；　so　as　to　reassure　her；　poor　woman

oh！　you　can　read　the　letter；〃　he　added。



This　request　was　too　just　not　to　be　granted；　and　Joseph　wrote　the

following　letter：



　　〃Do　not　be　uneasy；　dear　mother；　the　mistake　of　which　I　am　a　victim

　　can　easily　be　rectified；　I　have　already　given　them　the　means　of

　　doing　so。　To…morrow；　or　perhaps　this　evening；　I　shall　be　at

　　liberty。　I　kiss　you；　and　beg　you　to　say　to　Monsieur　and　Madame

　　Hochon　how　grieved　I　am　at　this　affair；　in　which；　however；　I　have

　　had　no　hand；it　is　the　result　of　some　chance　which；　as　yet；　I　do

　　not　understand。〃



When　the　note　reached　Madame　Bridau；　she　was　suffering　from　a　nervous

attack；　and　the　potions　which　Monsieur　Goddet　was　trying　to　make　her

swallow　were　powerless　to　soothe　her。　The　reading　of　the　letter　acted

like　balm；　after　a　few　quiverings；　Agathe　subsided　into　the　depression

which　always　follows　such　attacks。　Later；　when　Monsieur　Goddet

returned　to　his　patient　he　found　her　regretting　that　she　had　ever

quitted　Paris。



〃Well；〃　said　Madame　Hochon　to　Monsieur　Goddet；　〃how　is　Monsieur

Gilet？〃



〃His　wound；　though　serious；　is　not　mortal；〃　replied　the　doctor。　〃With

a　month's　nursing　he　will　be　all　right。　I　left　him　writing　to　Monsieur

Mouilleron　to　request　him　to　set　your　son　at　liberty；　madame；〃　he

added；　turning　to　Agathe。　〃Oh！　Max　is　a　fine　fellow。　I　told　him　what　a

state　you　were　in；　and　he　then　remembered　a　circumstance　which　goes　to

prove　that　the　assassin　was　not　your　son；　the　man　wore　list　shoes；

whereas　it　is　certain　that　Monsieur　Joseph　left　the　house　in　his

boots〃



〃Ah！　God　forgive　him　the　harm　he　has　done　me〃



The　fact　was；　a　man　had　left　a　note　for　Max；　after　dark；　written　in

type…letters；　which　ran　as　follows：



　　〃Captain　Gilet　ought　not　to　let　an　innocent　man　suffer。　He　who

　　struck　the　blow　promises　not　to　strike　again　if　Monsieur　Gilet

　　will　have　Monsieur　Joseph　Bridau　set　at　liberty；　without　naming

　　the　man　who　did　it。〃



After　reading　this　letter　and　burning　it；　Max　wrote　to　Monsieur

Mouilleron　stating　the　circumstance　of　the　list　shoes；　as　reported　by

Monsieur　Goddet；　begging　him　to　set　Joseph　at　liberty；　and　to　come　and

see　him　that　he　might　explain　the　matter　more　at　length。



By　the　time　this　letter　was　received；　Monsieur　Lousteau…Prangin　had

verified；　by　the　testimony　of　the　bell…ringer；　the　market…women　and

washerwomen；　and　the　miller's　men；　the　truth　of　Joseph's　explanation。

Max's　letter　made　his　innocence　only　the　more　certain；　and　Monsieur

Mouilleron　himself　escorted　him　back　to　the　Hochons'。　Joseph　was

greeted　with　such　overflowing　tenderness　by　his　mother　that　the　poor

misunderstood　son　gave　thanks　to　ill…lucklike　the　husband　to　the

thief；　in　La　Fontaine's　fablefor　a　mishap　which　brought　him　such

proofs　of　affection。



〃Oh；〃　said　Monsieur　Mouilleron；　with　a　self…satisfied　air；　〃I　knew　at

once　by　the　way　you　looked　at　the　angry　crowd　that　you　were　innocent；

but　whatever　I　may　have　thought；　any　one　who　knows　Issoudun　must　also

know　that　the　only　way　to　protect　you　was　to　make　the　arrest　as　we

did。　Ah！　you　carried　your　head　high。〃



〃I　was　thinking　of　something　else；〃　said　the　artist　simply。　〃An

officer　in　the　army　told　me　that　he　was　once　stopped　in　Dalmatia　under

similar　circumstances　by　an　excited　populace；　in　the　early　morning　as

he　was　returning　from　a　walk。　This　recollection　came　into　my　mind；　and

I　looked　at　all　those　heads　with　the　idea　of　painting　a　revolt　of　the

year　1793。　Besides；　I　kept　saying　to　myself：　Blackguard　that　I　am！　I

have　only　got　my　deserts　for　coming　here　to　look　after　an　inheritance；

instead　of　painting　in　my　studio。〃



〃If　you　will　allow　me　to　offer　you　a　piece　of　advice；〃　said　the

procureur　du　roi；　〃you　will　take　a　carriage　to…night；　which　the

postmaster　will　lend　you；　and　return　to　Paris　by　the　diligence　from

Bourges。〃



〃That　is　my　advice　also；〃　said　Monsieur　Hochon；　who　was　burning　with　a

desire　for　the　departure　of　his　guests。



〃My　most　earnest　wish　is　to　get　away　from　Issoudun；　though　I　leave　my

only　friend　here；〃　said　Agathe；　kissing　Madame　Hochon's　hand。　〃When

shall　I　see　you　again？〃



〃Ah！　my　dear；　never　until　we　meet　above。　We　have　suffered　enough　here

below；〃　she　added　in　a　low　voice；　〃for　God　to　take　pity　upon　us。〃



Shortly　after；　while　Monsieur　Mouilleron　had　gone　across　the　way　to

talk　with　Max；　Gritte　greatly　astonished　Monsieur　and　Madame　Hochon；

Agathe；　Joseph；　and　Adolphine　by　announcing　the　visit　of　Monsieur

Rouget。　Jean…Jacques　came　to　bid　his　sister　good…by；　and　to　offer　her

his　caleche　for　the　drive　to　Bourges。



〃Ah！　your　pictures　have　been　a　great　evil　to　us；〃　said　Agathe。



〃Keep　them；　my　sister；〃　said　the　old　man；　who　did　not　even　now　believe

in　their　value。



〃Neighbor；〃　remarked　Monsieur　Hochon；　〃our　best　friends；　our　surest

defenders；　are　our　own　relations；　above　all；　when　they　are　such　as

your　sister　Agathe；　and　your　nephew　Joseph。〃



〃Perhaps　so；〃　said　old　Rouget　in　his　dull　way。



〃We　ought　all　to　think　of　ending　our　days　in　a　Christian　manner；〃　said

Madame　Hochon。



〃Ah！　Jean…Jacques；〃　said　Agathe；　〃what　a　day　this　has　been！〃



〃Will　you　accept　my　carriage？〃　asked　Rouget。



〃No；　brother；〃　answered　Madame　Bridau；　〃I　thank　you；　and　wish　you

health　and　comfort。〃



Rouget　let　his　sister　and　nephew　kiss　him；　and　then　he　went　away

without　manifesting　any　feeling　himself。　Baruch；　at　a　hint　from　his

grandfather；　had　been　to　see　the　postmaster。　At　eleven　o'clock　that

night；　the　two　Parisians；　ensconced　in　a　wicker　cabriolet　drawn　by　one

horse　and　ridden　by　a　postilion；　quitted　Issoudun。　Adolphine　and

Madame　Hochon　parted　from　them　with　tears　in　their　eyes；　they　alone

regretted　Joseph　and　Agathe。



〃They　are　gone！〃　said　Francois　Hochon；　going；　with　the　Rabouilleuse；

into　Max's　bedroom。



〃Well　done！　the　trick　succeeded；〃　answered　Max；　who　was　now　tired　and

feverish。



〃But　what　did　you　say　to　old　Mouilleron？〃　asked　Francois。



〃I　told　him　that　I　had　given　my　assassin　some　cause　to　waylay　me；　that

he　was　a　dangerous　man　and　likely；　if　I　followed　up　the　affair；　to

kill　me　like　a　dog　before　he　could　be　captured。　Consequently；　I　begged

Mouilleron　and　Prangin　to　make　the　most　active　search　ostensibly；　but

really　to　let　the　assassin　go　in　peace；　unless　they　wished　to　see　me　a

dead　man。〃



〃I　do　hope；　Max；〃　said　Flore；　〃that　you　will　be