the two brothers-第61章

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in　Paris　solely　for　the　purpose　of　masking　the　real　conspiracy　and

occupying　the　mind　of　the　government　at　its　centre；　while　the　great

struggle　should　burst　forth　at　the　north。　When　the　latter　miscarried

before　discovery；　Philippe　was　ordered　to　break　all　links　connecting

the　two　plots；　and　to　allow　the　secrets　of　the　secondary　plot　only　to

become　known。　For　this　purpose；　his　abject　misery；　to　which　his　state

of　health　and　his　clothing　bore　witness；　was　amply　sufficient　to

undervalue　the　character　of　the　conspiracy　and　reduce　its　proportions

in　the　eyes　of　the　authorities。　The　role　was　well　suited　to　the

precarious　position　of　the　unprincipled　gambler。　Feeling　himself

astride　of　both　parties；　the　crafty　Philippe　played　the　saint　to　the

royal　government；　all　the　while　retaining　the　good　opinion　of　the　men

in　high　places　who　were　of　the　other　party；determined　to　cast　in　his

lot　at　a　later　day　with　whichever　side　he　might　then　find　most　to　his

advantage。



These　revelations　as　to　the　vast　bearings　of　the　real　conspiracy　made

Philippe　a　man　of　great　distinction　in　the　eyes　of　Carpentier　and

Mignonnet；　to　whom　his　self…devotion　seemed　a　state…craft　worthy　of

the　palmy　days　of　the　Convention。　In　a　short　time　the　tricky

Bonapartist　was　seen　to　be　on　friendly　terms　with　the　two　officers；

and　the　consideration　they　enjoyed　in　the　town　was；　of　course；　shared

by　him。　He　soon　obtained；　through　their　recommendation；　the　situation

in　the　insurance　office　that　old　Hochon　had　suggested；　which　required

only　three　hours　of　his　day。　Mignonnet　and　Carpentier　put　him　up　at

their　club；　where　his　good　manners　and　bearing；　in　keeping　with　the

high　opinion　which　the　two　officers　expressed　about　him；　won　him　a

respect　often　given　to　external　appearances　that　are　only　deceitful。



Philippe；　whose　conduct　was　carefully　considered　and　planned；　had

indeed　made　many　reflections　while　in　prison　as　to　the　inconveniences

of　leading　a　debauched　life。　He　did　not　need　Desroches's　lecture　to

understand　the　necessity　of　conciliating　the　people　at　Issoudun　by

decent；　sober；　and　respectable　conduct。　Delighted　to　attract　Max's

ridicule　by　behaving　with　the　propriety　of　a　Mignonnet；　he　went

further；　and　endeavored　to　lull　Gilet's　suspicions　by　deceiving　him　as

to　his　real　character。　He　was　bent　on　being　taken　for　a　fool　by

appearing　generous　and　disinterested；　all　the　while　drawing　a　net

around　his　adversary；　and　keeping　his　eye　on　his　uncle's　property。　His

mother　and　brother；　on　the　contrary；　who　were　really　disinterested；

generous；　and　lofty；　had　been　accused　of　greed　because　they　had　acted

with　straightforward　simplicity。　Philippe's　covetousness　was　fully

roused　by　Monsieur　Hochon；　who　gave　him　all　the　details　of　his　uncle's

property。　In　the　first　secret　conversation　which　he　held　with　the

octogenarian；　they　agreed　that　Philippe　must　not　awaken　Max's

suspicions；　for　the　game　would　be　lost　if　Flore　and　Max　were　to　carry

off　their　victim；　though　no　further　than　Bourges。



Once　a　week　the　colonel　dined　with　Mignonnet；　another　day　with

Carpentier；　and　every　Thursday　with　Monsieur　Hochon。　At　the　end　of

three　weeks　he　received　other　invitations　for　the　remaining　days；　so

that　he　had　little　more　than　his　breakfast　to　provide。　He　never　spoke

of　his　uncle；　nor　of　the　Rabouilleuse；　nor　of　Gilet；　unless　it　were　in

connection　with　his　mother　and　his　brother's　stay　in　Issoudun。　The

three　officersthe　only　soldiers　in　the　town　who　were　decorated；　and

among　whom　Philippe　had　the　advantage　of　the　rosette；　which　in　the

eyes　of　all　provincials　gave　him　a　marked　superioritytook　a　habit　of

walking　together　every　day　before　dinner；　keeping；　as　the　saying　is；

to　themselves。　This　reserve　and　tranquillity　of　demeanor　had　an

excellent　effect　on　Issoudun。　All　Max's　adherents　thought　Philippe　a

〃sabreur；〃an　expression　applied　by　soldiers　to　the　commonest　sort　of

courage　in　their　superior　officers；　while　denying　that　they　possess

the　requisite　qualities　of　a　commander。



〃He　is　a　very　honorable　man；〃　said　Goddet　the　surgeon；　to　Max。



〃Bah！〃　replied　Gilet；　〃his　behavior　before　the　Court　of　Peers　proves

him　to　have　been　either　a　dupe　or　a　spy；　he　is；　as　you　say；　ninny

enough　to　have　been　duped　by　the　great　players。〃



After　obtaining　his　situation；　Philippe；　who　was　well　informed　as　to

the　gossip　of　the　town；　wished　to　conceal　certain　circumstances　of　his

present　life　as　much　as　possible　from　the　knowledge　of　the

inhabitants；　he　therefore　went　to　live　in　a　house　at　the　farther　end

of　the　faubourg　Saint…Paterne；　to　which　was　attached　a　large　garden。

Here　he　was　able　in　the　utmost　secrecy　to　fence　with　Carpentier；　who

had　been　a　fencing…master　in　the　infantry　before　entering　the　cavalry。

Philippe　soon　recovered　his　early　dexterity；　and　learned　other　and　new

secrets　from　Carpentier；　which　convinced　him　that　he　need　not　fear　the

prowess　of　any　adversary。　This　done；　he　began　openly　to　practise　with

pistols；　with　Mignonnet　and　Carpentier；　declaring　it　was　for

amusement；　but　really　intending　to　make　Max　believe　that；　in　case　of　a

duel；　he　should　rely　on　that　weapon。　Whenever　Philippe　met　Gilet　he

waited　for　him　to　bow　first；　and　answered　the　salutation　by　touching

the　brim　of　his　hat　cavalierly；　as　an　officer　acknowledges　the　salute

of　a　private。　Maxence　Gilet　gave　no　sign　of　impatience　or　displeasure；

he　never　uttered　a　single　word　about　Bridau　at　the　Cognettes'　where　he

still　gave　suppers；　although；　since　Fario's　attack；　the　pranks　of　the

Order　of　Idleness　were　temporarily　suspended。



After　a　while；　however；　the　contempt　shown　by　Lieutenant…colonel

Bridau　for　the　former　cavalry　captain；　Gilet；　was　a　settled　fact；

which　certain　Knights　of　Idleness；　who　were　less　bound　to　Max　than

Francois；　Baruch；　and　three　or　four　others；　discussed　among

themselves。　They　were　much　surprised　to　see　the　violent　and　fiery　Max

behave　with　such　discretion。　No　one　in　Issoudun；　not　even　Potel　or

Renard；　dared　broach　so　delicate　a　subject　with　him。　Potel；　somewhat

disturbed　by　this　open　misunderstanding　between　two　heroes　of　the

Imperial　Guard；　suggested　that　Max　might　be　laying　a　net　for　the

colonel；　he　asserted　that　some　new　scheme　might　be　looked　for　from　the

man　who　had　got　rid　of　the　mother　and　one　brother　by　making　use　of

Fario's　attack　upon　him；　the　particulars　of　which　were　now　no　longer　a

mystery。　Monsieur　Hochon　had　taken　care　to　reveal　the　truth　of　Max's

atrocious　accusation　to　the　best　people　of　the　town。　Thus　it　happened

that　in　talking　over　the　situation　of　the　lieutenant…colonel　in

relation　to　Max；　and　in　trying　to　guess　what　might　spring　from　their

antagonism；　the　whole　town　regarded　the　two　men；　from　the　start；　as

adversaries。



Philippe；　who　had　carefully　investigated　all　the　circumstances　of　his

brother's　arrest　and　the　antecedents　of　Gilet　and　the　Rabouilleuse；

was　finally　brought　into　rather　close　relations　with　Fario；　who　lived

near　him。　After　studying　the　Spaniard；　Philippe　thought　he　might　trust

a　man　of　that　quality。　The　two　found　their　hatred　so　firm　a　bond　of

union；　that　Fario　put　himself　at　Philippe's　disposal；　and　related　all

that　he　knew　about　the　Knights　of　Idleness。　Philippe　promised；　in　case

he　succeeded　in　obtaining　over　his　uncle　the　power　now　exercised　by

Gilet；　to　indemnify　Fario　for　his　losses；　this　bait　made　the　Spaniard

his　henchman。　Maxence　was　now　face　to　face　with　a　dangerous　foe；　he

had；　as　they　say　in　those　parts；　some　one　to　handle。　Roused　by　much

gossip　and　various　rumors；　the　town　of　Issoudun　expected　a　mortal

combat　between　the　two　men；　who；　we　must　remark；　mutually　despised

each　other。



One　morning；　toward　the　end　of　November；　Philippe　met　Monsieur　Hochon

about　twelve　o'clock；　in　the　long　avenue　of　Frapesle；　and　said　to

him：



〃I　have　discovered　that　your　grandsons　Baruch　and　Francois　are　the

intimate　friends　of　Maxence　Gilet。　The　rascals　are　mixed　up　in　all　the

pranks　that　are　played　about　this　town　at　nig