the two brothers-第71章

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〃I　must　confess；　my　dear　mother；〃　he　said；　in　a　canting　tone；　looking

at　Monsieur　and　Madame　Hochon　who　accompanied　her；　〃that　my　uncle's

way　of　life　is　not　becoming；　he　could；　however；　make　Mademoiselle

Brazier　respected　by　the　community　if　he　chose。　Wouldn't　it　be　far

better　for　her　to　be　Madame　Rouget　than　the　servant…mistress　of　an　old

bachelor？　She　had　better　obtain　a　definite　right　to　his　property　by　a

marriage　contract　then　threaten　a　whole　family　with　disinheritance。　If

you；　or　Monsieur　Hochon；　or　some　good　priest　would　speak　of　the　matter

to　both　parties；　you　might　put　a　stop　to　the　scandal　which　offends

decent　people。　Mademoiselle　Brazier　would　be　only　too　happy　if　you

were　to　welcome　her　as　a　sister；　and　I　as　an　aunt。〃



On　the　morrow　Agathe　and　Madame　Hochon　appeared　at　Flore's　bedside；

and　repeated　to　the　sick　girl　and　to　Rouget；　the　excellent　sentiments

expressed　by　Philippe。　Throughout　Issoudun　the　colonel　was　talked　of

as　a　man　of　noble　character；　especially　because　of　his　conduct　towards

Flore。　For　a　month；　the　Rabouilleuse　heard　Goddet；　her　doctor；　the

individual　who　has　paramount　influence　over　a　sick　person；　the

respectable　Madame　Hochon；　moved　by　religious　principle；　and　Agathe；

so　gentle　and　pious；　all　representing　to　her　the　advantages　of　a

marriage　with　Rouget。　And　when；　attracted　by　the　idea　of　becoming

Madame　Rouget；　a　dignified　and　virtuous　bourgeoisie；　she　grew　eager　to

recover；　so　that　the　marriage　might　speedily　be　celebrated；　it　was　not

difficult　to　make　her　understand　that　she　would　not　be　allowed　to

enter　the　family　of　the　Rougets　if　she　intended　to　turn　Philippe　from

its　doors。



〃Besides；〃　remarked　the　doctor；　〃you　really　owe　him　this　good　fortune。

Max　would　never　have　allowed　you　to　marry　old　Rouget。　And；〃　he　added

in　her　ear；　〃if　you　have　children；　you　can　revenge　Max；　for　that　will

disinherit　the　Bridaus。〃



Two　months　after　the　fatal　duel　in　February；　1823；　the　sick　woman；

urged　by　those　about　her；　and　implored　by　Rouget；　consented　to　receive

Philippe；　the　sight　of　whose　scars　made　her　weep；　but　whose　softened

and　affectionate　manner　calmed　her。　By　Philippe's　wish　they　were　left

alone　together。



〃My　dear　child；〃　said　the　soldier。　〃It　is　I；　who；　from　the　start；　have

advised　your　marriage　with　my　uncle；　if　you　consent；　it　will　take

place　as　soon　as　you　are　quite　recovered。〃



〃So　they　tell　me；〃　she　replied。



〃Circumstances　have　compelled　me　to　give　you　pain；　it　is　natural

therefore　that　I　should　wish　to　do　you　all　the　good　I　can。　Wealth；

respect；　and　a　family　position　are　worth　more　than　what　you　have　lost。

You　wouldn't　have　been　that　fellow's　wife　long　after　my　uncle's　death；

for　I　happen　to　know；　through　friends　of　his；　that　he　intended　to　get

rid　of　you。　Come；　my　dear；　let　us　understand　each　other；　and　live

happily。　You　shall　be　my　aunt；　and　nothing　more　than　my　aunt。　You　will

take　care　that　my　uncle　does　not　forget　me　in　his　will；　on　my　side；

you　shall　see　how　well　I　will　have　you　treated　in　the　marriage

contract。　Keep　calm；　think　it　over；　and　we　will　talk　of　it　later。　All

sensible　people；　indeed　the　whole　town；　urge　you　to　put　an　end　to　your

illegal　position；　no　one　will　blame　you　for　receiving　me。　It　is　well

understood　in　the　world　that　interests　go　before　feelings。　By　the　day

of　your　marriage　you　will　be　handsomer　than　ever。　The　pallor　of

illness　has　given　you　an　air　of　distinction；　and　on　my　honor；　if　my

uncle　did　not　love　you　so　madly；　you　should　be　the　wife　of　Colonel

Bridau。〃



Philippe　left　the　room；　having　dropped　this　hint　into　Flore's　mind　to

waken　a　vague　idea　of　vengeance　which　might　please　the　girl；　who　did；

in　fact；　feel　a　sort　of　happiness　as　she　saw　this　dreadful　being　at

her　feet。　In　this　scene　Philippe　repeated；　in　miniature；　that　of

Richard　III。　with　the　queen　he　had　widowed。　The　meaning　of　it　is　that

personal　calculation；　hidden　under　sentiment；　has　a　powerful　influence

on　the　heart；　and　is　able　to　dissipate　even　genuine　grief。　This　is

how；　in　individual　life；　Nature　does　that　which　in　works　of　genius　is

thought　to　be　consummate　art：　she　works　by　self…interest；the　genius

of　money。



At　the　beginning　of　April；　1823；　the　hall　of　Jean…Jacques　Rouget's

house　was　the　scene　of　a　splendid　dinner；　given　to　celebrate　the

signing　of　the　marriage　contract　between　Mademoiselle　Flore　Brazier

and　the　old　bachelor。　The　guests　were　Monsieur　Heron；　the　four

witnesses；　Messieurs　Mignonnet；　Carpentier；　Hochon；　and　Goddet；　the

mayor　and　the　curate；　Agathe　Bridau；　Madame　Hochon；　and　her　friend

Madame　Borniche；　the　two　old　ladies　who　laid　down　the　law　to　the

society　of　Issoudun。　The　bride　was　much　impressed　by　this　concession；

obtained　by　Philippe；　and　intended　by　the　two　ladies　as　a　mark　of

protection　to　a　repentant　woman。　Flore　was　in　dazzling　beauty。　The

curate；　who　for　the　last　fortnight　had　been　instructing　the　ignorant

crab…girl；　was　to　allow　her；　on　the　following　day；　to　make　her　first

communion。　The　marriage　was　the　text　of　the　following　pious　article　in

the　〃Journal　du　Cher；〃　published　at　Bourges；　and　in　the　〃Journal　de

l'Indre；〃　published　at　Chateauroux：



　　Issoudun。The　revival　of　religion　is　progressing　in　Berry。

　　Friends　of　the　Church　and　all　respectable　persons　in　this　town

　　were　yesterday　witnesses　of　a　marriage　ceremony　by　which　a　leading

　　man　of　property　put　an　end　to　a　scandalous　connection；　which　began

　　at　the　time　when　the　authority　of　religion　was　overthrown　in　this

　　region。　This　event；　due　to　the　enlightened　zeal　of　the　clergy　of

　　Issoudun　will；　we　trust；　have　imitators；　and　put　a　stop　to

　　marriages；　so…called；　which　have　never　been　solemnized；　and　were

　　only　contracted　during　the　disastrous　epoch　of　revolutionary　rule。



　　One　remarkable　feature　of　the　event　to　which　we　allude；　is　the

　　fact　that　it　was　brought　about　at　the　entreaty　of　a　colonel

　　belonging　to　the　old　army；　sent　to　our　town　by　a　sentence　of　the

　　Court　of　Peers；　who　may；　in　consequence；　lose　the　inheritance　of

　　his　uncle's　property。　Such　disinterestedness　is　so　rare　in　these

　　days　that　it　deserves　public　mention。



By　the　marriage　contract　Rouget　secured　to　Flore　a　dower　of　one

hundred　thousand　francs；　and　a　life　annuity　of　thirty　thousand　more。



After　the　wedding；　which　was　sumptuous；　Agathe　returned　to　Paris　the

happiest　of　mothers；　and　told　Joseph　and　Desroches　what　she　called　the

good　news。



〃Your　son　Philippe　is　too　wily　a　man　not　to　keep　his　paw　on　that

inheritance；〃　said　the　lawyer；　when　he　had　heard　Madame　Bridau　to　the

end。　〃You　and　your　poor　Joseph　will　never　get　one　penny　of　your

brother's　property。〃



〃You；　and　Joseph　too；　will　always　be　unjust　to　that　poor　boy；〃　said

the　mother。　〃His　conduct　before　the　Court　of　Peers　was　worthy　of　a

statesman；　he　succeeded　in　saving　many　heads。　Philippe's　errors　came

from　his　great　faculties　being　unemployed。　He　now　sees　how　faults　of

conduct　injure　the　prospects　of　a　man　who　has　his　way　to　make。　He　is

ambitious；　that　I　am　sure　of；　and　I　am　not　the　only　one　to　predict　his

future。　Monsieur　Hochon　firmly　believes　that　Philippe　has　a　noble

destiny　before　him。〃



〃Oh！　if　he　chooses　to　apply　his　perverted　powers　to　making　his

fortune；　I　have　no　doubt　he　will　succeed：　he　is　capable　of　everything；

and　such　fellows　go　fast　and　far；〃　said　Desroches。



〃Why　do　you　suppose　that　he　will　not　succeed　by　honest　means？〃

demanded　Madame　Bridau。



〃You　will　see！〃　exclaimed　Desroches。　〃Fortunate　or　unfortunate；

Philippe　will　remain　the　man　of　the　rue　Mazarin；　the　murderer　of

Madame　Descoings；　the　domestic　thief。　But　don't　worry　yourself；　he

will　manage　to　appear　honest　to　the　world。〃



After　breakfast；　on　the　morning　succeeding　the　marriage；　Philippe　took

Madame　Rouget　by　the　arm　when　his　uncle　rose　from　table　and　went

upstairs　to　dress；for　the　pair　had　come　down；　the　one　in　her

morning…robe；　and　the　other　in　his　dressing…gown。



〃My　dear　aunt；〃　said　the