Betrayedoncemore，theconspiratorshadthewittoreducetheirvastenterprisetothepunyproportionsofabarrackplot。Thisconspiracy，inwhichseveralregimentsofcavalry，infantry，andartillerywereconcerned，haditscentreinthenorthofFrance。Thestrongplacesalongthefrontierweretobecapturedatablow。Ifsuccesshadfollowed，thetreatiesof1815wouldhavebeenbrokenbyafederationwithBelgium，which，byamilitarycompactmadeamongthesoldiers，wastowithdrawfromtheHolyAlliance。Twothroneswouldhavebeenplungedinamomentintothevortexofthissuddencyclone。Insteadofthisformidablescheme——concertedbystrongmindsandsupportedbypersonagesofhighrank——beingcarriedout，onesmallpartofit，andthatonly，wasdiscoveredandbroughtbeforetheCourtofPeers。
PhilippeBridauconsentedtoscreentheleaders，whoretiredthemomenttheplotwasdiscoveredeitherbytreacheryoraccident，andfromtheirseatsinbothChamberslenttheirco-operationtotheinquiryonlytoworkfortheultimatesuccessoftheirpurposeattheheartofthegovernment。
Torecountthisscheme，which，since1830，theLiberalshaveopenlyconfessedinallitsramifications，wouldtrenchuponthedomainofhistoryandinvolvetoolongadigression。ThisglimpseofitisenoughtoshowthedoublepartwhichPhilippeBridauundertooktoplay。Theformerstaff-officeroftheEmperorwastoleadamovementinParissolelyforthepurposeofmaskingtherealconspiracyandoccupyingthemindofthegovernmentatitscentre，whilethegreatstruggleshouldburstforthatthenorth。Whenthelattermiscarriedbeforediscovery，Philippewasorderedtobreakalllinksconnectingthetwoplots，andtoallowthesecretsofthesecondaryplotonlytobecomeknown。Forthispurpose，hisabjectmisery，towhichhisstateofhealthandhisclothingborewitness，wasamplysufficienttoundervaluethecharacteroftheconspiracyandreduceitsproportionsintheeyesoftheauthorities。Therolewaswellsuitedtotheprecariouspositionoftheunprincipledgambler。Feelinghimselfastrideofbothparties，thecraftyPhilippeplayedthesainttotheroyalgovernment，allthewhileretainingthegoodopinionofthemeninhighplaceswhowereoftheotherparty，——determinedtocastinhislotatalaterdaywithwhicheversidehemightthenfindmosttohisadvantage。
TheserevelationsastothevastbearingsoftherealconspiracymadePhilippeamanofgreatdistinctionintheeyesofCarpentierandMignonnet，towhomhisself-devotionseemedastate-craftworthyofthepalmydaysoftheConvention。InashorttimethetrickyBonapartistwasseentobeonfriendlytermswiththetwoofficers，andtheconsiderationtheyenjoyedinthetownwas，ofcourse，sharedbyhim。Hesoonobtained，throughtheirrecommendation，thesituationintheinsuranceofficethatoldHochonhadsuggested，whichrequiredonlythreehoursofhisday。MignonnetandCarpentierputhimupattheirclub，wherehisgoodmannersandbearing，inkeepingwiththehighopinionwhichthetwoofficersexpressedabouthim，wonhimarespectoftengiventoexternalappearancesthatareonlydeceitful。
Philippe，whoseconductwascarefullyconsideredandplanned，hadindeedmademanyreflectionswhileinprisonastotheinconveniencesofleadingadebauchedlife。HedidnotneedDesroches’slecturetounderstandthenecessityofconciliatingthepeopleatIssoudunbydecent，sober，andrespectableconduct。DelightedtoattractMax’sridiculebybehavingwiththeproprietyofaMignonnet，hewentfurther，andendeavoredtolullGilet’ssuspicionsbydeceivinghimastohisrealcharacter。Hewasbentonbeingtakenforafoolbyappearinggenerousanddisinterested；allthewhiledrawinganetaroundhisadversary，andkeepinghiseyeonhisuncle’sproperty。Hismotherandbrother，onthecontrary，whowerereallydisinterested，generous，andlofty，hadbeenaccusedofgreedbecausetheyhadactedwithstraightforwardsimplicity。Philippe’scovetousnesswasfullyrousedbyMonsieurHochon，whogavehimallthedetailsofhisuncle’sproperty。Inthefirstsecretconversationwhichheheldwiththeoctogenarian，theyagreedthatPhilippemustnotawakenMax’ssuspicions；forthegamewouldbelostifFloreandMaxweretocarryofftheirvictim，thoughnofurtherthanBourges。