AtthetimewhenMadameBridaureturnedtoIssoudun，Maxwasexcludedfromthesocietyoftheplace。Heshowed，moreover，properself-respectinneverpresentinghimselfattheclub，andinnevercomplainingoftheseverereprobationthatwasshownhim；althoughhewasthehandsomest，themostelegant，andthebestdressedmanintheplace，spentagreatdealofmoney，andkeptahorse，——athingasamazingatIssoudunasthehorseofLordByronatVenice。WearenowtoseehowitwasthatMaxence，poorandwithoutapparentmeans，wasabletobecomethedandyofthetown。TheshamefulconductwhichearnedhimthecontemptofallscrupulousorreligiouspersonswasconnectedwiththeinterestswhichbroughtAgatheandJosephtoIssoudun。
Judgingbytheaudacityofhisbearing，andtheexpressionofhisface，Maxcaredlittleforpublicopinion；heexpected，nodoubt，totakehisrevengesomeday，andtolorditoverthosewhonowcondemnedhim。Moreover，ifthebourgeoisieofIssoudunthoughtillofhim，theadmirationheexcitedamongthecommonpeoplecounterbalancedtheiropinion；hiscourage，hisdashingappearance，hisdecisionofcharacter，couldnotfailtopleasethemasses，towhomhisdegradationswere，forthemostpart，unknown，andindeedthebourgeoisiethemselvesscarcelysuspecteditsextent。MaxplayedaroleatIssoudunwhichwassomethinglikethatoftheblacksmithinthe“FairMaidofPerth“；hewasthechampionofBonapartismandtheOpposition；theycounteduponhimastheburghersofPerthcounteduponSmithongreatoccasions。AsingleincidentwillputthisheroandvictimoftheHundred-Daysintoclearrelief。
In1819，abattalioncommandedbyroyalistofficers，youngmenjustoutoftheMaisonRouge，passedthroughIssoudunonitswaytogointogarrisonatBourges。NotknowingwhattodowiththemselvesinsoconstitutionalaplaceasIssoudun，theseyounggentlemenwenttowhileawaythetimeatthecafeMilitaire。Ineveryprovincialtownthereisamilitarycafe。ThatofIssoudun，builtontheplaced’Armesatanangleoftherampart，andkeptbythewidowofanofficer，wasnaturallytherendezvousoftheBonapartists，chieflyofficersonhalf-pay，andotherswhosharedMax’sopinions，towhomthepoliticsofthetownallowedfreeexpressionoftheiridolatryfortheEmperor。
Everyyear，datingfrom1816，abanquetwasgiveninIssouduntocommemoratetheanniversaryofhiscoronation。Thethreeroyalistswhofirstenteredaskedforthenewspapers，amongothers，forthe“Quotidienne“andthe“DrapeauBlanc。“ThepoliticsofIssoudun，especiallythoseofthecafeMilitaire，didnotallowofsuchroyalistjournals。Theestablishmenthadnonebutthe“Commerce，“——anamewhichthe“Constitutionel“wascompelledtoadoptforseveralyearsafteritwassuppressedbythegovernment。Butas，initsfirstissueunderthenewname，theleadingarticlebeganwiththesewords，“Commerceisessentiallyconstitutional，“peoplecontinuedtocallitthe“Constitutionel，“thesubscribersallunderstandingtheslyplayofwordswhichbeggedthemtopaynoattentiontothelabel，asthewinewouldbethesame。
Thefatlandladyrepliedfromherseatatthedeskthatshedidnottakethosepapers。“Whatpapersdoyoutakethen？“askedoneoftheofficers，acaptain。Thewaiter，alittlefellowinablueclothjacket，withanapronofcoarselinentiedoverit，broughtthe“Commerce。“
“Isthatyourpaper？Haveyounoother？“
“No，“saidthewaiter，“that’stheonlyone。“
Thecaptaintoreitup，flungthepiecesonthefloor，andspatuponthem，callingout，——
“Bringdominos！“
IntenminutesthenewsoftheinsultofferedtotheConstitutionOppositionandtheLiberalparty，inthesupersacredpersonofitsreveredjournal，whichattackedpriestswithcourageandthewitweallremember，spreadthroughoutthetownandintothehouseslikelightitself；itwastoldandrepeatedfromplacetoplace。Onephrasewasoneverybody’slips，——
“LetustellMax！“
Maxsoonheardofit。Theroyalistofficerswerestillattheirgameofdominoswhenthatheroenteredthecafe，accompaniedbyMajorPotelandCaptainRenard，andfollowedbyatleastthirtyyoungmen，curioustoseetheendoftheaffair，mostofwhomremainedoutsideinthestreet。Theroomwassoonfull。
“Waiter，MYnewspaper，“saidMax，inaquietvoice。
Thenalittlecomedywasplayed。Thefathostess，withatimidandconciliatoryair，said，“Captain，Ihavelentit！“
“Sendforit，“criedoneofMax’sfriends。
“Can’tyoudowithoutit？“saidthewaiter；“wehavenotgotit。“
Theyoungroyalistswerelaughingandcastingsidelongglancesatthenew-comers。
“Theyhavetornitup！“criedayouthofthetown，lookingatthefeetoftheyoungroyalistcaptain。
“Whohasdaredtodestroythatpaper？“demandedMax，inathunderingvoice，hiseyesflashingasherosewithhisarmscrossed。
“Andwespatuponit，“repliedthethreeyoungofficers，alsorising，andlookingatMax。
“Youhaveinsultedthewholetown！“saidMax，turninglivid。
“Well，whatofthat？“askedtheyoungestofficer。
Withadexterity，quickness，andaudacitywhichtheyoungmendidnotforesee，Maxslappedthefaceoftheofficernearesttohim，saying，——
“DoyouunderstandFrench？“
Theyfoughtnearby，inthealleedeFrapesle，threeagainstthree；
forPotelandRenardwouldnotallowMaxtodealwiththeofficersalone。Maxkilledhisman。MajorPotelwoundedhissoseverely，thattheunfortunateyoungman，thesonofagoodfamily，diedinthehospitalthenextday。Asforthethird，hegotoffwithaswordcut，afterwoundinghisadversary，CaptainRenard。ThebattalionleftforBourgesthatnight。Thisaffair，whichwasnoisedthroughoutBerry，setMaxupdefinitelyasahero。
TheKnightsofIdleness，whowereallyoung，theeldestnotmorethantwenty-fiveyearsold，admiredMaxence。Someamongthem，farfromsharingthepruderyandstrictnotionsoftheirfamiliesconcerninghisconduct，enviedhispresentpositionandthoughthimfortunate。
Undersuchaleader，theOrderdidgreatthings。AfterthemonthofMay，1817，neveraweekpassedthatthetownwasnotthrownintoanuproarbysomenewpieceofmischief。Max，asamatterofhonor，imposedcertainconditionsupontheKnights。Statutesweredrawnup。
TheseyoungdemonsgrewasvigilantasthepupilsofAmoros，——boldashawks，agileatallexercises，cleverandstrongascriminals。Theytrainedthemselvesinclimbingroofs，scalinghouses，jumpingandwalkingnoiselessly，mixingmortar，andwallingupdoors。Theycollectedanarsenalofropes，ladders，tools，anddisguises。AfteratimetheKnightsofIdlenessattainedtothebeau-idealofmaliciousmischief，notonlyastotheaccomplishmentbut，stillmore，intheinventionoftheirpranks。TheycameatlasttopossessthegeniusforevilthatPanurgesomuchdelightedin；whichprovokeslaughter，andcoversitsvictimswithsuchridiculethattheydarenotcomplain。
Naturally，thesesonsofgoodfamiliesofIssoudunpossessedandobtainedinformationintheirhouseholds，whichgavethemthewaysandmeansfortheperpetrationoftheiroutrages。
SometimestheyoungdevilsincarnatelayinambushalongtheGrand’rueortheBasserue，twostreetswhichare，asitwere，thearteriesofthetown，intowhichmanylittlesidestreetsopen。Crouching，withtheirheadstothewind，intheanglesofthewallandatthecornersofthestreets，atthehourwhenallthehouseholdswerehushedintheirfirstsleep，theycalledtoeachotherintonesofterrorfromambushtoambushalongthewholelengthofthetown:“What’sthematter？““Whatisit？“tilltherepeatedcrieswokeupthecitizens，whoappearedintheirshirtsandcottonnight-caps，withlightsintheirhands，askingquestionsofoneanother，holdingthestrangestcolloquies，andexhibitingthequeerestfaces。
Acertainpoorbookbinder，whowasveryold，believedinhobgoblins。
Likemostprovincialartisans，heworkedinasmallbasementshop。TheKnights，disguisedasdevils，invadedtheplaceinthemiddleofthenight，puthimintohisowncutting-press，andlefthimshriekingtohimselflikethesoulsinhell。Thepoormanrousedtheneighbors，towhomherelatedtheapparitionsofLucifer；andastheyhadnomeansofundeceivinghim，hewasdrivennearlyinsane。
Inthemiddleofaseverewinter，theKnightstookdownthechimneyofthecollectoroftaxes，andbuiltitupagaininonenightapparentlyasitwasbefore，withoutmakingtheslightestnoise，orleavingtheleasttraceoftheirwork。Buttheysoarrangedtheinsideofthechimneyastosendallthesmokeintothehouse。Thecollectorsufferedfortwomonthsbeforehefoundoutwhyhischimney，whichhadalwaysdrawnsowell，andofwhichhehadoftenboasted，playedhimsuchtricks；hewasthenobligedtobuildanewone。
Atanothertime，theyputthreetrussesofhaydustedwithbrimstone，andaquantityofoiledpaperdownthechimneyofapiousoldwomanwhowasafriendofMadameHochon。Inthemorning，whenshecametolightherfire，thepoorcreature，whowasverygentleandkindly，imaginedshehadstartedavolcano。Thefire-enginescame，thewholepopulationrushedtoherassistance。SeveralKnightswereamongthefiremen，andtheydelugedtheoldwoman’shouse，tilltheyhadfrightenedherwithaflood，asmuchastheyhadterrifiedherwiththefire。Shewasmadeillwithfear。
Whentheywishedtomakesomeonespendthenightunderarmsandinmortalterror，theywroteananonymouslettertellinghimthathewasabouttoberobbed；thentheystolesoftly，onebyone，roundthewallsofhishouse，orunderhiswindows，whistlingasiftocalleachother。
Oneoftheirfamousperformances，whichlongamusedthetown，whereinfactitisstillrelated，wastowritealettertoalltheheirsofamiserlyoldladywhowaslikelytoleavealargeproperty，announcingherdeath，andrequestingthemtobepromptlyonhandwhenthesealswereaffixed。EightypersonsarrivedfromVatan，Saint-Florent，Vierzonandtheneighboringcountry，allindeepmourning，——widowswithsons，childrenwiththeirfathers，someincarrioles，someinwickergigs，othersindilapidatedcarts。Imaginethescenebetweentheoldwoman’sservantsandthefirstarrivals！andtheconsultationsamongthenotaries！ItcreatedasortofriotinIssoudun。
Atlast，onedaythesub-prefectwokeuptoasensethatthisstateofthingswasallthemoreintolerablebecauseitseemedimpossibletofindoutwhowasatthebottomofit。Suspicionfellonseveralyoungmen；butastheNationalGuardwasamerenameinIssoudun，andtherewasnogarrison，andthelieutenantofpolicehadonlyeightgendarmesunderhim，sothattherewerenopatrols，itwasimpossibletogetanyproofagainstthem。Thesub-prefectwasimmediatelypostedinthe“orderofthenight，“andconsideredthenceforthfairgame。Thisfunctionarymadeapracticeofbreakfastingontwofresheggs。Hekeptchickensinhisyard，andaddedtohismaniaforeatingfresheggsthatofboilingthemhimself。Neitherhiswifenorhisservant，infactnoone，accordingtohim，knewhowtoboilaneggproperly；hediditwatchinhand，andboastedthathecarriedoffthepalmofegg-