Josephrose，andbowed。
“Yourbrotherwasinthedragoons，Ibelieve，“saidMaxence。“Iwasonlyadust-trotter。“
“Onfootoronhorseback，“saidFlore，“youbothofyouriskedyourskins。“
JosephtooknoteofMaxquiteasmuchasMaxtooknoteofJoseph。Max，whogothisclothesfromParis，wasdressedastheyoungdandiesofthatdaydressedthemselves。Apairoflight-blueclothtrousers，madewithveryfullplaits，coveredhisfeetsothatonlythetoesandthespursofhisbootswereseen。Hiswaistwaspinchedinbyawhitewaistcoatwithchasedgoldbuttons，whichwaslacedbehindtoserveasabelt。Thewaistcoat，buttonedtothethroat，showedoffhisbroadchest，andablacksatinstockobligedhimtoholdhisheadhigh，insoldierlyfashion。Ahandsomegoldchainhungfromawaistcoatpocket，inwhichtheoutlineofaflatwatchwasbarelyseen。Hewastwistingawatch-keyofthekindcalleda“criquet，“whichBreguethadlatelyinvented。
“Thefellowisfine-looking，“thoughtJoseph，admiringwithapainter’seyetheeagerface，theairofstrength，andtheintellectualgrayeyeswhichMaxhadinheritedfromhisfather，thenoble。“Myunclemustbeafearfulbore，andthathandsomegirltakeshercompensations。Itisatriangularhousehold；Iseethat。“
Atthisinstant，BaruchandFrancoisentered。
“HaveyoubeentoseethetowerofIssoudun？“FloreaskedJoseph。“No？
thenifyouwouldliketotakealittlewalkbeforedinner，whichwillnotbeservedforanhour，wewillshowyouthegreatcuriosityofthetown。“
“Gladly，“saidtheartist，quiteincapableofseeingtheslightestimproprietyinsodoing。
WhileFlorewenttoputonherbonnet，gloves，andcashmereshawl，Josephsuddenlyjumpedup，asifanenchanterhadtouchedhimwithhiswand，tolookatthepictures。
“Ah！youhavepictures，indeed，uncle！“hesaid，examiningtheonethathadcaughthiseye。
“Yes，“answeredtheoldman。“TheycametousfromtheDescoings，whoboughtthemduringtheRevolution，whentheconventsandchurchesinBerryweredismantled。“
Josephwasnotlistening；hewaslostinadmirationofthepictures。
“Magnificent！“hecried。“Oh！whatpainting！thatfellowdidn’tspoilhiscanvas。Dear，dear！betterandbetter，asitisatNicolet’s——“
“Therearesevenoreightverylargeonesupinthegarret，whichwerekeptonaccountoftheframes，“saidGilet。
“Letmeseethem！“criedtheartist；andMaxtookhimupstairs。
Josephcamedownwildlyenthusiastic。MaxwhisperedawordtotheRabouilleuse，whotooktheoldmanintotheembrasureofawindow，whereJosephheardhersayinalowvoice，butstillsothathecouldhearthewords:——
“Yournephewisapainter；youdon’tcareforthosepictures；bekind，andgivethemtohim。“
“Itseems，“saidJean-Jacques，leaningonFlore’sarmtoreachtheplacewereJosephwasstandinginecstasybeforeanAlbano，“——itseemsthatyouareapainter——“
“Onlya’rapin，’“saidJoseph。
“Whatmaythatbe？“askedFlore。
“Abeginner，“repliedJoseph。
“Well，“continuedJean-Jacques，“ifthesepicturescanbeofanyusetoyouinyourbusiness，Igivethemtoyou，——butwithouttheframes。
Oh！theframesaregilt，andbesides，theyareveryfunny；Iwillput——“
“Welldone，uncle！“criedJoseph，enchanted；“I’llmakeyoucopiesofthesamedimensions，whichyoucanputintotheframes。“
“Butthatwilltakeyourtime，andyouwillwantcanvasandcolors，“
saidFlore。“Youwillhavetospendmoney。Come，PereRouget，offeryournephewahundredfrancsforeachcopy；herearetwenty-sevenpictures，andIthinkthereareelevenverybigonesinthegarretwhichoughttocostdouble，——callthewholefourthousandfrancs。Oh，yes，“shewenton，turningtoJoseph，“yourunclecanwellaffordtopayyoufourthousandfrancsformakingthecopies，sincehekeepstheframes——butblessme！you’llwantframes；andtheysayframescostmorethanpictures；there’smoregoldonthem。Answer，monsieur，“shecontinued，shakingtheoldman’sarm。“Hein？itisn’tdear；yournephewwilltakefourthousandfrancsfornewpicturesintheplaceoftheoldones。Itis，“shewhisperedinhisear，“averygoodwaytogivehimfourthousandfrancs；hedoesn’tlooktomeveryflush——“
“Well，nephew，Iwillpayyoufourthousandfrancsforthecopies——“
“No，no！“saidthehonestJoseph；“fourthousandfrancsandthepictures，that’stoomuch；thepictures，don’tyousee，arevaluable——“
“Accept，simpleton！“saidFlore；“heisyouruncle，youknow。“
“Verygood，Iaccept，“saidJoseph，bewilderedbytheluckthathadbefallenhim；forhehadrecognizedaPerugino。
TheresultwasthattheartistbeamedwithsatisfactionashewentoutofthehousewiththeRabouilleuseonhisarm，allofwhichhelpedMaxence’splansimmensely。NeitherFlore，norRouget，norMax，norindeedanyoneinIssoudunknewthevalueofthepictures，andthecraftyMaxthoughthehadboughtFlore’striumphforasong，assheparadedtriumphantlybeforetheeyesoftheastonishedtown，leaningonthearmofhermaster’snephew，andevidentlyonthebestoftermswithhim。Peopleflockedtotheirdoorstoseethecrab-girl’striumphoverthefamily。ThisastoundingeventmadethesensationonwhichMaxcounted；sothatwhentheyallreturnedatfiveo’clock，nothingwastalkedofineveryhouseholdbutthecordialunderstandingbetweenMaxandFloreandthenephewofoldRouget。Theincidentofthepicturesandthefourthousandfrancscirculatedalready。Thedinner，atwhichLousteau，oneofthecourtjudges，andtheMayorofIssoudunwerepresent，wassplendid。Itwasoneofthoseprovincialdinnerslastingfivehours。Themostexquisitewinesenlivenedtheconversation。Bynineo’clock，atdessert，thepainter，seatedoppositetohisuncle，andbetweenFloreandMax，hadfraternizedwiththesoldier，andthoughthimthebestfellowonearth。Josephreturnedhomeateleveno’clocksomewhattipsy。AstooldRouget，Kouskihadcarriedhimtohisbeddead-drunk；hehadeatenasthoughhewereanactorfromforeignparts，andhadsoakedupthewinelikethesandsofthedesert。
“Well，“saidMaxwhenhewasalonewithFlore，“isn’tthisbetterthanmakingfacesatthem？TheBridausarewellreceived，theygetsmallpresents，andaresmotheredwithattentions，andtheendofitistheywillsingourpraises；theywillgoawaysatisfiedandleaveusinpeace。To-morrowmorningyouandIandKouskiwilltakedownallthosepicturesandsendthemovertothepainter，sothatheshallseethemwhenhewakesup。Wewillputtheframesinthegarret，andcoverthewallswithoneofthosevarnishedpaperswhichrepresentscenesfromTelemachus，suchasIhaveseenatMonsieurMouilleron’s。“
“Oh，thatwillbemuchprettier！“saidFlore。
Onthemorrow，Josephdidnotwakeuptillmidday。Fromhisbedhesawthepictures，whichhadbeenbroughtinwhilehewasasleep，leaningoneagainstanotherontheoppositewall。Whileheexaminedthemanew，recognizingeachmasterpiece，studyingthemannerofeachpainter，andsearchingforthesignature，hismotherhadgonetoseeandthankherbrother，urgedtheretobyoldHochon，who，havingheardofthefolliesthepainterhadcommittedthenightbefore，almostdespairedoftheBridaucause。
“Youradversarieshavethecunningoffoxes，“hesaidtoAgathe。“InallmydaysIneversawamancarrythingswithsuchahighhandasthatsoldier；theysaywareducatesyoungmen！Josephhaslethimselfbefooled。Theyhaveshuthismouthwithwine，andthosemiserablepictures，andfourthousandfrancs！Yourartisthasn’tcostMaxencemuch！“
Thelong-headedoldmaninstructedMadameBridaucarefullyastothelineofconductsheoughttopursue，——advisinghertoenterintoMaxence’sideasandcajoleFlore，soastosetupasortofintimacywithher，andthusobtainafewmoments’interviewwithJean-Jacquesalone。MadameBridauwasverywarmlyreceivedbyherbrother，towhomFlorehadtaughthislesson。Theoldmanwasinbed，quiteillfromtheexcessesofthenightbefore。AsAgathe，underthecircumstances，couldscarcelybeginatoncetospeakoffamilymatters，Maxthoughtitproperandmagnanimoustoleavethebrotherandsisteralonetogether。Thecalculationwasagoodone。PoorAgathefoundherbrothersoillthatshewouldnotdeprivehimofMadameBrazier’scare。
“Besides，“shesaidtotheoldbachelor，“IwishtoknowapersontowhomIamgratefulforthehappinessofmybrother。“
Thesewordsgaveevidentpleasuretotheoldman，whorangforMadameFlore。Flore，aswemaywellbelieve，wasnotfaroff。Thefemaleantagonistsbowedtoeachother。TheRabouilleuseshowedthemostservileattentionsandtheutmosttendernesstohermaster；fanciedhisheadwastoolow，beatupthepillows，andtookcareofhimlikeabrideofyesterday。Thepoorcreaturereceiveditwitharushoffeeling。
“Weoweyoumuchgratitude，mademoiselle，“saidAgathe，“fortheproofsofattachmentyouhavesolonggiventomybrother，andforthewayinwhichyouwatchoverhishappiness。“
“Thatistrue，mydearAgathe，“saidtheoldman；“shehastaughtmewhathappinessis；sheisawomanofexcellentqualities。“
“Andtherefore，mydearbrother，yououghttohaverecompensedMademoisellebymakingheryourwife。Yes！Iamtoosincereinmyreligionnottowishtoseeyouobeythepreceptsofthechurch。Youwouldeachbemoretranquilinmindifyouwerenotatvariancewithmoralityandthelaws。Ihavecomehere，dearbrother，toaskforhelpinmyaffliction；butdonotsupposethatwewishtomakeanyremonstranceastothemannerinwhichyoumaydisposeofyourproperty——“
“Madame，“saidFlore，“weknowhowunjustyourfatherwastoyou。