“IfhegetsapowerofattorneybythemorningofthefirstofDecember，“saidHochon，“hemighttakethemail-postforParis，andgiveupthebanquet。“
“Verygood。Thefirstthingis，then，togetpossessionofmyuncle；
I’veaneyethatcowsafool，“saidPhilippe，givingMonsieurHochonanatrociousglancethatmadetheoldmantremble。
“Iftheylethimwalkwithyou，Maxencemustbelievehehasfoundsomemeanstowinthegame，“remarkedtheoldmiser。
“Oh！Farioisonthewatch，“saidPhilippe，“andheisnotalone。ThatSpaniardhasdiscoveredoneofmyoldsoldiersintheneighborhoodofVatan，amanIoncedidsomeserviceto。Withoutanyone’ssuspectingit，BenjaminBourdetisunderFario’sorders，whohaslenthimahorsetogetaboutwith。“
“Ifyoukillthatmonsterwhohascorruptedmygrandsons，Ishallsayyouhavedoneagooddeed。“
“Thankstome，thetownofIssoudunnowknowswhatMonsieurMaxenceGilethasbeendoingatnightforthelastsixyears，“repliedPhilippe；“andthecackle，asyoucallithere，isnowstartedonhim。
Morallyhisdayisover。“
ThemomentPhilippelefthisuncle’shouseFlorewenttoMax’sroomtotellhimeveryparticularofthenephew’sboldvisit。
“What’stobedone？“sheasked。
“Beforetryingthelastmeans，——whichwillbetofightthatbigreprobate，“repliedMaxence，“——wemustplaydoubleorquits，andtryourgrandstroke。Lettheoldidiotgowithhisnephew。“
“Butthatbigbrutewon’tmincematters，“remonstratedFlore；“he’llcallthingsbytheirrightnames。“
“Listentome，“saidMaxenceinaharshvoice。“DoyouthinkI’venotkeptmyearsopen，andreflectedabouthowwestand？SendtoPereCognetteforahorseandachar-a-banc，andsaywewanttheminstantly:theymustbehereinfiveminutes。Packallyourbelongings，takeVedie，andgotoVatan。Settleyourselfthereasifyoumeantostay；carryoffthetwentythousandfrancsingoldwhichtheoldfellowhasgotinhisdrawer。IfIbringhimtoyouinVatan，youaretorefusetocomebackhereunlesshesignsthepowerofattorney。AssoonaswegetitI’llslipofftoParis，whileyou’rereturningtoIssoudun。WhenJean-Jacquesgetsbackfromhiswalkandfindsyougone，he’llgobesidehimself，andwanttofollowyou。Well！
whenhedoes，I’llgivehimatalkingto。“
Whiletheforegoingplotwasprogressing，PhilippewaswalkingarminarmwithhisunclealongtheboulevardBaron。
“Thetwogreattacticiansarecomingtoclosequartersatlast，“
thoughtMonsieurHochonashewatchedthecolonelmarchingoffwithhisuncle；“Iamcurioustoseetheendofthegame，andwhatbecomesofthestakeofninetythousandfrancsayear。“
“Mydearuncle，“saidPhilippe，whosephraseologyhadaflavorofhisaffinitiesinParis，“youlovethisgirl，andyouaredevilishlyright。Sheisdamnablyhandsome！Insteadofbillingandcooingshemakesyoutrotlikeavalet；well，that’sallsimpleenough；butshewantstoseeyousixfeetunderground，sothatshemaymarryMax，whomsheadores。“
“Iknowthat，Philippe，butIloveherallthesame。“
“Well，Ihaveswornbythesoulofmymother，whoisyourownsister，“
continuedPhilippe，“tomakeyourRabouilleuseassuppleasmyglove，andthesameasshewasbeforethatscoundrel，whoisunworthytohaveservedintheImperialGuard，evercametoquarterhimselfinyourhouse。“
“Ah！ifyoucoulddothat！——“saidtheoldman。
“Itisveryeasy，“answeredPhilippe，cuttinghisuncleshort。“I’llkillMaxasIwouldadog；but——ononecondition，“addedtheoldcampaigner。
“Whatisthat？“saidRouget，lookingathisnephewinastupidway。
“Don’tsignthatpowerofattorneywhichtheywantofyoubeforethethirdofDecember；putthemofftillthen。YourtorturersonlywantittoenablethemtosellthefiftythousandayearyouhaveintheFunds，sothattheymayrunofftoParisandpayfortheirweddingfestivitiesoutofyourmillions。“
“Iamafraidso，“repliedRouget。
“Well，whatevertheymaysayordotoyou，putoffgivingthatpowerofattorneyuntilnextweek。“
“Yes；butwhenFloretalkstomeshestirsmyverysoul，tillIdon’tknowwhatIdo。Igiveyoumyword，whenshelooksatmeinacertainway，herblueeyesseemlikeparadise，andIamnolongermasterofmyself，——especiallywhenforsomedaysshehadbeenharshtome。“
“Well，whethersheissweetorsour，don’tdomorethanpromisetosignthepaper，andletmeknowthenightbeforeyouaregoingtodoit。Thatwillanswer。Maxenceshallnotbeyourproxyunlesshefirstkillsme。IfIkillhim，youmustagreetotakemeinhisplace，andI’llundertaketobreakinthathandsomegirlandkeepheratyourbeckandcall。Yes，Floreshallloveyou，andifshedoesn’tsatisfyyou——thunder！I’llthrashher。“
“Oh！Inevercouldallowthat。AblowstruckatFlorewouldbreakmyheart。“
“Butitistheonlywaytogovernwomenandhorses。Amanmakeshimselffeared，orloved，orrespected。NowthatiswhatIwantedtowhisperinyourear——Good-morning，gentlemen，“hesaidtoMignonnetandCarpentier，whocameupatthemoment；“Iamtakingmyuncleforawalk，asyousee，andtryingtoimprovehim；forweareinanagewhenchildrenareobligedtoeducatetheirgrandparents。“
Theyallbowedtoeachother。
“Youbeholdinmydearuncletheeffectsofanunhappypassion。Thosetwowanttostriphimofhisfortuneandleavehiminthelurch——youknowtowhomIrefer？Heseestheplot；buthehasn’tthecouragetogiveuphisSUGAR-PLUMforafewdayssoastobaffleit。“
Philippebrieflyexplainedhisuncle’sposition。
“Gentlemen，“heremarked，inconclusion，“youseetherearenotwowaysofsavinghim:eitherColonelBridaumustkillCaptainGilet，orCaptainGiletmustkillColonelBridau。WecelebratetheEmperor’scoronationonthedayafterto-morrow；IrelyuponyoutoarrangetheseatsatthebanquetsothatIshallsitoppositetoGilet。Youwilldomethehonor，Ihope，ofbeingmyseconds。“
“Wewillappointyoutopreside，andsitourselvesoneithersideofyou。Max，asvice-president，willofcoursesitopposite，“saidMignonnet。
“Oh！thescoundrelwillhavePotelandRenardwithhim，“saidCarpentier。“InspiteofallthatIssoudunnowknowsandsaysofhismidnightmaraudings，thosetwoworthyofficers，whohavealreadybeenhisseconds，remainfaithfultohim。“
“Youseehowitallmapsout，uncle，“saidPhilippe。“Therefore，signnopaperbeforethethirdofDecember；thenextdayyoushallbefree，happy，andbelovedbyFlore，withouthavingtocoaxforit。“
“Youdon’tknowhim，Philippe，“saidtheterrifiedoldman。“Maxencehaskilledninemeninduels。“
“Yes；butninetythousandfrancsayeardidn’tdependonit，“answeredPhilippe。
“Abadconscienceshakesthehand，“remarkedMignonnetsententiously。
“Inafewdaysfromnow，“resumedPhilippe，“youandtheRabouilleusewillbelivingtogetherassweetashoney，——thatis，aftershegetsthroughmourning。Atfirstshe’lltwistlikeaworm，andyelp，andweep；butnevermind，letthewaterrun！“
ThetwosoldiersapprovedofPhilippe’sarguments，andtriedtoheartenupoldRouget，withwhomtheywalkedaboutfornearlytwohours。AtlastPhilippetookhisunclehome，sayingastheyparted:——
“Don’ttakeanystepswithoutme。Iknowwomen。Ihavepaidforone，whocostmefarmorethanFlorecanevercostyou。Butshetaughtmehowtobehavetothefairsexfortherestofmydays。Womenarebadchildren；theyareinferioranimalstomen；wemustmakethemfearus；
theworstconditionintheworldistobegovernedbysuchbrutes。“
Itwasabouthalf-pasttwointheafternoonwhentheoldmangothome。
Kouskiopenedthedoorintears，——thatis，byMax’sorders，hegavesignsofweeping。
“Oh！Monsieur，Madamehasgoneaway，andtakenVediewithher！“
“Gone——a——way！“saidtheoldmaninastrangledvoice。
TheblowwassoviolentthatRougetsatdownonthestairs，unabletostand。Amomentafter，herose，lookedaboutthehall，intothekitchen，wentuptohisownroom，searchedallthechambers，andreturnedtothesalon，wherehethrewhimselfintoachair，andburstintotears。
“Whereisshe？“hesobbed。“Oh！whereisshe？whereisMax？“
“Idon’tknow，“answeredKouski。“Thecaptainwentoutwithouttellingme。“
Giletthoughtitpolitictobeseensaunteringaboutthetown。Byleavingtheoldmanalonewithhisdespair，heknewheshouldmakehimfeelhisdesertionthemorekeenly，andreducehimtodocility。TokeepPhilippefromassistinghisuncleatthiscrisis，hehadgivenKouskistrictordersnottoopenthedoortoanyone。Floreaway，themiserableoldmangrewfrantic，andthesituationofthingsapproachedacrisis。Duringhiswalkthroughthetown，MaxenceGiletwasavoidedbymanypersonswhoadayortwoearlierwouldhavehastenedtoshakehandswithhim。Ageneralreactionhadsetinagainsthim。ThedeedsoftheKnightsofIdlenesswereringingoneverytongue。ThetaleofJosephBridau’sarrest，nowclearedup，disgracedMaxintheeyesofall；andhislifeandconductreceivedinonedaytheirjustaward。