第43章
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  Philippe’sconduct,inspiteofthecleverdefenderwhomDesrochesrecommendedtohim,rousedsuspicionsthatwereunfavorabletohischaracter。Inviewofthis,Joseph,assoonashehadputDesrochesinpossessionofallthatwasgoingonatIssoudun,startedwithMistigrisforthechateauoftheComtedeSerizy,toescapehearingaboutthetrialoftheconspirators,whichlastedfortwentydays。

  Itisuselesstorecordfactsthatmaybefoundincontemporaneoushistories。Whetheritwerethatheplayedapartpreviouslyagreedupon,orthathewasreallyaninformer,Philippewascondemnedtofiveyears’surveillancebythepolicedepartment,andorderedtoleaveParisthesamedayforAutun,thetownwhichthedirector-

  generalofpoliceselectedastheplaceofhisexileforfiveyears。

  Thispunishmentresembledthedetentionofprisonersonparolewhohaveatownforaprison。LearningthattheComtedeSerizy,oneofthepeersappointedbytheChamberonthecourt-martial,wasemployingJosephtodecoratehischateauatPresles,Desrochesbeggedtheministertogranthimanaudience,andfoundMonsieurdeSerizymostamiablydisposedtowardJoseph,withwhomhehadhappenedtomakepersonalacquaintance。Desrochesexplainedthefinancialconditionofthetwobrothers,recallingtheservicesofthefather,andtheneglectshowntothemundertheRestoration。

  “Suchinjustice,monseigneur,“saidthelawyer,“isalastingcauseofirritationanddiscontent。Youknewthefather;givethesonsachance,atleast,ofmakingafortune——“

  AndhedrewasuccinctpictureofthesituationofthefamilyaffairsatIssoudun,beggingtheall-powerfulvice-presidentoftheCouncilofStatetotakestepstoinducethedirector-generalofpolicetochangePhilippe’splaceofresidencefromAutuntoIssoudun。HealsospokeofPhilippe’sextremepoverty,andaskedadoleofsixtyfrancsamonth,whichtheministerofwarought,hesaid,formereshame’ssake,togranttoaformerlieutenant-colonel。

  “Iwillobtainallyouaskofme,forIthinkitjust,“repliedthecount。

  Threedayslater,Desroches,furnishedwiththenecessaryauthority,fetchedPhilippefromtheprisonoftheCourtofPeers,andtookhimtohisownhouse,ruedeBethizy。Oncethere,theyoungbarristerreadthemiserablevagabondoneofthoseunanswerablelecturesinwhichlawyersratethingsattheiractualvalue;usingplaintermstoqualifytheconduct,andtoanalyzeandreducetotheirsimplestmeaningthesentimentsandideasofclientstowardwhomtheyfeelenoughinteresttospeakplainly。AfterhumblingtheEmperor’sstaff-

  officerbyreproachinghimwithhisrecklessdissipations,hismother’smisfortunes,andthedeathofMadameDescoings,hewentontotellhimthestateofthingsatIssoudun,explainingitaccordingtohislights,andprobingboththeschemeandthecharacterofMaxenceGiletandtheRabouilleusetotheirdepths。Philippe,whowasgiftedwithakeencomprehensioninsuchdirections,listenedwithmuchmoreinteresttothispartofDesroches’slecturethantowhathadgonebefore。

  “Underthesecircumstances,“continuedthelawyer,“youcanrepairtheinjuryyouhavedonetoyourestimablefamily,——sofaratleastasitisreparable;foryoucannotrestorelifetothepoormotheryouhaveallbutkilled。Butyoualonecan——“

  “WhatcanIdo?“askedPhilippe。

  “IhaveobtainedachangeofresidenceforyoufromAutuntoIssoudun——“

  Philippe’ssunkenface,whichhadgrownalmostsinisterinexpressionandwasfurrowedwithsufferingsandprivation,instantlylightedupwithaflashofjoy。

  “And,asIwassaying,youalonecanrecovertheinheritanceofoldRouget’sproperty;halfofwhichmaybythistimebeinthejawsofthewolfnamedGilet,“repliedDesroches。“Younowknowalltheparticulars,anditisforyoutoactaccordingly。Isuggestnoplan;

  Ihavenoideasatallastothat;besides,everythingwilldependonlocalcircumstances。Youhavetodealwithastrongforce;thatfellowisveryastute。ThewayheattemptedtogetbackthepicturesyourunclehadgiventoJoseph,theaudacitywithwhichhelaidacrimeonyourpoorbrother’sshoulders,allgotoprovethattheadversaryiscapableofeverything。Therefore,beprudent;andtrytobehaveproperlyoutofpolicy,ifyoucan’tdosooutofdecency。WithouttellingJoseph,whoseartist’spridewouldbeupinarms,IhavesentthepicturestoMonsieurHochon,tellinghimtogivethemuptonoonebutyou。Bytheway,MaxenceGiletisabraveman。“

  “Somuchthebetter,“saidPhilippe;“Icountonhiscourageforsuccess;acowardwouldleaveIssoudun。“

  “Well,——thinkofyourmotherwhohasbeensodevotedtoyou,andofyourbrother,whomyoumadeyourmilchcow。“

  “Ah!didhetellyouthatnonsense?“criedPhilippe。

  “AmInotthefriendofthefamily,anddon’tIknowmuchmoreaboutyouthantheydo?“askedDesroches。

  “Whatdoyouknow?“saidPhilippe。

  “Thatyoubetrayedyourcomrades。“

  “I!“exclaimedPhilippe。“I!astaff-officeroftheEmperor!Absurd!

  Why,wefooledtheChamberofPeers,thelawyers,thegovernment,andthewholeofthedamnedconcern。Theking’speoplewerecompletelyhood-winked。“

  “That’sallverywell,ifitwasso,“answeredthelawyer。“But,don’tyousee,theBourbonscan’tbeoverthrown;allEuropeisbackingthem;

  andyououghttotrytomakeyourpeacewiththewardepartment,——youcoulddothatreadilyenoughifyouwererich。Togetrich,youandyourbrother,youmustlayholdofyouruncle。Ifyouwilltakethetroubletomanageanaffairwhichneedsgreatcleverness,patience,andcaution,youhaveenoughworkbeforeyoutooccupyyourfiveyears。“

  “No,no,“criedPhilippe,“Imusttakethebullbythehornsatonce。

  ThisMaxencemayaltertheinvestmentofthepropertyandputitinthatwoman’sname;andthenallwouldbelost。“

  “MonsieurHochonisagoodadviser,andseesclearly;consulthim。Youhaveyourordersfromthepolice;IhavetakenyourplaceintheOrleansdiligenceforhalf-pastseveno’clockthisevening。Isupposeyourtrunkisready;so,nowcomeanddine。“

  “IownnothingbutwhatIhavegotonmyback,“saidPhilippe,openinghishorribleblueovercoat;“butIonlyneedthreethings,whichyoumusttellGiroudeau,theuncleofFinot,tosendme,——mysabre,mysword,andmypistols。“

  “Youneedmorethanthat,“saidthelawyer,shudderingashelookedathisclient。“Youwillreceiveaquarterlystipendwhichwillclotheyoudecently。“

  “Blessme!areyouhere,Godeschal?“criedPhilippe,recognizinginDesroches’shead-clerk,astheypassedout,thebrotherofMariette。

  “Yes,IhavebeenwithMonsieurDesrochesforthelasttwomonths。“

  “Andhewillstaywithme,Ihope,tillhegetsabusinessofhisown,“saidDesroches。

  “HowisMariette?“askedPhilippe,movedathisrecollections。

  “Sheisgettingreadyfortheopeningofthenewtheatre。“

  “Itwouldcostherlittletroubletogetmysentenceremitted,“saidPhilippe。“However,asshechooses!“

  Afterameagredinner,givenbyDesrocheswhoboardedhishead-clerk,thetwolawyersputthepoliticalconvictinthediligence,andwishedhimgoodluck。

  OnthesecondofNovember,All-Souls’day,PhilippeBridauappearedbeforethecommissaryofpoliceatIssoudun,tohavethedateofhisarrivalrecordedonhispapers;andbythatfunctionary’sadvicehewenttolodgeintheruel’Avenier。Thenewsofthearrivalofanofficer,banishedonaccountofthelatemilitaryconspiracy,spreadrapidlythroughthetown,andcausedallthemoreexcitementwhenitwasknownthatthisofficerwasabrotherofthepainterwhohadbeenfalselyaccused。MaxenceGilet,bythistimeentirelyrecoveredfromhiswound,hadcompletedthedifficultoperationofturningallPereRouget’smortgagesintomoney,andputtingtheproceedsinonesum,onthe“grand-livre。“Theloanofonehundredandfortythousandfrancsobtainedbytheoldmanonhislandedpropertyhadcausedagreatsensation,——foreverythingisknownintheprovinces。MonsieurHochon,intheBridauinterest,wasmuchputaboutbythisdisaster,andquestionedoldMonsieurHeron,thenotaryatBourges,astotheobjectofit。

  “TheheirsofoldRouget,ifoldRougetchangeshismind,oughttomakemeavotiveoffering,“criedMonsieurHeron。“Ifithadnotbeenforme,theoldfellowwouldhaveallowedthefiftythousandfrancs’

  incometostandinthenameofMaxenceGilet。ItoldMademoiselleBrazierthatsheoughttolooktothewillonly,andnotruntheriskofasuitforspoliation,seeingwhatnumerousproofsthesetransfersineverydirectionwouldgiveagainstthem。Togaintime,IadvisedMaxenceandhismistresstokeepquiet,andletthissuddenchangeintheusualbusinesshabitsoftheoldmanbeforgotten。“

  “ProtecttheBridaus,fortheyhavenothing,“saidMonsieurHochon,whoinadditiontoallotherreasons,couldnotforgiveGilettheterrorshehadenduredwhenfearingthepillageofhishouse。

  MaxenceGiletandFloreBrazier,nowsecureagainstallattack,wereverymerryoverthearrivalofanotherofoldRouget’snephews。Theyknewtheywereable,atthefirstsignalofdanger,tomaketheoldmansignapowerofattorneyunderwhichthemoneyintheFundscouldbetransferredeithertoMaxorFlore。IfthewillleavingFloretheprincipal,shouldberevoked,anincomeoffiftythousandfrancswasaverytolerablecrumbofcomfort,——moreparticularlyaftersqueezingfromtherealestatethatmortgageofahundredandfortythousand。

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