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。
OnceaweekthecoloneldinedwithMignonnet；anotherdaywithCarpentier；andeveryThursdaywithMonsieurHochon。Attheendofthreeweekshereceivedotherinvitationsfortheremainingdays，sothathehadlittlemorethanhisbreakfasttoprovide。Heneverspokeofhisuncle，noroftheRabouilleuse，norofGilet，unlessitwereinconnectionwithhismotherandhisbrother’sstayinIssoudun。Thethreeofficers——theonlysoldiersinthetownwhoweredecorated，andamongwhomPhilippehadtheadvantageoftherosette，whichintheeyesofallprovincialsgavehimamarkedsuperiority——tookahabitofwalkingtogethereverydaybeforedinner，keeping，asthesayingis，tothemselves。ThisreserveandtranquillityofdemeanorhadanexcellenteffectonIssoudun。AllMax’sadherentsthoughtPhilippea“sabreur，“——anexpressionappliedbysoldierstothecommonestsortofcourageintheirsuperiorofficers，whiledenyingthattheypossesstherequisitequalitiesofacommander。
“Heisaveryhonorableman，“saidGoddetthesurgeon，toMax。
“Bah！“repliedGilet，“hisbehaviorbeforetheCourtofPeersproveshimtohavebeeneitheradupeoraspy；heis，asyousay，ninnyenoughtohavebeendupedbythegreatplayers。“
Afterobtaininghissituation，Philippe，whowaswellinformedastothegossipofthetown，wishedtoconcealcertaincircumstancesofhispresentlifeasmuchaspossiblefromtheknowledgeoftheinhabitants；hethereforewenttoliveinahouseatthefartherendofthefaubourgSaint-Paterne，towhichwasattachedalargegarden。
HerehewasableintheutmostsecrecytofencewithCarpentier，whohadbeenafencing-masterintheinfantrybeforeenteringthecavalry。
Philippesoonrecoveredhisearlydexterity，andlearnedotherandnewsecretsfromCarpentier，whichconvincedhimthatheneednotfeartheprowessofanyadversary。Thisdone，hebeganopenlytopractisewithpistols，withMignonnetandCarpentier，declaringitwasforamusement，butreallyintendingtomakeMaxbelievethat，incaseofaduel，heshouldrelyonthatweapon。WheneverPhilippemetGilethewaitedforhimtobowfirst，andansweredthesalutationbytouchingthebrimofhishatcavalierly，asanofficeracknowledgesthesaluteofaprivate。MaxenceGiletgavenosignofimpatienceordispleasure；
heneverutteredasinglewordaboutBridauattheCognettes’wherehestillgavesuppers；although，sinceFario’sattack，thepranksoftheOrderofIdlenessweretemporarilysuspended。
Afterawhile，however，thecontemptshownbyLieutenant-colonelBridaufortheformercavalrycaptain，Gilet，wasasettledfact，whichcertainKnightsofIdleness，whowerelessboundtoMaxthanFrancois，Baruch，andthreeorfourothers，discussedamongthemselves。TheyweremuchsurprisedtoseetheviolentandfieryMaxbehavewithsuchdiscretion。NooneinIssoudun，notevenPotelorRenard，daredbroachsodelicateasubjectwithhim。Potel，somewhatdisturbedbythisopenmisunderstandingbetweentwoheroesoftheImperialGuard，suggestedthatMaxmightbelayinganetforthecolonel；heassertedthatsomenewschememightbelookedforfromthemanwhohadgotridofthemotherandonebrotherbymakinguseofFario’sattackuponhim，theparticularsofwhichwerenownolongeramystery。MonsieurHochonhadtakencaretorevealthetruthofMax’satrociousaccusationtothebestpeopleofthetown。Thusithappenedthatintalkingoverthesituationofthelieutenant-colonelinrelationtoMax，andintryingtoguesswhatmightspringfromtheirantagonism，thewholetownregardedthetwomen，fromthestart，asadversaries。
Philippe，whohadcarefullyinvestigatedallthecircumstancesofhisbrother’sarrestandtheantecedentsofGiletandtheRabouilleuse，wasfinallybroughtintorathercloserelationswithFario，wholivednearhim。AfterstudyingtheSpaniard，Philippethoughthemighttrustamanofthatquality。Thetwofoundtheirhatredsofirmabondofunion，thatFarioputhimselfatPhilippe’sdisposal，andrelatedallthatheknewabouttheKnightsofIdleness。Philippepromised，incasehesucceededinobtainingoverhisunclethepowernowexercisedbyGilet，toindemnifyFarioforhislosses；thisbaitmadetheSpaniardhishenchman。Maxencewasnowfacetofacewithadangerousfoe；hehad，astheysayinthoseparts，someonetohandle。Rousedbymuchgossipandvariousrumors，thetownofIssoudunexpectedamortalcombatbetweenthetwomen，who，wemustremark，mutuallydespisedeachother。
Onemorning，towardtheendofNovember，PhilippemetMonsieurHochonabouttwelveo’clock，inthelongavenueofFrapesle，andsaidtohim:——
“IhavediscoveredthatyourgrandsonsBaruchandFrancoisaretheintimatefriendsofMaxenceGilet。Therascalsaremixedupinallthepranksthatareplayedaboutthistownatnight。ItwasthroughthemthatMaxenceknewwhatwassaidinyourhousewhenmymotherandbrotherwerestayingthere。“
“Howdidyougetproofofsuchamonstrousthing？“
“Ioverheardtheirconversationonenightastheywereleavingadrinking-shop。YourgrandsonsbothoweMaxmorethanthreethousandfrancs。Thescoundreltoldtheladstotryandfindoutourintentions；heremindedthemthatyouhadoncethoughtofgettingroundmyunclebypriestcraft，anddeclaredthatnobodybutyoucouldguideme；forhethinks，fortunately，thatIamnothingmorethana’sabreur。’“
“Mygrandsons！isitpossible？“
“Watchthem，“saidPhilippe。“YouwillseethemcominghomealongtheplaceSaint-Jean，attwoorthreeo’clockinthemorning，astipsyaschampagne-corks，andincompanywithGilet——“
“That’swhythescampskeepsosoberathome！“criedMonsieurHochon。
“Fariohastoldmeallabouttheirnocturnalproceedings，“resumedPhilippe；“withouthim，Ishouldneverhavesuspectedthem。Myuncleishelddownunderanabsolutethraldom，ifImayjudgebycertainthingswhichtheSpaniardhasheardMaxsaytoyourboys。IsuspectMaxandtheRabouilleuseofaschemetomakesureofthefiftythousandfrancs’incomefromtheFunds，andthen，afterpullingthatfeatherfromtheirpigeon’swing，torunaway，Idon’tknowwhere，andgetmarried。Itishightimetoknowwhatisgoingonundermyuncle’sroof，butIdon’tseehowtosetaboutit。“
“Iwillthinkofit，“saidtheoldman。
Theyseparated，forseveralpersonswerenowapproaching。
Never，atanytimeinhislife，didJean-JacquessufferashehaddonesincethefirstvisitofhisnephewPhilippe。FlorewasterrifiedbythepresentimentofsomeevilthatthreatenedMax。Wearyofhermaster，andfearingthathemightlivetobeveryold，sincehewasabletobearupundertheircriminalpractices，sheformedtheverysimpleplanofleavingIssoudunandbeingmarriedtoMaxenceinParis，afterobtainingfromJean-JacquesthetransferoftheincomeintheFunds。Theoldbachelor，guided，notbyanyjusticetohisfamily，norbypersonalavarice，butsolelybyhispassion，steadilyrefusedtomakethetransfer，onthegroundthatFlorewastobehissoleheir。
TheunhappycreatureknewtowhatextentFlorelovedMax，andhebelievedhewouldbeabandonedthemomentshewasmaderichenoughtomarry。WhenFlore，afteremployingthetenderestcajoleries，wasunabletosucceed，shetriedrigor；shenolongerspoketohermaster；
Vediewassenttowaituponhim，andfoundhiminthemorningwithhiseyesswollenandredwithweeping。Foraweekormore，poorRougethadbreakfastedalone，andHeavenknowsonwhatfood！