Bridau’shandwasgraspedbyMignonnet，Carpentier，andseveralothers。Thiswelcome，sodifferentfromthataccordedtoMax，dispelledthelastfeelingofcowardice，or，ifyoupreferit，wisdom，whichFlore’sentreaties，andaboveall，hertendernesses，hadawakenedinthelatter’smind。
“Weshallfight，“hesaidtoRenard，“andtothedeath。Thereforedon’ttalktomeanymore；letmeplaymypartwell。“
Afterthesewords，spokeninafeverishtone，thethreeBonapartistsreturnedtothegroupofofficersandmixedamongthem。MaxbowedfirsttoBridau，whoreturnedhisbow，andthetwoexchangedafrigidglance。
“Come，gentlemen，letustakeourseats，“saidPotel。
“AnddrinktothehealthoftheLittleCorporal，whoisnowintheparadiseofheroes，“criedRenard。
Thecompanypouredintothelong，lowdining-halloftherestaurantLacroix，thewindowsofwhichopenedonthemarket-place。Eachguesttookhisseatatthetable，where，incompliancewithPhilippe’srequest，thetwoadversarieswereplaceddirectlyoppositetoeachother。Someyoungmenofthetown，amongthemseveralKnightsofIdleness，anxioustoknowwhatmighthappenatthebanquet，werewalkingaboutthestreetanddiscussingthecriticalpositionintowhichPhilippehadcontrivedtoforceMax。Theyalldeploredthecrisis，thougheachconsideredthedueltobeinevitable。
Everythingwentoffwelluntilthedessert，thoughthetwoantagonistsdisplayed，inspiteoftheapparentjovialityofthedinner，acertainvigilancethatresembleddisquietude。Whilewaitingforthequarrelthatbothwereplanning，Philippeshowedadmirablecoolness，andMaxadistractinggayety；buttoanobserver，eachwasplayingapart。
WhenthedesertwasservedPhilipperoseandsaid:“Fillyourglasses，myfriends！Iaskpermissiontoproposethefirsttoast。“
“HesaidMYFRIENDS，don’tfillyourglass，“whisperedRenardtoMax。
Maxpouredoutsomewine。
“TotheGrandArmy！“criedPhilippe，withgenuineenthusiasm。
“TotheGrandArmy！“wasrepeatedwithacclamationbyeveryvoice。
Atthismomentelevenprivatesoldiers，amongwhomwereBenjaminandKouski，appearedatthedooroftheroomandrepeatedthetoast，——
“TotheGrandArmy！“
“Comein，mysons；wearegoingtodrinkHishealth。“
Theoldsoldierscameinandstoodbehindtheofficers。
“YouseeHeisnotdead！“saidKouskitoanoldsergeant，whohadperhapsbeengrievingthattheEmperor’sagonywasover。
“Iclaimthesecondtoast，“saidMignonnet，asherose。“Letusdrinktothosewhoattemptedtorestorehisson！“
Everyonepresent，exceptMaxenceGilet，bowedtoPhilippeBridau，andstretchedtheirglassestowardshim。
“Oneword，“saidMax，rising。
“ItisMax！itisMax！“criedvoicesoutside；andthenadeepsilencereignedintheroomandinthestreet，forGilet’sknowncharactermadeeveryoneexpectataunt。
“MayweALLmeetagainatthistimenextyear，“saidMax，bowingironicallytoPhilippe。
“It’scoming！“whisperedKouskitohisneighbor。
“TheParispolicewouldneverallowabanquetofthiskind，“saidPoteltoPhilippe。
“WhydothedeviltoyoumentionthepolicetoColonelBridau？“saidMaxenceinsolently。
“CaptainPotel——HE——meantnoinsult，“saidPhilippe，smilingcoldly。
Thestillnesswassoprofoundthatthebuzzingofaflycouldhavebeenheardiftherehadbeenone。
“Thepoliceweresufficientlyafraidofme，“resumedPhilippe，“tosendmetoIssoudun，——aplacewhereIhavehadthepleasureofmeetingoldcomrades，butwhere，itmustbeowned，thereisadearthofamusement。Foramanwhodoesn’tdespisefolly，I’mratherrestricted。
However，itiscertainlyeconomical，forIamnotoneofthosetowhomfeather-bedsgiveincomes；MarietteoftheGrandOperacostmefabuloussums。“
“Isthatremarkmeantforme，mydearcolonel？“askedMax，sendingaglanceatPhilippewhichwaslikeacurrentofelectricity。
“Takeitasyouplease，“answeredBridau。
“Colonel，mytwofriendshere，RenardandPotel，willcallto-morrowon——“
“——onMignonnetandCarpentier，“answeredPhilippe，cuttingshortMax’ssentence，andmotioningtowardshistwoneighbors。
“Now，“saidMax，“letusgoonwiththetoasts。“
Thetwoadversarieshadnotraisedtheirvoicesabovethetoneofordinaryconversation；therewasnothingsolemnintheaffairexceptthedeadsilenceinwhichittookplace。
“Lookhere，youothers！“criedPhilippe，addressingthesoldierswhostoodbehindtheofficers；“rememberthatouraffairsdon’tconcernthebourgeoisie——notaword，therefore，onwhatgoesonhere。ItisfortheOldGuardonly。“
“They’llobeyorders，colonel，“saidRenard。“I’llanswerforthem。“
“LongliveHislittleone！MayhereignoverFrance！“criedPotel。
“DeathtoEnglishmen！“criedCarpentier。
Thattoastwasreceivedwithprodigiousapplause。
“ShameonHudsonLowe，“saidCaptainRenard。
Thedessertpassedoffwell；thelibationswereplentiful。Theantagonistsandtheirfoursecondsmadeitapointofhonorthataduel，involvingsolargeafortune，andthereputationoftwomennotedfortheircourage，shouldnotappeartheresultofanordinarysquabble。NotwogentlemencouldhavebehavedbetterthanPhilippeandMax；inthisrespecttheanxiouswaitingoftheyoungmenandtownspeoplegroupedaboutthemarket-placewasbalked。Alltheguests，liketruesoldiers，keptsilenceastotheepisodewhichtookplaceatdessert。Atteno’clockthatnightthetwoadversarieswereinformedthatthesabrewastheweaponagreeduponbytheseconds；theplacechosenfortherendezvouswasbehindthechancelofthechurchoftheCapuchinsateighto’clockthenextmorning。Goddet，whowasatthebanquetinhisqualityofformerarmysurgeon，wasrequestedtobepresentatthemeeting。Thesecondsagreedthat，nomatterwhatmighthappen，thecombatshouldlastonlytenminutes。
Ateleveno’clockthatnight，toColonelBridau’samazement，MonsieurHochonappearedathisroomsjustashewasgoingtobed，escortingMadameHochon。
“Weknowwhathashappened，“saidtheoldlady，withhereyesfulloftears，“andIhavecometoentreatyounottoleavethehouseto-
morrowmorningwithoutsayingyourprayers。LiftyoursoultoGod！“
“Yes，madame，“saidPhilippe，towhomoldHochonmadeasignfrombehindhiswife’sback。
“Thatisnotall，“saidAgathe’sgodmother。“Istandintheplaceofyourpoormother，andIdivestmyself，foryou，ofathingwhichI
holdmostprecious，——here，“shewenton，holdingtowardsPhilippeatooth，fasteneduponapieceofblackvelvetembroideredingold，towhichshehadsewnapairofgreenstrings。Havingshownittohim，shereplaceditinalittlebag。“ItisarelicofSainteSolange，thepatronsaintofBerry，“shesaid，“IsaveditduringtheRevolution；
wearitonyourbreastto-morrow。“
“Willitprotectmefromasabre-thrust？“askedPhilippe。
“Yes，“repliedtheoldlady。
“ThenIhavenorighttowearthataccoutrementanymorethanifitwereacuirass，“criedAgathe’sson。
“Whatdoeshemean？“saidMadameHochon。
“Hesaysitisnotplayingfair，“answeredHochon。
“Thenwewillsaynomoreaboutit，“saidtheoldlady，“Ishallprayforyou。“
“Well，madame，prayer——andagoodpoint——candonoharm，“saidPhilippe，makingathrustasiftopierceMonsieurHochon’sheart。
Theoldladykissedthecolonelonhisforehead。Assheleftthehouse，shegavethirtyfrancs——allthemoneyshepossessed——toBenjamin，requestinghimtosewtherelicintothepocketofhismaster’strousers。Benjamindidso，——notthathebelievedinthevirtueofthetooth，forhesaidhismasterhadamuchbettertalismanthanthatagainstGilet，butbecausehisconscienceconstrainedhimtofulfilacommissionforwhichhehadbeensoliberallypaid。MadameHochonwenthomefullofconfidenceinSaintSolange。
Ateighto’clockthenextmorning，Decemberthird，theweatherbeingcloudy，Max，accompaniedbyhissecondsandthePole，arrivedonthelittlemeadowwhichthensurroundedtheapseofthechurchoftheCapuchins。TherehefoundPhilippeandhisseconds，withBenjamin，waitingforhim。PotelandMignonnetpacedofftwenty-fourfeet；ateachextremity，thetwoattendantsdrewalineontheearthwithaspade:thecombatantswerenotallowedtoretreatbeyondthatline，onpainofbeingthoughtcowardly。Eachwastostandathisownline，andadvanceashepleasedwhenthesecondsgavetheword。