“Dowetakeoffourcoats？“saidPhilippetohisadversarycoldly。
“Ofcourse，“answeredMaxence，withtheassumptionofabully。
Theydidso；therosytintsoftheirskinappearingthroughthecambricoftheirshirts。Each，armedwithacavalrysabreselectedofequalweight，aboutthreepounds，andequallength，threefeet，placedhimselfathisownline，thepointofhisweaponontheground，awaitingthesignal。Bothweresocalmthat，inspiteofthecold，theirmusclesquiverednomorethaniftheyhadbeenmadeofiron。
Goddet，thefourseconds，andthetwosoldiersfeltaninvoluntaryadmiration。
“Theyareaproudpair！“
TheexclamationcamefromPotel。
Justasthesignalwasgiven，MaxcaughtsightofFario’ssinisterfacelookingatthemthroughtheholewhichtheKnightsofIdlenesshadmadeforthepigeonsintheroofofthechurch。Thoseeyes，whichsentforthstreamsoffire，hatred，andrevenge，dazzledMaxforamoment。Thecolonelwentstraighttohisadversary，andputhimselfonguardinawaythatgainedhimanadvantage。Expertsintheartofkilling，knowthat，oftwoantagonists，theablesttakesthe“insideofthepavement，“——touseanexpressionwhichgivesthereaderatangibleideaoftheeffectofagoodguard。Thatpose，whichisinsomedegreeobservant，markssoplainlyaduellistofthefirstrankthatafeelingofinferioritycameintoMax’ssoul，andproducedthesamedisarrayofpowerswhichdemoralizesagamblerwhen，inpresenceofamasteroraluckyhand，heloseshisself-possessionandplayslesswellthanusual。
“Ah！thelascar！“thoughtMax，“he’sanexpert；I’mlost！“
Heattempteda“moulinet，“andtwirledhissabrewiththedexterityofasingle-stick。HewantedtobewilderPhilippe，andstrikehisweaponsoastodisarmhim；butatthefirstencounterhefeltthatthecolonel’swristwasiron，withtheflexibilityofasteelstring。
Maxencewasthenforced，unfortunatefellow，tothinkofanothermove，whilePhilippe，whoseeyesweredartinggleamsthatweresharperthantheflashoftheirblades，parriedeveryattackwiththecoolnessofafencing-masterwearinghisplastroninanarmory。
Betweentwomenofthecalibreofthesecombatants，thereoccursaphenomenonverylikethatwhichtakesplaceamongthelowerclasses，duringtheterribletusslecalled“thesavante，“whichisfoughtwiththefeet，asthenameimplies。Victorydependsonafalsemovement，onsomeerrorofthecalculation，rapidaslightning，whichmustbemadeandfollowedalmostinstinctively。Duringaperiodoftimeasshorttothespectatorsasitseemslongtothecombatants，thecontestliesinobservation，sokeenastoabsorbthepowersofmindandbody，andyetconcealedbypreparatoryfeintswhoseslownessandapparentprudenceseemtoshowthattheantagonistsarenotintendingtofight。Thismoment，whichisfollowedbyarapidanddecisivestruggle，isterribletoaconnoisseur。AtabadparryfromMaxthecolonelsentthesabrespinningfromhishand。
“Pickitup，“hesaid，pausing；“Iamnotthemantokilladisarmedenemy。“
Therewassomethingatrociousinthegrandeurofthesewords；theyseemedtoshowsuchconsciousnessofsuperioritythattheonlookerstookthemforashrewdcalculation。Infact，whenMaxreplacedhimselfinposition，hehadlosthiscoolness，andwasoncemoreconfrontedwithhisadversary’sraisedguardwhichdefendedthecolonel’swholepersonwhileitmenacedhis。Heresolvedtoredeemhisshamefuldefeatbyaboldstroke。Henolongerguardedhimself，buttookhissabreinbothhandsandrushedfuriouslyonhisantagonist，resolvedtokillhim，ifhehadtolosehisownlife。Philippereceivedasabre-cutwhichslashedopenhisforeheadandapartofhisface，buthecleftMax’sheadobliquelybytheterriblesweepofa“moulinet，“madetobreaktheforceoftheannihilatingstrokeMaxaimedathim。Thesetwosavageblowsendedthecombat，attheninthminute。Fariocamedowntogloatoverthesightofhisenemyintheconvulsionsofdeath；forthemusclesofamanofMaxenceGilet’svigorquiverhorribly。Philippewascarriedbacktohisuncle’shouse。
Thusperishedamandestinedtodogreatdeedshadhelivedhislifeamidenvironmentswhichweresuitedtohim；amantreatedbyNatureasafavoritechild，forshegavehimcourage，self-possession，andthepoliticalsagacityofaCesarBorgia。Buteducationhadnotbestoweduponhimthatnobilityofconductandideaswithoutwhichnothinggreatispossibleinanywalkoflife。Hewasnotregretted，becauseoftheperfidywithwhichhisadversary，whowasaworsemanthanhe，hadcontrivedtobringhimintodisrepute。HisdeathputanendtotheexploitsoftheOrderofIdleness，tothegreatsatisfactionofthetownofIssoudun。Philippethereforehadnothingtofearinconsequenceoftheduel，whichseemedalmosttheresultofdivinevengeance:itscircumstanceswererelatedthroughoutthatwholeregionofcountry，withunanimouspraiseforthebraveryofthetwocombatants。
“Buttheyhadbetterbothhavebeenkilled，“remarkedMonsieurMouilleron；“itwouldhavebeenagoodriddancefortheGovernment。“
ThesituationofFloreBrazierwouldhavebeenveryembarrassingwereitnotfortheconditionintowhichshewasthrownbyMax’sdeath。A
brain-feversetin，combinedwithadangerousinflammationresultingfromherescapadetoVatan。Ifshehadhadherusualhealth，shemighthavefledthehousewhere，intheroomaboveher，Max’sroom，andinMax’sbed，layandsufferedMax’smurderer。Shehoveredbetweenlifeanddeathforthreemonths，attendedbyMonsieurGoddet，whowasalsoattendingPhilippe。
AssoonasPhilippewasabletoholdapen，hewrotethefollowingletters:——
ToMonsieurDesroches:
Ihavealreadykilledthemostvenomousofthetworeptiles；nothoweverwithoutgettingmyownheadsplitopenbyasabre；buttherascalstruckwithadyinghand。Theotherviperishere，andI
mustcometoanunderstandingwithher，formyuncleclingstoherliketheappleofhiseye。Ihavebeenhalfafraidthegirl，whoisdevilishlyhandsome，mightrunaway，andthenmyunclewouldhavefollowedher；butanillnesswhichseizedhersuddenlyhaskeptherinbed。IfGoddesiredtoprotectme，hewouldcallhersoultohimself，now，whilesheisrepentingofhersins。
Meantime，onmysideIhave，thankstothatoldtrump，Hochon，thedoctorofIssoudun，onenamedGoddet，aworthysoulwhoconceivesthatthepropertyofunclesoughttogotonephewsratherthantosluts。
MonsieurHochonhassomeinfluenceonacertainpapaFichet，whoisrich，andwhosedaughterGoddetwantsasawifeforhisson:sothethousandfrancstheyhavepromisedhimifhemendsupmypateisnotthechiefcauseofhisdevotion。Moreover，thisGoddet，whowasformerlyhead-surgeontothe3rdregimentoftheline，hasbeenprivatelyadvisedbymystaunchfriends，MignonnetandCarpentier；soheisnowplayingthehypocritewithhisotherpatient。HesaystoMademoiselleBrazier，ashefeelsherpulse，“Yousee，mychild，thatthere’saGodafterall。Youhavebeenthecauseofagreatmisfortune，andyoumustnowrepairit。ThefingerofGodisinallthis[itisinconceivablewhattheydon’tsaythefingerofGodisin！]。Religionisreligion:submit，resignyourself，andthatwillquietyoubetterthanmydrugs。
Aboveall，resolvetostayhereandtakecareofyourmaster:
forgetandforgive，——that’sChristianity。“
GoddethaspromisedtokeeptheRabouilleusethreemonthsinherbed。Bydegreesthegirlwillgetaccustomedtolivingunderthesameroofwithme。Ihaveboughtoverthecook。ThatabominableoldwomantellshermistressMaxwouldhaveledherahardlife；
anddeclaressheoverheardhimsaythatif，aftertheoldman’sdeath，hewasobligedtomarryFlore，hedidn’tmeantohavehisprospectsruinedbyit，andheshouldfindawaytogetridofher。
Thus，allgoeswell，sofar。Myuncle，byoldHochon’sadvice，hasdestroyedhiswill。
ToMonsieurGiroudeau，careofMademoiselleFlorentine。RuedeVendome，Marais:
MydearoldFellow，——FindoutifthelittleratCesarinehasanyengagement，andifnot，trytoarrangethatshecancometoIssoudunincaseIsendforher；ifIdo，shemustcomeatonce。
Itisamatterthistimeofdecentbehavior；notheatremorals。
Shemustpresentherselfasthedaughterofabravesoldier，killedonthebattle-field。Therefore，mind，——sobermanners，schoolgirl’sclothes，virtueofthebestquality；that’sthewatchword。IfIneedCesarine，andifsheanswersmypurpose，I
willgiveherfiftythousandfrancsonmyuncle’sdeath。IfCesarinehasotherengagements，explainwhatIwanttoFlorentine；
andbetweenyou，findmesomeballet-girlcapableofplayingthepart。
Ihavehadmyskullcrackedinaduelwiththefellowwhowasfilchingmyinheritance，andisnowfeedingtheworms。I’lltellyouallaboutitsomeday。Ah！oldfellow，thegoodtimesarecomingbackforyouandme；we’llamuseourselvesoncemore，orwearenotthepairwereallyare。IfyoucansendmefivehundredmorecartridgesI’llbitethem。
Adieu，myoldfire-eater。Lightyourpipewiththisletter。Mind，thedaughteroftheofficeristocomefromChateauroux，andmustseemtobeinneedofassistance。IhopehoweverthatIshallnotbedriventosuchdangerousexpedients。RemembermetoMarietteandallourfriends。
Agathe，informedbyMadameHochonofwhathadhappened，rushedtoIssoudun，andwasreceivedbyherbrother，whogaveherPhilippe’sformerroom。Thepoormother’stendernessfortheworthlesssonrevivedinallitsmaternalstrength；afewhappydayswerehersatlast，asshelistenedtothepraiseswhichthewholetownbestoweduponherhero。
“Afterall，mychild，“saidMadameHochononthedayofherarrival，“youthmusthaveitsfling。ThedissipationsofasoldierundertheEmpiremust，ofcourse，begreaterthanthoseofyoungmenwhoarelookedafterbytheirfathers。Oh！ifyouonlyknewwhatwentonhereatnightunderthatwretchedMax！Thankstoyourson，Issoudunnowbreathesandsleepsinpeace。Philippehascometohissensesratherlate；hetoldusfranklythatthosethreemonthsintheLuxembourgsoberedhim。MonsieurHochonisdelightedwithhisconducthere；everyonethinkshighlyofit。IfhecanbekeptawayfromthetemptationsofParis，hewillendbybeingacomforttoyou。“
HearingtheseconsolatorywordsAgathe’seyesfilledwithtears。
Philippeplayedthesainttohismother，forhehadneedofher。ThatwilypoliticiandidnotwishtohaverecoursetoCesarineunlesshecontinuedtobeanobjectofhorrortoMademoiselleBrazier。HesawthatFlorehadbeenthoroughlybrokentoharnessbyMax；heknewshewasanessentialpartofhisuncle’slife，andhegreatlypreferredtouseherratherthansendfortheballet-girl，whomighttakeitintoherheadtomarrytheoldman。FoucheadvisedLouisXVIII。tosleepinNapoleon’ssheetsinsteadofgrantingthecharter；andPhilippewouldhavelikedtoremaininGilet’ssheets；buthewasreluctanttoriskthegoodreputationhehadmadeforhimselfinBerry。TotakeMax’splacewiththeRabouilleusewouldbeasodiousonhispartasonhers。
Hecould，withoutdiscreditandbythelawsofnepotism，liveinhisuncle’shouseandathisuncle’sexpense；buthecouldnothaveFloreunlesshercharacterwerewhitewashed。Hamperedbythisdifficulty，andstimulatedbythehopeoffinallygettingholdoftheproperty，theideacameintohisheadofmakinghisunclemarrytheRabouilleuse。Withthisinviewherequestedhismothertogoandseethegirlandtreatherinasisterlymanner。