have fled the house where, in the room above her, Max's room, and in
Max's bed, lay and suffered Max's murderer. She hovered between life

and death for three months, attended by Monsieur Goddet, who was also
attending Philippe.

As soon as Philippe was able to hold a pen, he wrote the following
letters:--

To Monsieur Desroches:
I have already killed the most venomous of the two reptiles; not

however without getting my own head split open by a sabre; but the
rascal struck with a dying hand. The other viper is here, and I

must come to an understanding with her, for my uncle clings to her
like the apple of his eye. I have been half afraid the girl, who

is devilishly handsome, might run away, and then my uncle would
have followed her; but an illness which seized her suddenly has

kept her in bed. If God desired to protect me, he would call her
soul to himself, now, while she is repenting of her sins.

Meantime, on my side I have, thanks to that old trump, Hochon, the
doctor of Issoudun, one named Goddet, a worthy soul who conceives

that the property of uncles ought to go to nephews rather than to
sluts.

Monsieur Hochon has some influence on a certain papa Fichet, who
is rich, and whose daughter Goddet wants as a wife for his son: so

the thousand francs they have promised him if he mends up my pate
is not the chief cause of his devotion. Moreover, this Goddet, who

was formerly head-surgeon to the 3rd regiment of the line, has
been privately advised by my staunch friends, Mignonnet and

Carpentier; so he is now playing the hypocrite with his other
patient. He says to Mademoiselle Brazier, as he feels her pulse,

"You see, my child, that there's a God after all. You have been
the cause of a great misfortune, and you must now repair it. The

finger of God is in all this [it is inconceivable what they don't
say the finger of God is in!]. Religion is religion: submit,

resign yourself, and that will quiet you better than my drugs.
Above all, resolve to stay here and take care of your master:

forget and forgive,--that's Christianity."
Goddet has promised to keep the Rabouilleuse three months in her

bed. By degrees the girl will get accustomed to living under the
same roof with me. I have bought over the cook. That abominable

old woman tells her mistress Max would have led her a hard life;
and declares she overheard him say that if, after the old man's

death, he was obliged to marry Flore, he didn't mean to have his
prospects ruined by it, and he should find a way to get rid of

her.
Thus, all goes well, so far. My uncle, by old Hochon's advice, has

destroyed his will.
To Monsieur Giroudeau, care of Mademoiselle Florentine. Rue de

Vendome, Marais:
My dear old Fellow,--Find out if the little rat Cesarine has any

engagement, and if not, try to arrange that she can come to
Issoudun in case I send for her; if I do, she must come at once.

It is a matter this time of decentbehavior; no theatre morals.
She must present herself as the daughter of a brave soldier,

killed on the battle-field. Therefore, mind,--sober manners,
schoolgirl's clothes, virtue of the best quality; that's the

watchword. If I need Cesarine, and if she answers my purpose, I
will give her fifty thousand francs on my uncle's death. If

Cesarine has other engagements, explain what I want to Florentine;
and between you, find me some ballet-girl capable of playing the

part.
I have had my skull cracked in a duel with the fellow who was

filching my inheritance, and is now feeding the worms. I'll tell
you all about it some day. Ah! old fellow, the good times are

coming back for you and me; we'll amuse ourselves once more, or we
are not the pair we really are. If you can send me five hundred

more cartridges I'll bite them.
Adieu, my old fire-eater. Light your pipe with this letter. Mind,

the daughter of the officer is to come from Chateauroux, and must
seem to be in need of assistance. I hope however that I shall not

be driven to such dangerous expedients. Remember me to Mariette
and all our friends.

Agathe, informed by Madame Hochon of what had happened, rushed to
Issoudun, and was received by her brother, who gave her Philippe's

former room. The poor mother's tenderness for the worthless son
revived in all its maternal strength; a few happy days were hers at

last, as she listened to the praises which the whole town bestowed
upon her hero.

"After all, my child," said Madame Hochon on the day of her arrival,
"youth must have its fling. The dissipations of a soldier under the

Empire must, of course, be greater than those of young men who are
looked after by their fathers. Oh! if you only knew what went on here

at night under that wretched Max! Thanks to your son, Issoudun now
breathes and sleeps in peace. Philippe has come to his senses rather

late; he told us frankly that those three months in the Luxembourg
sobered him. Monsieur Hochon is delighted with his conduct here; every

one thinks highly of it. If he can be kept away from the temptations
of Paris, he will end by being a comfort to you."

Hearing these consolatory words Agathe's eyes filled with tears.
Philippe played the saint to his mother, for he had need of her. That

wily politician did not wish to have recourse to Cesarine unless he
continued to be an object of horror to Mademoiselle Brazier. He saw

that Flore had been thoroughly broken to harness by Max; he knew she
was an essential part of his uncle's life, and he greatly preferred to

use her rather than send for the ballet-girl, who might take it into
her head to marry the old man. Fouche advised Louis XVIII. to sleep in

Napoleon's sheets instead of granting the charter; and Philippe would
have liked to remain in Gilet's sheets; but he was reluctant to risk

the good reputation he had made for himself in Berry. To take Max's
place with the Rabouilleuse would be as odious on his part as on hers.

He could, without discredit and by the laws of nepotism, live in his
uncle's house and at his uncle's expense; but he could not have Flore

unless her character were whitewashed. Hampered by this difficulty,
and stimulated by the hope of finally getting hold of the property,

the idea came into his head of making his uncle marry the
Rabouilleuse. With this in view he requested his mother to go and see

the girl and treat her in a sisterly manner.
"I must confess, my dear mother," he said, in a canting tone, looking

at Monsieur and Madame Hochon who accompanied her, "that my uncle's
way of life is not becoming; he could, however, make Mademoiselle

Brazier respected by the community if he chose. Wouldn't it be far
better for her to be Madame Rouget than the servant-mistress of an old

bachelor? She had better obtain a definite right to his property by a
marriage contract then threaten a whole family with disinheritance. If

you, or Monsieur Hochon, or some good priest would speak of the matter
to both parties, you might put a stop to the scandal which offends

decent people. Mademoiselle Brazier would be only too happy if you
were to welcome her as a sister, and I as an aunt."

On the morrow Agathe and Madame Hochon appeared at Flore's bedside,
and repeated to the sick girl and to Rouget, the excellent sentiments

expressed by Philippe. Throughout Issoudun the colonel was talked of
as a man of noble character, especially because of his conduct towards

Flore. For a month, the Rabouilleuse heard Goddet, her doctor, the
individual who has paramount influence over a sick person, the

respectable Madame Hochon, moved by religious principle, and Agathe,
so gentle and pious, all representing to her the advantages of a

marriage with Rouget. And when, attracted by the idea of becoming
Madame Rouget, a dignified and virtuous bourgeoisie, she grew eager to

recover, so that the marriage might speedily be celebrated" target="_blank" title="a.著名的">celebrated, it was not
difficult to make her understand that she would not be allowed to

enter the family of the Rougets if she intended to turn Philippe from
its doors.

"Besides," remarked the doctor, "you really owe him this good fortune.
Max would never have allowed you to marry old Rouget. And," he added