Josephrose，andbowed。
　　“Yourbrotherwasinthedragoons，Ibelieve，“saidMaxence。“Iwasonlyadust-trotter。“
　　“Onfootoronhorseback，“saidFlore，“youbothofyouriskedyourskins。“
　　JosephtooknoteofMaxquiteasmuchasMaxtooknoteofJoseph。Max，whogothisclothesfromParis，wasdressedastheyoungdandiesofthatdaydressedthemselves。Apairoflight-blueclothtrousers，madewithveryfullplaits，coveredhisfeetsothatonlythetoesandthespursofhisbootswereseen。Hiswaistwaspinchedinbyawhitewaistcoatwithchasedgoldbuttons，whichwaslacedbehindtoserveasabelt。Thewaistcoat，buttonedtothethroat，showedoffhisbroadchest，andablacksatinstockobligedhimtoholdhisheadhigh，insoldierlyfashion。Ahandsomegoldchainhungfromawaistcoatpocket，inwhichtheoutlineofaflatwatchwasbarelyseen。Hewastwistingawatch-keyofthekindcalleda“criquet，“whichBreguethadlatelyinvented。
　　“Thefellowisfine-looking，“thoughtJoseph，admiringwithapainter’seyetheeagerface，theairofstrength，andtheintellectualgrayeyeswhichMaxhadinheritedfromhisfather，thenoble。“Myunclemustbeafearfulbore，andthathandsomegirltakeshercompensations。Itisatriangularhousehold；Iseethat。“
　　Atthisinstant，BaruchandFrancoisentered。
　　“HaveyoubeentoseethetowerofIssoudun？“FloreaskedJoseph。“No？
　　thenifyouwouldliketotakealittlewalkbeforedinner，whichwillnotbeservedforanhour，wewillshowyouthegreatcuriosityofthetown。“
　　“Gladly，“saidtheartist，quiteincapableofseeingtheslightestimproprietyinsodoing。
　　WhileFlorewenttoputonherbonnet，gloves，andcashmereshawl，Josephsuddenlyjumpedup，asifanenchanterhadtouchedhimwithhiswand，tolookatthepictures。
　　“Ah！youhavepictures，indeed，uncle！“hesaid，examiningtheonethathadcaughthiseye。
　　“Yes，“answeredtheoldman。“TheycametousfromtheDescoings，whoboughtthemduringtheRevolution，whentheconventsandchurchesinBerryweredismantled。“
　　Josephwasnotlistening；hewaslostinadmirationofthepictures。
　　“Magnificent！“hecried。“Oh！whatpainting！thatfellowdidn’tspoilhiscanvas。Dear，dear！betterandbetter，asitisatNicolet’s——“
　　“Therearesevenoreightverylargeonesupinthegarret，whichwerekeptonaccountoftheframes，“saidGilet。
　　“Letmeseethem！“criedtheartist；andMaxtookhimupstairs。
　　Josephcamedownwildlyenthusiastic。MaxwhisperedawordtotheRabouilleuse，whotooktheoldmanintotheembrasureofawindow，whereJosephheardhersayinalowvoice，butstillsothathecouldhearthewords:——
　　“Yournephewisapainter；youdon’tcareforthosepictures；bekind，andgivethemtohim。“
　　“Itseems，“saidJean-Jacques，leaningonFlore’sarmtoreachtheplacewereJosephwasstandinginecstasybeforeanAlbano，“——itseemsthatyouareapainter——“
　　“Onlya’rapin，’“saidJoseph。
　　“Whatmaythatbe？“askedFlore。
　　“Abeginner，“repliedJoseph。
　　“Well，“continuedJean-Jacques，“ifthesepicturescanbeofanyusetoyouinyourbusiness，Igivethemtoyou，——butwithouttheframes。
　　Oh！theframesaregilt，andbesides，theyareveryfunny；Iwillput——“
　　“Welldone，uncle！“criedJoseph，enchanted；“I’llmakeyoucopiesofthesamedimensions，whichyoucanputintotheframes。“
　　“Butthatwilltakeyourtime，andyouwillwantcanvasandcolors，“
　　saidFlore。“Youwillhavetospendmoney。Come，PereRouget，offeryournephewahundredfrancsforeachcopy；herearetwenty-sevenpictures，andIthinkthereareelevenverybigonesinthegarretwhichoughttocostdouble，——callthewholefourthousandfrancs。Oh，yes，“shewenton，turningtoJoseph，“yourunclecanwellaffordtopayyoufourthousandfrancsformakingthecopies，sincehekeepstheframes——butblessme！you’llwantframes；andtheysayframescostmorethanpictures；there’smoregoldonthem。Answer，monsieur，“shecontinued，shakingtheoldman’sarm。“Hein？itisn’tdear；yournephewwilltakefourthousandfrancsfornewpicturesintheplaceoftheoldones。Itis，“shewhisperedinhisear，“averygoodwaytogivehimfourthousandfrancs；hedoesn’tlooktomeveryflush——“
　　“Well，nephew，Iwillpayyoufourthousandfrancsforthecopies——“
　　“No，no！“saidthehonestJoseph；“fourthousandfrancsandthepictures，that’stoomuch；thepictures，don’tyousee，arevaluable——“
　　“Accept，simpleton！“saidFlore；“heisyouruncle，youknow。“
　　“Verygood，Iaccept，“saidJoseph，bewilderedbytheluckthathadbefallenhim；forhehadrecognizedaPerugino。
　　TheresultwasthattheartistbeamedwithsatisfactionashewentoutofthehousewiththeRabouilleuseonhisarm，allofwhichhelpedMaxence’splansimmensely。NeitherFlore，norRouget，norMax，norindeedanyoneinIssoudunknewthevalueofthepictures，andthecraftyMaxthoughthehadboughtFlore’striumphforasong，assheparadedtriumphantlybeforetheeyesoftheastonishedtown，leaningonthearmofhermaster’snephew，andevidentlyonthebestoftermswithhim。Peopleflockedtotheirdoorstoseethecrab-girl’striumphoverthefamily。ThisastoundingeventmadethesensationonwhichMaxcounted；sothatwhentheyallreturnedatfiveo’clock，nothingwastalkedofineveryhouseholdbutthecordialunderstandingbetweenMaxandFloreandthenephewofoldRouget。Theincidentofthepicturesandthefourthousandfrancscirculatedalready。Thedinner，atwhichLousteau，oneofthecourtjudges，andtheMayorofIssoudunwerepresent，wassplendid。Itwasoneofthoseprovincialdinnerslastingfivehours。Themostexquisitewinesenlivenedtheconversation。Bynineo’clock，atdessert，thepainter，seatedoppositetohisuncle，andbetweenFloreandMax，hadfraternizedwiththesoldier，andthoughthimthebestfellowonearth。Josephreturnedhomeateleveno’clocksomewhattipsy。AstooldRouget，Kouskihadcarriedhimtohisbeddead-drunk；hehadeatenasthoughhewereanactorfromforeignparts，andhadsoakedupthewinelikethesandsofthedesert。
　　“Well，“saidMaxwhenhewasalonewithFlore，“isn’tthisbetterthanmakingfacesatthem？TheBridausarewellreceived，theygetsmallpresents，andaresmotheredwithattentions，andtheendofitistheywillsingourpraises；theywillgoawaysatisfiedandleaveusinpeace。To-morrowmorningyouandIandKouskiwilltakedownallthosepicturesandsendthemovertothepainter，sothatheshallseethemwhenhewakesup。Wewillputtheframesinthegarret，andcoverthewallswithoneofthosevarnishedpaperswhichrepresentscenesfromTelemachus，suchasIhaveseenatMonsieurMouilleron’s。“
　　“Oh，thatwillbemuchprettier！“saidFlore。
　　Onthemorrow，Josephdidnotwakeuptillmidday。Fromhisbedhesawthepictures，whichhadbeenbroughtinwhilehewasasleep，leaningoneagainstanotherontheoppositewall。Whileheexaminedthemanew，recognizingeachmasterpiece，studyingthemannerofeachpainter，andsearchingforthesignature，hismotherhadgonetoseeandthankherbrother，urgedtheretobyoldHochon，who，havingheardofthefolliesthepainterhadcommittedthenightbefore，almostdespairedoftheBridaucause。
　　“Youradversarieshavethecunningoffoxes，“hesaidtoAgathe。“InallmydaysIneversawamancarrythingswithsuchahighhandasthatsoldier；theysaywareducatesyoungmen！Josephhaslethimselfbefooled。Theyhaveshuthismouthwithwine，andthosemiserablepictures，andfourthousandfrancs！Yourartisthasn’tcostMaxencemuch！“
　　Thelong-headedoldmaninstructedMadameBridaucarefullyastothelineofconductsheoughttopursue，——advisinghertoenterintoMaxence’sideasandcajoleFlore，soastosetupasortofintimacywithher，andthusobtainafewmoments’interviewwithJean-Jacquesalone。MadameBridauwasverywarmlyreceivedbyherbrother，towhomFlorehadtaughthislesson。Theoldmanwasinbed，quiteillfromtheexcessesofthenightbefore。AsAgathe，underthecircumstances，couldscarcelybeginatoncetospeakoffamilymatters，Maxthoughtitproperandmagnanimoustoleavethebrotherandsisteralonetogether。Thecalculationwasagoodone。PoorAgathefoundherbrothersoillthatshewouldnotdeprivehimofMadameBrazier’scare。
　　“Besides，“shesaidtotheoldbachelor，“IwishtoknowapersontowhomIamgratefulforthehappinessofmybrother。“
　　Thesewordsgaveevidentpleasuretotheoldman，whorangforMadameFlore。Flore，aswemaywellbelieve，wasnotfaroff。Thefemaleantagonistsbowedtoeachother。TheRabouilleuseshowedthemostservileattentionsandtheutmosttendernesstohermaster；fanciedhisheadwastoolow，beatupthepillows，andtookcareofhimlikeabrideofyesterday。Thepoorcreaturereceiveditwitharushoffeeling。
　　“Weoweyoumuchgratitude，mademoiselle，“saidAgathe，“fortheproofsofattachmentyouhavesolonggiventomybrother，andforthewayinwhichyouwatchoverhishappiness。“
　　“Thatistrue，mydearAgathe，“saidtheoldman；“shehastaughtmewhathappinessis；sheisawomanofexcellentqualities。“
　　“Andtherefore，mydearbrother，yououghttohaverecompensedMademoisellebymakingheryourwife。Yes！Iamtoosincereinmyreligionnottowishtoseeyouobeythepreceptsofthechurch。Youwouldeachbemoretranquilinmindifyouwerenotatvariancewithmoralityandthelaws。Ihavecomehere，dearbrother，toaskforhelpinmyaffliction；butdonotsupposethatwewishtomakeanyremonstranceastothemannerinwhichyoumaydisposeofyourproperty——“
　　“Madame，“saidFlore，“weknowhowunjustyourfatherwastoyou。