Philippe’sconduct,inspiteofthecleverdefenderwhomDesrochesrecommendedtohim,rousedsuspicionsthatwereunfavorabletohischaracter。Inviewofthis,Joseph,assoonashehadputDesrochesinpossessionofallthatwasgoingonatIssoudun,startedwithMistigrisforthechateauoftheComtedeSerizy,toescapehearingaboutthetrialoftheconspirators,whichlastedfortwentydays。
  Itisuselesstorecordfactsthatmaybefoundincontemporaneoushistories。Whetheritwerethatheplayedapartpreviouslyagreedupon,orthathewasreallyaninformer,Philippewascondemnedtofiveyears’surveillancebythepolicedepartment,andorderedtoleaveParisthesamedayforAutun,thetownwhichthedirector-
  generalofpoliceselectedastheplaceofhisexileforfiveyears。
  Thispunishmentresembledthedetentionofprisonersonparolewhohaveatownforaprison。LearningthattheComtedeSerizy,oneofthepeersappointedbytheChamberonthecourt-martial,wasemployingJosephtodecoratehischateauatPresles,Desrochesbeggedtheministertogranthimanaudience,andfoundMonsieurdeSerizymostamiablydisposedtowardJoseph,withwhomhehadhappenedtomakepersonalacquaintance。Desrochesexplainedthefinancialconditionofthetwobrothers,recallingtheservicesofthefather,andtheneglectshowntothemundertheRestoration。
  “Suchinjustice,monseigneur,“saidthelawyer,“isalastingcauseofirritationanddiscontent。Youknewthefather;givethesonsachance,atleast,ofmakingafortune——“
  AndhedrewasuccinctpictureofthesituationofthefamilyaffairsatIssoudun,beggingtheall-powerfulvice-presidentoftheCouncilofStatetotakestepstoinducethedirector-generalofpolicetochangePhilippe’splaceofresidencefromAutuntoIssoudun。HealsospokeofPhilippe’sextremepoverty,andaskedadoleofsixtyfrancsamonth,whichtheministerofwarought,hesaid,formereshame’ssake,togranttoaformerlieutenant-colonel。
  “Iwillobtainallyouaskofme,forIthinkitjust,“repliedthecount。
  Threedayslater,Desroches,furnishedwiththenecessaryauthority,fetchedPhilippefromtheprisonoftheCourtofPeers,andtookhimtohisownhouse,ruedeBethizy。Oncethere,theyoungbarristerreadthemiserablevagabondoneofthoseunanswerablelecturesinwhichlawyersratethingsattheiractualvalue;usingplaintermstoqualifytheconduct,andtoanalyzeandreducetotheirsimplestmeaningthesentimentsandideasofclientstowardwhomtheyfeelenoughinteresttospeakplainly。AfterhumblingtheEmperor’sstaff-
  officerbyreproachinghimwithhisrecklessdissipations,hismother’smisfortunes,andthedeathofMadameDescoings,hewentontotellhimthestateofthingsatIssoudun,explainingitaccordingtohislights,andprobingboththeschemeandthecharacterofMaxenceGiletandtheRabouilleusetotheirdepths。Philippe,whowasgiftedwithakeencomprehensioninsuchdirections,listenedwithmuchmoreinteresttothispartofDesroches’slecturethantowhathadgonebefore。
  “Underthesecircumstances,“continuedthelawyer,“youcanrepairtheinjuryyouhavedonetoyourestimablefamily,——sofaratleastasitisreparable;foryoucannotrestorelifetothepoormotheryouhaveallbutkilled。Butyoualonecan——“
  “WhatcanIdo?“askedPhilippe。
  “IhaveobtainedachangeofresidenceforyoufromAutuntoIssoudun——“
  Philippe’ssunkenface,whichhadgrownalmostsinisterinexpressionandwasfurrowedwithsufferingsandprivation,instantlylightedupwithaflashofjoy。
  “And,asIwassaying,youalonecanrecovertheinheritanceofoldRouget’sproperty;halfofwhichmaybythistimebeinthejawsofthewolfnamedGilet,“repliedDesroches。“Younowknowalltheparticulars,anditisforyoutoactaccordingly。Isuggestnoplan;
  Ihavenoideasatallastothat;besides,everythingwilldependonlocalcircumstances。Youhavetodealwithastrongforce;thatfellowisveryastute。ThewayheattemptedtogetbackthepicturesyourunclehadgiventoJoseph,theaudacitywithwhichhelaidacrimeonyourpoorbrother’sshoulders,allgotoprovethattheadversaryiscapableofeverything。Therefore,beprudent;andtrytobehaveproperlyoutofpolicy,ifyoucan’tdosooutofdecency。WithouttellingJoseph,whoseartist’spridewouldbeupinarms,IhavesentthepicturestoMonsieurHochon,tellinghimtogivethemuptonoonebutyou。Bytheway,MaxenceGiletisabraveman。“
  “Somuchthebetter,“saidPhilippe;“Icountonhiscourageforsuccess;acowardwouldleaveIssoudun。“
  “Well,——thinkofyourmotherwhohasbeensodevotedtoyou,andofyourbrother,whomyoumadeyourmilchcow。“
  “Ah!didhetellyouthatnonsense?“criedPhilippe。
  “AmInotthefriendofthefamily,anddon’tIknowmuchmoreaboutyouthantheydo?“askedDesroches。
  “Whatdoyouknow?“saidPhilippe。
  “Thatyoubetrayedyourcomrades。“
  “I!“exclaimedPhilippe。“I!astaff-officeroftheEmperor!Absurd!
  Why,wefooledtheChamberofPeers,thelawyers,thegovernment,andthewholeofthedamnedconcern。Theking’speoplewerecompletelyhood-winked。“
  “That’sallverywell,ifitwasso,“answeredthelawyer。“But,don’tyousee,theBourbonscan’tbeoverthrown;allEuropeisbackingthem;
  andyououghttotrytomakeyourpeacewiththewardepartment,——youcoulddothatreadilyenoughifyouwererich。Togetrich,youandyourbrother,youmustlayholdofyouruncle。Ifyouwilltakethetroubletomanageanaffairwhichneedsgreatcleverness,patience,andcaution,youhaveenoughworkbeforeyoutooccupyyourfiveyears。“
  “No,no,“criedPhilippe,“Imusttakethebullbythehornsatonce。
  ThisMaxencemayaltertheinvestmentofthepropertyandputitinthatwoman’sname;andthenallwouldbelost。“
  “MonsieurHochonisagoodadviser,andseesclearly;consulthim。Youhaveyourordersfromthepolice;IhavetakenyourplaceintheOrleansdiligenceforhalf-pastseveno’clockthisevening。Isupposeyourtrunkisready;so,nowcomeanddine。“
  “IownnothingbutwhatIhavegotonmyback,“saidPhilippe,openinghishorribleblueovercoat;“butIonlyneedthreethings,whichyoumusttellGiroudeau,theuncleofFinot,tosendme,——mysabre,mysword,andmypistols。“
  “Youneedmorethanthat,“saidthelawyer,shudderingashelookedathisclient。“Youwillreceiveaquarterlystipendwhichwillclotheyoudecently。“
  “Blessme!areyouhere,Godeschal?“criedPhilippe,recognizinginDesroches’shead-clerk,astheypassedout,thebrotherofMariette。
  “Yes,IhavebeenwithMonsieurDesrochesforthelasttwomonths。“
  “Andhewillstaywithme,Ihope,tillhegetsabusinessofhisown,“saidDesroches。
  “HowisMariette?“askedPhilippe,movedathisrecollections。
  “Sheisgettingreadyfortheopeningofthenewtheatre。“
  “Itwouldcostherlittletroubletogetmysentenceremitted,“saidPhilippe。“However,asshechooses!“
  Afterameagredinner,givenbyDesrocheswhoboardedhishead-clerk,thetwolawyersputthepoliticalconvictinthediligence,andwishedhimgoodluck。
  OnthesecondofNovember,All-Souls’day,PhilippeBridauappearedbeforethecommissaryofpoliceatIssoudun,tohavethedateofhisarrivalrecordedonhispapers;andbythatfunctionary’sadvicehewenttolodgeintheruel’Avenier。Thenewsofthearrivalofanofficer,banishedonaccountofthelatemilitaryconspiracy,spreadrapidlythroughthetown,andcausedallthemoreexcitementwhenitwasknownthatthisofficerwasabrotherofthepainterwhohadbeenfalselyaccused。MaxenceGilet,bythistimeentirelyrecoveredfromhiswound,hadcompletedthedifficultoperationofturningallPereRouget’smortgagesintomoney,andputtingtheproceedsinonesum,onthe“grand-livre。“Theloanofonehundredandfortythousandfrancsobtainedbytheoldmanonhislandedpropertyhadcausedagreatsensation,——foreverythingisknownintheprovinces。MonsieurHochon,intheBridauinterest,wasmuchputaboutbythisdisaster,andquestionedoldMonsieurHeron,thenotaryatBourges,astotheobjectofit。
  “TheheirsofoldRouget,ifoldRougetchangeshismind,oughttomakemeavotiveoffering,“criedMonsieurHeron。“Ifithadnotbeenforme,theoldfellowwouldhaveallowedthefiftythousandfrancs’
  incometostandinthenameofMaxenceGilet。ItoldMademoiselleBrazierthatsheoughttolooktothewillonly,andnotruntheriskofasuitforspoliation,seeingwhatnumerousproofsthesetransfersineverydirectionwouldgiveagainstthem。Togaintime,IadvisedMaxenceandhismistresstokeepquiet,andletthissuddenchangeintheusualbusinesshabitsoftheoldmanbeforgotten。“
  “ProtecttheBridaus,fortheyhavenothing,“saidMonsieurHochon,whoinadditiontoallotherreasons,couldnotforgiveGilettheterrorshehadenduredwhenfearingthepillageofhishouse。
  MaxenceGiletandFloreBrazier,nowsecureagainstallattack,wereverymerryoverthearrivalofanotherofoldRouget’snephews。Theyknewtheywereable,atthefirstsignalofdanger,tomaketheoldmansignapowerofattorneyunderwhichthemoneyintheFundscouldbetransferredeithertoMaxorFlore。IfthewillleavingFloretheprincipal,shouldberevoked,anincomeoffiftythousandfrancswasaverytolerablecrumbofcomfort,——moreparticularlyaftersqueezingfromtherealestatethatmortgageofahundredandfortythousand。