Thedayafterhisarrival，Philippecalleduponhisuncleaboutteno’clockinthemorning，anxioustopresenthimselfinhisdilapidatedclothing。WhentheconvalescentoftheHopitalduMidi，theprisoneroftheLuxembourg，enteredtheroom，FloreBrazierfeltashiverpassoverherattherepulsivesight。Gilethimselfwasconsciousofthatparticulardisturbancebothofmindandbody，bywhichNaturesometimeswarnsusofalatentenmity，oracomingdanger。IftherewassomethingindescribablysinisterinPhilippe’scountenance，duetohisrecentmisfortunes，theeffectwasheightenedbyhisclothes。Hisforlornbluegreat-coatwasbuttonedinmilitaryfashiontothethroat，forpainfulreasons；andyetitshowedmuchthatitpretendedtoconceal。Thebottomedgesofthetrousers，raggedlikethoseofanalmshousebeggar，werethesignofabjectpoverty。Thebootsleftwetsplashesonthefloor，asthemudoozedfromfissuresinthesoles。
　　Thegrayhat，whichthecolonelheldinhishand，washorriblygreasyroundtherim。Themalaccacane，fromwhichthepolishhadlongdisappeared，musthavestoodinallthecornersofallthecafesinParis，andpokeditsworn-outendintomanyacorruption。Abovethevelvetcollar，rubbedandworntilltheframeshowedthroughit，roseaheadlikethatwhichFrederickLemaitremakesupforthelastactin“TheLifeofaGambler，“——wheretheexhaustionofamanstillintheprimeoflifeisbetrayedbythemetallic，brassyskin，discoloredasifwithverdigris。Suchtintsareseenonthefacesofdebauchedgamblerswhospendtheirnightsinplay:theeyesaresunkeninaduskycircle，thelidsarereddenedratherthanred，thebrowismenacingfromthewreckandruinitreveals。Philippe’scheeks，whichweresunkenandwrinkled，showedsignsoftheillnessfromwhichhehadscarcelyrecovered。Hisheadwasbald，exceptforafringeofhairatthebackwhichendedattheears。Thepureblueofhisbrillianteyeshadacquiredthecoldtonesofpolishedsteel。
　　“Good-morning，uncle，“hesaid，inahoarsevoice。“Iamyournephew，PhilippeBridau，——aspecimenofhowtheBourbonstreatalieutenant-
　　colonel，anoldsoldieroftheoldarmy，onewhocarriedtheEmperor’sordersatthebattleofMontereau。Ifmycoatweretoopen，IshouldbeputtoshameinpresenceofMademoiselle。Well，itistheruleofthegame！Wehopedtobeginitagain；wetriedit，andwehavefailed！
　　Iamtoresideinyourcitybytheorderofthepolice，withafullpayofsixtyfrancsamonth。Sotheinhabitantsneedn’tfearthatI
　　shallraisethepriceofprovisions！Iseeyouareingoodandlovelycompany。“
　　“Ah！youaremynephew，“saidJean-Jacques。
　　“Invitemonsieurlecoloneltobreakfastwithus，“saidFlore。
　　“No，Ithankyou，madame，“answeredPhilippe，“Ihavebreakfasted。
　　Besides，Iwouldcutoffmyhandsoonerthanaskabitofbreadorafarthingfrommyuncle，afterthetreatmentmymotherandbrotherreceivedinthistown。Itdidnotseemproper，however，thatIshouldsettlehere，inIssoudun，withoutpayingmyrespectstohimfromtimetotime。Youcandowhatyoulike，“headded，offeringtheoldmanhishand，intowhichRougetputhisown，whichPhilippeshook，“——whateveryoulike。Ishallhavenothingtosayagainstit；providedthehonoroftheBridausisuntouched。“
　　Giletcouldlookatthelieutenant-colonelasmuchashepleased，forPhilippepointedlyavoidedcastinghiseyesinhisdirection。Max，thoughthebloodboiledinhisveins，wastoowellawareoftheimportanceofbehavingwithpoliticalprudence——whichoccasionallyresemblescowardice——totakefirelikeayoungman；heremained，therefore，perfectlycalmandcold。
　　“Itwouldn’tberight，monsieur，“saidFlore，“toliveonsixtyfrancsamonthunderthenoseofanunclewhohasfortythousandfrancsayear，andwhohasalreadybehavedsokindlytoCaptainGilet，hisnaturalrelation，herepresent——“
　　“Yes，Philippe，“criedtheoldman，“youmustseethat！“
　　OnFlore’spresentation，Philippemadeahalf-timidbowtoMax。
　　“Uncle，Ihavesomepicturestoreturntoyou；theyarenowatMonsieurHochon’s。Willyoubekindenoughtocomeoversomedayandidentifythem。“
　　Sayingtheselastwordsinacurttone，lieutenant-colonelPhilippeBridaudeparted。Thetoneofhisvisitmade，ifpossible，adeeperimpressiononFlore’smind，andalsoonthatofMax，thantheshocktheyhadfeltatthefirstsightofthathorriblecampaigner。AssoonasPhilippehadslammedthedoor，withtheviolenceofadisinheritedheir，MaxandFlorehidbehindthewindow-curtainstowatchhimashecrossedtheroad，totheHochons’。
　　“Whatavagabond！“exclaimedFlore，questioningMaxwithaglanceofhereye。
　　“Yes；unfortunatelythereweremenlikehiminthearmiesoftheEmperor；IsentseventotheshadesatCabrera，“answeredGilet。
　　“Idohope，Max，thatyouwon’tpickaquarrelwiththatfellow，“saidMademoiselleBrazier。
　　“Hesmeltsooftobacco，“complainedtheoldman。
　　“Hewassmellingafteryourmoney-bags，“saidFlore，inaperemptorytone。“Myadviceisthatyoudon’tlethimintothehouseagain。“
　　“I’dprefernotto，“repliedRouget。
　　“Monsieur，“saidGritte，enteringtheroomwheretheHochonfamilywereallassembledafterbreakfast，“hereistheMonsieurBridauyouweretalkingabout。“
　　Philippemadehisentrancepolitely，inthemidstofadeadsilencecausedbygeneralcuriosity。MadameHochonshudderedfromheadtofootasshebeheldtheauthorofallAgathe’swoesandthemurdererofgoodoldMadameDescoings。Adolphinealsofeltashockoffear。BaruchandFrancoislookedateachotherinsurprise。OldHochonkepthisself-
　　possession，andofferedaseattothesonofMadameBridau。
　　“Ihavecome，monsieur，“saidPhilippe，“tointroducemyselftoyou；I
　　amforcedtoconsiderhowIcanmanagetolivehere，forfiveyears，onsixtyfrancsamonth。“
　　“Itcanbedone，“saidtheoctogenarian。
　　Philippetalkedaboutthingsingeneral，withperfectpropriety。HementionedthejournalistLousteau，nephewoftheoldlady，asa“raraavis，“andwonhergoodgracesfromthemomentsheheardhimsaythatthenameofLousteauwouldbecomecelebrated。Hedidnothesitatetoadmithisfaultsofconduct。ToafriendlyadmonitionwhichMadameHochonaddressedtohiminalowvoice，herepliedthathehadreflecteddeeplywhileinprison，andcouldpromisethatinfuturehewouldliveanotherlife。
　　OnahintfromPhilippe，MonsieurHochonwentoutwithhimwhenhetookhisleave。WhenthemiserandthesoldierreachedtheboulevardBaron，aplacewherenoonecouldoverhearthem，thecolonelturnedtotheoldman，——
　　“Monsieur，“hesaid，“ifyouwillbeguidedbyme，wewillneverspeaktogetherofmattersandthings，orpeopleeither，unlesswearewalkingintheopencountry，orinplaceswherewecannotbeheard。
　　MaitreDesrocheshasfullyexplainedtometheinfluenceofthegossipofalittletown。ThereforeIdon’twishyoutobesuspectedofadvisingme；thoughDesrocheshastoldmetoaskforyouradvice，andIbegyounottobecharyofgivingit。Wehaveapowerfulenemyinourfront，anditwon’tdotoneglectanyprecautionwhichmayhelptodefeathim。Inthefirstplace，therefore，excusemeifIdonotcalluponyouagain。Alittlecoldnessbetweenuswillclearyouofallsuspicionofinfluencingmyconduct。WhenIwanttoconsultyou，I
　　willpassalongthesquareathalf-pastnine，justasyouarecomingoutafterbreakfast。Ifyouseemecarrymycaneonmyshoulder，thatwillmeanthatwemustmeet——accidentally——insomeopenspacewhichyouwillpointouttome。“
　　“Iseeyouareaprudentman，bentonsuccess，“saidoldHochon。
　　“Ishallsucceed，monsieur。Firstofall，givemethenamesoftheofficersoftheoldarmynowlivinginIssoudun，whohavenottakensideswithMaxenceGilet；Iwishtomaketheiracquaintance。“
　　“Well，there’sacaptainoftheartilleryoftheGuard，MonsieurMignonnet，amanaboutfortyyearsofage，whowasbroughtupattheEcolePolytechnique，andlivesinaquietway。Heisaveryhonorableman，andopenlydisapprovesofMax，whoseconductheconsidersunworthyofatruesoldier。“
　　“Good！“remarkedthelieutenant-colonel。
　　“Therearenotmanysoldiershereofthatstripe，“resumedMonsieurHochon；“theonlyotherthatIknowisanoldcavalrycaptain。“
　　“Thatismyarm，“saidPhilippe。“WasheintheGuard？“
　　“Yes，“repliedMonsieurHochon。“Carpentierwas，in1810，sergeant-
　　majorinthedragoons；thenherosetobesub-lieutenantintheline，andsubsequentlycaptainofcavalry。“
　　“Giroudeaumayknowhim，“thoughtPhilippe。
　　“ThisMonsieurCarpentiertooktheplaceinthemayor’sofficewhichGiletthrewup；heisafriendofMonsieurMignonnet。“
　　“HowcanIearnmylivinghere？“
　　“Theyaregoing，Ithink，toestablishamutualinsuranceagencyinIssoudun，forthedepartmentoftheCher；youmightgetaplaceinit，butthepaywon’tbemorethanfiftyfrancsamonthattheoutside。“
　　“Thatwillbeenough。“
　　AttheendofaweekPhilippehadanewsuitofclothes，——coat，waistcoat，andtrousers，——ofgoodblueElbeufcloth，boughtoncredit，tobepaidforatsomuchamonth；alsonewboots，buckskingloves，andahat。Giroudeausenthimsomelinen，withhisweaponsandaletterforCarpentier，whohadformerlyservedunderGiroudeau。ThelettersecuredhimCarpentier’sgood-will，andthelatterpresentedhimtohisfriendMignonnetasamanofgreatmeritandthehighestcharacter。Philippewontheadmirationoftheseworthyofficersbyconfidingtothemafewfactsaboutthelateconspiracy，whichwas，aseverybodyknows，thelastattemptoftheoldarmyagainsttheBourbons；fortheaffairofthesergeantsatLaRochellebelongstoanotherorderofideas。
　　Warnedbythefateoftheconspiracyofthe19thofAugust，1820，andofthoseofBertonandCaron，thesoldiersoftheoldarmyresignedthemselves，aftertheirfailurein1822，toawaitevents。Thislastconspiracy，whichgrewoutofthatofthe19thofAugust，wasreallyacontinuationofthelatter，carriedonbyabetterelement。Likeitspredecessor，itwasabsolutelyunknowntotheroyalgovernment。