remarkedBenjamintothePole。
　　“Mymasterwillshutyourmouthforyou，“answeredKouski，departingtojoinMaxwhoestablishedhimselfatthehoteldelaPoste。
　　Onthemorrow，betweennineandeleveno’clock，allthewomentalkedtoeachotherfromdoortodoorthroughoutthetown。ThestoryofthewonderfulchangeintheRougethouseholdspreadeverywhere。Theupshotoftheconversationswasthesameonallsides，——
　　“WhatwillhappenatthebanquetbetweenMaxandColonelBridau？“
　　PhilippesaidbutfewwordstotheVedie，——“Sixhundredfrancs’
　　annuity，ordismissal。“Theywereenough，however，tokeepherneutral，foratime，betweenthetwogreatpowers，PhilippeandFlore。
　　KnowingMax’slifetobeindanger，FlorebecamemoreaffectionatetoRougetthaninthefirstdaysoftheiralliance。Alas！inlove，aself-interesteddevotionissometimesmoreagreeablethanatruthfulone；andthatiswhymanymenpaysomuchforcleverdeceivers。TheRabouilleusedidnotappeartillthenextmorning，whenshecamedowntobreakfastwithRougetonherarm。Tearsfilledhereyesasshebeheld，sittinginMax’splace，theterribleadversary，withhissombreblueeyes，andthecold，sinisterexpressiononhisface。
　　“Whatisthematter，mademoiselle？“hesaid，afterwishinghisunclegood-morning。
　　“Shecan’tenduretheideaofyourfightingMaxence，“saidoldRouget。
　　“IhavenottheslightestdesiretokillGilet，“answeredPhilippe。
　　“HeneedonlytakehimselfofffromIssoudunandgotoAmericaonaventure。Ishouldbethefirsttoadviseyoutogivehimanoutfit，andtowishhimasafevoyage。Hewouldsoonmakeafortunethere，andthatisfarmorehonorablethanturningIssouduntopsy-turvyatnight，andplayingthedevilinyourhousehold。“
　　“Well，that’sfairenough，“saidRouget，glancingatFlore。
　　“A-mer-i-ca！“sheejaculated，sobbing。
　　“ItisbettertokickhislegsaboutinafreecountrythanhavethemrotinapineboxinFrance。However，perhapsyouthinkheisagoodshot，andcankillme；it’sonthecards，“observedthecolonel。
　　“Willyouletmespeaktohim？“saidFlore，imploringPhilippeinahumbleandsubmissivetone。
　　“Certainly；hecancomehereandpackuphisthings。Iwillstaywithmyuncleduringthattime；forIshallnotleavetheoldmanagain，“
　　repliedPhilippe。
　　“Vedie，“criedFlore，“runtothehotel，andtellMonsieurGiletthatIbeghim——“
　　“——tocomeandgethisbelongings，“saidPhilippe，interruptingFlore’smessage。
　　“Yes，yes，Vedie；thatwillbeagoodpretexttoseeme；Imustspeaktohim。“
　　Terrorcontrolledherhatred；andtheshockwhichherwholebeingexperiencedwhenshefirstencounteredthisstrongandpitilessnaturewasnowsooverwhelmingthatshebowedbeforePhilippejustasRougethadbeeninthehabitofbendingbeforeher。SheanxiouslyawaitedVedie’sreturn。ThewomanbroughtaformalrefusalfromMax，whorequestedMademoiselleBraziertosendhisthingstothehoteldelaPoste。
　　“Willyouallowmetotakethemtohim？“shesaidtoJean-JacquesRouget。
　　“Yes，butwillyoucomeback？“saidtheoldman。
　　“IfMademoiselleisnotbackbymidday，youwillgivemeapowerofattorneytoattendtoyourproperty，“saidPhilippe，lookingatFlore。
　　“TakeVediewithyou，tosaveappearances，mademoiselle。Infutureyouaretothinkofmyuncle’shonor。“
　　FlorecouldgetnothingoutofMax。Desperateathavingallowedhimself，beforetheeyesofthewholetown，toberoutedoutofhisshamelessposition，GiletwastooproudtorunawayfromPhilippe。TheRabouilleusecombatedthisobjection，andproposedthattheyshouldflytogethertoAmerica；butMax，whodidnotwantFlorewithouthermoney，andyetdidnotwishthegirltoseethebottomofhisheart，insistedonhisintentionofkillingPhilippe。
　　“Wehavecommittedamonstrousfolly，“hesaid。“WeoughtallthreetohavegonetoParisandspentthewinterthere；buthowcouldoneguess，fromthemeresightofthatfellow’sbigcarcass，thatthingswouldturnoutastheyhave？Theturnofeventsisenoughtomakeonegiddy！Itookthecolonelforoneofthosefire-eaterswhohaven’ttwoideasintheirhead；thatwastheblunderImade。AsIdidn’thavethesensetodoublelikeahareinthebeginning，I’llnotbesuchacowardastobackdownbeforehim。Hehasloweredmeintheestimationofthistown，andIcannotgetbackwhatIhavelostunlessIkillhim。“
　　“GotoAmericawithfortythousandfrancs。I’llfindawaytogetridofthatscoundrel，andjoinyou。Itwouldbemuchwiser。“
　　“Whatwouldpeoplesayofme？“heexclaimed。“No；Ihaveburiedninealready。Thefellowdoesn’tseemasifheknewmuch；hewentfromschooltothearmy，andtherehewasalwaysfightingtill1815；thenhewenttoAmerica，andIdoubtifthebruteeversetfootinafencing-alley；whileIhavenomatchwiththesabre。Thesabreishisarm；Ishallseemverygenerousinofferingittohim，——forImean，ifpossible，tolethiminsultme，——andIcaneasilyrunhimthrough。
　　Unquestionably，itismywisestcourse。Don’tbeuneasy；weshallbemastersofthefieldinacoupleofdays。“
　　ThatitwasthatastupidpointofhonorhadmoreinfluenceoverMaxthansoundpolicy。WhenFloregothomesheshutherselfuptocryatease。DuringthewholeofthatdaygossipranwildinIssoudun，andtheduelbetweenPhilippeandMaxencewasconsideredinevitable。
　　“Ah！MonsieurHochon，“saidMignonnet，who，accompaniedbyCarpentier，mettheoldmanontheboulevardBaron，“weareveryuneasy；forGiletiscleverwithallweapons。“
　　“Nevermind，“saidtheoldprovincialdiplomatist；“Philippehasmanagedthisthingwellfromthebeginning。Ishouldneverhavethoughtthatbig，easy-goingfellowwouldhavesucceededashehas。
　　Thetwohaverolledtogetherlikeacoupleofthunder-clouds。“
　　“Oh！“saidCarpentier，“Philippeisaremarkableman。HisconductbeforetheCourtofPeerswasamasterpieceofdiplomacy。“
　　“Well，CaptainRenard，“saidoneofthetownsfolktoMax’sfriend。
　　“Theysaywolvesdon’tdevoureachother，butitseemsthatMaxisgoingtosethisteethinColonelBridau。That’sprettyseriousamongyougentlemenoftheOldGuard。“
　　“Youmakefunofit，doyou？Becausethepoorfellowamusedhimselfalittleatnight，youareallagainsthim，“saidPotel。“ButGiletisamanwhocouldn’tstayinaholelikeIssoudunwithoutfindingsomethingtodo。“
　　“Well，gentlemen，“remarkedanother，“Maxandthecolonelmustplayouttheirgame。Bridauhadtoavengehisbrother。Don’tyourememberMax’streacherytothepoorlad？“
　　“Bah！nothingbutanartist，“saidRenard。
　　“Buttherealquestionisabouttheoldman’sproperty，“saidathird。
　　“TheysayMonsieurGiletwaslayinghandsonfiftythousandfrancsayear，whenthecolonelturnedhimoutofhisuncle’shouse。“
　　“Giletrobaman！Come，don’tsaythattoanyonebutme，MonsieurCanivet，“criedPotel。“Ifyoudo，I’llmakeyouswallowyourtongue，——andwithoutanysauce。“
　　EveryhouseholdintownofferedprayersforthehonorableColonelBridau。
　　Towardsfouro’clockthefollowingday，theofficersoftheoldarmywhowereatIssoudunoritsenvirons，weresaunteringabouttheplaceduMarche，infrontofaneating-housekeptbyamannamedLacroix，andwaitingthearrivalofColonelPhilippeBridau。Thebanquetinhonorofthecoronationwastotakeplacewithmilitarypunctualityatfiveo’clock。VariousgroupsofpersonsweretalkingofMax’sdiscomfiture，andhisdismissalfromoldRouget’shouse；fornotonlyweretheofficerstodineatLacroix’s，butthecommonsoldiershaddeterminedonameetingataneighboringwine-shop。Amongtheofficers，PotelandRenardweretheonlyoneswhoattemptedtodefendMax。
　　“Isitanyofourbusinesswhattakesplaceamongtheoldman’sheirs？“saidRenard。
　　“Maxisweakwithwomen，“remarkedthecynicalPotel。
　　“There’llbesabresunsheathedbeforelong，“saidanoldsub-
　　lieutenant，whocultivatedakitchen-gardenintheupperBaltan。“IfMonsieurMaxenceGiletcommittedthefollyofgoingtoliveunderoldRouget’sroof，hewouldheacowardifheallowedhimselftobeturnedofflikeavaletwithoutaskingwhy。“
　　“Ofcourse，“saidMignonnetdryly。“Afollythatdoesn’tsucceedbecomesacrime。“
　　AtthismomentMaxjoinedtheoldsoldiersofNapoleon，andwasreceivedinsignificantsilence。PotelandRenardeachtookanarmoftheirfriend，andwalkedaboutwithhim，conversing。PresentlyPhilippewasseenapproachinginfulldress；hetrailedhiscaneafterhimwithanimperturbableairwhichcontrastedwiththeforcedattentionMaxwaspayingtotheremarksofhistwosupporters。