Bridau’shandwasgraspedbyMignonnet，Carpentier，andseveralothers。Thiswelcome，sodifferentfromthataccordedtoMax，dispelledthelastfeelingofcowardice，or，ifyoupreferit，wisdom，whichFlore’sentreaties，andaboveall，hertendernesses，hadawakenedinthelatter’smind。
　　“Weshallfight，“hesaidtoRenard，“andtothedeath。Thereforedon’ttalktomeanymore；letmeplaymypartwell。“
　　Afterthesewords，spokeninafeverishtone，thethreeBonapartistsreturnedtothegroupofofficersandmixedamongthem。MaxbowedfirsttoBridau，whoreturnedhisbow，andthetwoexchangedafrigidglance。
　　“Come，gentlemen，letustakeourseats，“saidPotel。
　　“AnddrinktothehealthoftheLittleCorporal，whoisnowintheparadiseofheroes，“criedRenard。
　　Thecompanypouredintothelong，lowdining-halloftherestaurantLacroix，thewindowsofwhichopenedonthemarket-place。Eachguesttookhisseatatthetable，where，incompliancewithPhilippe’srequest，thetwoadversarieswereplaceddirectlyoppositetoeachother。Someyoungmenofthetown，amongthemseveralKnightsofIdleness，anxioustoknowwhatmighthappenatthebanquet，werewalkingaboutthestreetanddiscussingthecriticalpositionintowhichPhilippehadcontrivedtoforceMax。Theyalldeploredthecrisis，thougheachconsideredthedueltobeinevitable。
　　Everythingwentoffwelluntilthedessert，thoughthetwoantagonistsdisplayed，inspiteoftheapparentjovialityofthedinner，acertainvigilancethatresembleddisquietude。Whilewaitingforthequarrelthatbothwereplanning，Philippeshowedadmirablecoolness，andMaxadistractinggayety；buttoanobserver，eachwasplayingapart。
　　WhenthedesertwasservedPhilipperoseandsaid:“Fillyourglasses，myfriends！Iaskpermissiontoproposethefirsttoast。“
　　“HesaidMYFRIENDS，don’tfillyourglass，“whisperedRenardtoMax。
　　Maxpouredoutsomewine。
　　“TotheGrandArmy！“criedPhilippe，withgenuineenthusiasm。
　　“TotheGrandArmy！“wasrepeatedwithacclamationbyeveryvoice。
　　Atthismomentelevenprivatesoldiers，amongwhomwereBenjaminandKouski，appearedatthedooroftheroomandrepeatedthetoast，——
　　“TotheGrandArmy！“
　　“Comein，mysons；wearegoingtodrinkHishealth。“
　　Theoldsoldierscameinandstoodbehindtheofficers。
　　“YouseeHeisnotdead！“saidKouskitoanoldsergeant，whohadperhapsbeengrievingthattheEmperor’sagonywasover。
　　“Iclaimthesecondtoast，“saidMignonnet，asherose。“Letusdrinktothosewhoattemptedtorestorehisson！“
　　Everyonepresent，exceptMaxenceGilet，bowedtoPhilippeBridau，andstretchedtheirglassestowardshim。
　　“Oneword，“saidMax，rising。
　　“ItisMax！itisMax！“criedvoicesoutside；andthenadeepsilencereignedintheroomandinthestreet，forGilet’sknowncharactermadeeveryoneexpectataunt。
　　“MayweALLmeetagainatthistimenextyear，“saidMax，bowingironicallytoPhilippe。
　　“It’scoming！“whisperedKouskitohisneighbor。
　　“TheParispolicewouldneverallowabanquetofthiskind，“saidPoteltoPhilippe。
　　“WhydothedeviltoyoumentionthepolicetoColonelBridau？“saidMaxenceinsolently。
　　“CaptainPotel——HE——meantnoinsult，“saidPhilippe，smilingcoldly。
　　Thestillnesswassoprofoundthatthebuzzingofaflycouldhavebeenheardiftherehadbeenone。
　　“Thepoliceweresufficientlyafraidofme，“resumedPhilippe，“tosendmetoIssoudun，——aplacewhereIhavehadthepleasureofmeetingoldcomrades，butwhere，itmustbeowned，thereisadearthofamusement。Foramanwhodoesn’tdespisefolly，I’mratherrestricted。
　　However，itiscertainlyeconomical，forIamnotoneofthosetowhomfeather-bedsgiveincomes；MarietteoftheGrandOperacostmefabuloussums。“
　　“Isthatremarkmeantforme，mydearcolonel？“askedMax，sendingaglanceatPhilippewhichwaslikeacurrentofelectricity。
　　“Takeitasyouplease，“answeredBridau。
　　“Colonel，mytwofriendshere，RenardandPotel，willcallto-morrowon——“
　　“——onMignonnetandCarpentier，“answeredPhilippe，cuttingshortMax’ssentence，andmotioningtowardshistwoneighbors。
　　“Now，“saidMax，“letusgoonwiththetoasts。“
　　Thetwoadversarieshadnotraisedtheirvoicesabovethetoneofordinaryconversation；therewasnothingsolemnintheaffairexceptthedeadsilenceinwhichittookplace。
　　“Lookhere，youothers！“criedPhilippe，addressingthesoldierswhostoodbehindtheofficers；“rememberthatouraffairsdon’tconcernthebourgeoisie——notaword，therefore，onwhatgoesonhere。ItisfortheOldGuardonly。“
　　“They’llobeyorders，colonel，“saidRenard。“I’llanswerforthem。“
　　“LongliveHislittleone！MayhereignoverFrance！“criedPotel。
　　“DeathtoEnglishmen！“criedCarpentier。
　　Thattoastwasreceivedwithprodigiousapplause。
　　“ShameonHudsonLowe，“saidCaptainRenard。
　　Thedessertpassedoffwell；thelibationswereplentiful。Theantagonistsandtheirfoursecondsmadeitapointofhonorthataduel，involvingsolargeafortune，andthereputationoftwomennotedfortheircourage，shouldnotappeartheresultofanordinarysquabble。NotwogentlemencouldhavebehavedbetterthanPhilippeandMax；inthisrespecttheanxiouswaitingoftheyoungmenandtownspeoplegroupedaboutthemarket-placewasbalked。Alltheguests，liketruesoldiers，keptsilenceastotheepisodewhichtookplaceatdessert。Atteno’clockthatnightthetwoadversarieswereinformedthatthesabrewastheweaponagreeduponbytheseconds；theplacechosenfortherendezvouswasbehindthechancelofthechurchoftheCapuchinsateighto’clockthenextmorning。Goddet，whowasatthebanquetinhisqualityofformerarmysurgeon，wasrequestedtobepresentatthemeeting。Thesecondsagreedthat，nomatterwhatmighthappen，thecombatshouldlastonlytenminutes。
　　Ateleveno’clockthatnight，toColonelBridau’samazement，MonsieurHochonappearedathisroomsjustashewasgoingtobed，escortingMadameHochon。
　　“Weknowwhathashappened，“saidtheoldlady，withhereyesfulloftears，“andIhavecometoentreatyounottoleavethehouseto-
　　morrowmorningwithoutsayingyourprayers。LiftyoursoultoGod！“
　　“Yes，madame，“saidPhilippe，towhomoldHochonmadeasignfrombehindhiswife’sback。
　　“Thatisnotall，“saidAgathe’sgodmother。“Istandintheplaceofyourpoormother，andIdivestmyself，foryou，ofathingwhichI
　　holdmostprecious，——here，“shewenton，holdingtowardsPhilippeatooth，fasteneduponapieceofblackvelvetembroideredingold，towhichshehadsewnapairofgreenstrings。Havingshownittohim，shereplaceditinalittlebag。“ItisarelicofSainteSolange，thepatronsaintofBerry，“shesaid，“IsaveditduringtheRevolution；
　　wearitonyourbreastto-morrow。“
　　“Willitprotectmefromasabre-thrust？“askedPhilippe。
　　“Yes，“repliedtheoldlady。
　　“ThenIhavenorighttowearthataccoutrementanymorethanifitwereacuirass，“criedAgathe’sson。
　　“Whatdoeshemean？“saidMadameHochon。
　　“Hesaysitisnotplayingfair，“answeredHochon。
　　“Thenwewillsaynomoreaboutit，“saidtheoldlady，“Ishallprayforyou。“
　　“Well，madame，prayer——andagoodpoint——candonoharm，“saidPhilippe，makingathrustasiftopierceMonsieurHochon’sheart。
　　Theoldladykissedthecolonelonhisforehead。Assheleftthehouse，shegavethirtyfrancs——allthemoneyshepossessed——toBenjamin，requestinghimtosewtherelicintothepocketofhismaster’strousers。Benjamindidso，——notthathebelievedinthevirtueofthetooth，forhesaidhismasterhadamuchbettertalismanthanthatagainstGilet，butbecausehisconscienceconstrainedhimtofulfilacommissionforwhichhehadbeensoliberallypaid。MadameHochonwenthomefullofconfidenceinSaintSolange。
　　Ateighto’clockthenextmorning，Decemberthird，theweatherbeingcloudy，Max，accompaniedbyhissecondsandthePole，arrivedonthelittlemeadowwhichthensurroundedtheapseofthechurchoftheCapuchins。TherehefoundPhilippeandhisseconds，withBenjamin，waitingforhim。PotelandMignonnetpacedofftwenty-fourfeet；ateachextremity，thetwoattendantsdrewalineontheearthwithaspade:thecombatantswerenotallowedtoretreatbeyondthatline，onpainofbeingthoughtcowardly。Eachwastostandathisownline，andadvanceashepleasedwhenthesecondsgavetheword。