第 53 节
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闲来一看 更新:2021-02-18 21:19 字数:9322
clothing。 When the convalescent of the Hopital du Midi; the prisoner
of the Luxembourg; entered the room; Flore Brazier felt a shiver pass
over her at the repulsive sight。 Gilet himself was conscious of that
particular disturbance both of mind and body; by which Nature
sometimes warns us of a latent enmity; or a coming danger。 If there
was something indescribably sinister in Philippe's countenance; due to
his recent misfortunes; the effect was heightened by his clothes。 His
forlorn blue great…coat was buttoned in military fashion to the
throat; for painful reasons; and yet it showed much that it pretended
to conceal。 The bottom edges of the trousers; ragged like those of an
almshouse beggar; were the sign of abject poverty。 The boots left wet
splashes on the floor; as the mud oozed from fissures in the soles。
The gray hat; which the colonel held in his hand; was horribly greasy
round the rim。 The malacca cane; from which the polish had long
disappeared; must have stood in all the corners of all the cafes in
Paris; and poked its worn…out end into many a corruption。 Above the
velvet collar; rubbed and worn till the frame showed through it; rose
a head like that which Frederick Lemaitre makes up for the last act in
〃The Life of a Gambler;〃where the exhaustion of a man still in the
prime of life is betrayed by the metallic; brassy skin; discolored as
if with verdigris。 Such tints are seen on the faces of debauched
gamblers who spend their nights in play: the eyes are sunken in a
dusky circle; the lids are reddened rather than red; the brow is
menacing from the wreck and ruin it reveals。 Philippe's cheeks; which
were sunken and wrinkled; showed signs of the illness from which he
had scarcely recovered。 His head was bald; except for a fringe of hair
at the back which ended at the ears。 The pure blue of his brilliant
eyes had acquired the cold tones of polished steel。
〃Good…morning; uncle;〃 he said; in a hoarse voice。 〃I am your nephew;
Philippe Bridau;a specimen of how the Bourbons treat a lieutenant…
colonel; an old soldier of the old army; one who carried the Emperor's
orders at the battle of Montereau。 If my coat were to open; I should
be put to shame in presence of Mademoiselle。 Well; it is the rule of
the game! We hoped to begin it again; we tried it; and we have failed!
I am to reside in your city by the order of the police; with a full
pay of sixty francs a month。 So the inhabitants needn't fear that I
shall raise the price of provisions! I see you are in good and lovely
company。〃
〃Ah! you are my nephew;〃 said Jean…Jacques。
〃Invite monsieur le colonel to breakfast with us;〃 said Flore。
〃No; I thank you; madame;〃 answered Philippe; 〃I have breakfasted。
Besides; I would cut off my hand sooner than ask a bit of bread or a
farthing from my uncle; after the treatment my mother and brother
received in this town。 It did not seem proper; however; that I should
settle here; in Issoudun; without paying my respects to him from time
to time。 You can do what you like;〃 he added; offering the old man his
hand; into which Rouget put his own; which Philippe shook; 〃whatever
you like。 I shall have nothing to say against it; provided the honor
of the Bridaus is untouched。〃
Gilet could look at the lieutenant…colonel as much as he pleased; for
Philippe pointedly avoided casting his eyes in his direction。 Max;
though the blood boiled in his veins; was too well aware of the
importance of behaving with political prudencewhich occasionally
resembles cowardiceto take fire like a young man; he remained;
therefore; perfectly calm and cold。
〃It wouldn't be right; monsieur;〃 said Flore; 〃to live on sixty francs
a month under the nose of an uncle who has forty thousand francs a
year; and who has already behaved so kindly to Captain Gilet; his
natural relation; here present〃
〃Yes; Philippe;〃 cried the old man; 〃you must see that!〃
On Flore's presentation; Philippe made a half…timid bow to Max。
〃Uncle; I have some pictures to return to you; they are now at
Monsieur Hochon's。 Will you be kind enough to come over some day and
identify them。〃
Saying these last words in a curt tone; lieutenant…colonel Philippe
Bridau departed。 The tone of his visit made; if possible; a deeper
impression on Flore's mind; and also on that of Max; than the shock
they had felt at the first sight of that horrible campaigner。 As soon
as Philippe had slammed the door; with the violence of a disinherited
heir; Max and Flore hid behind the window…curtains to watch him as he
crossed the road; to the Hochons'。
〃What a vagabond!〃 exclaimed Flore; questioning Max with a glance of
her eye。
〃Yes; unfortunately there were men like him in the armies of the
Emperor; I sent seven to the shades at Cabrera;〃 answered Gilet。
〃I do hope; Max; that you won't pick a quarrel with that fellow;〃 said
Mademoiselle Brazier。
〃He smelt so of tobacco;〃 complained the old man。
〃He was smelling after your money…bags;〃 said Flore; in a peremptory
tone。 〃My advice is that you don't let him into the house again。〃
〃I'd prefer not to;〃 replied Rouget。
〃Monsieur;〃 said Gritte; entering the room where the Hochon family
were all assembled after breakfast; 〃here is the Monsieur Bridau you
were talking about。〃
Philippe made his entrance politely; in the midst of a dead silence
caused by general curiosity。 Madame Hochon shuddered from head to foot
as she beheld the author of all Agathe's woes and the murderer of good
old Madame Descoings。 Adolphine also felt a shock of fear。 Baruch and
Francois looked at each other in surprise。 Old Hochon kept his self…
possession; and offered a seat to the son of Madame Bridau。
〃I have come; monsieur;〃 said Philippe; 〃to introduce myself to you; I
am forced to consider how I can manage to live here; for five years;
on sixty francs a month。〃
〃It can be done;〃 said the octogenarian。
Philippe talked about things in general; with perfect propriety。 He
mentioned the journalist Lousteau; nephew of the old lady; as a 〃rara
avis;〃 and won her good graces from the moment she heard him say that
the name of Lousteau would become celebrated。 He did not hesitate to
admit his faults of conduct。 To a friendly admonition which Madame
Hochon addressed to him in a low voice; he replied that he had
reflected deeply while in prison; and could promise that in future he
would live another life。
On a hint from Philippe; Monsieur Hochon went out with him when he
took his leave。 When the miser and the soldier reached the boulevard
Baron; a place where no one could overhear them; the colonel turned to
the old man;
〃Monsieur;〃 he said; 〃if you will be guided by me; we will never speak
together of matters and things; or people either; unless we are
walking in the open country; or in places where we cannot be heard。
Maitre Desroches has fully explained to me the influence of the gossip
of a little town。 Therefore I don't wish you to be suspected of
advising me; though Desroches has told me to ask for your advice; and
I beg you not to be chary of giving it。 We have a powerful enemy in
our front; and it won't do to neglect any precaution which may help to
defeat him。 In the first place; therefore; excuse me if I do not call
upon you again。 A little coldness between us will clear you of all
suspicion of influencing my conduct。 When I want to consult you; I
will pass along the square at half…past nine; just as you are coming
out after breakfast。 If you see me carry my cane on my shoulder; that
will mean that we must meetaccidentallyin some open space which
you will point out to me。〃
〃I see you are a prudent man; bent on success;〃 said old Hochon。
〃I shall succeed; monsieur。 First of all; give me the names of the
officers of the old army now living in Issoudun; who have not taken
sides with Maxence Gilet; I wish to make their acquaintance。〃
〃Well; there's a captain of the artillery of the Guard; Monsieur
Mignonnet; a man about forty years of age; who was brought up at the
Ecole Polytechnique; and lives in a quiet way。 He is a very honorable
man; and openly disapproves of Max; whose conduct he considers
unworthy of a true soldier。〃
〃Good!〃 remarked the lieutenant…colonel。
〃There are not many soldiers here of that stripe;〃 resumed Monsieur
Hochon; 〃the only other that I know is an old cavalry captain。〃
〃That is my arm;〃 said Philippe。 〃Was he in the Guard?〃
〃Yes;〃 replied Monsieur Hochon。 〃Carpentier was; in 1810; sergeant…
major in the dragoons; then he rose to be sub…lieutenant in the line;
and subsequently captain of cavalry。〃
〃Giroudeau may know him;〃 thought Philippe。
〃This Monsieur Carpentier took the place in the mayor's office which
Gilet threw up; he is a friend of Monsieur Mignonnet。〃
〃How can I earn my living here?〃
〃They are going; I think; to establish a mutual insurance a