Orleans；　and　wait　there　till　you　hear　from　me。　Let　no　onenot　a　soul
  know　where　you　lodge；　go　to　the　first　inn　you　come　to　in　the
  faubourg　Bannier；　no　matter　if　it　is　only　a　post…house〃
  〃Look　here！〃　cried　Francois；　who　had　rushed　to　the　window　at　the
  sudden　noise　of　wheels　in　the　Grande…Narette。　〃Here's　something　new！
  Pere　Rouget　and　Colonel　Bridau　coming　back　together　in　the　caleche；
  Benjamin　and　Captain　Carpentier　following　on　horseback！〃
  〃I'll　go　over；〃　cried　Monsieur　Hochon；　whose　curiosity　carried　the　day
  over　every　other　feeling。
  Monsieur　Hochon　found　old　Rouget　in　his　bedroom；　writing　the　following
  letter　at　his　nephew's　dictation：
  Mademoiselle；If　you　do　not　start　to　return　here　the　moment　you
  receive　this　letter；　your　conduct　will　show　such　ingratitude　for
  all　my　goodness　that　I　shall　revoke　the　will　I　have　made　in　your
  favor；　and　give　my　property　to　my　nephew　Philippe。　You　will
  understand　that　Monsieur　Gilet　can　no　longer　be　my　guest　after
  staying　with　you　at　Vatan。　I　send　this　letter　by　Captain
  Carpentier；　who　will　put　it　into　your　own　hands。　I　hope　you　will
  listen　to　his　advice；　he　will　speak　to　you　with　authority　from　me。
  Your　affectionate
  J。…J。　Rouget。
  〃Captain　Carpentier　and　I　MET　my　uncle；　who　was　so　foolish　as　to
  follow　Mademoiselle　Brazier　and　Monsieur　Gilet　to　Vatan；〃　said
  Philippe；　with　sarcastic　emphasis；　to　Monsieur　Hochon。　〃I　have　made　my
  uncle　see　that　he　was　running　his　head　into　a　noose；　for　that　girl
  will　abandon　him　the　moment　she　gets　him　to　sign　a　power　of　attorney；
  by　which　they　mean　to　obtain　the　income　of　his　money　in　the　Funds。
  That　letter　will　bring　her　back　under　his　roof；　the　handsome　runaway！
  this　very　night；　or　I'm　mistaken。　I　promise　to　make　her　as　pliable　as
  a　bit　of　whalebone　for　the　rest　of　her　days；　if　my　uncle　allows　me　to
  take　Maxence　Gilet's　place；　which；　in　my　opinion；　he　ought　never　to
  have　had　in　the　first　place。　Am　I　not　right？and　yet　here's　my　uncle
  bemoaning　himself！〃
  〃Neighbor；〃　said　Monsieur　Hochon；　〃you　have　taken　the　best　means　to
  get　peace　in　your　household。　Destroy　your　will；　and　Flore　will　be　once
  more　what　she　used　to　be　in　the　early　days。〃
  〃No；　she　will　never　forgive　me　for　what　I　have　made　her　suffer；〃
  whimpered　the　old　man；　〃she　will　no　longer　love　me。〃
  〃She　shall　love　you；　and　closely　too；　I'll　take　care　of　that；〃　said
  Philippe。
  〃Come；　open　your　eyes！〃　exclaimed　Monsieur　Hochon。　〃They　mean　to　rob
  you　and　abandon　you。〃
  〃Oh！　I　was　sure　of　it！〃　cried　the　poor　imbecile。
  〃See；　here　is　a　letter　Maxence　has　written　to　my　grandson　Borniche；〃
  said　old　Hochon。　〃Read　it。〃
  〃What　infamy！〃　exclaimed　Carpentier；　as　he　listened　to　the　letter；
  which　Rouget　read　aloud；　weeping。
  〃Is　that　plain　enough；　uncle？〃　demanded　Philippe。　〃Hold　that　hussy　by
  her　interests　and　she'll　adore　you　as　you　deserve。〃
  〃She　loves　Maxence　too　well；　she　will　leave　me；〃　cried　the　frightened
  old　man。
  〃But；　uncle；　Maxence　or　I；one　or　the　other　of　uswon't　leave　our
  footsteps　in　the　dust　of　Issoudun　three　days　hence。〃
  〃Well　then　go；　Monsieur　Carpentier；〃　said　Rouget；　〃if　you　promise　me
  to　bring　her　back；　go！　You　are　a　good　man；　say　to　her　in　my　name　all
  you　think　you　ought　to　say。〃
  〃Captain　Carpentier　will　whisper　in　her　ear　that　I　have　sent　to　Paris
  for　a　woman　whose　youth　and　beauty　are　captivating；　that　will　bring
  the　jade　back　in　a　hurry！〃
  The　captain　departed；　driving　himself　in　the　old　caleche；　Benjamin
  accompanied　him　on　horseback；　for　Kouski　was　nowhere　to　be　found。
  Though　threatened　by　the　officers　with　arrest　and　the　loss　of　his
  situation；　the　Pole　had　gone　to　Vatan　on　a　hired　horse；　to　warn　Max
  and　Flore　of　the　adversary's　move。　After　fulfilling　his　mission；
  Carpentier；　who　did　not　wish　to　drive　back　with　Flore；　was　to　change
  places　with　Benjamin；　and　take　the　latter's　horse。
  When　Philippe　was　told　of　Kouski's　flight　he　said　to　Benjamin；　〃You
  will　take　the　Pole's　place；　from　this　time　on。　It　is　all　mapping　out；
  papa　Hochon！〃　cried　the　lieutenant…colonel。　〃That　banquet　will　be
  jovial！〃
  〃You　will　come　and　live　here；　of　course；〃　said　the　old　miser。
  〃I　have　told　Fario　to　send　me　all　my　things；〃　answered　Philippe。　〃I
  shall　sleep　in　the　room　adjoining　Gilet's　apartment；if　my　uncle
  consents。〃
  〃What　will　come　of　all　this？〃　cried　the　terrified　old　man。
  〃Mademoiselle　Flore　Brazier　is　coming；　gentle　as　a　paschal　lamb；〃
  replied　Monsieur　Hochon。
  〃God　grant　it！〃　exclaimed　Rouget；　wiping　his　eyes。
  〃It　is　now　seven　o'clock；〃　said　Philippe；　〃the　sovereign　of　your　heart
  will　be　here　at　half…past　eleven：　you'll　never　see　Gilet　again；　and
  you　will　be　as　happy　ever　after　as　a　pope。If　you　want　me　to
  succeed；〃　he　whispered　to　Monsieur　Hochon；　〃stay　here　till　the　hussy
  comes；　you　can　help　me　in　keeping　the　old　man　up　to　his　resolution；
  and；　together；　we'll　make　that　crab…girl　see　on　which　side　her　bread
  is　buttered。〃
  Monsieur　Hochon　felt　the　reasonableness　of　the　request　and　stayed：　but
  they　had　their　hands　full；　for　old　Rouget　gave　way　to　childish
  lamentations；　which　were　only　quieted　by　Philippe's　repeating　over　and
  over　a　dozen　times：
  〃Uncle；　you　will　see　that　I　am　right　when　Flore　returns　to　you　as
  tender　as　ever。　You　shall　be　petted；　you　will　save　your　property：　be
  guided　by　my　advice；　and　you'll　live　in　paradise　for　the　rest　of　your
  days。〃
  When；　about　half…past　eleven；　wheels　were　heard　in　the　Grande…Narette；
  the　question　was；　whether　the　carriage　were　returning　full　or　empty。
  Rouget's　face　wore　an　expression　of　agony；　which　changed　to　the
  prostration　of　excessive　joy　when　he　saw　the　two　women；　as　the
  carriage　turned　to　enter　the　courtyard。
  〃Kouski；〃　said　Philippe；　giving　a　hand　to　Flore　to　help　her　down。　〃You
  are　no　longer　in　Monsieur　Rouget's　service。　You　will　not　sleep　here
  to…night；　get　your　things　together；　and　go。　Benjamin　takes　your
  place。〃
  〃Are　you　the　master　here？〃　said　Flore　sarcastically。
  〃With　your　permission；〃　replied　Philippe；　squeezing　her　hand　as　if　in
  a　vice。　〃Come！　we　must　have　an　understanding；　you　and　I〃；　and　he　led
  the　bewildered　woman　out　into　the　place　Saint…Jean。
  〃My　fine　lady；〃　began　the　old　campaigner；　stretching　out　his　right
  hand；　〃three　days　hence；　Maxence　Gilet　will　be　sent　to　the　shades　by
  that　arm；　or　his　will　have　taken　me　off　guard。　If　I　die；　you　will　be
  the　mistress　of　my　poor　imbecile　uncle；　'bene　sit。'　If　I　remain　on　my
  pins；　you'll　have　to　walk　straight；　and　keep　him　supplied　with　first…
  class　happiness。　If　you　don't；　I　know　girls　in　Paris　who　are；　with　all
  due　respect；　much　prettier　than　you；　for　they　are　only　seventeen　years
  old：　they　would　make　my　uncle　excessively　happy；　and　they　are　in　my
  interests。　Begin　your　attentions　this　very　evening；　if　the　old　man　is
  not　as　gay　as　a　lark　to…morrow　morning；　I　have　only　a　word　to　say　to
  you；　it　is　this；　pay　attention　to　it；there　is　but　one　way　to　kill　a
  man　without　the　interference　of　the　law；　and　that　is　to　fight　a　duel
  with　him；　but　I　know　three　ways　to　get　rid　of　a　woman：　mind　that；　my
  beauty！〃
  During　this　address；　Flore　shook　like　a　person　with　the　ague。
  〃Kill　Max？〃　she　said；　gazing　at　Philippe　in　the　moonlight。
  〃Come；　here's　my　uncle。〃
  Old　Rouget；　turning　a　deaf　ear　to　Monsieur　Hochon's　remonstrances；　now
  came　out　into　the　street；　and　took　Flore　by　the　hand；　as　a　miser　might
  have　grasped　his　treasure；　he　drew　her　back　to　the　house　and　into　his
  own　room　and　shut　the　door。
  〃This　is　Saint…Lambert's　day；　and　he　who　deserts　his　place；　loses　it；〃
  remarked　Benjamin　to　the　Pole。
  〃My　master　will　shut　your　mouth　for　you；〃　answered　Kouski；　departing
  to　join　Max　who　established　himself　at　the　hotel　de　la　Poste。
  On　the　morrow；　between　nine　and　eleven　o'clock；　all　the　women　talked
  to　each　other　from　door　to　door　throughout　the　town。　The　story　of　the
  wonderful　change　in　the　Rouget　household　spread　everywhere。　The　upshot
  of　the　conversations　was　the　same　on　all　sides；
  〃What　will　happen　at　the　banquet　between　Max　and　Colonel　Bridau？〃
  Philippe　said　but　few　words　to　the　Vedie；〃Six　hundred　francs'
  annuity；　or　dismissal。〃　They　were　enough；　however；　to　keep　her
  neutral；　for　a　time；　between　the　two　great　powers；　Philippe　and　Flore。
  Knowing　Max's　life　to　be　in　danger；　Flore　became　more　affectionate　to
  Rouget　than　in　the　first　days　of　their　alliance。　Alas！　in　love；　a
  self…interested　devotion　is　sometimes　more　agreeable　than　a　truthful
  one；　and　that　is　why　many　men　pay　so　much　for　clever　deceivers。　The
  Rabouilleuse　did　not　appear　till　the　next　morning；　when　she　came　down
  to　breakfast　with　Rouget　on　her　arm。　Tears　filled　her　eyes　as　she
  beheld；　sitting　in　Max's　place；　the　terrible　adversary；　with　his
  sombre　blue　eyes；　and　the　cold；　sinister　expression　on　his　face。
  〃What　is　the　matter；　mademoiselle？〃　he　said；　after　wishing　his　uncle
  good…