Idleness；　anxious　to　know　what　might　happen　at　the　banquet；　were
  walking　about　the　street　and　discussing　the　critical　position　into
  which　Philippe　had　contrived　to　force　Max。　They　all　deplored　the
  crisis；　though　each　considered　the　duel　to　be　inevitable。
  Everything　went　off　well　until　the　dessert；　though　the　two　antagonists
  displayed；　in　spite　of　the　apparent　joviality　of　the　dinner；　a　certain
  vigilance　that　resembled　disquietude。　While　waiting　for　the　quarrel
  that　both　were　planning；　Philippe　showed　admirable　coolness；　and　Max　a
  distracting　gayety；　but　to　an　observer；　each　was　playing　a　part。
  When　the　desert　was　served　Philippe　rose　and　said：　〃Fill　your　glasses；
  my　friends！　I　ask　permission　to　propose　the　first　toast。〃
  〃He　said　MY　FRIENDS；　don't　fill　your　glass；〃　whispered　Renard　to　Max。
  Max　poured　out　some　wine。
  〃To　the　Grand　Army！〃　cried　Philippe；　with　genuine　enthusiasm。
  〃To　the　Grand　Army！〃　was　repeated　with　acclamation　by　every　voice。
  At　this　moment　eleven　private　soldiers；　among　whom　were　Benjamin　and
  Kouski；　appeared　at　the　door　of　the　room　and　repeated　the　toast；
  〃To　the　Grand　Army！〃
  〃Come　in；　my　sons；　we　are　going　to　drink　His　health。〃
  The　old　soldiers　came　in　and　stood　behind　the　officers。
  〃You　see　He　is　not　dead！〃　said　Kouski　to　an　old　sergeant；　who　had
  perhaps　been　grieving　that　the　Emperor's　agony　was　over。
  〃I　claim　the　second　toast；〃　said　Mignonnet；　as　he　rose。　〃Let　us　drink
  to　those　who　attempted　to　restore　his　son！〃
  Every　one　present；　except　Maxence　Gilet；　bowed　to　Philippe　Bridau；　and
  stretched　their　glasses　towards　him。
  〃One　word；〃　said　Max；　rising。
  〃It　is　Max！　it　is　Max！〃　cried　voices　outside；　and　then　a　deep　silence
  reigned　in　the　room　and　in　the　street；　for　Gilet's　known　character
  made　every　one　expect　a　taunt。
  〃May　we　ALL　meet　again　at　this　time　next　year；〃　said　Max；　bowing
  ironically　to　Philippe。
  〃It's　coming！〃　whispered　Kouski　to　his　neighbor。
  〃The　Paris　police　would　never　allow　a　banquet　of　this　kind；〃　said
  Potel　to　Philippe。
  〃Why　do　the　devil　to　you　mention　the　police　to　Colonel　Bridau？〃　said
  Maxence　insolently。
  〃Captain　PotelHEmeant　no　insult；〃　said　Philippe；　smiling　coldly。
  The　stillness　was　so　profound　that　the　buzzing　of　a　fly　could　have
  been　heard　if　there　had　been　one。
  〃The　police　were　sufficiently　afraid　of　me；〃　resumed　Philippe；　〃to
  send　me　to　Issoudun；a　place　where　I　have　had　the　pleasure　of　meeting
  old　comrades；　but　where；　it　must　be　owned；　there　is　a　dearth　of
  amusement。　For　a　man　who　doesn't　despise　folly；　I'm　rather　restricted。
  However；　it　is　certainly　economical；　for　I　am　not　one　of　those　to　whom
  feather…beds　give　incomes；　Mariette　of　the　Grand　Opera　cost　me
  fabulous　sums。〃
  〃Is　that　remark　meant　for　me；　my　dear　colonel？〃　asked　Max；　sending　a
  glance　at　Philippe　which　was　like　a　current　of　electricity。
  〃Take　it　as　you　please；〃　answered　Bridau。
  〃Colonel；　my　two　friends　here；　Renard　and　Potel；　will　call　to…morrow
  on〃
  〃on　Mignonnet　and　Carpentier；〃　answered　Philippe；　cutting　short
  Max's　sentence；　and　motioning　towards　his　two　neighbors。
  〃Now；〃　said　Max；　〃let　us　go　on　with　the　toasts。〃
  The　two　adversaries　had　not　raised　their　voices　above　the　tone　of
  ordinary　conversation；　there　was　nothing　solemn　in　the　affair　except
  the　dead　silence　in　which　it　took　place。
  〃Look　here；　you　others！〃　cried　Philippe；　addressing　the　soldiers　who
  stood　behind　the　officers；　〃remember　that　our　affairs　don't　concern
  the　bourgeoisienot　a　word；　therefore；　on　what　goes　on　here。　It　is
  for　the　Old　Guard　only。〃
  〃They'll　obey　orders；　colonel；〃　said　Renard。　〃I'll　answer　for　them。〃
  〃Long　live　His　little　one！　May　he　reign　over　France！〃　cried　Potel。
  〃Death　to　Englishmen！〃　cried　Carpentier。
  That　toast　was　received　with　prodigious　applause。
  〃Shame　on　Hudson　Lowe；〃　said　Captain　Renard。
  The　dessert　passed　off　well；　the　libations　were　plentiful。　The
  antagonists　and　their　four　seconds　made　it　a　point　of　honor　that　a
  duel；　involving　so　large　a　fortune；　and　the　reputation　of　two　men
  noted　for　their　courage；　should　not　appear　the　result　of　an　ordinary
  squabble。　No　two　gentlemen　could　have　behaved　better　than　Philippe　and
  Max；　in　this　respect　the　anxious　waiting　of　the　young　men　and
  townspeople　grouped　about　the　market…place　was　balked。　All　the　guests；
  like　true　soldiers；　kept　silence　as　to　the　episode　which　took　place　at
  dessert。　At　ten　o'clock　that　night　the　two　adversaries　were　informed
  that　the　sabre　was　the　weapon　agreed　upon　by　the　seconds；　the　place
  chosen　for　the　rendezvous　was　behind　the　chancel　of　the　church　of　the
  Capuchins　at　eight　o'clock　the　next　morning。　Goddet；　who　was　at　the
  banquet　in　his　quality　of　former　army　surgeon；　was　requested　to　be
  present　at　the　meeting。　The　seconds　agreed　that；　no　matter　what　might
  happen；　the　combat　should　last　only　ten　minutes。
  At　eleven　o'clock　that　night；　to　Colonel　Bridau's　amazement；　Monsieur
  Hochon　appeared　at　his　rooms　just　as　he　was　going　to　bed；　escorting
  Madame　Hochon。
  〃We　know　what　has　happened；〃　said　the　old　lady；　with　her　eyes　full　of
  tears；　〃and　I　have　come　to　entreat　you　not　to　leave　the　house　to…
  morrow　morning　without　saying　your　prayers。　Lift　your　soul　to　God！〃
  〃Yes；　madame；〃　said　Philippe；　to　whom　old　Hochon　made　a　sign　from
  behind　his　wife's　back。
  〃That　is　not　all；〃　said　Agathe's　godmother。　〃I　stand　in　the　place　of
  your　poor　mother；　and　I　divest　myself；　for　you；　of　a　thing　which　I
  hold　most　precious；here；〃　she　went　on；　holding　towards　Philippe　a
  tooth；　fastened　upon　a　piece　of　black　velvet　embroidered　in　gold；　to
  which　she　had　sewn　a　pair　of　green　strings。　Having　shown　it　to　him；
  she　replaced　it　in　a　little　bag。　〃It　is　a　relic　of　Sainte　Solange；　the
  patron　saint　of　Berry；〃　she　said；　〃I　saved　it　during　the　Revolution；
  wear　it　on　your　breast　to…morrow。〃
  〃Will　it　protect　me　from　a　sabre…thrust？〃　asked　Philippe。
  〃Yes；〃　replied　the　old　lady。
  〃Then　I　have　no　right　to　wear　that　accoutrement　any　more　than　if　it
  were　a　cuirass；〃　cried　Agathe's　son。
  〃What　does　he　mean？〃　said　Madame　Hochon。
  〃He　says　it　is　not　playing　fair；〃　answered　Hochon。
  〃Then　we　will　say　no　more　about　it；〃　said　the　old　lady；　〃I　shall　pray
  for　you。〃
  〃Well；　madame；　prayerand　a　good　pointcan　do　no　harm；〃　said
  Philippe；　making　a　thrust　as　if　to　pierce　Monsieur　Hochon's　heart。
  The　old　lady　kissed　the　colonel　on　his　forehead。　As　she　left　the
  house；　she　gave　thirty　francsall　the　money　she　possessedto
  Benjamin；　requesting　him　to　sew　the　relic　into　the　pocket　of　his
  master's　trousers。　Benjamin　did　so；not　that　he　believed　in　the
  virtue　of　the　tooth；　for　he　said　his　master　had　a　much　better　talisman
  than　that　against　Gilet；　but　because　his　conscience　constrained　him　to
  fulfil　a　commission　for　which　he　had　been　so　liberally　paid。　Madame
  Hochon　went　home　full　of　confidence　in　Saint　Solange。
  At　eight　o'clock　the　next　morning；　December　third；　the　weather　being
  cloudy；　Max；　accompanied　by　his　seconds　and　the　Pole；　arrived　on　the
  little　meadow　which　then　surrounded　the　apse　of　the　church　of　the
  Capuchins。　There　he　found　Philippe　and　his　seconds；　with　Benjamin；
  waiting　for　him。　Potel　and　Mignonnet　paced　off　twenty…four　feet；　at
  each　extremity；　the　two　attendants　drew　a　line　on　the　earth　with　a
  spade：　the　combatants　were　not　allowed　to　retreat　beyond　that　line；　on
  pain　of　being　thought　cowardly。　Each　was　to　stand　at　his　own　line；　and
  advance　as　he　pleased　when　the　seconds　gave　the　word。
  〃Do　we　take　off　our　coats？〃　said　Philippe　to　his　adversary　coldly。
  〃Of　course；〃　answered　Maxence；　with　the　assumption　of　a　bully。
  They　did　so；　the　rosy　tints　of　their　skin　appearing　through　the
  cambric　of　their　shirts。　Each；　armed　with　a　cavalry　sabre　selected　of
  equal　weight；　about　three　pounds；　and　equal　length；　three　feet；　placed
  himself　at　his　own　line；　the　point　of　his　weapon　on　the　ground；
  awaiting　the　signal。　Both　were　so　calm　that；　in　spite　of　the　cold；
  their　muscles　quivered　no　more　than　if　they　had　been　made　of　iron。
  Goddet；　the　four　seconds；　and　the　two　soldiers　felt　an　involuntary
  admiration。
  〃They　are　a　proud　pair！〃
  The　exclamation　came　from　Potel。
  Just　as　the　signal　was　given；　Max　caught　sight　of　Fario's　sinister
  face　looking　at　them　through　the　hole　which　the　Knights　of　Idleness
  had　made　for　the　pigeons　in　the　roof　of　the　church。　Those　eyes；　which
  sent　forth　streams　of　fire；　hatred；　and　revenge；　dazzled　Max　for　a
  moment。　The　colonel　went　straight　to　his　adversary；　and　put　himself　on
  guard　in　a　way　that　gained　him　an　advantage。　Experts　in　the　art　of
  killing；　know　that；　of　two　antagonists；　the　ablest　takes　the　〃inside
  of　the　pavement；〃to　use　an　expression　which　gives　the　reader　a
  tangible　idea　of　the　effect　of　a　good　guard。　That　pose；　which　is　in
  some　degree　observant；　marks　so　plainly　a　duellist　of　the　firs