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After writing to her godmother to announce their arrival； Agathe and
Joseph started the next evening for their trip to Issoudun； leaving
Philippe to his fate。 The diligence rolled through the rue d'Enfer
toward the Orleans highroad。 When Agathe saw the Luxembourg； to which
Philippe had been transferred； she could not refrain from saying；
〃If it were not for the Allies he would never be there！〃
Many sons would have made an impatient gesture and smiled with pity；
but the artist； who was alone with his mother in the coupe； caught her
in his arms and pressed her to his heart； exclaiming：
〃Oh； mother！ you are a mother just as Raphael was a painter。 And you
will always be a fool of a mother！〃
Madame Bridau's mind； diverted before long from her griefs by the
distractions of the journey； began to dwell on the purpose of it。 She
re…read the letter of Madame Hochon； which had so stirred up the
lawyer Desroches。 Struck with the words 〃concubine〃 and 〃slut；〃 which
the pen of a septuagenarian as pious as she was respectable had used
to designate the woman now in process of getting hold of Jean…Jacques
Rouget's property； struck also with the word 〃imbecile〃 applied to
Rouget himself； she began to ask herself how； by her presence at
Issoudun； she was to save the inheritance。 Joseph； poor disinterested
artist that he was； knew little enough about the Code； and his
mother's last remark absorbed his mind。
〃Before our friend Desroches sent us off to protect our rights； he
ought to have explained to us the means of doing so；〃 he exclaimed。
〃So far as my poor head； which whirls at the thought of Philippe in
prison；without tobacco； perhaps； and about to appear before the
Court of Peers！leaves me any distinct memory；〃 returned Agathe； 〃I
think young Desroches said we were to get evidence of undue influence；
in case my brother has made a will in favor of thatthatwoman。〃
〃He is good at that； Desroches is；〃 cried the painter。 〃Bah！ if we can
make nothing of it I'll get him to come himself。〃
〃Well； don't let us trouble our heads uselessly；〃 said Agathe。 〃When
we get to Issoudun my godmother will tell us what to do。〃
This conversation； which took place just after Madame Bridau and
Joseph changed coaches at Orleans and entered the Sologne； is
sufficient proof of the incapacity of the painter and his mother to
play the part the inexorable Desroches had assigned to them。
In returning to Issoudun after thirty years' absence； Agathe was about
to find such changes in its manners and customs that it is necessary
to sketch； in a few words； a picture of that town。 Without it； the
reader would scarcely understand the heroism displayed by Madame
Hochon in assisting her goddaughter； or the strange situation of Jean…
Jacques Rouget。 Though Doctor Rouget had taught his son to regard
Agathe in the light of a stranger； it was certainly a somewhat
extraordinary thing that for thirty years a brother should have given
no signs of life to a sister。 Such a silence was evidently caused by
peculiar circumstances； and any other sister and nephew than Agathe
and Joseph would long ago have inquired into them。 There is； moreover；
a certain connection between the condition of the city of Issoudun and
the interests of the Bridau family； which can only be seen as the
story goes on。
CHAPTER VII
Issoudun； be it said without offence to Paris； is one of the oldest
cities in France。 In spite of the historical assumption which makes
the emperor Probus the Noah of the Gauls； Caesar speaks of the
excellent wine of Champ…Fort （〃de Campo Forti〃） still one of the best
vintages of Issoudun。 Rigord writes of this city in language which
leaves no doubt as to its great population and its immense commerce。
But these testimonies both assign a much lesser age to the city than
its ancient antiquity demands。 In fact； the excavations lately
undertaken by a learned archaeologist of the place； Monsieur Armand
Peremet； have brought to light； under the celebrated tower of
Issoudun； a basilica of the fifth century； probably the only one in
France。 This church preserves； in its very materials； the sign…manual
of an anterior civilization； for its stones came from a Roman temple
which stood on the same site。
Issoudun； therefore； according to the researches of this antiquary；
like other cities of France whose ancient or modern autonym ends in
〃Dun〃 （〃dunum〃） bears in its very name the certificate of an
autochthonous existence。 The word 〃Dun；〃 the appanage of all dignity
consecrated by Druidical worship； proves a religious and military
settlement of the Celts。 Beneath the Dun of the Gauls must have lain
the Roman temple to Isis。 From that comes； according to Chaumon； the
name of the city； Issous…Dun；〃Is〃 being the abbreviation of 〃Isis。〃
Richard Coeur…de…lion undoubtedly built the famous tower （in which he
coined money） above the basilica of the fifth century；the third
monument of the third religion of this ancient town。 He used the
church as a necessary foundation； or stay； for the raising of the
rampart； and he preserved it by covering it with feudal fortifications
as with a mantle。 Issoudun was at that time the seat of the ephemeral
power of the Routiers and the Cottereaux； adventurers and free…
lancers； whom Henry II。 sent against his son Richard； at the time of
his rebellion as Comte de Poitou。
The history of Aquitaine； which was not written by the Benedictines；
will probably never be written； because there are no longer
Benedictines： thus we are not able to light up these archaeological
tenebrae in the history of our manners and customs on every occasion
of their appearance。 There is another testimony to the ancient
importance of Issoudun in the conversion into a canal of the
Tournemine； a little stream raised several feet above the level of the
Theols which surrounds the town。 This is undoubtedly the work of Roman
genius。 Moreover； the suburb which extends from the castle in a
northerly direction is intersected by a street which for more than two
thousand years has borne the name of the rue de Rome； and the
inhabitants of this suburb； whose racial characteristics； blood； and
physiognomy have a special stamp of their own； call themselves
descendants of the Romans。 They are nearly all vine…growers； and
display a remarkable inflexibility of manners and customs； due；
undoubtedly； to their origin；perhaps also to their victory over the
Cottereaux and the Routiers； whom they exterminated on the plain of
Charost in the twelfth century。
After the insurrection of 1830； France was too agitated to pay much
attention to the rising of the vine…growers of Issoudun； a terrible
affair； the facts of which have never been made public；for good
reasons。 In the first place； the bourgeois of Issoudun refused to
allow the military to enter the town。 They followed the use and wont
of the bourgeoisie of the Middle Ages and declared themselves
respon