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man。
〃There it is；〃 said Joseph； giving it to him； 〃as to me； I want to be
off to…morrow； and I am now going to say good…by to my uncle。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Monsieur Hochon； 〃I see that Monsieur Desroches tells you
in a postscript to burn the letter。〃
〃You can burn it after showing it to my mother；〃 said the painter。
Joseph dressed； crossed the little square； and called on his uncle；
who was just finishing breakfast。 Max and Flore were at table。
〃Don't disturb yourself； my dear uncle； I have only come to say good…
by。〃
〃You are going？〃 said Max； exchanging glances with Flore。
〃Yes； I have some work to do at the chateau of Monsieur de Serizy； and
I am all the more glad of it because his arm is long enough to do a
service to my poor brother in the Chamber of Peers。〃
〃Well； well； go and work〃； said old Rouget； with a silly air。 Joseph
thought him extraordinarily changed within a few days。 〃Men must work
I am sorry you are going。〃
〃Oh！ my mother will be here some time longer；〃 remarked Joseph。
Max made a movement with his lips which the Rabouilleuse observed； and
which signified： 〃They are going to try the plan Baruch warned me of。〃
〃I am very glad I came；〃 said Joseph； 〃for I have had the pleasure of
making your acquaintance and you have enriched my studio〃
〃Yes；〃 said Flore； 〃instead of enlightening your uncle on the value of
his pictures； which is now estimated at over one hundred thousand
francs； you have packed them off in a hurry to Paris。 Poor dear man！
he is no better than a baby！ We have just been told of a little
treasure at Bourges；what did they call it？ a Poussin；which was in
the choir of the cathedral before the Revolution and is now worth； all
by itself； thirty thousand francs。〃
〃That was not right of you； my nephew；〃 said Jean…Jacques； at a sign
from Max； which Joseph could not see。
〃Come now； frankly；〃 said the soldier； laughing； 〃on your honor； what
should you say those pictures were worth？ You've made an easy haul out
of your uncle！ and right enough； too；uncles are made to be pillaged。
Nature deprived me of uncles； but damn it； if I'd had any I should
have shown them no mercy。〃
〃Did you know； monsieur；〃 said Flore to Rouget； 〃what YOUR pictures
were worth？ How much did you say； Monsieur Joseph？〃
〃Well；〃 answered the painter； who had grown as red as a beetroot；
〃the pictures are certainly worth something。〃
〃They say you estimated them to Monsieur Hochon at one hundred and
fifty thousand francs；〃 said Flore； 〃is that true？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the painter； with childlike honesty。
〃And did you intend；〃 said Flore to the old man； 〃to give a hundred
and fifty thousand francs to your nephew？〃
〃Never； never！〃 cried Jean…Jacques； on whom Flore had fixed her eye。
〃There is one way to settle all this；〃 said the painter； 〃and that is
to return them to you； uncle。〃
〃No； no； keep them；〃 said the old man。
〃I shall send them back to you；〃 said Joseph； wounded by the offensive
silence of Max and Flore。 〃There is something in my brushes which will
make my fortune； without owing anything to any one； even an uncle。 My
respects to you； mademoiselle； good…day； monsieur〃
And Joseph crossed the square in a state of irritation which artists
can imagine。 The entire Hochon family were in the salon。 When they saw
Joseph gesticulating and talking to himself； they asked him what was
the matter。 The painter； who was as open as the day； related before
Baruch and Francois the scene that had just taken place； and which；
two hours later； thanks to the two young men； was the talk of the
whole town； embroidered with various circumstances that were more or
less ridiculous。 Some persons insisted that the painter was maltreated
by Max； others that he had misbehaved to Flore； and that Max had
turned him out of doors。
〃What a child your son is！〃 said Hochon to Madame Bridau； 〃the booby
is the dupe of a scene which they have been keeping back for the last
day of his visit。 Max and the Rabouilleuse have known the value of
those pictures for the last two weeks；ever since he had the folly to
tell it before my grandsons； who never rested till they had blurted it
out to all the world。 Your artist had better have taken himself off
without taking leave。〃
〃My son has done right to return the pictures if they are really so
valuable；〃 said Agathe。
〃If they are worth； as he says； two hundred thousand francs；〃 said old
Hochon； 〃it was folly to put himself in the way of being obliged to
return them。 You might have had that； at least； out of the property；
whereas； as things are going now； you won't get anything。 And this
scene with Joseph is almost a reason why your brother should refuse to
see you again。〃
CHAPTER XIII
Between midnight and one o'clock； the Knights of Idleness began their
gratuitous distribution of comestibles to the dogs of the town。 This
memorable expedition was not over till three in the morning； the hour
at which these reprobates went to sup at Cognette's。 At half…past
four； in the early dawn； they crept home。 Just as Max turned the
corner of the rue l'Avenier into the Grande rue； Fario； who stood
ambushed in a recess； struck a knife at his heart； drew out the blade；
and escaped by the moat towards Vilatte； wiping the blade of his knife
on his handkerchief。 The Spaniard washed the handkerchief in the
Riviere forcee； and returned quietly to his lodgings at Saint…Paterne；
where he got in by a window he had left open； and went to bed： later；
he was awakened by his new watchman； who found him fast asleep。
As he fell； Max uttered a fearful cry which no one could mistake。
Lousteau…Prangin； son of a judge； a distant relation to the family of
the sub…delegate； and young Goddet； who lived at the lower end of the
Grande rue； ran at full speed up the street； calling to each other；
〃They are killing Max！ Help！ help！〃
But not a dog barked； and all the town； accustomed to the false alarms
of these nightly prowlers； stayed quietly in their beds。 When his two
comrades reached him； Max had fainted。 It was necessary to rouse
Monsieur Goddet； the surgeon。 Max had recognized Fario； but when he
came to his senses； with several persons about him； and felt that his
wound was not mortal； it suddenly occurred to him to make capital out
of the attack； and he said； in a faint voice；
〃I think I recognized that cursed painter！〃
Thereupon Lousteau…Prangin ran off to his father； the judge。 Max was
carried home by Cognette； young Goddet； and two other persons。 Mere
Cognette and Monsieur Goddet walked beside the stretcher。 Those who
carried the wounded man naturally looked across at Monsieur Hochon's
door while waiting for Kouski to let them in； and saw Monsieur
Hochon's servant sweeping the steps。 At the old miser's； as everywhere
else in the provinces； the household was early astir。 The few words
uttered by Max had roused the su