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〃But that isn't all；〃 said Potel。
Potel belonged to the same class as the officer who replied to the
burgomasters： 〃Eh！ your town will be paid for； if we do burn it！〃 So
he was very little troubled about the deeds of the Order of Idleness。
〃What more？〃 inquired Gilet。
〃The Guard is against the Guard。 It is that that breaks my heart。
Bridau has set all these bourgeois on you。 The Guard against the
Guard！ no； it ought not to be！ You can't back down； Max； you must meet
Bridau。 I had a great mind to pick a quarrel with the low scoundrel
myself and send him to the shades； I wish I had； and then the
bourgeois wouldn't have seen the spectacle of the Guard against the
Guard。 In war times； I don't say anything against it。 Two heroes of
the Guard may quarrel； and fight；but at least there are no civilians
to look on and sneer。 No； I say that big villain never served in the
Guard。 A guardsman would never behave as he does to another guardsman；
under the very eyes of the bourgeois； impossible！ Ah！ it's all wrong；
the Guard is disgracedand here； at Issoudun！ where it was once so
honored。〃
〃Come； Potel； don't worry yourself；〃 answered Max； 〃even if you do not
see me at the banquet〃
〃What！ do you mean that you won't be there the day after to…morrow？〃
cried Potel； interrupting his friend。 〃Do you wish to be called a
coward？ and have it said you are running away from Bridau？ No； no！ The
unmounted grenadiers of the Guard can not draw back before the
dragoons of the Guard。 Arrange your business in some other way and be
there！〃
〃One more to send to the shades！〃 said Max。 〃Well； I think I can
manage my business so as to get thereFor；〃 he thought to himself；
〃that power of attorney ought not to be in my name； as old Heron says；
it would look too much like theft。〃
This lion； tangled in the meshes Philippe Bridau was weaving for him；
muttered between his teeth as he went along； he avoided the looks of
those he met and returned home by the boulevard Vilatte； still talking
to himself。
〃I will have that money before I fight；〃 he said。 〃If I die； it shall
not go to Philippe。 I must put it in Flore's name。 She will follow my
instructions； and go straight to Paris。 Once there； she can marry； if
she chooses； the son of some marshal of France who has been sent to
the right…about。 I'll have that power of attorney made in Baruch's
name； and he'll transfer the property by my order。〃
Max； to do him justice； was never more cool and calm in appearance
than when his blood and his ideas were boiling。 No man ever united in
a higher degree the qualities which make a great general。 If his
career had not been cut short by his captivity at Cabrera； the Emperor
would certainly have found him one of those men who are necessary to
the success of vast enterprises。 When he entered the room where the
hapless victim of all these comic and tragic scenes was still weeping；
Max asked the meaning of such distress； seemed surprised； pretended
that he knew nothing； and heard； with well…acted amazement； of Flore's
departure。 He questioned Kouski； to obtain some light on the object of
this inexplicable journey。
〃Madame said like this；〃 Kouski replied； 〃that I was to tell
monsieur she had taken twenty thousand francs in gold from his drawer；
thinking that monsieur wouldn't refuse her that amount as wages for
the last twenty…two years。〃
〃Wages？〃 exclaimed Rouget。
〃Yes；〃 replied Kouski。 〃Ah！ I shall never come back；〃 she said to
Vedie as she drove away。 〃Poor Vedie； who is so attached to monsieur；
remonstrated with madame。 'No； no；' she answered； 'he has no affection
for me； he lets his nephew treat me like the lowest of the low'； and
she weptoh！ bitterly。〃
〃Eh！ what do I care for Philippe？〃 cried the old man； whom Max was
watching。 〃Where is Flore？ how can we find out where she is？〃
〃Philippe； whose advice you follow； will help you；〃 said Max coldly。
〃Philippe？〃 said the old man； 〃what has he to do with the poor child？
There is no one but you； my good Max； who can find Flore。 She will
follow youyou could bring her back to me〃
〃I don't wish to oppose Monsieur Bridau；〃 observed Max。
〃As for that；〃 cried Rouget； 〃if that hinders you； he told me he meant
to kill you。〃
〃Ah！〃 exclaimed Gilet； laughing； 〃we will see about it！〃
〃My friend；〃 said the old man； 〃find Flore； and I will do all she
wants of me。〃
〃Some one must have seen her as she passed through the town；〃 said
Maxence to Kouski。 〃Serve dinner； put everything on the table； and
then go and make inquiries from place to place。 Let us know； by
dessert； which road Mademoiselle Brazier has taken。〃
This order quieted for a time the poor creature； who was moaning like
a child that has lost its nurse。 At this moment Rouget； who hated Max；
thought his tormentor an angel。 A passion like that of this miserable
old man for Flore is astonishingly like the emotions of childhood。 At
six o'clock； the Pole； who had merely taken a walk； returned to
announce that Flore had driven towards Vatan。
〃Madame is going back to her own people； that's plain；〃 said Kouski。
〃Would you like to go to Vatan to…night？〃 said Max。 〃The road is bad；
but Kouski knows how to drive； and you'll make your peace better to…
night than to…morrow morning。〃
〃Let us go！〃 cried Rouget。
〃Put the horse in quietly；〃 said Max to Kouski； 〃manage； if you can；
that the town shall not know of this nonsense； for Monsieur Rouget's
sake。 Saddle my horse；〃 he added in a whisper。 〃I will ride on ahead
of you。〃
Monsieur Hochon had already notified Philippe of Flore's departure；
and the colonel rose from Monsieur Mignonnet's dinner…table to rush to
the place Saint…Jean； for he at once guessed the meaning of this
clever strategy。 When Philippe presented himself at his uncle's house；
Kouski answered through a window that Monsieur Rouget was unable to
see any one。
〃Fario；〃 said Philippe to the Spaniard； who was stationed in the
Grande…Narette； 〃go and tell Benjamin to mount his horse； it is all…
important that I shall know what Gilet does with my uncle。〃
〃They are now putting the horse into the caleche；〃 said Fario； who had
been watching the Rouget stable。
〃If they go towards Vatan；〃 answered Philippe； 〃get me another horse；
and come yourself with Benjamin to Monsieur Mignonnet's。〃
〃What do you mean to do？〃 asked Monsieur Hochon； who had come out of
his own house when he saw Philippe and Fario standing together。
〃The genius of a general； my dear Monsieur Hochon；〃 said Philippe；
〃consists not only in carefully observing the enemy's movements； but
also in guessing his intentions from those movements； and in modifying
his own plan whenever the enemy interferes with it by some unexpected
action。 Now； if my uncle and Max drive out together； they are going to
Vatan； Maxence will have promised to reconcile him with Flore； who
〃fugit ad salices；〃the manoe