按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Vatan； Maxence will have promised to reconcile him with Flore； who
〃fugit ad salices；〃the manoeuvre is General Virgil's。 If that's the
line they take； I don't yet know what I shall do； I shall have some
hours to think it over； for my uncle can't sign a power of attorney at
ten o'clock at night； the notaries will all be in bed。 If； as I rather
fancy； Max goes on in advance of my uncle to teach Flore her lesson；
which seems necessary and probable；the rogue is lost！ you will see
the sort of revenge we old soldiers take in a game of this kind。 Now；
as I need a helper for this last stroke； I must go back to Mignonnet's
and make an arrangement with my friend Carpentier。〃
Shaking hands with Monsieur Hochon； Philippe went off down the Petite…
Narette to Mignonnet's house。 Ten minutes later； Monsieur Hochon saw
Max ride off at a quick trot； and the old miser's curiosity was so
powerfully excited that he remained standing at his window； eagerly
expecting to hear the wheels of the old demi…fortune； which was not
long in coming。 Jean…Jacques's impatience made him follow Max within
twenty minutes。 Kouski； no doubt under orders from his master； walked
the horse through the town。
〃If they get to Paris； all is lost；〃 thought Monsieur Hochon。
At this moment； a lad from the faubourg de Rome came to the Hochon
house with a letter for Baruch。 The two grandsons； much subdued by the
events of the morning； had kept their rooms of their own accord during
the day。 Thinking over their prospects； they saw plainly that they had
better be cautious with their grandparents。 Baruch knew very well the
influence which his grandfather Hochon exerted over his grandfather
and grandmother Borniche： Monsieur Hochon would not hesitate to get
their property for Adolphine if his conduct were such as to make them
pin their hopes on the grand marriage with which his grandfather had
threatened him that morning。 Being richer than Francois； Baruch had
the most to lose； he therefore counselled an absolute surrender； with
no other condition than the payment of their debt to Max。 As for
Francois； his future was entirely in the hands of his grandfather； he
had no expectations except from him； and by the guardianship account；
he was now his debtor。 The two young men accordingly gave solemn
promises of amendment； prompted by their imperilled interests； and by
the hope Madame Hochon held out； that the debt to Max should be paid。
〃You have done very wrong；〃 she said to them； 〃repair it by future
good conduct； and Monsieur Hochon will forget it。〃
So； when Francois had read the letter which had been brought for
Baruch； over the latter's shoulder； he whispered in his ear； 〃Ask
grandpapa's advice。〃
〃Read this；〃 said Baruch； taking the letter to old Hochon。
〃Read it to me yourself； I haven't my spectacles。〃
My dear Friend；I hope you will not hesitate； under the serious
circumstances in which I find myself； to do me the service of
receiving a power of attorney from Monsieur Rouget。 Be at Vatan
to…morrow morning at nine o'clock。 I shall probably send you to
Paris； but don't be uneasy； I will furnish you with money for the
journey； and join you there immediately。 I am almost sure I shall
be obliged to leave Issoudun； December third。
Adieu。 I count on your friendship； rely on that of your friend；
Maxence
〃God be praised！〃 exclaimed Monsieur Hochon； 〃the property of that old
idiot is saved from the claws of the devil。〃
〃It will be if you say so；〃 said Madame Hochon； 〃and I thank God；who
has no doubt heard my prayers。 The prosperity of the wicked is always
fleeting。〃
〃You must go to Vatan； and accept the power of attorney from Monsieur
Rouget；〃 said the old man to Baruch。 〃Their object is to get fifty
thousand francs a year transferred to Mademoiselle Brazier。 They will
send you to Paris； and you must seem to go； but you are to stop at
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 l