In1816，thesemodernBadBoyshadnotaltogethergivenupsuchtricksasthese，perpetratedintheprovincesbyallyoungladsandgamins。
　　Butin1817theOrderofIdlenessacquiredaGrandMaster，anddistinguisheditselfbymischiefwhich，upto1823，spreadsomethingliketerrorinIssoudun，oratleastkepttheartisansandthebourgeoisieperpetuallyuneasy。
　　ThisleaderwasacertainMaxenceGilet，commonlycalledMax，whoseantecedents，nolessthanhisyouthandhisvigor，predestinedhimforsuchapart。MaxenceGiletwassupposedbyallIssouduntobethenaturalsonofthesub-delegateLousteau，thatbrotherofMadameHochonwhosegallantrieshadleftmemoriesbehindthem，andwho，aswehaveseen，drewdownuponhimselfthehatredofoldDoctorRougetaboutthetimeofAgathe’sbirth。Butthefriendshipwhichboundthetwomentogetherbeforetheirquarrelwassoclosethat，touseanexpressionofthatregionandthatperiod，“theywillinglywalkedthesameroad。“SomepeoplesaidthatMaxencewasaslikelytobethesonofthedoctorasofthesub-delegate；butinfacthebelongedtoneithertheonenortheother，——hisfatherbeingacharmingdragoonofficeringarrisonatBourges。Nevertheless，asaresultoftheirenmity，andveryfortunatelyforthechild，RougetandLousteauneverceasedtoclaimhispaternity。
　　Max’smother，thewifeofapoorsabot-makerintheRomesuburb，waspossessed，fortheperditionofhersoul，ofasurprisingbeauty，aTrasteverinebeauty，theonlypropertywhichshetransmittedtoherson。MadameGilet，pregnantwithMaxencein1788，hadlongdesiredthatblessing，whichthetownattributedtothegallantriesofthetwofriends，——probablyinthehopeofsettingthemagainsteachother。
　　Gilet，anolddrunkardwithatriplethroat，treatedhiswife’smisconductwithacollusionthatisnotuncommonamongthelowerclasses。Tomakesureofprotectorsforherson，MadameGiletwascarefulnottoenlightenhisreputedfathersastohisparentage。InParis，shewouldhaveturnedoutamillionaire；atIssoudunshelivedsometimesatherease，moreoftenmiserably，and，inthelongrun，despised。MadameHochon，Lousteau’ssister，paidsixtyfrancsayearforthelad’sschooling。Thisliberality，whichMadameHochonwasquiteunabletopractiseonherownaccountbecauseofherhusband’sstinginess，wasnaturallyattributedtoherbrother，thenlivingatSancerre。
　　WhenDoctorRouget，whocertainlywasnotluckyinsons，observedMax’sbeauty，hepaidtheboardofthe“youngrogue，“ashecalledhim，attheseminary，uptotheyear1805。AsLousteaudiedin1800，andthedoctorapparentlyobeyedafeelingofvanityinpayingthelad’sboarduntil1805，thequestionofthepaternitywasleftforeverundecided。MaxenceGilet，thebuttofmanyjests，wassoonforgotten，——andforthisreason:In1806，ayearafterDoctorRouget’sdeath，thelad，whoseemedtohavebeencreatedforaventuresomelife，andwasmoreovergiftedwithremarkablevigorandagility，gotintoaseriesofscrapeswhichmoreorlessthreatenedhissafety。HeplottedwiththegrandsonsofMonsieurHochontoworrythegrocersofthecity；hegatheredfruitbeforetheownerscouldpickit，andmadenothingofscalingwalls。Hehadnoequalatbodilyexercises，heplayedbasetoperfection，andcouldhaveoutrunahare。WithakeeneyeworthyofLeather-stocking，helovedhuntingpassionately。Histimewaspassedinfiringatamark，insteadofstudying；andhespentthemoneyextractedfromtheolddoctorinbuyingpowderandballforawretchedpistolthatoldGilet，thesabot-maker，hadgivenhim。
　　Duringtheautumnof1806，Maxence，thenseventeen，committedaninvoluntarymurder，byfrighteningintheduskayoungwomanwhowaspregnant，andwhocameuponhimsuddenlywhilestealingfruitinhergarden。ThreatenedwiththeguillotinebyGilet，whodoubtlesswantedtogetridofhim，MaxfledtoBourges，metaregimentthenonitswaytoEgypt，andenlisted。Nothingcameofthedeathoftheyoungwoman。
　　AyoungfellowofMax’scharacterwassuretodistinguishhimself，andinthecourseofthreecampaignshediddistinguishhimselfsohighlythatherosetobeacaptain，hislackofeducationhelpinghimstrenuously。InPortugal，in1809，hewasleftfordeadinanEnglishbattery，intowhichhiscompanyhadpenetratedwithoutbeingabletoholdit。Max，takenprisonerbytheEnglish，wassenttotheSpanishhulksattheislandofCabrera，themosthorribleofallstationsforprisonersofwar。HisfriendsbeggedthathemightreceivethecrossoftheLegionofhonorandtherankofmajor；buttheEmperorwastheninAustria，andhereservedhisfavorsforthosewhodidbrilliantdeedsunderhisowneye:hedidnotlikeofficersormenwhoallowedthemselvestobetakenprisoner，andhewas，moreover，muchdissatisfiedwitheventsinPortugal。MaxwasheldatCabrerafrom1810to1814。[1]Duringthoseyearshebecameutterlydemoralized，forthehulkswerelikegalleys，minuscrimeandinfamy。Attheoutset，tomaintainhispersonalfreewill，andprotecthimselfagainstthecorruptionwhichmadethathorribleprisonunworthyofacivilizedpeople，thehandsomeyoungcaptainkilledinaduelforduelswerefoughtonthosehulksinaspacescarcelysixfeetsquaresevenbulliesamonghisfellow-prisoners，thusriddingtheislandoftheirtyrannytothegreatjoyoftheothervictims。Afterthis，Maxreignedsupremeinhishulk，thankstothewonderfuleaseandaddresswithwhichhehandledweapons，tohisbodilystrength，andalsotohisextremecleverness。
　　[1]ThecrueltyoftheSpaniardstotheFrenchprisonersatCabrerawasverygreat。Inthespringof1811，H。M。brig“Minorca，“
　　CaptainWormeley，wassentbyAdmiralSirCharlesCotton，thencommandingtheMediterraneanfleet，tomakeareportoftheircondition。Asshenearedtheisland，thewretchedprisonersswamouttomeether。Theywerereducedtoskinandbone；manyofthemwerenaked；andtheirmiserableconditionsomovedtheseamenofthe“Minorca“thattheycameafttothequarter-deck，andaskedpermissiontosubscribethreedays’rationsforthereliefofthesufferers。CaptainWormeleycarriedawaysomeoftheprisoners，andhisreporttoSirCharlesCotton，beingsenttotheAdmiralty，wasmadethebasisofaremonstranceonthepartoftheBritishgovernmentwithSpainonthesubjectofitscruelties。SirCharlesCottondespatchedCaptainWormeleyasecondtimetoCabrerawithagoodmanyheadoflivecattleandalargesupplyofotherprovisions——Tr。
　　Buthe，inturn，committedarbitraryacts；therewerethosewhocurriedfavorwithhim，andworkedhiswill，andbecamehisminions。
　　Inthatschoolofmisery，wherebittermindsdreamedonlyofvengeance，wherethesophistrieshatchedinsuchbrainswerelayingup，inevitably，astoreofevilthoughts，Maxbecameutterlydemoralized。Helistenedtotheopinionsofthosewholongedforfortuneatanyprice，anddidnotshrinkfromtheresultsofcriminalactions，providedtheyweredonewithoutdiscovery。Whenpeacewasproclaimed，inApril，1814，helefttheisland，depravedthoughstillinnocent。OnhisreturntoIssoudunhefoundhisfatherandmotherdead。Likeotherswhogivewaytotheirpassionsandmakelife，astheycallit，shortandsweet，theGiletshaddiedinthealmshouseintheutmostpoverty。Immediatelyafterhisreturn，thenewsofNapoleon’slandingatCannesspreadthroughFrance；MaxcoulddonobetterthangotoParisandaskforhisrankasmajorandforhiscross。ThemarshalwhowasatthattimeministerofwarrememberedthebraveconductofCaptainGiletinPortugal。HeputhimintheGuardascaptain，whichgavehimthegradeofmajorintheinfantry；buthecouldnotgethimthecross。“TheEmperorsaysthatyouwillknowhowtowinitatthefirstchance，“saidthemarshal。Infact，theEmperordidputthebravecaptainonhislistfordecorationtheeveningafterthefightatFleurus，whereGiletdistinguishedhimself。
　　AfterthebattleofWaterlooMaxretreatedtotheLoire。Atthetimeofthedisbandment，MarshalFeltrerefusedtorecognizeMax’sgradeasmajor，orhisclaimtothecross。ThesoldierofNapoleonreturnedtoIssouduninastateofexasperationthatmaywellbeconceived；hedeclaredthathewouldnotservewithouteitherrankorcross。Thewar-officeconsideredtheseconditionspresumptuousinayoungmanoftwenty-fivewithoutaname，whomight，iftheyweregranted，becomeacolonelatthirty。Maxaccordinglysentinhisresignation。Themajor——foramongthemselvesBonapartistsrecognizedthegradesobtainedin1815——thuslostthepittancecalledhalf-paywhichwasallowedtotheofficersofthearmyoftheLoire。ButallIssoudunwasrousedatthesightofthebraveyoungfellowleftwithonlytwentynapoleonsinhispossession；andthemayorgavehimaplaceinhisofficewithasalaryofsixhundredfrancs。Maxkeptitafewmonths，thengaveitupofhisownaccord，andwasreplacedbyacaptainnamedCarpentier，who，likehimself，hadremainedfaithfultoNapoleon。
　　BythistimeGilethadbecomegrandmasteroftheKnightsofIdleness，andwasleadingalifewhichlosthimthegood-willofthechiefpeopleofthetown；who，however，didnotopenlymakethefactknowntohim，forhewasviolentandmuchfearedbyall，evenbytheofficersoftheoldarmywho，likehimself，hadrefusedtoserveundertheBourbons，andhadcomehometoplanttheircabbagesinBerry。ThelittleaffectionfeltfortheBourbonsamongthenativesofIssoudunisnotsurprisingwhenwerecallthehistorywhichwehavejustgiven。
　　Infact，consideringitssizeandlackofimportance，thelittleplacecontainedmoreBonapartiststhananyothertowninFrance。Thesemenbecame，asiswellknown，nearlyallLiberals。
　　InIssoudunanditsneighborhoodtherewereadozenofficersinMax’sposition。Thesemenadmiredhimandmadehimtheirleader，——withtheexception，however，ofCarpentier，hissuccessor，andacertainMonsieurMignonnet，ex-captainintheartilleryoftheGuard。
　　Carpentier，acavalryofficerrisenfromtheranks，hadmarriedintooneofthebestfamiliesinthetown，——theBorniche-Herau。Mignonnet，broughtupattheEcolePolytechnique，hadservedinacorpswhichhelditselfsuperiortoallothers。IntheImperialarmiesthereweretwoshadesofdistinctionamongthesoldiersthemselves。Amajorityofthemfeltacontemptforthebourgeois，the“civilian，“fullyequaltothecontemptofnoblesfortheirserfs，orconquerorsfortheconquered。Suchmendidnotalwaysobservethelawsofhonorintheirdealingswithcivilians；nordidtheymuchblamethosewhoroderough-
　　shodoverthebourgeoisie。Theothers，andparticularlytheartillery，perhapsbecauseofitsrepublicanism，neveradoptedthedoctrineofamilitaryFranceandacivilFrance，thetendencyofwhichwasnothinglessthantomaketwonations。So，althoughMajorPotelandCaptainRenard，twoofficerslivingintheRomesuburb，werefriendstoMaxenceGilet“throughthickandthin，“MajorMignonnetandCaptainCarpentiertooksideswiththebourgeoisie，andthoughthisconductunworthyofamanofhonor。
　　MajorMignonnet，aleanlittleman，fullofdignity，busiedhimselfwiththeproblemswhichthesteam-enginerequiresustosolve，andlivedinamodestway，takinghissocialintercoursewithMonsieurandMadameCarpentier。Hisgentlemannersandways，andhisscientificoccupationswonhimtherespectofthewholetown；anditwasfrequentlysaidofhimandofCaptainCarpentierthattheywere“quiteanotherthing“fromMajorPotelandCaptainRenard，Maxence，andotherfrequentersofthecafeMilitaire，whoretainedthesoldierlymannersandthedefectivemoralsoftheEmpire。