AtthetimewhenMadameBridaureturnedtoIssouduntosave——asMaitreDesrochesexpressedit——aninheritancethatwasseriouslythreatened，Jean-JacquesRougethadreachedbydegreesaconditionthatwassemi-
　　vegetative。Inthefirstplace，afterMax’sinstalment，Floreputthetableonanepiscopalfooting。Rouget，throwninthewayofgoodliving，atemoreandstillmore，enticedbytheVedie’sexcellentdishes。Hegrewnofatter，however，inspiteofthisabundantandluxuriousnourishment。Fromdaytodayheweakenedlikeaworn-outman，——fatigued，perhaps，withtheeffortofdigestion，——andhiseyeshaddarkcirclesaroundthem。Still，whenhisfriendsandneighborsmethiminhiswalksandquestionedhimabouthishealth，healwaysansweredthathewasneverbetterinhislife。Ashehadalwaysbeenthoughtextremelydeficientinmind，peopledidnotnoticetheconstantloweringofhisfaculties。HisloveforFlorewastheonethingthatkepthimalive；infact，heexistedonlyforher，andhisweaknessinherpresencewasunbounded；heobeyedthecreature’smerelook，andwatchedhermovementsasadogwatcheseverygestureofhismaster。Inshort，asMadameHochonremarked，atfifty-sevenyearsofageheseemedolderthanMonsieurHochon，anoctogenarian。
　　Everyonewillsuppose，andwithreason，thatMax’sappartementwasworthyofsocharmingafellow。Infact，inthecourseofsixyearsourcaptainhadbydegreesperfectedthecomfortofhisabodeandadornedeverydetailofit，asmuchforhisownpleasureasforFlore’s。Butitwas，afterall，onlythecomfortandluxuryofIssoudun，——coloredtiles，ratherelegantwallpapers，mahoganyfurniture，mirrorsingiltframes，muslincurtainswithredborders，abedwithacanopy，anddraperiesarrangedastheprovincialupholsterersarrangethemforarichbride；whichintheeyesofIssoudunseemedtheheightofluxury，butaresocommoninvulgarfashion-platesthateventhepettyshopkeepersinParishavediscardedthemattheirweddings。Oneveryunusualthingappeared，whichcausedmuchtalkinIssoudun，namely，arush-mattingonthestairs，nodoubttomufflethesoundoffeet。Infact，thoughMaxwasinthehabitofcominginatdaybreak，heneverwokeanyone，andRougetwasfarfromsuspectingthathisguestwasanaccompliceinthenocturnalperformancesoftheKnightsofIdleness。
　　Abouteighto’clockthenextmorning，Flore，wearingadressing-gownofsomeprettycottonstuffwithnarrowpinkstripes，alacecaponherhead，andherfeetinfurredslippers，softlyopenedthedoorofMax’schamber；seeingthatheslept，sheremainedstandingbesidethebed。
　　“Hecameinsolate！“shesaidtoherself。“Itwashalf-pastthree。Hemusthaveagoodconstitutiontostandsuchamusements。Isn’thestrong，thedearlove！Iwonderwhattheydidlastnight。“
　　“Oh，thereyouare，mylittleFlore！“saidMax，wakinglikeasoldiertrainedbythenecessitiesofwartohavehiswitsandhisself-
　　possessionabouthimtheinstantthathewaked，howeversuddenlyitmighthappen。
　　“Youaresleepy；I’llgoaway。“
　　“No，stay；there’ssomethingseriousgoingon。“
　　“Wereyouuptosomemischieflastnight？“
　　“Ah，bah！Itconcernsyouandmeandthatoldfool。Younevertoldmehehadafamily！Well，hisfamilyarecoming，——cominghere，——nodoubttoturnusout，neckandcrop。“
　　“Ah！I’llshakehimwell，“saidFlore。
　　“MademoiselleBrazier，“saidMaxgravely，“thingsaretooseriousforgiddiness。Sendmemycoffee；I’lltakeitinbed，whereI’llthinkoverwhatwehadbetterdo。Comebackatnineo’clock，andwe’lltalkaboutit。Meanwhile，behaveasifyouhadheardnothing。“
　　Frightenedatthenews，FloreleftMaxandwenttomakehiscoffee；
　　butaquarterofanhourlater，BaruchburstintoMax’sbedroom，cryingouttothegrandmaster，——
　　“Farioishuntingforhisbarrow！“
　　InfiveminutesMaxwasdressedandinthestreet，andthoughhesaunteredalongwithapparentindifference，hesoonreachedthefootofthetowerembankment，wherehefoundquiteacollectionofpeople。
　　“Whatisit？“askedMax，makinghiswaythroughthecrowdandreachingtheSpaniard。
　　Fariowasawitheredlittleman，asuglyasthoughhewereablue-
　　bloodedgrandee。Hisfieryeyes，placedveryclosetohisnoseandpiercingasagimlet，wouldhavewonhimthenameofasorcererinNaples。Heseemedgentlebecausehewascalm，quiet，andslowinhismovements；andforthisreasonpeoplecommonlycalledhim“goodmanFario。“Buthisskin——thecolorofgingerbread——andhissoftnessofmanneronlyhidfromstupideyes，anddisclosedtoobservingones，thehalf-MoorishnatureofapeasantofGranada，whichnothinghadasyetrousedfromitsphlegmaticindolence。
　　“Areyousure，“Maxsaidtohim，afterlisteningtohisgrievance，“thatyoubroughtyourcarttothisplace？for，thankGod，therearenothievesinIssoudun。“
　　“Ileftitjustthere——“
　　“Ifthehorsewasharnessedtoit，hasn’thedrawnitsomewhere。“
　　“Here’sthehorse，“saidFario，pointingtotheanimal，whichstoodharnessedthirtyfeetaway。
　　Maxwentgravelyuptotheplacewherethehorsestood，becausefromtherethebottomofthetoweratthetopoftheembankmentcouldbeseen，——thecrowdbeingatthefootofthemound。EverybodyfollowedMax，andthatwaswhatthescoundrelwanted。
　　“Hasanybodythoughtlesslyputacartinhispocket？“criedFrancois。
　　“Turnoutyourpockets，allofyou！“saidBaruch。
　　Shoutsoflaughterresoundedonallsides。Farioswore。Oaths，withaSpaniard，denotethehighestpitchofanger。
　　“Wasyourcartlight？“askedMax。
　　“Light！“criedFario。“Ifthosewholaughatmehaditontheirfeet，theircornswouldneverhurtthemagain。“
　　“Well，itmustbedevilishlylight，“answeredMax，“forlookthere！“
　　pointingtothefootofthetower；“ithasflownuptheembankment。“
　　Atthesewordsalleyeswereliftedtothespot，andforamomenttherewasaperfectuproarinthemarket-place。Eachmanpointedatthebarrowbewitched，andalltheirtongueswagged。
　　“Thedevilmakescommoncausewiththeinn-keepers，“saidGoddettotheastonishedSpaniard。“Hemeanstoteachyounottoleaveyourcartaboutinthestreets，buttoputitinthetavernstables。“
　　Atthisspeechthecrowdhooted，forFariowasthoughttobeamiser。
　　“Come，mygoodfellow，“saidMax，“don’tloseheart。We’llgouptothetowerandseehowyourbarrowgotthere。Thunderandcannon！we’lllendyouahand！Comealong，Baruch。“
　　“Asforyou，“hewhisperedtoFrancois，“getthepeopletostandback，andmakesurethereisnobodyatthefootoftheembankmentwhenyouseeusatthetop。“
　　Fario，Max，Baruch，andthreeotherknightsclimbedtothefootofthetower。DuringtheratherperilousascentMaxandFarionoticedthatnodamagetotheembankment，noreventraceofthepassageofthebarrow，couldbeseen。Fariobegantoimaginewitchcraft，andlosthishead。
　　Whentheyreachedthetopandexaminedintothematter，itreallyseemedathingimpossiblethatthecarthadgotthere。
　　“HowshallIevergetitdown？“saidtheSpaniard，whoselittleeyesbeganforthefirsttimetoshowfear；whilehisswarthyyellowface，whichseemedasitifcouldneverchangecolor，whitened。
　　“How？“saidMax。“Why，that’snotdifficult。“
　　AndtakingadvantageoftheSpaniard’sstupefaction，heraisedthebarrowbytheshaftswithhisrobustarmsandpreparedtoflingitdown，callinginthunderingtonesasitlefthisgrasp，“Lookoutthere，below！“
　　Noaccidenthappened，forthecrowd，persuadedbyFrancoisandeatenupwithcuriosity，hadretiredtoadistancefromwhichtheycouldseemoreclearlywhatwentonatthetopoftheembankment。Thecartwasdashedtoaninfinitenumberofpiecesinaverypicturesquemanner。
　　“There！youhavegotitdown，“saidBaruch。
　　“Ah，brigands！ah，scoundrels！“criedFario；“perhapsitwasyouwhobroughtituphere！“
　　Max，Baruch，andtheirthreecomradesbegantolaughattheSpaniard’srage。
　　“Iwantedtodoyouaservice，“saidMaxcoolly，“andinhandlingthedamnedthingIcameverynearflingingmyselfafterit；andthisishowyouthankme，isit？Whatcountrydoyoucomefrom？“
　　“Icomefromacountrywheretheyneverforgive，“repliedFario，tremblingwithrage。“Mycartwillbethecabinwhichyoushalldrivetothedevil！——unless，“hesaid，suddenlybecomingasmeekasalamb，“youwillgivemeanewone。“
　　“Wewilltalkaboutthat，“saidMax，beginningtodescend。
　　Whentheyreachedthebottomandmetthefirsthilariousgroup，MaxtookFariobythebuttonofhisjacketandsaidtohim，——
　　“Yes，mygoodFario，I’llgiveyouamagnificentcart，ifyouwillgivemetwohundredandfiftyfrancs；butIwon’twarrantittogo，likethisone，upatower。“
　　AtthislastjestFariobecameascoolasthoughheweremakingabargain。
　　“Damnit！“hesaid，“givemethewherewithaltoreplacemybarrow，anditwillbethebestuseyouevermadeofoldRouget’smoney。“
　　Maxturnedlivid；heraisedhisformidablefisttostrikeFario；butBaruch，whoknewthattheblowwoulddescendonothersbesidestheSpaniard，pluckedthelatterawaylikeafeatherandwhisperedtoMax，——
　　“Don’tcommitsuchafolly！“
　　Thegrandmaster，thuscalledtoorder，begantolaughandsaidtoFario，——
　　“IfI，byaccident，brokeyourbarrow，andyouinreturntrytoslanderme，wearequits。“
　　“Notyet，“mutteredFario。“ButIamgladtoknowwhatmybarrowwasworth。“
　　“Ah，Max，you’vefoundyourmatch！“saidaspectatorofthescene，whodidnotbelongtotheOrderofIdleness。
　　“Adieu，MonsieurGilet。Ihaven’tthankedyouyetforlendingmeahand，“criedtheSpaniard，ashekickedthesidesofhishorseanddisappearedamidloudhurrahs。