Fariosatdownonthestepsofachapelaltar，holdinghisheadbetweenhishands。AfterhalfanhourofSpanishreflections，hespiedthesquirrel，whichGoddetcouldnotrefrainfromgivinghimasaguest，playingwithitstailuponacross-beam，onthemiddleofwhichrestedoneoftheuprightsthatsupportedtheroof。TheSpaniardroseandturnedtohiswatchmanwithafacethatwasascalmandcoldasanArab’s。Hemadenocomplaint，butwenthome，hiredlaborerstogatherintosackswhatremainedofthesoundgrain，andtospreadinthesunallthatwasmoist，soastosaveasmuchaspossible；then，afterestimatingthathislossesamountedtoaboutthreefifths，heattendedtofillinghisorders。Buthispreviousmanipulationsofthemarkethadraisedthepriceofcereals，andhelostonthethreefifthshewasobligedtobuytofillhisorders；sothathislossesamountedreallytomorethanhalf。TheSpaniard，whohadnoenemies，atonceattributedthisrevengetoGilet。HewasconvincedthatMaxenceandsomeothersweretheauthorsofallthenocturnalmischief，andhadinallprobabilitycarriedhiscartuptheembankmentofthetower，andnowintendedtoamusethemselvesbyruininghim。Itwasamattertohimofoverthreethousandfrancs，——verynearlythewholecapitalhehadscrapedtogethersincethepeace。Drivenbythedesireforvengeance，themannowdisplayedthecunningandstealthypersistenceofadetectivetowhomalargerewardisoffered。HidingatnightindifferentpartsofIssoudun，hesoonacquiredproofoftheproceedingsoftheKnightsofIdleness；hesawthemall，countedthem，watchedtheirrendezvous，andknewoftheirsuppersatMereCognette’s；afterthathelayinwaittowitnessoneoftheirdeeds，andthusbecamewellinformedastotheirnocturnalhabits。
　　InspiteofMax’sjourneysandpre-occupations，hehadnointentionofneglectinghisnightlyemployments，——first，becausehedidnotwishhiscomradestosuspectthesecretofhisoperationswithPereRouget’sproperty；andsecondly，tokeeptheKnightswellinhand。
　　Theywerethereforeconvenedforthepreparationofaprankwhichmightdeservetobetalkedofforyearstocome。Poisonedmeatwastobethrownonagivennighttoeverywatch-doginthetownandintheenvirons。Fariooverheardthemcongratulatingeachother，astheycameoutfromasupperattheCognettes’，ontheprobablesuccessoftheperformance，andlaughingoverthegeneralmourningthatwouldfollowthisnovelmassacreoftheinnocents，——revelling，moreover，intheapprehensionsitwouldexciteastothesinisterobjectofdeprivingallthehouseholdsoftheirguardianwatch-dogs。
　　“ItwillmakepeopleforgetFario’scart，“saidGoddet。
　　Fariodidnotneedthatspeechtoconfirmhissuspicions；besides，hismindwasalreadymadeup。
　　Afterthreeweeks’stayinIssoudun，Agathewasconvinced，andsowasMadameHochon，ofthetruthoftheoldmiser’sobservation，thatitwouldtakeyearstodestroytheinfluencewhichMaxandtheRabouilleusehadacquiredoverherbrother。ShehadmadenoprogressinJean-Jacques’sconfidence，andshewasneverleftalonewithhim。
　　Ontheotherhand，MademoiselleBraziertriumphedopenlyovertheheirsbytakingAgathetodriveinthecaleche，sittingbesideheronthebackseat，whileMonsieurRougetandhisnephewoccupiedthefront。MotherandsonimpatientlyawaitedananswertotheconfidentiallettertheyhadwrittentoDesroches。Thedaybeforethenightonwhichthedogsweretobepoisoned，Joseph，whowasnearlyboredtodeathinIssoudun，receivedtwoletters:thefirstfromthegreatpainterSchinner，——whoseageallowedhimacloserintimacythanJosephcouldhavewithGros，theirmaster，——andthesecondfromDesroches。
　　Hereisthefirst，postmarkedBeaumont-sur-Oise:——
　　MydearJoseph，——Ihavejustfinishedtheprincipalpanel-
　　paintingsatthechateaudePreslesfortheComtedeSerizy。I
　　haveleftallthemouldingsandthedecorativepainting；andI
　　haverecommendedyousostronglytothecount，andalsotoGridotthearchitect，thatyouhavenothingtodobutpickupyourbrushesandcomeatonce。Pricesarearrangedtopleaseyou。IamofftoItalywithmywife；soyoucanhaveMistigristohelpyoualong。Theyoungscamphastalent，andIputhimatyourdisposal。
　　HeistwitteringlikeasparrowattheveryideaofamusinghimselfatthechateaudePresles。
　　Adieu，mydearJoseph；ifIamstillabsent，andshouldsendnothingtonextyear’sSalon，youmusttakemyplace。Yes，dearJojo，Iknowyourpictureisamasterpiece，butamasterpiecewhichwillrouseahueandcryaboutromanticism；youaredoomedtoleadthelifeofadevilinholywater。Adieu。
　　Thyfriend，SchinnerHerefollowstheletterofDesroches:——
　　MydearJoseph，——YourMonsieurHochonstrikesmeasanoldmanfullofcommon-sense，andyougivemeahighideaofhismethods；
　　heisperfectlyright。Myadvice，sinceyouaskit，isthatyourmothershouldremainatIssoudunwithMadameHochon，payingasmallboard，——sayfourhundredfrancsayear，——toreimburseherhostsforwhatsheeats。MadameBridauought，inmyopinion，tofollowMonsieurHochon’sadviceineverything；foryourexcellentmotherwillhavemanyscruplesindealingwithpersonswhohavenoscrupleatall，andwhosebehaviortoherisamaster-strokeofpolicy。ThatMaxence，youarerightenough，isdangerous。HeisanotherPhilippe，butofadifferentcalibre。Thescoundrelmakeshisvicesservehisfortunes，andgetshisamusementgratis；
　　whereasyourbrother’sfolliesareneverusefultohim。Allthatyousayalarmsme，butIcoulddonogoodbygoingtoIssoudun。
　　MonsieurHochon，actingbehindyourmother，willbemoreusefultoyouthanI。Asforyou，youhadbettercomebackhere；youaregoodfornothinginamatterwhichrequirescontinualattention，carefulobservation，servilecivilities，discretioninspeech，andadissimulationofmannerandgesturewhichiswhollyagainstthegrainofartists。
　　Iftheyhavetoldyounowillhasbeenmade，youmaybequitesuretheyhavepossessedoneforalongtime。Butwillscanberevoked，andaslongasyourfoolofanunclelivesheisnodoubtsusceptibleofbeingworkeduponbyremorseandreligion。YourinheritancewillbetheresultofacombatbetweentheChurchandtheRabouilleuse。Therewillinevitablycomeatimewhenthatwomanwilllosehergripontheoldman，andreligionwillbeall-
　　powerful。Solongasyourunclemakesnogiftofthepropertyduringhislifetime，anddoesnotchangethenatureofhisestate，allmaycomerightwheneverreligiongetstheupperhand。Forthisreason，youmustbegMonsieurHochontokeepaneye，aswellashecan，ontheconditionofyouruncle’sproperty。Itisnecessarytoknowiftherealestateismortgaged，andifso，whereandinwhosenametheproceedsareinvested。Itissoeasytoterrifyanoldmanwithfearsabouthislife，incaseyoufindhimdespoilinghisownpropertyforthesakeoftheseinterlopers，thatalmostanyheirwithalittleadroitnesscouldstopthespoliationatitsoutset。Buthowshouldyourmother，withherignoranceoftheworld，herdisinterestedness，andherreligiousideas，knowhowtomanagesuchanaffair？However，Iamnotabletothrowanylightonthematter。Allthatyouhavedonesofarhasprobablygiventhealarm，andyouradversariesmayalreadyhavesecuredthemselves——
　　“ThatiswhatIcallanopinioningoodshape，“exclaimedMonsieurHochon，proudofbeinghimselfappreciatedbyaParisianlawyer。
　　“Oh！Desrochesisafamousfellow，“answeredJoseph。
　　“Itwouldbewelltoreadthatlettertothetwowomen，“saidtheoldman。
　　“Thereitis，“saidJoseph，givingittohim；“astome，Iwanttobeoffto-morrow；andIamnowgoingtosaygood-bytomyuncle。“
　　“Ah！“saidMonsieurHochon，“IseethatMonsieurDesrochestellsyouinapostscripttoburntheletter。“
　　“Youcanburnitaftershowingittomymother，“saidthepainter。
　　Josephdressed，crossedthelittlesquare，andcalledonhisuncle，whowasjustfinishingbreakfast。MaxandFlorewereattable。
　　“Don’tdisturbyourself，mydearuncle；Ihaveonlycometosaygood-
　　by。“
　　“Youaregoing？“saidMax，exchangingglanceswithFlore。
　　“Yes；IhavesomeworktodoatthechateauofMonsieurdeSerizy，andIamallthemoregladofitbecausehisarmislongenoughtodoaservicetomypoorbrotherintheChamberofPeers。“
　　“Well，well，goandwork“；saidoldRouget，withasillyair。Josephthoughthimextraordinarilychangedwithinafewdays。“Menmustwork——Iamsorryyouaregoing。“
　　“Oh！mymotherwillbeheresometimelonger，“remarkedJoseph。
　　MaxmadeamovementwithhislipswhichtheRabouilleuseobserved，andwhichsignified:“TheyaregoingtotrytheplanBaruchwarnedmeof。“
　　“IamverygladIcame，“saidJoseph，“forIhavehadthepleasureofmakingyouracquaintanceandyouhaveenrichedmystudio——“
　　“Yes，“saidFlore，“insteadofenlighteningyouruncleonthevalueofhispictures，whichisnowestimatedatoveronehundredthousandfrancs，youhavepackedthemoffinahurrytoParis。Poordearman！
　　heisnobetterthanababy！WehavejustbeentoldofalittletreasureatBourges，——whatdidtheycallit？aPoussin，——whichwasinthechoirofthecathedralbeforetheRevolutionandisnowworth，allbyitself，thirtythousandfrancs。“
　　“Thatwasnotrightofyou，mynephew，“saidJean-Jacques，atasignfromMax，whichJosephcouldnotsee。
　　“Comenow，frankly，“saidthesoldier，laughing，“onyourhonor，whatshouldyousaythosepictureswereworth？You’vemadeaneasyhauloutofyouruncle！andrightenough，too，——unclesaremadetobepillaged。
　　Naturedeprivedmeofuncles，butdamnit，ifI’dhadanyIshouldhaveshownthemnomercy。“
　　“Didyouknow，monsieur，“saidFloretoRouget，“whatYOURpictureswereworth？Howmuchdidyousay，MonsieurJoseph？“
　　“Well，“answeredthepainter，whohadgrownasredasabeetroot，——
　　“thepicturesarecertainlyworthsomething。“