watchedtheducksforfiveorsixminutes，andthemiller’smenmusthavenoticedme。Isawthewomengoingtowash；theyareprobablystillthere。Theymadealittlefunofme，anddeclaredthatIwasnothandsome；Itoldthemitwasnotallgoldthatglittered。Fromthere，IfollowedthelongavenuetoTivoli，whereItalkedwiththegardener。Prayhavethesefactsverified；anddonotevenarrestme，forIgiveyoumywordofhonorthatIwillstayquietlyinthisofficetillyouareconvincedofmyinnocence。“
　　Thesesensiblewords，saidwithouttheleasthesitation，andwiththeeaseofamanwhoisperfectlysureofhisfacts，madesomeimpressiononthemagistrates。
　　“Yes，wemustfindallthesepersonsandsummonthem，“saidMonsieurMouilleron；“butitismorethantheaffairofaday。Makeupyourmind，therefore，inyourowninterests，tobeimprisonedinthePalais。“
　　“ProvidedIcanwritetomymother，soastoreassureher，poorwoman——oh！youcanreadtheletter，“headded。
　　Thisrequestwastoojustnottobegranted，andJosephwrotethefollowingletter:——
　　“Donotbeuneasy，dearmother；themistakeofwhichIamavictimcaneasilyberectified；Ihavealreadygiventhemthemeansofdoingso。To-morrow，orperhapsthisevening，Ishallbeatliberty。Ikissyou，andbegyoutosaytoMonsieurandMadameHochonhowgrievedIamatthisaffair；inwhich，however，Ihavehadnohand，——itistheresultofsomechancewhich，asyet，Idonotunderstand。“
　　WhenthenotereachedMadameBridau，shewassufferingfromanervousattack，andthepotionswhichMonsieurGoddetwastryingtomakeherswallowwerepowerlesstosootheher。Thereadingoftheletteractedlikebalm；afterafewquiverings，Agathesubsidedintothedepressionwhichalwaysfollowssuchattacks。Later，whenMonsieurGoddetreturnedtohispatienthefoundherregrettingthatshehadeverquittedParis。
　　“Well，“saidMadameHochontoMonsieurGoddet，“howisMonsieurGilet？“
　　“Hiswound，thoughserious，isnotmortal，“repliedthedoctor。“Withamonth’snursinghewillbeallright。IlefthimwritingtoMonsieurMouillerontorequesthimtosetyoursonatliberty，madame，“headded，turningtoAgathe。“Oh！Maxisafinefellow。Itoldhimwhatastateyouwerein，andhethenrememberedacircumstancewhichgoestoprovethattheassassinwasnotyourson；themanworelistshoes，whereasitiscertainthatMonsieurJosephleftthehouseinhisboots——“
　　“Ah！Godforgivehimtheharmhehasdoneme——“
　　Thefactwas，amanhadleftanoteforMax，afterdark，writtenintype-letters，whichranasfollows:——
　　“CaptainGiletoughtnottoletaninnocentmansuffer。HewhostrucktheblowpromisesnottostrikeagainifMonsieurGiletwillhaveMonsieurJosephBridausetatliberty，withoutnamingthemanwhodidit。“
　　Afterreadingthisletterandburningit，MaxwrotetoMonsieurMouilleronstatingthecircumstanceofthelistshoes，asreportedbyMonsieurGoddet，begginghimtosetJosephatliberty，andtocomeandseehimthathemightexplainthemattermoreatlength。
　　Bythetimethisletterwasreceived，MonsieurLousteau-Pranginhadverified，bythetestimonyofthebell-ringer，themarket-womenandwasherwomen，andthemiller’smen，thetruthofJoseph’sexplanation。
　　Max’slettermadehisinnocenceonlythemorecertain，andMonsieurMouilleronhimselfescortedhimbacktotheHochons’。Josephwasgreetedwithsuchoverflowingtendernessbyhismotherthatthepoormisunderstoodsongavethankstoill-luck——likethehusbandtothethief，inLaFontaine’sfable——foramishapwhichbroughthimsuchproofsofaffection。
　　“Oh，“saidMonsieurMouilleron，withaself-satisfiedair，“Iknewatoncebythewayyoulookedattheangrycrowdthatyouwereinnocent；
　　butwhateverImayhavethought，anyonewhoknowsIssoudunmustalsoknowthattheonlywaytoprotectyouwastomakethearrestaswedid。Ah！youcarriedyourheadhigh。“
　　“Iwasthinkingofsomethingelse，“saidtheartistsimply。“AnofficerinthearmytoldmethathewasoncestoppedinDalmatiaundersimilarcircumstancesbyanexcitedpopulace，intheearlymorningashewasreturningfromawalk。Thisrecollectioncameintomymind，andIlookedatallthoseheadswiththeideaofpaintingarevoltoftheyear1793。Besides，Ikeptsayingtomyself:BlackguardthatIam！I
　　haveonlygotmydesertsforcomingheretolookafteraninheritance，insteadofpaintinginmystudio。“
　　“Ifyouwillallowmetoofferyouapieceofadvice，“saidtheprocureurduroi，“youwilltakeacarriageto-night，whichthepostmasterwilllendyou，andreturntoParisbythediligencefromBourges。“
　　“Thatismyadvicealso，“saidMonsieurHochon，whowasburningwithadesireforthedepartureofhisguests。
　　“MymostearnestwishistogetawayfromIssoudun，thoughIleavemyonlyfriendhere，“saidAgathe，kissingMadameHochon’shand。“WhenshallIseeyouagain？“
　　“Ah！mydear，neveruntilwemeetabove。Wehavesufferedenoughherebelow，“sheaddedinalowvoice，“forGodtotakepityuponus。“
　　Shortlyafter，whileMonsieurMouilleronhadgoneacrossthewaytotalkwithMax，GrittegreatlyastonishedMonsieurandMadameHochon，Agathe，Joseph，andAdolphinebyannouncingthevisitofMonsieurRouget。Jean-Jacquescametobidhissistergood-by，andtoofferherhiscalecheforthedrivetoBourges。
　　“Ah！yourpictureshavebeenagreateviltous，“saidAgathe。
　　“Keepthem，mysister，“saidtheoldman，whodidnotevennowbelieveintheirvalue。
　　“Neighbor，“remarkedMonsieurHochon，“ourbestfriends，oursurestdefenders，areourownrelations；aboveall，whentheyaresuchasyoursisterAgathe，andyournephewJoseph。“
　　“Perhapsso，“saidoldRougetinhisdullway。
　　“WeoughtalltothinkofendingourdaysinaChristianmanner，“saidMadameHochon。
　　“Ah！Jean-Jacques，“saidAgathe，“whatadaythishasbeen！“
　　“Willyouacceptmycarriage？“askedRouget。
　　“No，brother，“answeredMadameBridau，“Ithankyou，andwishyouhealthandcomfort。“
　　Rougetlethissisterandnephewkisshim，andthenhewentawaywithoutmanifestinganyfeelinghimself。Baruch，atahintfromhisgrandfather，hadbeentoseethepostmaster。Ateleveno’clockthatnight，thetwoParisians，ensconcedinawickercabrioletdrawnbyonehorseandriddenbyapostilion，quittedIssoudun。AdolphineandMadameHochonpartedfromthemwithtearsintheireyes；theyaloneregrettedJosephandAgathe。
　　“Theyaregone！“saidFrancoisHochon，going，withtheRabouilleuse，intoMax’sbedroom。
　　“Welldone！thetricksucceeded，“answeredMax，whowasnowtiredandfeverish。
　　“ButwhatdidyousaytooldMouilleron？“askedFrancois。
　　“ItoldhimthatIhadgivenmyassassinsomecausetowaylayme；thathewasadangerousmanandlikely，ifIfolloweduptheaffair，tokillmelikeadogbeforehecouldbecaptured。Consequently，IbeggedMouilleronandPrangintomakethemostactivesearchostensibly，butreallytolettheassassingoinpeace，unlesstheywishedtoseemeadeadman。“
　　“Idohope，Max，“saidFlore，“thatyouwillbequietatnightforsometimetocome。“
　　“Atanyrate，wearedeliveredfromtheParisians！“criedMax。“Thefellowwhostabbedmehadnoideawhataservicehewasdoingus。“
　　Thenextday，thedepartureoftheParisianswascelebratedasavictoryoftheprovincesoverParisbyeveryoneinIssoudun，exceptthemoresoberandstaidinhabitants，whosharedtheopinionsofMonsieurandMadameHochon。AfewofMax’sfriendsspokeveryharshlyoftheBridaus。
　　“DothoseParisiansfancyweareallidiots，“criedone，“andthinktheyhaveonlygottoholdtheirhatsandcatchlegacies？“
　　“Theycametofleece，buttheyhavegotshornthemselves，“saidanother；“thenephewisnottotheuncle’staste。“
　　“And，ifyouplease，theyactuallyconsultedalawyerinParis——“
　　“Ah！hadtheyreallyaplan？“
　　“Why，ofcourse，——aplantogetpossessionofoldRouget。ButtheParisianswerenotcleverenough；thatlawyercan’tcrowoverusBerrichons！“
　　“Howabominable！“
　　“That’sParisforyou！“
　　“TheRabouilleuseknewtheycametoattackher，andshedefendedherself。“
　　“Shedidgloriouslyright！“
　　TothetownspeopleatlargetheBridauswereParisiansandforeigners；
　　theypreferredMaxandFlore。
　　Wecanimaginethesatisfactionwithwhich，afterthiscampaign，JosephandAgathere-enteredtheirlittlelodgingintherueMazarin。
　　Onthejourney，theartistrecoveredhisspirits，whichhad，notunnaturally，beenputtoflightbyhisarrestandtwenty-fourhours’
　　confinement；buthecouldnotcheeruphismother。TheCourtofPeerswasabouttobeginthetrialofthemilitaryconspirators，andthatwassufficienttokeepAgathefromrecoveringherpeaceofmind。