Betrayedoncemore，theconspiratorshadthewittoreducetheirvastenterprisetothepunyproportionsofabarrackplot。Thisconspiracy，inwhichseveralregimentsofcavalry，infantry，andartillerywereconcerned，haditscentreinthenorthofFrance。Thestrongplacesalongthefrontierweretobecapturedatablow。Ifsuccesshadfollowed，thetreatiesof1815wouldhavebeenbrokenbyafederationwithBelgium，which，byamilitarycompactmadeamongthesoldiers，wastowithdrawfromtheHolyAlliance。Twothroneswouldhavebeenplungedinamomentintothevortexofthissuddencyclone。Insteadofthisformidablescheme——concertedbystrongmindsandsupportedbypersonagesofhighrank——beingcarriedout，onesmallpartofit，andthatonly，wasdiscoveredandbroughtbeforetheCourtofPeers。
　　PhilippeBridauconsentedtoscreentheleaders，whoretiredthemomenttheplotwasdiscoveredeitherbytreacheryoraccident，andfromtheirseatsinbothChamberslenttheirco-operationtotheinquiryonlytoworkfortheultimatesuccessoftheirpurposeattheheartofthegovernment。
　　Torecountthisscheme，which，since1830，theLiberalshaveopenlyconfessedinallitsramifications，wouldtrenchuponthedomainofhistoryandinvolvetoolongadigression。ThisglimpseofitisenoughtoshowthedoublepartwhichPhilippeBridauundertooktoplay。Theformerstaff-officeroftheEmperorwastoleadamovementinParissolelyforthepurposeofmaskingtherealconspiracyandoccupyingthemindofthegovernmentatitscentre，whilethegreatstruggleshouldburstforthatthenorth。Whenthelattermiscarriedbeforediscovery，Philippewasorderedtobreakalllinksconnectingthetwoplots，andtoallowthesecretsofthesecondaryplotonlytobecomeknown。Forthispurpose，hisabjectmisery，towhichhisstateofhealthandhisclothingborewitness，wasamplysufficienttoundervaluethecharacteroftheconspiracyandreduceitsproportionsintheeyesoftheauthorities。Therolewaswellsuitedtotheprecariouspositionoftheunprincipledgambler。Feelinghimselfastrideofbothparties，thecraftyPhilippeplayedthesainttotheroyalgovernment，allthewhileretainingthegoodopinionofthemeninhighplaceswhowereoftheotherparty，——determinedtocastinhislotatalaterdaywithwhicheversidehemightthenfindmosttohisadvantage。
　　TheserevelationsastothevastbearingsoftherealconspiracymadePhilippeamanofgreatdistinctionintheeyesofCarpentierandMignonnet，towhomhisself-devotionseemedastate-craftworthyofthepalmydaysoftheConvention。InashorttimethetrickyBonapartistwasseentobeonfriendlytermswiththetwoofficers，andtheconsiderationtheyenjoyedinthetownwas，ofcourse，sharedbyhim。Hesoonobtained，throughtheirrecommendation，thesituationintheinsuranceofficethatoldHochonhadsuggested，whichrequiredonlythreehoursofhisday。MignonnetandCarpentierputhimupattheirclub，wherehisgoodmannersandbearing，inkeepingwiththehighopinionwhichthetwoofficersexpressedabouthim，wonhimarespectoftengiventoexternalappearancesthatareonlydeceitful。
　　Philippe，whoseconductwascarefullyconsideredandplanned，hadindeedmademanyreflectionswhileinprisonastotheinconveniencesofleadingadebauchedlife。HedidnotneedDesroches’slecturetounderstandthenecessityofconciliatingthepeopleatIssoudunbydecent，sober，andrespectableconduct。DelightedtoattractMax’sridiculebybehavingwiththeproprietyofaMignonnet，hewentfurther，andendeavoredtolullGilet’ssuspicionsbydeceivinghimastohisrealcharacter。Hewasbentonbeingtakenforafoolbyappearinggenerousanddisinterested；allthewhiledrawinganetaroundhisadversary，andkeepinghiseyeonhisuncle’sproperty。Hismotherandbrother，onthecontrary，whowerereallydisinterested，generous，andlofty，hadbeenaccusedofgreedbecausetheyhadactedwithstraightforwardsimplicity。Philippe’scovetousnesswasfullyrousedbyMonsieurHochon，whogavehimallthedetailsofhisuncle’sproperty。Inthefirstsecretconversationwhichheheldwiththeoctogenarian，theyagreedthatPhilippemustnotawakenMax’ssuspicions；forthegamewouldbelostifFloreandMaxweretocarryofftheirvictim，thoughnofurtherthanBourges。
　　OnceaweekthecoloneldinedwithMignonnet；anotherdaywithCarpentier；andeveryThursdaywithMonsieurHochon。Attheendofthreeweekshereceivedotherinvitationsfortheremainingdays，sothathehadlittlemorethanhisbreakfasttoprovide。Heneverspokeofhisuncle，noroftheRabouilleuse，norofGilet，unlessitwereinconnectionwithhismotherandhisbrother’sstayinIssoudun。Thethreeofficers——theonlysoldiersinthetownwhoweredecorated，andamongwhomPhilippehadtheadvantageoftherosette，whichintheeyesofallprovincialsgavehimamarkedsuperiority——tookahabitofwalkingtogethereverydaybeforedinner，keeping，asthesayingis，tothemselves。ThisreserveandtranquillityofdemeanorhadanexcellenteffectonIssoudun。AllMax’sadherentsthoughtPhilippea“sabreur，“——anexpressionappliedbysoldierstothecommonestsortofcourageintheirsuperiorofficers，whiledenyingthattheypossesstherequisitequalitiesofacommander。
　　“Heisaveryhonorableman，“saidGoddetthesurgeon，toMax。
　　“Bah！“repliedGilet，“hisbehaviorbeforetheCourtofPeersproveshimtohavebeeneitheradupeoraspy；heis，asyousay，ninnyenoughtohavebeendupedbythegreatplayers。“
　　Afterobtaininghissituation，Philippe，whowaswellinformedastothegossipofthetown，wishedtoconcealcertaincircumstancesofhispresentlifeasmuchaspossiblefromtheknowledgeoftheinhabitants；hethereforewenttoliveinahouseatthefartherendofthefaubourgSaint-Paterne，towhichwasattachedalargegarden。
　　HerehewasableintheutmostsecrecytofencewithCarpentier，whohadbeenafencing-masterintheinfantrybeforeenteringthecavalry。
　　Philippesoonrecoveredhisearlydexterity，andlearnedotherandnewsecretsfromCarpentier，whichconvincedhimthatheneednotfeartheprowessofanyadversary。Thisdone，hebeganopenlytopractisewithpistols，withMignonnetandCarpentier，declaringitwasforamusement，butreallyintendingtomakeMaxbelievethat，incaseofaduel，heshouldrelyonthatweapon。WheneverPhilippemetGilethewaitedforhimtobowfirst，andansweredthesalutationbytouchingthebrimofhishatcavalierly，asanofficeracknowledgesthesaluteofaprivate。MaxenceGiletgavenosignofimpatienceordispleasure；
　　heneverutteredasinglewordaboutBridauattheCognettes’wherehestillgavesuppers；although，sinceFario’sattack，thepranksoftheOrderofIdlenessweretemporarilysuspended。
　　Afterawhile，however，thecontemptshownbyLieutenant-colonelBridaufortheformercavalrycaptain，Gilet，wasasettledfact，whichcertainKnightsofIdleness，whowerelessboundtoMaxthanFrancois，Baruch，andthreeorfourothers，discussedamongthemselves。TheyweremuchsurprisedtoseetheviolentandfieryMaxbehavewithsuchdiscretion。NooneinIssoudun，notevenPotelorRenard，daredbroachsodelicateasubjectwithhim。Potel，somewhatdisturbedbythisopenmisunderstandingbetweentwoheroesoftheImperialGuard，suggestedthatMaxmightbelayinganetforthecolonel；heassertedthatsomenewschememightbelookedforfromthemanwhohadgotridofthemotherandonebrotherbymakinguseofFario’sattackuponhim，theparticularsofwhichwerenownolongeramystery。MonsieurHochonhadtakencaretorevealthetruthofMax’satrociousaccusationtothebestpeopleofthetown。Thusithappenedthatintalkingoverthesituationofthelieutenant-colonelinrelationtoMax，andintryingtoguesswhatmightspringfromtheirantagonism，thewholetownregardedthetwomen，fromthestart，asadversaries。
　　Philippe，whohadcarefullyinvestigatedallthecircumstancesofhisbrother’sarrestandtheantecedentsofGiletandtheRabouilleuse，wasfinallybroughtintorathercloserelationswithFario，wholivednearhim。AfterstudyingtheSpaniard，Philippethoughthemighttrustamanofthatquality。Thetwofoundtheirhatredsofirmabondofunion，thatFarioputhimselfatPhilippe’sdisposal，andrelatedallthatheknewabouttheKnightsofIdleness。Philippepromised，incasehesucceededinobtainingoverhisunclethepowernowexercisedbyGilet，toindemnifyFarioforhislosses；thisbaitmadetheSpaniardhishenchman。Maxencewasnowfacetofacewithadangerousfoe；hehad，astheysayinthoseparts，someonetohandle。Rousedbymuchgossipandvariousrumors，thetownofIssoudunexpectedamortalcombatbetweenthetwomen，who，wemustremark，mutuallydespisedeachother。
　　Onemorning，towardtheendofNovember，PhilippemetMonsieurHochonabouttwelveo’clock，inthelongavenueofFrapesle，andsaidtohim:——
　　“IhavediscoveredthatyourgrandsonsBaruchandFrancoisaretheintimatefriendsofMaxenceGilet。Therascalsaremixedupinallthepranksthatareplayedaboutthistownatnight。ItwasthroughthemthatMaxenceknewwhatwassaidinyourhousewhenmymotherandbrotherwerestayingthere。“
　　“Howdidyougetproofofsuchamonstrousthing？“
　　“Ioverheardtheirconversationonenightastheywereleavingadrinking-shop。YourgrandsonsbothoweMaxmorethanthreethousandfrancs。Thescoundreltoldtheladstotryandfindoutourintentions；heremindedthemthatyouhadoncethoughtofgettingroundmyunclebypriestcraft，anddeclaredthatnobodybutyoucouldguideme；forhethinks，fortunately，thatIamnothingmorethana’sabreur。’“
　　“Mygrandsons！isitpossible？“
　　“Watchthem，“saidPhilippe。“YouwillseethemcominghomealongtheplaceSaint-Jean，attwoorthreeo’clockinthemorning，astipsyaschampagne-corks，andincompanywithGilet——“
　　“That’swhythescampskeepsosoberathome！“criedMonsieurHochon。
　　“Fariohastoldmeallabouttheirnocturnalproceedings，“resumedPhilippe；“withouthim，Ishouldneverhavesuspectedthem。Myuncleishelddownunderanabsolutethraldom，ifImayjudgebycertainthingswhichtheSpaniardhasheardMaxsaytoyourboys。IsuspectMaxandtheRabouilleuseofaschemetomakesureofthefiftythousandfrancs’incomefromtheFunds，andthen，afterpullingthatfeatherfromtheirpigeon’swing，torunaway，Idon’tknowwhere，andgetmarried。Itishightimetoknowwhatisgoingonundermyuncle’sroof，butIdon’tseehowtosetaboutit。“
　　“Iwillthinkofit，“saidtheoldman。
　　Theyseparated，forseveralpersonswerenowapproaching。
　　Never，atanytimeinhislife，didJean-JacquessufferashehaddonesincethefirstvisitofhisnephewPhilippe。FlorewasterrifiedbythepresentimentofsomeevilthatthreatenedMax。Wearyofhermaster，andfearingthathemightlivetobeveryold，sincehewasabletobearupundertheircriminalpractices，sheformedtheverysimpleplanofleavingIssoudunandbeingmarriedtoMaxenceinParis，afterobtainingfromJean-JacquesthetransferoftheincomeintheFunds。Theoldbachelor，guided，notbyanyjusticetohisfamily，norbypersonalavarice，butsolelybyhispassion，steadilyrefusedtomakethetransfer，onthegroundthatFlorewastobehissoleheir。
　　TheunhappycreatureknewtowhatextentFlorelovedMax，andhebelievedhewouldbeabandonedthemomentshewasmaderichenoughtomarry。WhenFlore，afteremployingthetenderestcajoleries，wasunabletosucceed，shetriedrigor；shenolongerspoketohermaster；
　　Vediewassenttowaituponhim，andfoundhiminthemorningwithhiseyesswollenandredwithweeping。Foraweekormore，poorRougethadbreakfastedalone，andHeavenknowsonwhatfood！