“IfhegetsapowerofattorneybythemorningofthefirstofDecember，“saidHochon，“hemighttakethemail-postforParis，andgiveupthebanquet。“
　　“Verygood。Thefirstthingis，then，togetpossessionofmyuncle；
　　I’veaneyethatcowsafool，“saidPhilippe，givingMonsieurHochonanatrociousglancethatmadetheoldmantremble。
　　“Iftheylethimwalkwithyou，Maxencemustbelievehehasfoundsomemeanstowinthegame，“remarkedtheoldmiser。
　　“Oh！Farioisonthewatch，“saidPhilippe，“andheisnotalone。ThatSpaniardhasdiscoveredoneofmyoldsoldiersintheneighborhoodofVatan，amanIoncedidsomeserviceto。Withoutanyone’ssuspectingit，BenjaminBourdetisunderFario’sorders，whohaslenthimahorsetogetaboutwith。“
　　“Ifyoukillthatmonsterwhohascorruptedmygrandsons，Ishallsayyouhavedoneagooddeed。“
　　“Thankstome，thetownofIssoudunnowknowswhatMonsieurMaxenceGilethasbeendoingatnightforthelastsixyears，“repliedPhilippe；“andthecackle，asyoucallithere，isnowstartedonhim。
　　Morallyhisdayisover。“
　　ThemomentPhilippelefthisuncle’shouseFlorewenttoMax’sroomtotellhimeveryparticularofthenephew’sboldvisit。
　　“What’stobedone？“sheasked。
　　“Beforetryingthelastmeans，——whichwillbetofightthatbigreprobate，“repliedMaxence，“——wemustplaydoubleorquits，andtryourgrandstroke。Lettheoldidiotgowithhisnephew。“
　　“Butthatbigbrutewon’tmincematters，“remonstratedFlore；“he’llcallthingsbytheirrightnames。“
　　“Listentome，“saidMaxenceinaharshvoice。“DoyouthinkI’venotkeptmyearsopen，andreflectedabouthowwestand？SendtoPereCognetteforahorseandachar-a-banc，andsaywewanttheminstantly:theymustbehereinfiveminutes。Packallyourbelongings，takeVedie，andgotoVatan。Settleyourselfthereasifyoumeantostay；carryoffthetwentythousandfrancsingoldwhichtheoldfellowhasgotinhisdrawer。IfIbringhimtoyouinVatan，youaretorefusetocomebackhereunlesshesignsthepowerofattorney。AssoonaswegetitI’llslipofftoParis，whileyou’rereturningtoIssoudun。WhenJean-Jacquesgetsbackfromhiswalkandfindsyougone，he’llgobesidehimself，andwanttofollowyou。Well！
　　whenhedoes，I’llgivehimatalkingto。“
　　Whiletheforegoingplotwasprogressing，PhilippewaswalkingarminarmwithhisunclealongtheboulevardBaron。
　　“Thetwogreattacticiansarecomingtoclosequartersatlast，“
　　thoughtMonsieurHochonashewatchedthecolonelmarchingoffwithhisuncle；“Iamcurioustoseetheendofthegame，andwhatbecomesofthestakeofninetythousandfrancsayear。“
　　“Mydearuncle，“saidPhilippe，whosephraseologyhadaflavorofhisaffinitiesinParis，“youlovethisgirl，andyouaredevilishlyright。Sheisdamnablyhandsome！Insteadofbillingandcooingshemakesyoutrotlikeavalet；well，that’sallsimpleenough；butshewantstoseeyousixfeetunderground，sothatshemaymarryMax，whomsheadores。“
　　“Iknowthat，Philippe，butIloveherallthesame。“
　　“Well，Ihaveswornbythesoulofmymother，whoisyourownsister，“
　　continuedPhilippe，“tomakeyourRabouilleuseassuppleasmyglove，andthesameasshewasbeforethatscoundrel，whoisunworthytohaveservedintheImperialGuard，evercametoquarterhimselfinyourhouse。“
　　“Ah！ifyoucoulddothat！——“saidtheoldman。
　　“Itisveryeasy，“answeredPhilippe，cuttinghisuncleshort。“I’llkillMaxasIwouldadog；but——ononecondition，“addedtheoldcampaigner。
　　“Whatisthat？“saidRouget，lookingathisnephewinastupidway。
　　“Don’tsignthatpowerofattorneywhichtheywantofyoubeforethethirdofDecember；putthemofftillthen。YourtorturersonlywantittoenablethemtosellthefiftythousandayearyouhaveintheFunds，sothattheymayrunofftoParisandpayfortheirweddingfestivitiesoutofyourmillions。“
　　“Iamafraidso，“repliedRouget。
　　“Well，whatevertheymaysayordotoyou，putoffgivingthatpowerofattorneyuntilnextweek。“
　　“Yes；butwhenFloretalkstomeshestirsmyverysoul，tillIdon’tknowwhatIdo。Igiveyoumyword，whenshelooksatmeinacertainway，herblueeyesseemlikeparadise，andIamnolongermasterofmyself，——especiallywhenforsomedaysshehadbeenharshtome。“
　　“Well，whethersheissweetorsour，don’tdomorethanpromisetosignthepaper，andletmeknowthenightbeforeyouaregoingtodoit。Thatwillanswer。Maxenceshallnotbeyourproxyunlesshefirstkillsme。IfIkillhim，youmustagreetotakemeinhisplace，andI’llundertaketobreakinthathandsomegirlandkeepheratyourbeckandcall。Yes，Floreshallloveyou，andifshedoesn’tsatisfyyou——thunder！I’llthrashher。“
　　“Oh！Inevercouldallowthat。AblowstruckatFlorewouldbreakmyheart。“
　　“Butitistheonlywaytogovernwomenandhorses。Amanmakeshimselffeared，orloved，orrespected。NowthatiswhatIwantedtowhisperinyourear——Good-morning，gentlemen，“hesaidtoMignonnetandCarpentier，whocameupatthemoment；“Iamtakingmyuncleforawalk，asyousee，andtryingtoimprovehim；forweareinanagewhenchildrenareobligedtoeducatetheirgrandparents。“
　　Theyallbowedtoeachother。
　　“Youbeholdinmydearuncletheeffectsofanunhappypassion。Thosetwowanttostriphimofhisfortuneandleavehiminthelurch——youknowtowhomIrefer？Heseestheplot；buthehasn’tthecouragetogiveuphisSUGAR-PLUMforafewdayssoastobaffleit。“
　　Philippebrieflyexplainedhisuncle’sposition。
　　“Gentlemen，“heremarked，inconclusion，“youseetherearenotwowaysofsavinghim:eitherColonelBridaumustkillCaptainGilet，orCaptainGiletmustkillColonelBridau。WecelebratetheEmperor’scoronationonthedayafterto-morrow；IrelyuponyoutoarrangetheseatsatthebanquetsothatIshallsitoppositetoGilet。Youwilldomethehonor，Ihope，ofbeingmyseconds。“
　　“Wewillappointyoutopreside，andsitourselvesoneithersideofyou。Max，asvice-president，willofcoursesitopposite，“saidMignonnet。
　　“Oh！thescoundrelwillhavePotelandRenardwithhim，“saidCarpentier。“InspiteofallthatIssoudunnowknowsandsaysofhismidnightmaraudings，thosetwoworthyofficers，whohavealreadybeenhisseconds，remainfaithfultohim。“
　　“Youseehowitallmapsout，uncle，“saidPhilippe。“Therefore，signnopaperbeforethethirdofDecember；thenextdayyoushallbefree，happy，andbelovedbyFlore，withouthavingtocoaxforit。“
　　“Youdon’tknowhim，Philippe，“saidtheterrifiedoldman。“Maxencehaskilledninemeninduels。“
　　“Yes；butninetythousandfrancsayeardidn’tdependonit，“answeredPhilippe。
　　“Abadconscienceshakesthehand，“remarkedMignonnetsententiously。
　　“Inafewdaysfromnow，“resumedPhilippe，“youandtheRabouilleusewillbelivingtogetherassweetashoney，——thatis，aftershegetsthroughmourning。Atfirstshe’lltwistlikeaworm，andyelp，andweep；butnevermind，letthewaterrun！“
　　ThetwosoldiersapprovedofPhilippe’sarguments，andtriedtoheartenupoldRouget，withwhomtheywalkedaboutfornearlytwohours。AtlastPhilippetookhisunclehome，sayingastheyparted:——
　　“Don’ttakeanystepswithoutme。Iknowwomen。Ihavepaidforone，whocostmefarmorethanFlorecanevercostyou。Butshetaughtmehowtobehavetothefairsexfortherestofmydays。Womenarebadchildren；theyareinferioranimalstomen；wemustmakethemfearus；
　　theworstconditionintheworldistobegovernedbysuchbrutes。“
　　Itwasabouthalf-pasttwointheafternoonwhentheoldmangothome。
　　Kouskiopenedthedoorintears，——thatis，byMax’sorders，hegavesignsofweeping。
　　“Oh！Monsieur，Madamehasgoneaway，andtakenVediewithher！“
　　“Gone——a——way！“saidtheoldmaninastrangledvoice。
　　TheblowwassoviolentthatRougetsatdownonthestairs，unabletostand。Amomentafter，herose，lookedaboutthehall，intothekitchen，wentuptohisownroom，searchedallthechambers，andreturnedtothesalon，wherehethrewhimselfintoachair，andburstintotears。
　　“Whereisshe？“hesobbed。“Oh！whereisshe？whereisMax？“
　　“Idon’tknow，“answeredKouski。“Thecaptainwentoutwithouttellingme。“
　　Giletthoughtitpolitictobeseensaunteringaboutthetown。Byleavingtheoldmanalonewithhisdespair，heknewheshouldmakehimfeelhisdesertionthemorekeenly，andreducehimtodocility。TokeepPhilippefromassistinghisuncleatthiscrisis，hehadgivenKouskistrictordersnottoopenthedoortoanyone。Floreaway，themiserableoldmangrewfrantic，andthesituationofthingsapproachedacrisis。Duringhiswalkthroughthetown，MaxenceGiletwasavoidedbymanypersonswhoadayortwoearlierwouldhavehastenedtoshakehandswithhim。Ageneralreactionhadsetinagainsthim。ThedeedsoftheKnightsofIdlenesswereringingoneverytongue。ThetaleofJosephBridau’sarrest，nowclearedup，disgracedMaxintheeyesofall；andhislifeandconductreceivedinonedaytheirjustaward。