“Dowetakeoffourcoats？“saidPhilippetohisadversarycoldly。
　　“Ofcourse，“answeredMaxence，withtheassumptionofabully。
　　Theydidso；therosytintsoftheirskinappearingthroughthecambricoftheirshirts。Each，armedwithacavalrysabreselectedofequalweight，aboutthreepounds，andequallength，threefeet，placedhimselfathisownline，thepointofhisweaponontheground，awaitingthesignal。Bothweresocalmthat，inspiteofthecold，theirmusclesquiverednomorethaniftheyhadbeenmadeofiron。
　　Goddet，thefourseconds，andthetwosoldiersfeltaninvoluntaryadmiration。
　　“Theyareaproudpair！“
　　TheexclamationcamefromPotel。
　　Justasthesignalwasgiven，MaxcaughtsightofFario’ssinisterfacelookingatthemthroughtheholewhichtheKnightsofIdlenesshadmadeforthepigeonsintheroofofthechurch。Thoseeyes，whichsentforthstreamsoffire，hatred，andrevenge，dazzledMaxforamoment。Thecolonelwentstraighttohisadversary，andputhimselfonguardinawaythatgainedhimanadvantage。Expertsintheartofkilling，knowthat，oftwoantagonists，theablesttakesthe“insideofthepavement，“——touseanexpressionwhichgivesthereaderatangibleideaoftheeffectofagoodguard。Thatpose，whichisinsomedegreeobservant，markssoplainlyaduellistofthefirstrankthatafeelingofinferioritycameintoMax’ssoul，andproducedthesamedisarrayofpowerswhichdemoralizesagamblerwhen，inpresenceofamasteroraluckyhand，heloseshisself-possessionandplayslesswellthanusual。
　　“Ah！thelascar！“thoughtMax，“he’sanexpert；I’mlost！“
　　Heattempteda“moulinet，“andtwirledhissabrewiththedexterityofasingle-stick。HewantedtobewilderPhilippe，andstrikehisweaponsoastodisarmhim；butatthefirstencounterhefeltthatthecolonel’swristwasiron，withtheflexibilityofasteelstring。
　　Maxencewasthenforced，unfortunatefellow，tothinkofanothermove，whilePhilippe，whoseeyesweredartinggleamsthatweresharperthantheflashoftheirblades，parriedeveryattackwiththecoolnessofafencing-masterwearinghisplastroninanarmory。
　　Betweentwomenofthecalibreofthesecombatants，thereoccursaphenomenonverylikethatwhichtakesplaceamongthelowerclasses，duringtheterribletusslecalled“thesavante，“whichisfoughtwiththefeet，asthenameimplies。Victorydependsonafalsemovement，onsomeerrorofthecalculation，rapidaslightning，whichmustbemadeandfollowedalmostinstinctively。Duringaperiodoftimeasshorttothespectatorsasitseemslongtothecombatants，thecontestliesinobservation，sokeenastoabsorbthepowersofmindandbody，andyetconcealedbypreparatoryfeintswhoseslownessandapparentprudenceseemtoshowthattheantagonistsarenotintendingtofight。Thismoment，whichisfollowedbyarapidanddecisivestruggle，isterribletoaconnoisseur。AtabadparryfromMaxthecolonelsentthesabrespinningfromhishand。
　　“Pickitup，“hesaid，pausing；“Iamnotthemantokilladisarmedenemy。“
　　Therewassomethingatrociousinthegrandeurofthesewords；theyseemedtoshowsuchconsciousnessofsuperioritythattheonlookerstookthemforashrewdcalculation。Infact，whenMaxreplacedhimselfinposition，hehadlosthiscoolness，andwasoncemoreconfrontedwithhisadversary’sraisedguardwhichdefendedthecolonel’swholepersonwhileitmenacedhis。Heresolvedtoredeemhisshamefuldefeatbyaboldstroke。Henolongerguardedhimself，buttookhissabreinbothhandsandrushedfuriouslyonhisantagonist，resolvedtokillhim，ifhehadtolosehisownlife。Philippereceivedasabre-cutwhichslashedopenhisforeheadandapartofhisface，buthecleftMax’sheadobliquelybytheterriblesweepofa“moulinet，“madetobreaktheforceoftheannihilatingstrokeMaxaimedathim。Thesetwosavageblowsendedthecombat，attheninthminute。Fariocamedowntogloatoverthesightofhisenemyintheconvulsionsofdeath；forthemusclesofamanofMaxenceGilet’svigorquiverhorribly。Philippewascarriedbacktohisuncle’shouse。
　　Thusperishedamandestinedtodogreatdeedshadhelivedhislifeamidenvironmentswhichweresuitedtohim；amantreatedbyNatureasafavoritechild，forshegavehimcourage，self-possession，andthepoliticalsagacityofaCesarBorgia。Buteducationhadnotbestoweduponhimthatnobilityofconductandideaswithoutwhichnothinggreatispossibleinanywalkoflife。Hewasnotregretted，becauseoftheperfidywithwhichhisadversary，whowasaworsemanthanhe，hadcontrivedtobringhimintodisrepute。HisdeathputanendtotheexploitsoftheOrderofIdleness，tothegreatsatisfactionofthetownofIssoudun。Philippethereforehadnothingtofearinconsequenceoftheduel，whichseemedalmosttheresultofdivinevengeance:itscircumstanceswererelatedthroughoutthatwholeregionofcountry，withunanimouspraiseforthebraveryofthetwocombatants。
　　“Buttheyhadbetterbothhavebeenkilled，“remarkedMonsieurMouilleron；“itwouldhavebeenagoodriddancefortheGovernment。“
　　ThesituationofFloreBrazierwouldhavebeenveryembarrassingwereitnotfortheconditionintowhichshewasthrownbyMax’sdeath。A
　　brain-feversetin，combinedwithadangerousinflammationresultingfromherescapadetoVatan。Ifshehadhadherusualhealth，shemighthavefledthehousewhere，intheroomaboveher，Max’sroom，andinMax’sbed，layandsufferedMax’smurderer。Shehoveredbetweenlifeanddeathforthreemonths，attendedbyMonsieurGoddet，whowasalsoattendingPhilippe。
　　AssoonasPhilippewasabletoholdapen，hewrotethefollowingletters:——
　　ToMonsieurDesroches:
　　Ihavealreadykilledthemostvenomousofthetworeptiles；nothoweverwithoutgettingmyownheadsplitopenbyasabre；buttherascalstruckwithadyinghand。Theotherviperishere，andI
　　mustcometoanunderstandingwithher，formyuncleclingstoherliketheappleofhiseye。Ihavebeenhalfafraidthegirl，whoisdevilishlyhandsome，mightrunaway，andthenmyunclewouldhavefollowedher；butanillnesswhichseizedhersuddenlyhaskeptherinbed。IfGoddesiredtoprotectme，hewouldcallhersoultohimself，now，whilesheisrepentingofhersins。
　　Meantime，onmysideIhave，thankstothatoldtrump，Hochon，thedoctorofIssoudun，onenamedGoddet，aworthysoulwhoconceivesthatthepropertyofunclesoughttogotonephewsratherthantosluts。
　　MonsieurHochonhassomeinfluenceonacertainpapaFichet，whoisrich，andwhosedaughterGoddetwantsasawifeforhisson:sothethousandfrancstheyhavepromisedhimifhemendsupmypateisnotthechiefcauseofhisdevotion。Moreover，thisGoddet，whowasformerlyhead-surgeontothe3rdregimentoftheline，hasbeenprivatelyadvisedbymystaunchfriends，MignonnetandCarpentier；soheisnowplayingthehypocritewithhisotherpatient。HesaystoMademoiselleBrazier，ashefeelsherpulse，“Yousee，mychild，thatthere’saGodafterall。Youhavebeenthecauseofagreatmisfortune，andyoumustnowrepairit。ThefingerofGodisinallthis[itisinconceivablewhattheydon’tsaythefingerofGodisin！]。Religionisreligion:submit，resignyourself，andthatwillquietyoubetterthanmydrugs。
　　Aboveall，resolvetostayhereandtakecareofyourmaster:
　　forgetandforgive，——that’sChristianity。“
　　GoddethaspromisedtokeeptheRabouilleusethreemonthsinherbed。Bydegreesthegirlwillgetaccustomedtolivingunderthesameroofwithme。Ihaveboughtoverthecook。ThatabominableoldwomantellshermistressMaxwouldhaveledherahardlife；
　　anddeclaressheoverheardhimsaythatif，aftertheoldman’sdeath，hewasobligedtomarryFlore，hedidn’tmeantohavehisprospectsruinedbyit，andheshouldfindawaytogetridofher。
　　Thus，allgoeswell，sofar。Myuncle，byoldHochon’sadvice，hasdestroyedhiswill。
　　ToMonsieurGiroudeau，careofMademoiselleFlorentine。RuedeVendome，Marais:
　　MydearoldFellow，——FindoutifthelittleratCesarinehasanyengagement，andifnot，trytoarrangethatshecancometoIssoudunincaseIsendforher；ifIdo，shemustcomeatonce。
　　Itisamatterthistimeofdecentbehavior；notheatremorals。
　　Shemustpresentherselfasthedaughterofabravesoldier，killedonthebattle-field。Therefore，mind，——sobermanners，schoolgirl’sclothes，virtueofthebestquality；that’sthewatchword。IfIneedCesarine，andifsheanswersmypurpose，I
　　willgiveherfiftythousandfrancsonmyuncle’sdeath。IfCesarinehasotherengagements，explainwhatIwanttoFlorentine；
　　andbetweenyou，findmesomeballet-girlcapableofplayingthepart。
　　Ihavehadmyskullcrackedinaduelwiththefellowwhowasfilchingmyinheritance，andisnowfeedingtheworms。I’lltellyouallaboutitsomeday。Ah！oldfellow，thegoodtimesarecomingbackforyouandme；we’llamuseourselvesoncemore，orwearenotthepairwereallyare。IfyoucansendmefivehundredmorecartridgesI’llbitethem。
　　Adieu，myoldfire-eater。Lightyourpipewiththisletter。Mind，thedaughteroftheofficeristocomefromChateauroux，andmustseemtobeinneedofassistance。IhopehoweverthatIshallnotbedriventosuchdangerousexpedients。RemembermetoMarietteandallourfriends。
　　Agathe，informedbyMadameHochonofwhathadhappened，rushedtoIssoudun，andwasreceivedbyherbrother，whogaveherPhilippe’sformerroom。Thepoormother’stendernessfortheworthlesssonrevivedinallitsmaternalstrength；afewhappydayswerehersatlast，asshelistenedtothepraiseswhichthewholetownbestoweduponherhero。
　　“Afterall，mychild，“saidMadameHochononthedayofherarrival，“youthmusthaveitsfling。ThedissipationsofasoldierundertheEmpiremust，ofcourse，begreaterthanthoseofyoungmenwhoarelookedafterbytheirfathers。Oh！ifyouonlyknewwhatwentonhereatnightunderthatwretchedMax！Thankstoyourson，Issoudunnowbreathesandsleepsinpeace。Philippehascometohissensesratherlate；hetoldusfranklythatthosethreemonthsintheLuxembourgsoberedhim。MonsieurHochonisdelightedwithhisconducthere；everyonethinkshighlyofit。IfhecanbekeptawayfromthetemptationsofParis，hewillendbybeingacomforttoyou。“
　　HearingtheseconsolatorywordsAgathe’seyesfilledwithtears。
　　Philippeplayedthesainttohismother，forhehadneedofher。ThatwilypoliticiandidnotwishtohaverecoursetoCesarineunlesshecontinuedtobeanobjectofhorrortoMademoiselleBrazier。HesawthatFlorehadbeenthoroughlybrokentoharnessbyMax；heknewshewasanessentialpartofhisuncle’slife，andhegreatlypreferredtouseherratherthansendfortheballet-girl，whomighttakeitintoherheadtomarrytheoldman。FoucheadvisedLouisXVIII。tosleepinNapoleon’ssheetsinsteadofgrantingthecharter；andPhilippewouldhavelikedtoremaininGilet’ssheets；buthewasreluctanttoriskthegoodreputationhehadmadeforhimselfinBerry。TotakeMax’splacewiththeRabouilleusewouldbeasodiousonhispartasonhers。
　　Hecould，withoutdiscreditandbythelawsofnepotism，liveinhisuncle’shouseandathisuncle’sexpense；buthecouldnothaveFloreunlesshercharacterwerewhitewashed。Hamperedbythisdifficulty，andstimulatedbythehopeoffinallygettingholdoftheproperty，theideacameintohisheadofmakinghisunclemarrytheRabouilleuse。Withthisinviewherequestedhismothertogoandseethegirlandtreatherinasisterlymanner。