The Two Brothers

第22章

AtthetimewhenMadameBridaureturnedtoIssoudun,Maxwasexcludedfromthesocietyoftheplace。Heshowed,moreover,properself-respectinneverpresentinghimselfattheclub,andinnevercomplainingoftheseverereprobationthatwasshownhim;althoughhewasthehandsomest,themostelegant,andthebestdressedmanintheplace,spentagreatdealofmoney,andkeptahorse,——athingasamazingatIssoudunasthehorseofLordByronatVenice。WearenowtoseehowitwasthatMaxence,poorandwithoutapparentmeans,wasabletobecomethedandyofthetown。TheshamefulconductwhichearnedhimthecontemptofallscrupulousorreligiouspersonswasconnectedwiththeinterestswhichbroughtAgatheandJosephtoIssoudun。

Judgingbytheaudacityofhisbearing,andtheexpressionofhisface,Maxcaredlittleforpublicopinion;heexpected,nodoubt,totakehisrevengesomeday,andtolorditoverthosewhonowcondemnedhim。Moreover,ifthebourgeoisieofIssoudunthoughtillofhim,theadmirationheexcitedamongthecommonpeoplecounterbalancedtheiropinion;hiscourage,hisdashingappearance,hisdecisionofcharacter,couldnotfailtopleasethemasses,towhomhisdegradationswere,forthemostpart,unknown,andindeedthebourgeoisiethemselvesscarcelysuspecteditsextent。MaxplayedaroleatIssoudunwhichwassomethinglikethatoftheblacksmithinthe“FairMaidofPerth“;hewasthechampionofBonapartismandtheOpposition;theycounteduponhimastheburghersofPerthcounteduponSmithongreatoccasions。AsingleincidentwillputthisheroandvictimoftheHundred-Daysintoclearrelief。

In1819,abattalioncommandedbyroyalistofficers,youngmenjustoutoftheMaisonRouge,passedthroughIssoudunonitswaytogointogarrisonatBourges。NotknowingwhattodowiththemselvesinsoconstitutionalaplaceasIssoudun,theseyounggentlemenwenttowhileawaythetimeatthecafeMilitaire。Ineveryprovincialtownthereisamilitarycafe。ThatofIssoudun,builtontheplaced’Armesatanangleoftherampart,andkeptbythewidowofanofficer,wasnaturallytherendezvousoftheBonapartists,chieflyofficersonhalf-pay,andotherswhosharedMax’sopinions,towhomthepoliticsofthetownallowedfreeexpressionoftheiridolatryfortheEmperor。

Everyyear,datingfrom1816,abanquetwasgiveninIssouduntocommemoratetheanniversaryofhiscoronation。Thethreeroyalistswhofirstenteredaskedforthenewspapers,amongothers,forthe“Quotidienne“andthe“DrapeauBlanc。“ThepoliticsofIssoudun,especiallythoseofthecafeMilitaire,didnotallowofsuchroyalistjournals。Theestablishmenthadnonebutthe“Commerce,“——anamewhichthe“Constitutionel“wascompelledtoadoptforseveralyearsafteritwassuppressedbythegovernment。Butas,initsfirstissueunderthenewname,theleadingarticlebeganwiththesewords,“Commerceisessentiallyconstitutional,“peoplecontinuedtocallitthe“Constitutionel,“thesubscribersallunderstandingtheslyplayofwordswhichbeggedthemtopaynoattentiontothelabel,asthewinewouldbethesame。

Thefatlandladyrepliedfromherseatatthedeskthatshedidnottakethosepapers。“Whatpapersdoyoutakethen?“askedoneoftheofficers,acaptain。Thewaiter,alittlefellowinablueclothjacket,withanapronofcoarselinentiedoverit,broughtthe“Commerce。“

“Isthatyourpaper?Haveyounoother?“

“No,“saidthewaiter,“that’stheonlyone。“

Thecaptaintoreitup,flungthepiecesonthefloor,andspatuponthem,callingout,——

“Bringdominos!“

IntenminutesthenewsoftheinsultofferedtotheConstitutionOppositionandtheLiberalparty,inthesupersacredpersonofitsr

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