下载辰思小说免费APP
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