下载辰思小说免费APP
GiletmetCaptainPotel，whowaslookingforhim，andseemedalmostbesidehimself。
“What’sthematterwithyou，Potel？“
“Mydearfellow，theImperialGuardisbeingblack-guardedalloverthetown！Theseciviliansarecryingyoudown！anditgoestothebottomofmyheart。“
“Whataretheycomplainingof？“askedMax。
“Ofwhatyoudoatnight。“
“Asifwecouldn’tamuseourselvesalittle！“
“Butthatisn’tall，“saidPotel。
Potelbelongedtothesameclassastheofficerwhorepliedtotheburgomasters:“Eh！yourtownwillbepaidfor，ifwedoburnit！“SohewasverylittletroubledaboutthedeedsoftheOrderofIdleness。
“Whatmore？“inquiredGilet。
“TheGuardisagainsttheGuard。Itisthatthatbreaksmyheart。
Bridauhassetallthesebourgeoisonyou。TheGuardagainsttheGuard！no，itoughtnottobe！Youcan’tbackdown，Max；youmustmeetBridau。Ihadagreatmindtopickaquarrelwiththelowscoundrelmyselfandsendhimtotheshades；IwishIhad，andthenthebourgeoiswouldn’thaveseenthespectacleoftheGuardagainsttheGuard。Inwartimes，Idon’tsayanythingagainstit。TwoheroesoftheGuardmayquarrel，andfight，——butatleasttherearenocivilianstolookonandsneer。No，IsaythatbigvillainneverservedintheGuard。Aguardsmanwouldneverbehaveashedoestoanotherguardsman，undertheveryeyesofthebourgeois；impossible！Ah！it’sallwrong；
theGuardisdisgraced——andhere，atIssoudun！whereitwasoncesohonored。“
“Come，Potel，don’tworryyourself，“answeredMax；“evenifyoudonotseemeatthebanquet——“
“What！doyoumeanthatyouwon’tbetherethedayafterto-morrow？“
criedPotel，interruptinghisfriend。“Doyouwishtobecalledacoward？andhaveitsaidyouarerunningawayfromBridau？No，no！TheunmountedgrenadiersoftheGuardcannotdrawbackbeforethedragoonsoftheGuard。Arrangeyourbusinessinsomeotherwayandbethere！“
“Onemoretosendtotheshades！“saidMax。“Well，IthinkIcanmanagemybusinesssoastogetthere——For，“hethoughttohimself，“thatpowerofattorneyoughtnottobeinmyname；asoldHeronsays，itwouldlooktoomuchliketheft。“
Thislion，tangledinthemeshesPhilippeBridauwasweavingforhim，mutteredbetweenhisteethashewentalong；heavoidedthelooksofthosehemetandreturnedhomebytheboulevardVilatte，stilltalkingtohimself。
“IwillhavethatmoneybeforeIfight，“hesaid。“IfIdie，itshallnotgotoPhilippe。ImustputitinFlore’sname。Shewillfollowmyinstructions，andgostraighttoParis。Oncethere，shecanmarry，ifshechooses，thesonofsomemarshalofFrancewhohasbeensenttotheright-about。I’llhavethatpowerofattorneymadeinBaruch’sname，andhe’lltransferthepropertybymyorder。“
Max，todohimjustice，wasnevermorecoolandcalminappearancethanwhenhisbloodandhisideaswereboiling。Nomaneverunitedinahigherdegreethequalitieswhichmakeagreatgeneral。IfhiscareerhadnotbeencutshortbyhiscaptivityatCabrera，theEmperorwouldcertainlyhavefoundhimoneofthosemenwhoarenecessarytothesuccessofvastenterprises。Whenheenteredtheroomwherethehapl
