Josephsatinhisarmchairalltheevening，engagedinslylystudyingthesixtyfaceswhich，fromfiveo’clockuntilhalfpastnine，posedforhimgratis，asheafterwardstoldhismother。SuchbehaviorbeforethearistocracyofIssoudundidnottendtochangetheopinionofthelittletownconcerninghim:everyonewenthomeruffledbyhissarcasticglances，uneasyunderhissmiles，andevenfrightenedathisface，whichseemedsinistertoaclassofpeopleunabletorecognizethesingularitiesofgenius。
Afterteno’clock，whenthehouseholdwasinbed，MadameHochonkepthergoddaughterinherchamberuntilmidnight。Securefrominterruption，thetwowomentoldeachotherthesorrowsoftheirlives，andexchangedtheirsufferings。AsAgathelistenedtothelastechoesofasoulthathadmisseditsdestiny，andfeltthesufferingsofaheart，essentiallygenerousandcharitable，whosecharityandgenerositycouldneverbeexercised，sherealizedtheimmensityofthedesertinwhichthepowersofthisnoble，unrecognizedsoulhadbeenwasted，andknewthatsheherself，withthelittlejoysandinterestsofhercityliferelievingthebittertrialssentfromGod，wasnotthemostunhappyofthetwo。
“Youwhoaresopious，“shesaid，“explaintomemyshortcomings；tellmewhatitisthatGodispunishinginme。“
“Heispreparingus，mychild，“answeredtheoldwoman，“forthestrikingofthelasthour。“
AtmidnighttheKnightsofIdlenesswerecollecting，onebyonelikeshadows，underthetreesoftheboulevardBaron，andspeakingtogetherinwhispers。
“Whatarewegoingtodo？“wasthefirstquestionofeachashearrived。
“Ithink，“saidFrancois，“thatMaxmeansmerelytogiveusasupper。“
“No；mattersareveryseriousforhim，andfortheRabouilleuse:nodoubt，hehasconcoctedsomeschemeagainsttheParisians。“
“Itwouldbeagoodjoketodrivethemaway。“
“Mygrandfather，“saidBaruch，“isterriblyalarmedathavingtwoextramouthstofeed，andhe’dseizeonanypretext——“
“Well，comrades！“criedMaxsoftly，nowappearingonthescene，“whyareyoustar-gazing？theplanetsdon’tdistilkirschwasser。Come，letusgotoMereCognette’s！“
“ToMereCognette’s！ToMereCognette’s！“theyallcried。
Thecry，utteredaswithonevoice，producedaclamorwhichrangthroughthetownlikethehurrahoftroopsrushingtoanassault；
totalsilencefollowed。Thenextday，morethanoneinhabitantmusthavesaidtohisneighbor:“Didyouhearthosefrightfulcrieslastnight，aboutoneo’clock？Ithoughttherewassurelyafiresomewhere。“
AsupperworthyofLaCognettebrightenedthefacesofthetwenty-twoguests；forthewholeOrderwaspresent。Attwointhemorning，astheywerebeginningto“siroter“(awordinthevocabularyoftheKnightswhichadmirablyexpressestheactofsippingandtastingthewineinsmallquantities)，Maxrosetospeak:——
“Mydearfellows！thehonorofyourgrandmasterwasgrosslyattackedthismorning，afterourmemorablejokewithFario’scart，——attackedbyavilepedler，andwhatismore，aSpaniard(oh，Cabrera！)；andIhaveresolvedtomakethescoundrelfeeltheweightofmyvengeance；
always，ofcourse，withinthelimitswehavelaiddownforourfun。
Afterreflectingaboutitallday，Ihavefoundatrickwhichisworthputtingintoexecution，——afamoustrick，thatwilldrivehimcrazy。
WhileavengingtheinsultofferedtotheOrderinmyperson，weshallbefeedingthesacredanimalsoftheEgyptians，——littlebeastswhichare，afterall，thecreaturesofGod，andwhichmanunjustlypersecutes。Thusweseethatgoodisthechildofevil，andevilistheoffspringofgood；suchistheparamountlawoftheuniverse！I
noworderyouall，onpainofdispleasingyourveryhumblegrandmaster，toprocureclandestinely，eachoneofyou，twentyrats，maleorfemaleasheavenpleases。Collectyourcontingentwithinthreedays。Ifyoucangetmore，thesurpluswillbewelcome。Keeptheinterestingrodentswithoutfood；foritisessentialthatthedelightfullittlebeastsberavenouswithhunger。PleaseobservethatIwillacceptbothhouse-miceandfield-miceasrats。Ifwemultiplytwenty-twobytwenty，weshallhavefourhundred；fourhundredaccomplicesletlooseintheoldchurchoftheCapuchins，whereFariohasstoredallhisgrain，willconsumeanotinsignificantquantity！
Butbelivelyaboutit！There’snotimetolose。Farioistodelivermostofthegraintohiscustomersinaweekorso；andIamdeterminedthatthatSpaniardshallfindaterribledeficit。
Gentlemen，Ihavenotthemeritofthisinvention，“continuedMax，observingthesignsofgeneraladmiration。“RendertoCaesarthatwhichisCaesar’s，andtoGodthatwhichisGod’s。MyschemeisonlyareproductionofSamson’sfoxes，asrelatedintheBible。ButSamsonwasanincendiary，andthereforenophilanthropist；whilewe，liketheBrahmins，aretheprotectorsofapersecutedrace。MademoiselleFloreBrazierhasalreadysetallhermouse-traps，andKouski，myright-arm，ishuntingfield-mice。Ihavespoken。“
“Iknow，“saidGoddet，“wheretofindananimalthat’sworthfortyrats，himselfalone。“
“What’sthat？“
“Asquirrel。“
“Iofferalittlemonkey，“saidoneoftheyoungermembers，“he’llmakehimselfdrunkonwheat。“
“Bad，verybad！“exclaimedMax，“itwouldshowwhoputthebeaststhere。“
“Butwemighteachcatchapigeonsomenight，“saidyoungBeaussier，“takingthemfromdifferentfarms；ifweputthemthroughaholeintheroof，they’llattractthousandsofothers。“
“So，then，forthenextweek，Fario’sstorehouseistheorderofthenight，“criedMax，smilingatBeaussier。“Recollect；peoplegetupearlyinSaint-Paterne。Mind，too，thatnoneofyougotherewithoutturningthesolesofyourlistshoesbackward。KnightBeaussier，theinventorofpigeons，ismadedirector。Asforme，Ishalltakecaretoleavemyimprintonthesacksofwheat。Gentlemen，youare，allofyou，appointedtothecommissariatoftheArmyofRats。Ifyoufindawatchmansleepinginthechurch，youmustmanagetomakehimdrunk，——
anddoitcleverly，——soastogethimfarawayfromthesceneoftheRodents’Orgy。“
“Youdon’tsayanythingabouttheParisians？“questionedGoddet。
“Oh！“exclaimedMax，“Iwanttimetostudythem。Meantime，Ioffermybestshotgun——theonetheEmperorgaveme，atreasurefromthemanufactoryatVersailles——towhoeverfindsawaytoplaytheBridausatrickwhichshallgetthemintodifficultieswithMadameandMonsieurHochon，sothatthoseworthyoldpeopleshallsendthemoff，ortheyshallbeforcedtogooftheirownaccord，——without，understandme，injuringthevenerableancestorsofmytwofriendsherepresent，BaruchandFrancois。“
“Allright！I’llthinkofit，“saidGoddet，whocovetedthegun。
“Iftheinventorofthetrickdoesn’tcareforthegun，heshallhavemyhorse，“addedMax。
AfterthisnighttwentybrainsweretorturedtolayaplotagainstAgatheandherson，onthebasisofMax’sprogramme。Butthedevilalone，orchance，couldreallyhelpthemtosuccess；fortheconditionsgivenmadethethingwell-nighimpossible。
ThenextmorningAgatheandJosephcamedownstairsjustbeforethesecondbreakfast，whichtookplaceatteno’clock。InMonsieurHochon’shouseholdthenameoffirstbreakfastwasgiventoacupofmilkandsliceofbreadandbutterwhichwastakeninbed，orwhenrising。WhilewaitingforMadameHochon，whonotwithstandingheragewentminutelythroughtheceremonieswithwhichtheduchessesofLouisXV。’stimeperformedtheirtoilette，JosephnoticedJean-JacquesRougetplantedsquarelyonhisfeetatthedoorofhishouseacrossthestreet。Henaturallypointedhimouttohismother，whowasunabletorecognizeherbrother，solittledidhelooklikewhathewaswhenshelefthim。
“Thatisyourbrother，“saidAdolphine，whoentered，givinganarmtohergrandmother。
“Whatanidiothelookslike！“exclaimedJoseph。
Agatheclaspedherhands，andraisedhereyestoheaven。
“Whatastatetheyhavedrivenhimto！GoodGod！canthatbeamanonlyfifty-sevenyearsold？“
Shelookedattentivelyatherbrother，andsawFloreBrazierstandingdirectlybehindhim，withherhairdressed，apairofsnowyshouldersandadazzlingbosomshowingthroughagauzeneckerchief，whichwastrimmedwithlace；shewaswearingadresswithatight-fittingwaist，madeofgrenadine(asilkmaterialthenmuchinfashion)，withleg-of-
muttonsleevesso-called，fastenedatthewristsbyhandsomebracelets。Agoldchainrippledoverthecrab-girl’sbosomassheleanedforwardtogiveJean-Jacqueshisblacksilkcaplestheshouldtakecold。Thescenewasevidentlystudied。
“Hey！“criedJoseph，“there’safinewoman，andarareone！Sheismade，astheysay，topaint。Whatflesh-tints！Oh，thelovelytones！
whatsurface！whatcurves！Ah，thoseshoulders！She’samagnificentcaryatide。WhatamodelshewouldhavebeenforoneofTitians’
Venuses！“
AdolphineandMadameHochonthoughthewastalkingGreek；butAgathesignedtothembehindhisback，asiftosaythatshewasaccustomedtosuchjargon。
“Soyouthinkacreaturewhoisdeprivingyouofyourpropertyhandsome？“saidMadameHochon。
