Philippe’sconduct，inspiteofthecleverdefenderwhomDesrochesrecommendedtohim，rousedsuspicionsthatwereunfavorabletohischaracter。Inviewofthis，Joseph，assoonashehadputDesrochesinpossessionofallthatwasgoingonatIssoudun，startedwithMistigrisforthechateauoftheComtedeSerizy，toescapehearingaboutthetrialoftheconspirators，whichlastedfortwentydays。
Itisuselesstorecordfactsthatmaybefoundincontemporaneoushistories。Whetheritwerethatheplayedapartpreviouslyagreedupon，orthathewasreallyaninformer，Philippewascondemnedtofiveyears’surveillancebythepolicedepartment，andorderedtoleaveParisthesamedayforAutun，thetownwhichthedirector-
generalofpoliceselectedastheplaceofhisexileforfiveyears。
Thispunishmentresembledthedetentionofprisonersonparolewhohaveatownforaprison。LearningthattheComtedeSerizy，oneofthepeersappointedbytheChamberonthecourt-martial，wasemployingJosephtodecoratehischateauatPresles，Desrochesbeggedtheministertogranthimanaudience，andfoundMonsieurdeSerizymostamiablydisposedtowardJoseph，withwhomhehadhappenedtomakepersonalacquaintance。Desrochesexplainedthefinancialconditionofthetwobrothers，recallingtheservicesofthefather，andtheneglectshowntothemundertheRestoration。
“Suchinjustice，monseigneur，“saidthelawyer，“isalastingcauseofirritationanddiscontent。Youknewthefather；givethesonsachance，atleast，ofmakingafortune——“
AndhedrewasuccinctpictureofthesituationofthefamilyaffairsatIssoudun，beggingtheall-powerfulvice-presidentoftheCouncilofStatetotakestepstoinducethedirector-generalofpolicetochangePhilippe’splaceofresidencefromAutuntoIssoudun。HealsospokeofPhilippe’sextremepoverty，andaskedadoleofsixtyfrancsamonth，whichtheministerofwarought，hesaid，formereshame’ssake，togranttoaformerlieutenant-colonel。
“Iwillobtainallyouaskofme，forIthinkitjust，“repliedthecount。
Threedayslater，Desroches，furnishedwiththenecessaryauthority，fetchedPhilippefromtheprisonoftheCourtofPeers，andtookhimtohisownhouse，ruedeBethizy。Oncethere，theyoungbarristerreadthemiserablevagabondoneofthoseunanswerablelecturesinwhichlawyersratethingsattheiractualvalue；usingplaintermstoqualifytheconduct，andtoanalyzeandreducetotheirsimplestmeaningthesentimentsandideasofclientstowardwhomtheyfeelenoughinteresttospeakplainly。AfterhumblingtheEmperor’sstaff-
officerbyreproachinghimwithhisrecklessdissipations，hismother’smisfortunes，andthedeathofMadameDescoings，hewentontotellhimthestateofthingsatIssoudun，explainingitaccordingtohislights，andprobingboththeschemeandthecharacterofMaxenceGiletandtheRabouilleusetotheirdepths。Philippe，whowasgiftedwithakeencomprehensioninsuchdirections，listenedwithmuchmoreinteresttothispartofDesroches’slecturethantowhathadgonebefore。
“Underthesecircumstances，“continuedthelawyer，“youcanrepairtheinjuryyouhavedonetoyourestimablefamily，——sofaratleastasitisreparable；foryoucannotrestorelifetothepoormotheryouhaveallbutkilled。Butyoualonecan——“
“WhatcanIdo？“askedPhilippe。
“IhaveobtainedachangeofresidenceforyoufromAutuntoIssoudun——“
Philippe’ssunkenface，whichhadgrownalmostsinisterinexpressionandwasfurrowedwithsufferingsandprivation，instantlylightedupwithaflashofjoy。
“And，asIwassaying，youalonecanrecovertheinheritanceofoldRouget’sproperty；halfofwhichmaybythistimebeinthejawsofthewolfnamedGilet，“repliedDesroches。“Younowknowalltheparticulars，anditisforyoutoactaccordingly。Isuggestnoplan；
Ihavenoideasatallastothat；besides，everythingwilldependonlocalcircumstances。Youhavetodealwithastrongforce；thatfellowisveryastute。ThewayheattemptedtogetbackthepicturesyourunclehadgiventoJoseph，theaudacitywithwhichhelaidacrimeonyourpoorbrother’sshoulders，allgotoprovethattheadversaryiscapableofeverything。Therefore，beprudent；andtrytobehaveproperlyoutofpolicy，ifyoucan’tdosooutofdecency。WithouttellingJoseph，whoseartist’spridewouldbeupinarms，IhavesentthepicturestoMonsieurHochon，tellinghimtogivethemuptonoonebutyou。Bytheway，MaxenceGiletisabraveman。“
“Somuchthebetter，“saidPhilippe；“Icountonhiscourageforsuccess；acowardwouldleaveIssoudun。“
“Well，——thinkofyourmotherwhohasbeensodevotedtoyou，andofyourbrother，whomyoumadeyourmilchcow。“
“Ah！didhetellyouthatnonsense？“criedPhilippe。
“AmInotthefriendofthefamily，anddon’tIknowmuchmoreaboutyouthantheydo？“askedDesroches。
“Whatdoyouknow？“saidPhilippe。
“Thatyoubetrayedyourcomrades。“
“I！“exclaimedPhilippe。“I！astaff-officeroftheEmperor！Absurd！
Why，wefooledtheChamberofPeers，thelawyers，thegovernment，andthewholeofthedamnedconcern。Theking’speoplewerecompletelyhood-winked。“
“That’sallverywell，ifitwasso，“answeredthelawyer。“But，don’tyousee，theBourbonscan’tbeoverthrown；allEuropeisbackingthem；
andyououghttotrytomakeyourpeacewiththewardepartment，——youcoulddothatreadilyenoughifyouwererich。Togetrich，youandyourbrother，youmustlayholdofyouruncle。Ifyouwilltakethetroubletomanageanaffairwhichneedsgreatcleverness，patience，andcaution，youhaveenoughworkbeforeyoutooccupyyourfiveyears。“
“No，no，“criedPhilippe，“Imusttakethebullbythehornsatonce。
ThisMaxencemayaltertheinvestmentofthepropertyandputitinthatwoman’sname；andthenallwouldbelost。“
“MonsieurHochonisagoodadviser，andseesclearly；consulthim。Youhaveyourordersfromthepolice；IhavetakenyourplaceintheOrleansdiligenceforhalf-pastseveno’clockthisevening。Isupposeyourtrunkisready；so，nowcomeanddine。“
“IownnothingbutwhatIhavegotonmyback，“saidPhilippe，openinghishorribleblueovercoat；“butIonlyneedthreethings，whichyoumusttellGiroudeau，theuncleofFinot，tosendme，——mysabre，mysword，andmypistols。“
“Youneedmorethanthat，“saidthelawyer，shudderingashelookedathisclient。“Youwillreceiveaquarterlystipendwhichwillclotheyoudecently。“
“Blessme！areyouhere，Godeschal？“criedPhilippe，recognizinginDesroches’shead-clerk，astheypassedout，thebrotherofMariette。
“Yes，IhavebeenwithMonsieurDesrochesforthelasttwomonths。“
“Andhewillstaywithme，Ihope，tillhegetsabusinessofhisown，“saidDesroches。
“HowisMariette？“askedPhilippe，movedathisrecollections。
“Sheisgettingreadyfortheopeningofthenewtheatre。“
“Itwouldcostherlittletroubletogetmysentenceremitted，“saidPhilippe。“However，asshechooses！“
Afterameagredinner，givenbyDesrocheswhoboardedhishead-clerk，thetwolawyersputthepoliticalconvictinthediligence，andwishedhimgoodluck。
OnthesecondofNovember，All-Souls’day，PhilippeBridauappearedbeforethecommissaryofpoliceatIssoudun，tohavethedateofhisarrivalrecordedonhispapers；andbythatfunctionary’sadvicehewenttolodgeintheruel’Avenier。Thenewsofthearrivalofanofficer，banishedonaccountofthelatemilitaryconspiracy，spreadrapidlythroughthetown，andcausedallthemoreexcitementwhenitwasknownthatthisofficerwasabrotherofthepainterwhohadbeenfalselyaccused。MaxenceGilet，bythistimeentirelyrecoveredfromhiswound，hadcompletedthedifficultoperationofturningallPereRouget’smortgagesintomoney，andputtingtheproceedsinonesum，onthe“grand-livre。“Theloanofonehundredandfortythousandfrancsobtainedbytheoldmanonhislandedpropertyhadcausedagreatsensation，——foreverythingisknownintheprovinces。MonsieurHochon，intheBridauinterest，wasmuchputaboutbythisdisaster，andquestionedoldMonsieurHeron，thenotaryatBourges，astotheobjectofit。
“TheheirsofoldRouget，ifoldRougetchangeshismind，oughttomakemeavotiveoffering，“criedMonsieurHeron。“Ifithadnotbeenforme，theoldfellowwouldhaveallowedthefiftythousandfrancs’
incometostandinthenameofMaxenceGilet。ItoldMademoiselleBrazierthatsheoughttolooktothewillonly，andnotruntheriskofasuitforspoliation，seeingwhatnumerousproofsthesetransfersineverydirectionwouldgiveagainstthem。Togaintime，IadvisedMaxenceandhismistresstokeepquiet，andletthissuddenchangeintheusualbusinesshabitsoftheoldmanbeforgotten。“
“ProtecttheBridaus，fortheyhavenothing，“saidMonsieurHochon，whoinadditiontoallotherreasons，couldnotforgiveGilettheterrorshehadenduredwhenfearingthepillageofhishouse。
MaxenceGiletandFloreBrazier，nowsecureagainstallattack，wereverymerryoverthearrivalofanotherofoldRouget’snephews。Theyknewtheywereable，atthefirstsignalofdanger，tomaketheoldmansignapowerofattorneyunderwhichthemoneyintheFundscouldbetransferredeithertoMaxorFlore。IfthewillleavingFloretheprincipal，shouldberevoked，anincomeoffiftythousandfrancswasaverytolerablecrumbofcomfort，——moreparticularlyaftersqueezingfromtherealestatethatmortgageofahundredandfortythousand。
