ThedayafterPhilippe’sconversationwithMonsieurHochon，hedeterminedtopayasecondvisittohisuncle，whomhefoundmuchchanged。Florestayedbesidetheoldman，speakingtenderlyandlookingathimwithmuchaffection；sheplayedthecomedysowellthatPhilippeguessedsomeimmediatedanger，merelyfromthesolicitudethusdisplayedinhispresence。Gilet，whosepolicyitwastoavoidallcollisionwithPhilippe，didnotappear。AfterwatchinghisuncleandFloreforatimewithadiscerningeye，thecoloneljudgedthatthetimehadcometostrikehisgrandblow。
“Adieu，mydearuncle，“hesaid，risingasiftoleavethehouse。
“Oh！don’tgoyet，“criedtheoldman，whowascomfortedbyFlore’sfalsetenderness。“Dinewithus，Philippe。“
“Yes，ifyouwillcomeandtakeawalkwithme。“
“Monsieurisveryfeeble，“interposedMademoiselleBrazier；“justnowhewasunwillingeventogooutinthecarriage，“sheadded，turningupontheoldmanthefixedlookwithwhichkeepersquellamaniac。
PhilippetookFlorebythearm，compellinghertolookathim，andlookingatherinreturnasfixedlyasshehadjustlookedathervictim。
“Tellme，mademoiselle，“hesaid，“isitafactthatmyuncleisnotfreetotakeawalkwithme？“
“Why，yesheis，monsieur，“repliedFlore，whowasunabletomakeanyotheranswer。
“Verywell。Come，uncle。Mademoiselle，givehimhishatandcane。“
“But——henevergoesoutwithoutme。Doyou，monsieur？“
“Yes，Philippe，yes；Ialwayswanther——“
“Itwouldbebettertotakethecarriage，“saidFlore。
“Yes，letustakethecarriage，“criedtheoldman，inhisanxietytomakehistwotyrantsagree。
“Uncle，youwillcomewithme，alone，andonfoot，orIshallneverreturnhere；IshallknowthatthetownofIssouduntellsthetruth，whenitdeclaresyouareunderthedominionofMademoiselleFloreBrazier。Thatmyuncleshouldloveyou，isallverywell，“heresumed，holdingFlorewithafixedeye；“thatyoushouldnotlovemyuncleisalsoonthecards；butwhenitcomestoyourmakinghimunhappy——halt！
Ifpeoplewanttogetholdofaninheritance，theymustearnit。Areyoucoming，uncle？“
PhilippesawtheeyesofthepoorimbecilerovingfromhimselftoFlore，inpainfulhesitation。
“Ha！that’showitis，isit？“resumedthelieutenant-colonel。“Well，adieu，uncle。Mademoiselle，Ikissyourhands。“
Heturnedquicklywhenhereachedthedoor，andcaughtFloreintheactofmakingamenacinggestureathisuncle。
“Uncle，“hesaid，“ifyouwishtogowithme，Iwillmeetyouatyourdoorintenminutes:IamnowgoingtoseeMonsieurHochon。IfyouandIdonottakethatwalk，Ishalltakeuponmyselftomakesomeotherswalk。“
Sosaying，hewentaway，andcrossedtheplaceSaint-JeantotheHochons。
EveryonecanimaginethesceneswhichtherevelationsmadebyPhilippetoMonsieurHochonhadbroughtaboutwithinthatfamily。Atnineo’clock，oldMonsieurHeron，thenotary，presentedhimselfwithabundleofpapers，andfoundafireinthehallwhichtheoldmiser，contrarytoallhishabits，hadorderedtobelighted。MadameHochon，alreadydressedatthisunusualhour，wassittinginherarmchairatthecornerofthefireplace。Thetwograndsons，warnedthenightbeforebyAdolphinethatastormwasgatheringabouttheirheads，hadbeenorderedtostayinthehouse。SummonednowbyGritte，theywerealarmedattheformalpreparationsoftheirgrandparents，whosecoldnessandangertheyhadbeenmadetofeelintheairforthelasttwenty-fourhours。
“Don’triseforthem，“saidtheirgrandfathertoMonsieurHeron；“youseebeforeyoutwomiscreants，unworthyofpardon。“
“Oh，grandpapa！“saidFrancois。
“Besilent！“saidtheoldmansternly。“IknowofyournocturnallifeandyourintimacywithMonsieurMaxenceGilet。ButyouwillmeethimnomoreatMereCognette’satoneinthemorning；foryouwillnotleavethishouse，eitherofyou，untilyougotoyourrespectivedestinations。Ha！itwasyouwhoruinedFario，wasit？you，whohavenarrowlyescapedthepolice-courts——Holdyourtongue！“hesaid，seeingthatBaruchwasabouttospeak。“YoubothowemoneytoMonsieurMaxenceGilet；who，forsixyears，haspaidforyourdebauchery。
Listen，bothofyou，tomyguardianshipaccounts；afterthat，Ishallhavemoretosay。Youwillsee，afterthesepapersareread，whetheryoucanstilltriflewithme，——stilltriflewithfamilylawsbybetrayingthesecretsofthishouse，andreportingtoaMonsieurMaxenceGiletwhatissaidandwhatisdonehere。Forthreethousandfrancs，youbecamespies；fortenthousand，youwould，nodoubt，becomeassassins。YoudidalmostkillMadameBridau；forMonsieurGiletknewverywellitwasFariowhostabbedhimwhenhethrewthecrimeuponmyguest，MonsieurJosephBridau。Ifthatjail-birddidsowickedanact，itwasbecauseyoutoldhimwhatMadameBridaumeanttodo。You，mygrandsons，thespiesofsuchaman！You，house-breakersandmarauders！Don’tyouknowthatyourworthyleaderkilledapooryoungwoman，in1806？Iwillnothaveassassinsandthievesinmyfamily。Packyourthings；youshallgohangelsewhere！“
Thetwoyoungmenturnedwhiteandstiffasplastercasts。
“Readon，MonsieurHeron，“saidHochon。
Theoldnotaryreadtheguardianshipaccounts；fromwhichitappearedthatthenetfortuneofthetwoBornichechildrenamountedtoseventythousandfrancs，asumderivedfromthedowryoftheirmother:butMonsieurHochonhadlenthisdaughtervariouslargesums，andwasnow，ascreditor，theownerofapartofthepropertyofhisBornichegrandchildren。TheportioncomingtoBaruchamountedtoonlytwentythousandfrancs。
“Nowyouarerich，“saidtheoldman，“takeyourmoney，andgo。I
remainmasterofmyownpropertyandthatofMadameHochon，whointhismattersharesallmyintentions，andIshallgiveittowhomI
choose；namely，ourdearAdolphine。Yes，wecanmarryherifwepleasetothesonofapeerofFrance，forshewillbeanheiress。“
“Anoblefortune！“saidMonsieurHeron。
“MonsieurMaxenceGiletwillmakeupthislosstoyou，“saidMadameHochon。
“Letmyhard-savedmoneygotoascapegracelikeyou？no，indeed！“
criedMonsieurHochon。
“Forgiveme！“stammeredBaruch。
“’Forgive，andIwon’tdoitagain，’“sneeredtheoldman，imitatingachild’svoice。“IfIweretoforgiveyou，andletyououtofthishouse，youwouldgoandtellMonsieurMaxencewhathashappened，andwarnhimtobeonhisguard。No，no，mylittlemen。Ishallkeepmyeyeonyou，andIhavemeansofknowingwhatyoudo。Asyoubehave，soshallIbehavetoyou。Itwillbebyalongcourseofgoodconduct，notthatofadayoramonth，butofyears，thatIshalljudgeyou。I
amstrongonmylegs，myeyesaregood，myhealthissound；Ihopetolivelongenoughtoseewhatroadyoutake。YourfirstmovewillbetoParis，whereyouwillstudybankingunderMessieursMongenodandSons。
Ill-lucktoyouifyoudon’twalkstraight；youwillbewatched。YourpropertyisinthehandofMessieursMongenod；hereisachequefortheamount。Nowthen，releasemeasguardian，andsigntheaccounts，andalsothisreceipt，“headded，takingthepapersfromMonsieurHeronandhandingthemtoBaruch。
“Asforyou，FrancoisHochon，youowememoneyinsteadofhavinganytoreceive，“saidtheoldman，lookingathisothergrandson。
“MonsieurHeron，readhisaccount；itisallclear——perfectlyclear。“
Thereadingwasdoneinthemidstofperfectstillness。
“Youwillhavesixhundredfrancsayear，andwiththatyouwillgotoPoitiersandstudylaw，“saidthegrandfather，whenthenotaryhadfinished。“Ihadafinelifeinprospectforyou；butnow，youmustearnyourlivingasalawyer。Ah！myyoungrascals，youhavedeceivedmeforsixyears；younowknowithastakenmebutonehourtogetevenwithyou:Ihaveseven-leaguedboots。“
JustasoldMonsieurHeronwaspreparingtoleavewiththesignedpapers，GritteannouncedColonelBridau。MadameHochonlefttheroom，takinghergrandsonswithher，thatshemight，asoldHochonsaid，confessthemprivatelyandfindoutwhateffectthisscenehadproduceduponthem。
Philippeandtheoldmanstoodintheembrasureofawindowandspokeinlowtones。
“Ihavebeenreflectingonthestateofyouraffairsoverthere，“saidMonsieurHochonpointingtotheRougethouse。“IhavejusthadatalkwithMonsieurHeron。ThesecurityforthefiftythousandfrancsayearfromthepropertyintheFundscannotbesoldunlessbytheownerhimselforsomeonewithapowerofattorneyfromhim。Now，sinceyourarrivalhere，yourunclehasnotsignedanysuchpowerbeforeanynotary；and，ashehasnotleftIssoudun，hecan’thavesignedoneelsewhere。Ifheattemptstogiveapowerofattorneyhere，weshallknowitinstantly；ifhegoesawaytogiveone，weshallalsoknowit，foritwillhavetoberegistered，andthatexcellentHeronhasmeansoffindingitout。Therefore，ifRougetleavesIssoudun，havehimfollowed，learnwherehegoes，andwewillfindawaytodiscoverwhathedoes。“
“Thepowerofattorneyhasnotbeengiven，“saidPhilippe；“theyaretryingtogetit；but——they——will——not——suc——ceed——“addedthevagabond，whoseeyejustthencaughtsightofhisuncleonthestepsoftheoppositehouse:hepointedhimouttoMonsieurHochon，andrelatedsuccinctlytheparticulars，atoncesopettyandsoimportant，ofhisvisit。
“Maxenceisafraidofme，buthecan’tevademe。MignonnetsaysthatalltheofficersoftheoldarmywhoareinIssoudungiveayearlybanquetontheanniversaryoftheEmperor’scoronation；soMaxenceGiletandIaresuretomeetinafewdays。“
