“Imustconfess，mydearmother，“hesaid，inacantingtone，lookingatMonsieurandMadameHochonwhoaccompaniedher，“thatmyuncle’swayoflifeisnotbecoming；hecould，however，makeMademoiselleBrazierrespectedbythecommunityifhechose。Wouldn’titbefarbetterforhertobeMadameRougetthantheservant-mistressofanoldbachelor？Shehadbetterobtainadefiniterighttohispropertybyamarriagecontractthenthreatenawholefamilywithdisinheritance。Ifyou，orMonsieurHochon，orsomegoodpriestwouldspeakofthemattertobothparties，youmightputastoptothescandalwhichoffendsdecentpeople。MademoiselleBrazierwouldbeonlytoohappyifyouweretowelcomeherasasister，andIasanaunt。“
OnthemorrowAgatheandMadameHochonappearedatFlore’sbedside，andrepeatedtothesickgirlandtoRouget，theexcellentsentimentsexpressedbyPhilippe。ThroughoutIssoudunthecolonelwastalkedofasamanofnoblecharacter，especiallybecauseofhisconducttowardsFlore。Foramonth，theRabouilleuseheardGoddet，herdoctor，theindividualwhohasparamountinfluenceoverasickperson，therespectableMadameHochon，movedbyreligiousprinciple，andAgathe，sogentleandpious，allrepresentingtohertheadvantagesofamarriagewithRouget。Andwhen，attractedbytheideaofbecomingMadameRouget，adignifiedandvirtuousbourgeoisie，shegreweagertorecover，sothatthemarriagemightspeedilybecelebrated，itwasnotdifficulttomakeherunderstandthatshewouldnotbeallowedtoenterthefamilyoftheRougetsifsheintendedtoturnPhilippefromitsdoors。
“Besides，“remarkedthedoctor，“youreallyowehimthisgoodfortune。
MaxwouldneverhaveallowedyoutomarryoldRouget。And，“headdedinherear，“ifyouhavechildren，youcanrevengeMax，forthatwilldisinherittheBridaus。“
TwomonthsafterthefatalduelinFebruary，1823，thesickwoman，urgedbythoseabouther，andimploredbyRouget，consentedtoreceivePhilippe，thesightofwhosescarsmadeherweep，butwhosesoftenedandaffectionatemannercalmedher。ByPhilippe’swishtheywereleftalonetogether。
“Mydearchild，“saidthesoldier。“ItisI，who，fromthestart，haveadvisedyourmarriagewithmyuncle；ifyouconsent，itwilltakeplaceassoonasyouarequiterecovered。“
“Sotheytellme，“shereplied。
“Circumstanceshavecompelledmetogiveyoupain，itisnaturalthereforethatIshouldwishtodoyouallthegoodIcan。Wealth，respect，andafamilypositionareworthmorethanwhatyouhavelost。
Youwouldn’thavebeenthatfellow’swifelongaftermyuncle’sdeath，forIhappentoknow，throughfriendsofhis，thatheintendedtogetridofyou。Come，mydear，letusunderstandeachother，andlivehappily。Youshallbemyaunt，andnothingmorethanmyaunt。Youwilltakecarethatmyuncledoesnotforgetmeinhiswill；onmyside，youshallseehowwellIwillhaveyoutreatedinthemarriagecontract。Keepcalm，thinkitover，andwewilltalkofitlater。Allsensiblepeople，indeedthewholetown，urgeyoutoputanendtoyourillegalposition；noonewillblameyouforreceivingme。Itiswellunderstoodintheworldthatinterestsgobeforefeelings。Bythedayofyourmarriageyouwillbehandsomerthanever。Thepallorofillnesshasgivenyouanairofdistinction，andonmyhonor，ifmyuncledidnotloveyousomadly，youshouldbethewifeofColonelBridau。“
Philippelefttheroom，havingdroppedthishintintoFlore’smindtowakenavagueideaofvengeancewhichmightpleasethegirl，whodid，infact，feelasortofhappinessasshesawthisdreadfulbeingatherfeet。InthisscenePhilipperepeated，inminiature，thatofRichardIII。withthequeenhehadwidowed。Themeaningofitisthatpersonalcalculation，hiddenundersentiment，hasapowerfulinfluenceontheheart，andisabletodissipateevengenuinegrief。Thisishow，inindividuallife，Naturedoesthatwhichinworksofgeniusisthoughttobeconsummateart:sheworksbyself-interest，——thegeniusofmoney。
AtthebeginningofApril，1823，thehallofJean-JacquesRouget’shousewasthesceneofasplendiddinner，giventocelebratethesigningofthemarriagecontractbetweenMademoiselleFloreBrazierandtheoldbachelor。TheguestswereMonsieurHeron，thefourwitnesses，MessieursMignonnet，Carpentier，Hochon，andGoddet，themayorandthecurate，AgatheBridau，MadameHochon，andherfriendMadameBorniche，thetwooldladieswholaiddownthelawtothesocietyofIssoudun。Thebridewasmuchimpressedbythisconcession，obtainedbyPhilippe，andintendedbythetwoladiesasamarkofprotectiontoarepentantwoman。Florewasindazzlingbeauty。Thecurate，whoforthelastfortnighthadbeeninstructingtheignorantcrab-girl，wastoallowher，onthefollowingday，tomakeherfirstcommunion。Themarriagewasthetextofthefollowingpiousarticleinthe“JournalduCher，“publishedatBourges，andinthe“Journaldel’Indre，“publishedatChateauroux:
Issoudun——TherevivalofreligionisprogressinginBerry。
FriendsoftheChurchandallrespectablepersonsinthistownwereyesterdaywitnessesofamarriageceremonybywhichaleadingmanofpropertyputanendtoascandalousconnection，whichbeganatthetimewhentheauthorityofreligionwasoverthrowninthisregion。Thisevent，duetotheenlightenedzealoftheclergyofIssoudunwill，wetrust，haveimitators，andputastoptomarriages，so-called，whichhaveneverbeensolemnized，andwereonlycontractedduringthedisastrousepochofrevolutionaryrule。
Oneremarkablefeatureoftheeventtowhichweallude，isthefactthatitwasbroughtaboutattheentreatyofacolonelbelongingtotheoldarmy，senttoourtownbyasentenceoftheCourtofPeers，whomay，inconsequence，losetheinheritanceofhisuncle’sproperty。Suchdisinterestednessissorareinthesedaysthatitdeservespublicmention。
BythemarriagecontractRougetsecuredtoFloreadowerofonehundredthousandfrancs，andalifeannuityofthirtythousandmore。
Afterthewedding，whichwassumptuous，AgathereturnedtoParisthehappiestofmothers，andtoldJosephandDesrocheswhatshecalledthegoodnews。
“YoursonPhilippeistoowilyamannottokeephispawonthatinheritance，“saidthelawyer，whenhehadheardMadameBridautotheend。“YouandyourpoorJosephwillnevergetonepennyofyourbrother’sproperty。“
“You，andJosephtoo，willalwaysbeunjusttothatpoorboy，“saidthemother。“HisconductbeforetheCourtofPeerswasworthyofastatesman；hesucceededinsavingmanyheads。Philippe’serrorscamefromhisgreatfacultiesbeingunemployed。Henowseeshowfaultsofconductinjuretheprospectsofamanwhohashiswaytomake。Heisambitious；thatIamsureof；andIamnottheonlyonetopredicthisfuture。MonsieurHochonfirmlybelievesthatPhilippehasanobledestinybeforehim。“
“Oh！ifhechoosestoapplyhispervertedpowerstomakinghisfortune，Ihavenodoubthewillsucceed:heiscapableofeverything；
andsuchfellowsgofastandfar，“saidDesroches。
“Whydoyousupposethathewillnotsucceedbyhonestmeans？“
demandedMadameBridau。
“Youwillsee！“exclaimedDesroches。“Fortunateorunfortunate，PhilippewillremainthemanoftherueMazarin，themurdererofMadameDescoings，thedomesticthief。Butdon’tworryyourself；hewillmanagetoappearhonesttotheworld。“
Afterbreakfast，onthemorningsucceedingthemarriage，PhilippetookMadameRougetbythearmwhenhisunclerosefromtableandwentupstairstodress，——forthepairhadcomedown，theoneinhermorning-robe，andtheotherinhisdressing-gown。
“Mydearaunt，“saidthecolonel，leadingherintotherecessofawindow，“younowbelongtothefamily。Thankstome，thelawhastiedtheknot。Now，nononsense。IintendthatyouandIshouldplayaboveboard。Iknowthetricksyouwilltryagainstme；andIshallwatchyoulikeaduenna。Youwillnevergooutofthishouseexceptonmyarm；andyouwillneverleaveme。Astowhatpasseswithinthehouse，damnit，you’llfindmelikeaspiderinthemiddleofhisweb。Hereissomething，“hecontinued，showingthebewilderedwomanaletter，“whichwillprovetoyouthatIcould，whileyouwerelyingillupstairs，unabletomovehandorfoot，haveturnedyououtofdoorswithoutapenny。Readit。“
Hegavehertheletter。
MydearFellow，——Florentine，whohasjustmadeherdebutatthenewOperaHouseina“pasdetrois“withMarietteandTullia，isthinkingsteadilyaboutyouraffair，andsoisFlorine，——whohasfinallygivenupLousteauandtakenNathan。Thatshrewdpairhavefoundyouamostdeliciouslittlecreature，——onlyseventeen，beautifulasanEnglishwoman，demureasa“lady，“uptoallmischief，slyasDesroches，faithfulasGodeschal。Marietteisformingher，soastogiveyouafairchance。Nowomancouldholdherownagainstthislittleangel，whoisadevilunderherskin；
shecanplayanypartyouplease；getcompletepossessionofyouruncle，ordrivehimcrazywithlove。ShehasthatcelestiallookpoorCoralieusedtohave；shecanweep，——thetonesofhervoicewilldrawathousand-francnotefromagraniteheart；andtheyoungmischiefsoaksupchampagnebetterthananyofus。Itisapreciousdiscovery；sheisunderobligationstoMariette，andwantstopaythemoff。AftersquanderingthefortunesoftwoEnglishmen，aRussian，andanItalianprince，MademoiselleEstherisnowinpoverty；givehertenthousandfrancs，thatwillsatisfyher。Shehasjustremarked，laughing，thatshehasneveryetfricasseedabourgeois，anditwillgetherhandin。EstheriswellknowntoFinot，Bixiou，anddesLupeaulx，infacttoallourset。Ah！iftherewereanyrealfortunesleftinFrance，shewouldbethegreatestcourtesanofmoderntimes。
Alltheeditorialstaff，Nathan，Finot，Bixiou，etc。，arenowjokingtheaforesaidEstherinamagnificentappartementjustarrangedforFlorinebyoldLordDudley(therealfatherofdeMarsay)；thelivelyactresscapturedhimbythedressofhernewrole。TulliaiswiththeDucdeRhetore，MarietteisstillwiththeDucdeMaufrigneuse；betweenthem，theywillgetyoursentenceremittedintimefortheKing’sfete。BuryyouruncleundertherosesbeforetheSaint-Louis，bringawaytheproperty，andspendalittleofitwithEstherandyouroldfriends，whosignthisepistleinabody，toremindyouofthem。
Nathan，Florine，Bixiou，Finot，Mariette，Florentine，Giroudeau，TulliaThelettershookinthetremblinghandsofMadameRouget，andbetrayedtheterrorofhermindandbody。Theauntdarednotlookatthenephew，whofixedhiseyesuponherwithterriblemeaning。
“Itrustyou，“hesaid，“asyousee；butIexpectsomereturn。Ihavemadeyoumyauntintendingtomarryyousomeday。YouareworthmoretomethanEstherinmanagingmyuncle。Inayearfromnow，wemustbeinParis；theonlyplacewherebeautyreallylives。Youwillamuseyourselfmuchbettertherethanhere；itisaperpetualcarnival。I
shallreturntothearmy，andbecomeageneral，andyouwillbeagreatlady。There’sourfuture；nowworkforit。ButImusthaveapledgetobindthisagreement。Youaretogiveme，withinamonthfromnow，apowerofattorneyfrommyuncle，whichyoumustobtainunderpretenceofrelievinghimofthefatiguesofbusiness。Also，amonthlater，ImusthaveaspecialpowerofattorneytotransfertheincomeintheFunds。Whenthatstandsinmyname，youandIhaveanequalinterestinmarryingeachother。Thereitallis，mybeautifulaunt，asplainasday。Betweenyouandmetheremustbenoambiguity。Icanmarrymyauntattheendofayear’swidowhood；butIcouldnotmarryadisgracedgirl。“
