began　for　the　first　time　to　show　fear；　while　his　swarthy　yellow　face；
  which　seemed　as　it　if　could　never　change　color；　whitened。
  〃How？〃　said　Max。　〃Why；　that's　not　difficult。〃
  And　taking　advantage　of　the　Spaniard's　stupefaction；　he　raised　the
  barrow　by　the　shafts　with　his　robust　arms　and　prepared　to　fling　it
  down；　calling　in　thundering　tones　as　it　left　his　grasp；　〃Look　out
  there；　below！〃
  No　accident　happened；　for　the　crowd；　persuaded　by　Francois　and　eaten
  up　with　curiosity；　had　retired　to　a　distance　from　which　they　could　see
  more　clearly　what　went　on　at　the　top　of　the　embankment。　The　cart　was
  dashed　to　an　infinite　number　of　pieces　in　a　very　picturesque　manner。
  〃There！　you　have　got　it　down；〃　said　Baruch。
  〃Ah；　brigands！　ah；　scoundrels！〃　cried　Fario；　〃perhaps　it　was　you　who
  brought　it　up　here！〃
  Max；　Baruch；　and　their　three　comrades　began　to　laugh　at　the　Spaniard's
  rage。
  〃I　wanted　to　do　you　a　service；〃　said　Max　coolly；　〃and　in　handling　the
  damned　thing　I　came　very　near　flinging　myself　after　it；　and　this　is
  how　you　thank　me；　is　it？　What　country　do　you　come　from？〃
  〃I　come　from　a　country　where　they　never　forgive；〃　replied　Fario；
  trembling　with　rage。　〃My　cart　will　be　the　cab　in　which　you　shall　drive
  to　the　devil！unless；〃　he　said；　suddenly　becoming　as　meek　as　a　lamb；
  〃you　will　give　me　a　new　one。〃
  〃We　will　talk　about　that；〃　said　Max；　beginning　to　descend。
  When　they　reached　the　bottom　and　met　the　first　hilarious　group；　Max
  took　Fario　by　the　button　of　his　jacket　and　said　to　him；
  〃Yes；　my　good　Fario；　I'll　give　you　a　magnificent　cart；　if　you　will
  give　me　two　hundred　and　fifty　francs；　but　I　won't　warrant　it　to　go；
  like　this　one；　up　a　tower。〃
  At　this　last　jest　Fario　became　as　cool　as　though　he　were　making　a
  bargain。
  〃Damn　it！〃　he　said；　〃give　me　the　wherewithal　to　replace　my　barrow；　and
  it　will　be　the　best　use　you　ever　made　of　old　Rouget's　money。〃
  Max　turned　livid；　he　raised　his　formidable　fist　to　strike　Fario；　but
  Baruch；　who　knew　that　the　blow　would　descend　on　others　besides　the
  Spaniard；　plucked　the　latter　away　like　a　feather　and　whispered　to
  Max；
  〃Don't　commit　such　a　folly！〃
  The　grand　master；　thus　called　to　order；　began　to　laugh　and　said　to
  Fario；
  〃If　I；　by　accident；　broke　your　barrow；　and　you　in　return　try　to
  slander　me；　we　are　quits。〃
  〃Not　yet；〃　muttered　Fario。　〃But　I　am　glad　to　know　what　my　barrow　was
  worth。〃
  〃Ah；　Max；　you've　found　your　match！〃　said　a　spectator　of　the　scene；　who
  did　not　belong　to　the　Order　of　Idleness。
  〃Adieu；　Monsieur　Gilet。　I　haven't　thanked　you　yet　for　lending　me　a
  hand；〃　cried　the　Spaniard；　as　he　kicked　the　sides　of　his　horse　and
  disappeared　amid　loud　hurrahs。
  〃We　will　keep　the　tires　of　the　wheels　for　you；〃　shouted　a　wheelwright；
  who　had　come　to　inspect　the　damage　done　to　the　cart。
  One　of　the　shafts　was　sticking　upright　in　the　ground；　as　straight　as　a
  tree。　Max　stood　by；　pale　and　thoughtful；　and　deeply　annoyed　by　Fario's
  speech。　For　five　days　after　this；　nothing　was　talked　of　in　Issoudun
  but　the　tale　of　the　Spaniard's　barrow；　it　was　even　fated　to　travel
  abroad；　as　Goddet　remarked；for　it　went　the　round　of　Berry；　where　the
  speeches　of　Fario　and　Max　were　repeated；　and　at　the　end　of　a　week　the
  affair；　greatly　to　the　Spaniard's　satisfaction；　was　still　the　talk　of
  the　three　departments　and　the　subject　of　endless　gossip。　In
  consequence　of　the　vindictive　Spaniard's　terrible　speech；　Max　and　the
  Rabouilleuse　became　the　object　of　certain　comments　which　were　merely
  whispered　in　Issoudun；　though　they　were　spoken　aloud　in　Bourges；
  Vatan；　Vierzon；　and　Chateauroux。　Maxence　Gilet　knew　enough　of　that
  region　of　the　country　to　guess　how　envenomed　such　comments　would
  become。
  〃We　can't　stop　their　tongues；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃Ah！　I　did　a　foolish
  thing！〃
  〃Max！〃　said　Francois；　taking　his　arm。　〃They　are　coming　to…night。〃
  〃They！　Who！〃
  〃The　Bridaus。　My　grandmother　has　just　had　a　letter　from　her
  goddaughter。〃
  〃Listen；　my　boy；〃　said　Max　in　a　low　voice。　〃I　have　been　thinking
  deeply　of　this　matter。　Neither　Flore　nor　I　ought　to　seem　opposed　to
  the　Bridaus。　If　these　heirs　are　to　be　got　rid　of；　it　is　for　you
  Hochons　to　drive　them　out　of　Issoudun。　Find　out　what　sort　of　people
  they　are。　To…morrow　at　Mere　Cognette's；　after　I've　taken　their
  measure；　we　can　decide　what　is　to　be　done；　and　how　we　can　set　your
  grandfather　against　them。〃
  〃The　Spaniard　found　the　flaw　in　Max's　armor；〃　said　Baruch　to　his
  cousin　Francois；　as　they　turned　into　Monsieur　Hochon's　house　and
  watched　their　comrade　entering　his　own　door。
  While　Max　was　thus　employed；　Flore；　in　spite　of　her　friend's　advice；
  was　unable　to　restrain　her　wrath；　and　without　knowing　whether　she
  would　help　or　hinder　Max's　plans；　she　burst　forth　upon　the　poor
  bachelor。　When　Jean…Jacques　incurred　the　anger　of　his　mistress；　the
  little　attentions　and　vulgar　fondlings　which　were　all　his　joy　were
  suddenly　suppressed。　Flore　sent　her　master；　as　the　children　say；　into
  disgrace。　No　more　tender　glances；　no　more　of　the　caressing　little
  words　in　various　tones　with　which　she　decked　her　conversation；〃my
  kitten；〃　〃my　old　darling；〃　〃my　bibi；〃　〃my　rat；〃　etc。　A　〃you；〃　cold　and
  sharp　and　ironically　respectful；　cut　like　the　blade　of　a　knife　through
  the　heart　of　the　miserable　old　bachelor。　The　〃you〃　was　a　declaration
  of　war。　Instead　of　helping　the　poor　man　with　his　toilet；　handing　him
  what　he　wanted；　forestalling　his　wishes；　looking　at　him　with　the　sort
  of　admiration　which　all　women　know　how　to　express；　and　which；　in　some
  cases；　the　coarser　it　is　the　better　it　pleases；saying；　for　instance；
  〃You　look　as　fresh　as　a　rose！〃　or；　〃What　health　you　have！〃　〃How
  handsome　you　are；　my　old　Jean！〃in　short；　instead　of　entertaining　him
  with　the　lively　chatter　and　broad　jokes　in　which　he　delighted；　Flore
  left　him　to　dress　alone。　If　he　called　her；　she　answered　from　the　foot
  of　the　staircase；　〃I　can't　do　everything　at　once；　how　can　I　look　after
  your　breakfast　and　wait　upon　you　up　there？　Are　not　you　big　enough　to
  dress　your　own　self？〃
  〃Oh；　dear！　what　have　I　done　to　displease　her？〃　the　old　man　asked
  himself　that　morning；　as　he　got　one　of　these　rebuffs　after　calling　for
  his　shaving…water。
  〃Vedie；　take　up　the　hot　water；〃　cried　Flore。
  〃Vedie！〃　exclaimed　the　poor　man；　stupefied　with　fear　of　the　anger　that
  was　crushing　him。　〃Vedie；　what　is　the　matter　with　Madame　this
  morning？〃
  Flore　Brazier　required　her　master　and　Vedie　and　Kouski　and　Max　to　call
  her　Madame。
  〃She　seems　to　have　heard　something　about　you　which　isn't　to　your
  credit；〃　answered　Vedie；　assuming　an　air　of　deep　concern。　〃You　are
  doing　wrong；　monsieur。　I'm　only　a　poor　servant…woman；　and　you　may　say
  I　have　no　right　to　poke　my　nose　into　your　affairs；　but　I　do　say　you
  may　search　through　all　the　women　in　the　world；　like　that　king　in　holy
  Scripture；　and　you　won't　find　the　equal　of　Madame。　You　ought　to　kiss
  the　ground　she　steps　on。　Goodness！　if　you　make　her　unhappy；　you'll
  only　spoil　your　own　life。　There　she　is；　poor　thing；　with　her　eyes　full
  of　tears。〃
  Vedie　left　the　poor　man　utterly　cast　down；　he　dropped　into　an　armchair
  and　gazed　into　vacancy　like　the　melancholy　imbecile　that　he　was；　and
  forgot　to　shave。　These　alternations　of　tenderness　and　severity　worked
  upon　this　feeble　creature　whose　only　life　was　through　his　amorous
  fibre；　the　same　morbid　effect　which　great　changes　from　tropical　heat
  to　arctic　cold　produce　upon　the　human　body。　It　was　a　moral　pleurisy；
  which　wore　him　out　like　a　physical　disease。　Flore　alone　could　thus
  affect　him；　for　to　her；　and　to　her　alone；　he　was　as　good　as　he　was
  foolish。
  〃Well；　haven't　you　shaved　yet？〃　she　said；　appearing　at　his　door。
  Her　sudden　presence　made　the　old　man　start　violently；　and　from　being
  pale　and　cast　down　he　grew　red　for　an　instant；　without；　however；
  daring　to　complain　of　her　treatment。
  〃Your　breakfast　is　waiting；〃　she　added。　〃You　can　come　down　as　you　are；
  in　dressing…gown　and　slippers；　for　you'll　breakfast　alone；　I　can　tell
  you。〃
  Without　waiting　for　an　answer；　she　disappeared。　To　make　him　breakfast
  alone　was　the　punishment　he　dreaded　most；　he　loved　to　talk　to　her　as
  he　ate　his　meals。　When　he　got　to　the　foot　of　the　staircase　he　was
  taken　with　a　fit　of　coughing；　for　emotion　excited　his　catarrh。
  〃Cough　away！〃　said　Flore　in　the　kitchen；　without　caring　whether　he
  heard　her　or　not。　〃Confound　the　old　wretch！　he　is　able　enough　to　get
  over　it　without　bothering　others。　If　he　coughs　up　his　soul；　it　will
  only　be　after〃
  Such　were　the　amenities　the　Rabouilleuse　addressed　to　Rouget　when　she
  was　angry。　The　poor　man　sat　down　in　deep　distress　at　a　corner　of　the
  table　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　and　looked　at　his　old　furniture　and
  the　old　pictures　with　a　disconsolate　air。
  〃You　might　at　least　have　put　on　a　cravat；〃　said　Flore。　〃Do　you　think
  it　is　pleasant　for　people　to　see　such　a　neck　as　yo