some　degree　observant；　marks　so　plainly　a　duellist　of　the　first　rank
  that　a　feeling　of　inferiority　came　into　Max's　soul；　and　produced　the
  same　disarray　of　powers　which　demoralizes　a　gambler　when；　in　presence
  of　a　master　or　a　lucky　hand；　he　loses　his　self…possession　and　plays
  less　well　than　usual。
  〃Ah！　the　lascar！〃　thought　Max；　〃he's　an　expert；　I'm　lost！〃
  He　attempted　a　〃moulinet；〃　and　twirled　his　sabre　with　the　dexterity　of
  a　single…stick。　He　wanted　to　bewilder　Philippe；　and　strike　his　weapon
  so　as　to　disarm　him；　but　at　the　first　encounter　he　felt　that　the
  colonel's　wrist　was　iron；　with　the　flexibility　of　a　steel　string。
  Maxence　was　then　forced；　unfortunate　fellow；　to　think　of　another　move；
  while　Philippe；　whose　eyes　were　darting　gleams　that　were　sharper　than
  the　flash　of　their　blades；　parried　every　attack　with　the　coolness　of　a
  fencing…master　wearing　his　plastron　in　an　armory。
  Between　two　men　of　the　calibre　of　these　combatants；　there　occurs　a
  phenomenon　very　like　that　which　takes　place　among　the　lower　classes；
  during　the　terrible　tussle　called　〃the　savante；〃　which　is　fought　with
  the　feet；　as　the　name　implies。　Victory　depends　on　a　false　movement；　on
  some　error　of　the　calculation；　rapid　as　lightning；　which　must　be　made
  and　followed　almost　instinctively。　During　a　period　of　time　as　short　to
  the　spectators　as　it　seems　long　to　the　combatants；　the　contest　lies　in
  observation；　so　keen　as　to　absorb　the　powers　of　mind　and　body；　and　yet
  concealed　by　preparatory　feints　whose　slowness　and　apparent　prudence
  seem　to　show　that　the　antagonists　are　not　intending　to　fight。　This
  moment；　which　is　followed　by　a　rapid　and　decisive　struggle；　is
  terrible　to　a　connoisseur。　At　a　bad　parry　from　Max　the　colonel　sent
  the　sabre　spinning　from　his　hand。
  〃Pick　it　up；〃　he　said；　pausing；　〃I　am　not　the　man　to　kill　a　disarmed
  enemy。〃
  There　was　something　atrocious　in　the　grandeur　of　these　words；　they
  seemed　to　show　such　consciousness　of　superiority　that　the　onlookers
  took　them　for　a　shrewd　calculation。　In　fact；　when　Max　replaced　himself
  in　position；　he　had　lost　his　coolness；　and　was　once　more　confronted
  with　his　adversary's　raised　guard　which　defended　the　colonel's　whole
  person　while　it　menaced　his。　He　resolved　to　redeem　his　shameful　defeat
  by　a　bold　stroke。　He　no　longer　guarded　himself；　but　took　his　sabre　in
  both　hands　and　rushed　furiously　on　his　antagonist；　resolved　to　kill
  him；　if　he　had　to　lose　his　own　life。　Philippe　received　a　sabre…cut
  which　slashed　open　his　forehead　and　a　part　of　his　face；　but　he　cleft
  Max's　head　obliquely　by　the　terrible　sweep　of　a　〃moulinet；〃　made　to
  break　the　force　of　the　annihilating　stroke　Max　aimed　at　him。　These　two
  savage　blows　ended　the　combat；　at　the　ninth　minute。　Fario　came　down　to
  gloat　over　the　sight　of　his　enemy　in　the　convulsions　of　death；　for　the
  muscles　of　a　man　of　Maxence　Gilet's　vigor　quiver　horribly。　Philippe
  was　carried　back　to　his　uncle's　house。
  Thus　perished　a　man　destined　to　do　great　deeds　had　he　lived　his　life
  amid　environments　which　were　suited　to　him；　a　man　treated　by　Nature　as
  a　favorite　child；　for　she　gave　him　courage；　self…possession；　and　the
  political　sagacity　of　a　Cesar　Borgia。　But　education　had　not　bestowed
  upon　him　that　nobility　of　conduct　and　ideas　without　which　nothing
  great　is　possible　in　any　walk　of　life。　He　was　not　regretted；　because
  of　the　perfidy　with　which　his　adversary；　who　was　a　worse　man　than　he；
  had　contrived　to　bring　him　into　disrepute。　His　death　put　an　end　to　the
  exploits　of　the　Order　of　Idleness；　to　the　great　satisfaction　of　the
  town　of　Issoudun。　Philippe　therefore　had　nothing　to　fear　in
  consequence　of　the　duel；　which　seemed　almost　the　result　of　divine
  vengeance：　its　circumstances　were　related　throughout　that　whole　region
  of　country；　with　unanimous　praise　for　the　bravery　of　the　two
  combatants。
  〃But　they　had　better　both　have　been　killed；〃　remarked　Monsieur
  Mouilleron；　〃it　would　have　been　a　good　riddance　for　the　Government。〃
  The　situation　of　Flore　Brazier　would　have　been　very　embarrassing　were
  it　not　for　the　condition　into　which　she　was　thrown　by　Max's　death。　A
  brain…fever　set　in；　combined　with　a　dangerous　inflammation　resulting
  from　her　escapade　to　Vatan。　If　she　had　had　her　usual　health；　she　might
  have　fled　the　house　where；　in　the　room　above　her；　Max's　room；　and　in
  Max's　bed；　lay　and　suffered　Max's　murderer。　She　hovered　between　life
  and　death　for　three　months；　attended　by　Monsieur　Goddet；　who　was　also
  attending　Philippe。
  As　soon　as　Philippe　was　able　to　hold　a　pen；　he　wrote　the　following
  letters：
  To　Monsieur　Desroches：
  I　have　already　killed　the　most　venomous　of　the　two　reptiles；　not
  however　without　getting　my　own　head　split　open　by　a　sabre；　but　the
  rascal　struck　with　a　dying　hand。　The　other　viper　is　here；　and　I
  must　come　to　an　understanding　with　her；　for　my　uncle　clings　to　her
  like　the　apple　of　his　eye。　I　have　been　half　afraid　the　girl；　who
  is　devilishly　handsome；　might　run　away；　and　then　my　uncle　would
  have　followed　her；　but　an　illness　which　seized　her　suddenly　has
  kept　her　in　bed。　If　God　desired　to　protect　me；　he　would　call　her
  soul　to　himself；　now；　while　she　is　repenting　of　her　sins。
  Meantime；　on　my　side　I　have；　thanks　to　that　old　trump；　Hochon；　the
  doctor　of　Issoudun；　one　named　Goddet；　a　worthy　soul　who　conceives
  that　the　property　of　uncles　ought　to　go　to　nephews　rather　than　to
  sluts。
  Monsieur　Hochon　has　some　influence　on　a　certain　papa　Fichet；　who
  is　rich；　and　whose　daughter　Goddet　wants　as　a　wife　for　his　son：　so
  the　thousand　francs　they　have　promised　him　if　he　mends　up　my　pate
  is　not　the　chief　cause　of　his　devotion。　Moreover；　this　Goddet；　who
  was　formerly　head…surgeon　to　the　3rd　regiment　of　the　line；　has
  been　privately　advised　by　my　staunch　friends；　Mignonnet　and
  Carpentier；　so　he　is　now　playing　the　hypocrite　with　his　other
  patient。　He　says　to　Mademoiselle　Brazier；　as　he　feels　her　pulse；
  〃You　see；　my　child；　that　there's　a　God　after　all。　You　have　been
  the　cause　of　a　great　misfortune；　and　you　must　now　repair　it。　The
  finger　of　God　is　in　all　this　＇it　is　inconceivable　what　they　don't
  say　the　finger　of　God　is　in！＇。　Religion　is　religion：　submit；
  resign　yourself；　and　that　will　quiet　you　better　than　my　drugs。
  Above　all；　resolve　to　stay　here　and　take　care　of　your　master：
  forget　and　forgive；that's　Christianity。〃
  Goddet　has　promised　to　keep　the　Rabouilleuse　three　months　in　her
  bed。　By　degrees　the　girl　will　get　accustomed　to　living　under　the
  same　roof　with　me。　I　have　bought　over　the　cook。　That　abominable
  old　woman　tells　her　mistress　Max　would　have　led　her　a　hard　life；
  and　declares　she　overheard　him　say　that　if；　after　the　old　man's
  death；　he　was　obliged　to　marry　Flore；　he　didn't　mean　to　have　his
  prospects　ruined　by　it；　and　he　should　find　a　way　to　get　rid　of
  her。
  Thus；　all　goes　well；　so　far。　My　uncle；　by　old　Hochon's　advice；　has
  destroyed　his　will。
  To　Monsieur　Giroudeau；　care　of　Mademoiselle　Florentine。　Rue　de
  Vendome；　Marais：
  My　dear　old　Fellow；Find　out　if　the　little　rat　Cesarine　has　any
  engagement；　and　if　not；　try　to　arrange　that　she　can　come　to
  Issoudun　in　case　I　send　for　her；　if　I　do；　she　must　come　at　once。
  It　is　a　matter　this　time　of　decent　behavior；　no　theatre　morals。
  She　must　present　herself　as　the　daughter　of　a　brave　soldier；
  killed　on　the　battle…field。　Therefore；　mind；sober　manners；
  schoolgirl's　clothes；　virtue　of　the　best　quality；　that's　the
  watchword。　If　I　need　Cesarine；　and　if　she　answers　my　purpose；　I
  will　give　her　fifty　thousand　francs　on　my　uncle's　death。　If
  Cesarine　has　other　engagements；　explain　what　I　want　to　Florentine；
  and　between　you；　find　me　some　ballet…girl　capable　of　playing　the
  part。
  I　have　had　my　skull　cracked　in　a　duel　with　the　fellow　who　was
  filching　my　inheritance；　and　is　now　feeding　the　worms。　I'll　tell
  you　all　about　it　some　day。　Ah！　old　fellow；　the　good　times　are
  coming　back　for　you　and　me；　we'll　amuse　ourselves　once　more；　or　we
  are　not　the　pair　we　really　are。　If　you　can　send　me　five　hundred
  more　cartridges　I'll　bite　them。
  Adieu；　my　old　fire…eater。　Light　your　pipe　with　this　letter。　Mind；
  the　daughter　of　the　officer　is　to　come　from　Chateauroux；　and　must
  seem　to　be　in　need　of　assistance。　I　hope　however　that　I　shall　not
  be　driven　to　such　dangerous　expedients。　Remember　me　to　Mariette
  and　all　our　friends。
  Agathe；　informed　by　Madame　Hochon　of　what　had　happened；　rushed　to
  Issoudun；　and　was　received　by　her　brother；　who　gave　her　Philippe's
  former　room。　The　poor　mother's　tenderness　for　the　worthless　son
  revived　in　all　its　maternal　strength；　a　few　happy　days　were　hers　at
  last；　as　she　listened　to　the　praises　which　the　whole　town　bestowed
  upon　her　hero。
  〃After　all；　my　child；〃　said　Madame　Hochon　on　the　day　of　her　arrival；
  〃youth　must　have　its　fling。　The　dissipations　of　a　soldier