Max killed his man. Major Potel wounded his so severely, that
the unfortunate young man, the son of a good family, died in the
hospital the next day. As for the third, he got off with a sword cut,
after wounding his adversary, Captain Renard. The battalion left for
Bourges that night. This affair, which was noised throughout Berry,
set Max up definitely as a hero.
The Knights of Idleness, who were all young, the eldest not more than
twenty-five years old, admired Maxence. Some among them, far from
sharing the prudery and strict notions of their families concerning
his conduct, envied his present position and thought him fortunate.
Under such a leader, the Order did great things. After the month of
May, 1817, never a week passed that the town was not thrown into an
uproar by some new piece of mischief. Max, as a matter of honor,
imposed certain conditions upon the Knights. Statutes were drawn up.
These young demons grew as vigilant as the pupils of Amoros,--bold as
hawks, agile at all exercises, clever and strong as criminals. They
trained themselves in climbing roofs, scaling houses, jumping and
walking noiselessly, mixing mortar, and walling up doors. They
collected an arsenal of ropes, ladders, tools, and disguises. After a
time the Knights of Idleness attained to the beau-ideal of malicious
mischief, not only as to the accomplishment but, still more, in the
invention of their pranks.
Pages:
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472