"Do those Parisians fancy we are all idiots," cried one, "and think
they have only got to hold their hats and catch legacies?"
"They came to fleece, but they have got shorn themselves," said
another; "the nephew is not to the uncle's taste."
"And, if you please, they actually consulted a lawyer in Paris--"
"Ah! had they really a plan?"
"Why, of course,--a plan to get possession of old Rouget. But the
Parisians were not clever enough; that lawyer can't crow over us
Berrichons!"
"How abominable!"
"That's Paris for you!"
"The Rabouilleuse knew they came to attack her, and she defended
herself."
"She did gloriously right!"
To the townspeople at large the Bridaus were Parisians and foreigners;
they preferred Max and Flore.
We can imagine the satisfaction with which, after this campaign,
Joseph and Agathe re-entered their little lodging in the rue Mazarin.
On the journey, the artist recovered his spirits, which had, not
unnaturally, been put to flight by his arrest and twenty-four hours'
confinement; but he could not cheer up his mother. The Court of Peers
was about to begin the trial of the military conspirators, and that
was sufficient to keep Agathe from recovering her peace of mind.
Philippe's conduct, in spite of the clever defender whom Desroches
recommended to him, roused suspicions that were unfavorable to his
character. In view of this, Joseph, as soon as he had put Desroches in
possession of all that was going on at Issoudun, started with
Mistigris for the chateau of the Comte de Serizy, to escape hearing
about the trial of the conspirators, which lasted for twenty days.
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