Without any one's suspecting it, Benjamin Bourdet is under Fario's orders, who has lent him a horse to get about with." "If you kill that monster who has corrupted my grandsons, I shall say you have done a good deed." "Thanks to me, the town of Issoudun now knows what Monsieur Maxence Gilet has been doing at night for the last six years," replied Philippe; "and the cackle, as you call it here, is now started on him.

Morally his day is over." The moment Philippe left his uncle's house Flore went to Max's room to tell him every particular of the nephew's bold visit.
"What's to be done ?" she asked.
"Before trying the last means,--which will be to fight that big reprobate," replied Maxence, "-- we must play double or quits, and try our grand stroke.

Let the old idiot go with his nephew." "But that big brute won't mince matters," remonstrated Flore; "he'll call things by their right names." "Listen to me," said Maxence in a harsh voice.

"Do you think I've not kept my ears open, and reflected about how we stand?
Send to Pere Cognette for a horse and a char-a-banc, and say we want them instantly: they must be here in five minutes.

Pack all your belongings, take Vedie, and go to Vatan.