In1816，thesemodernBadBoyshadnotaltogethergivenupsuchtricksasthese，perpetratedintheprovincesbyallyoungladsandgamins。
Butin1817theOrderofIdlenessacquiredaGrandMaster，anddistinguisheditselfbymischiefwhich，upto1823，spreadsomethingliketerrorinIssoudun，oratleastkepttheartisansandthebourgeoisieperpetuallyuneasy。
ThisleaderwasacertainMaxenceGilet，commonlycalledMax，whoseantecedents，nolessthanhisyouthandhisvigor，predestinedhimforsuchapart。MaxenceGiletwassupposedbyallIssouduntobethenaturalsonofthesub-delegateLousteau，thatbrotherofMadameHochonwhosegallantrieshadleftmemoriesbehindthem，andwho，aswehaveseen，drewdownuponhimselfthehatredofoldDoctorRougetaboutthetimeofAgathe’sbirth。Butthefriendshipwhichboundthetwomentogetherbeforetheirquarrelwassoclosethat，touseanexpressionofthatregionandthatperiod，“theywillinglywalkedthesameroad。“SomepeoplesaidthatMaxencewasaslikelytobethesonofthedoctorasofthesub-delegate；butinfacthebelongedtoneithertheonenortheother，——hisfatherbeingacharmingdragoonofficeringarrisonatBourges。Nevertheless，asaresultoftheirenmity，andveryfortunatelyforthechild，RougetandLousteauneverceasedtoclaimhispaternity。
Max’smother，thewifeofapoorsabot-makerintheRomesuburb，waspossessed，fortheperditionofhersoul，ofasurprisingbeauty，aTrasteverinebeauty，theonlypropertywhichshetransmittedtoherson。MadameGilet，pregnantwithMaxencein1788，hadlongdesiredthatblessing，whichthetownattributedtothegallantriesofthetwofriends，——probablyinthehopeofsettingthemagainsteachother。
Gilet，anolddrunkardwithatriplethroat，treatedhiswife’smisconductwithacollusionthatisnotuncommonamongthelowerclasses。Tomakesureofprotectorsforherson，MadameGiletwascarefulnottoenlightenhisreputedfathersastohisparentage。InParis，shewouldhaveturnedoutamillionaire；atIssoudunshelivedsometimesatherease，moreoftenmiserably，and，inthelongrun，despised。MadameHochon，Lousteau’ssister，paidsixtyfrancsayearforthelad’sschooling。Thisliberality，whichMadameHochonwasquiteunabletopractiseonherownaccountbecauseofherhusband’sstinginess，wasnaturallyattributedtoherbrother，thenlivingatSancerre。