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has turned！〃 he cried； looking at his brother。
〃Yes； I've browned like a pipe；〃 said Philippe。 〃But as for you；
you're not a bit changed； little man。〃
Joseph； who was now twenty…one； and much thought of by the friends who
had stood by him in his days of trial； felt his own strength and was
aware of his talent； he represented the art of painting in a circle of
young men whose lives were devoted to science； letters； politics； and
philosophy。 Consequently； he was wounded by his brother's contempt；
which Philippe still further emphasized with a gesture； pulling his
ears as if he were still a child。 Agathe noticed the coolness which
succeeded the first glow of tenderness on the part of Joseph and
Madame Descoings； but she hastened to tell them of Philippe's
sufferings in exile； and so lessened it。 Madame Descoings； wishing to
make a festival of the return of the prodigal； as she called him under
her breath； had prepared one of her good dinners； to which old
Claparon and the elder Desroches were invited。 All the family friends
were to come； and did come； in the evening。 Joseph had invited Leon
Giraud； d'Arthez； Michel Chrestien； Fulgence Ridal； and Horace
Bianchon； his friends of the fraternity。 Madame Descoings had promised
Bixiou； her so…called step…son； that the young people should play at
ecarte。 Desroches the younger； who had now taken； under his father's
stern rule； his degree at law； was also of the party。 Du Bruel；
Claparon； Desroches； and the Abbe Loraux carefully observed the
returned exile； whose manners and coarse features； and voice roughened
by the abuse of liquors； together with his vulgar glance and
phraseology； alarmed them not a little。 While Joseph was placing the
card…tables； the more intimate of the family friends surrounded Agathe
and asked；
〃What do you intend to make of Philippe？〃
〃I don't know；〃 she answered； 〃but he is determined not to serve the
Bourbons。〃
〃Then it will be very difficult for you to find him a place in France。
If he won't re…enter the army； he can't be readily got into government
employ；〃 said old Du Bruel。 〃And you have only to listen to him to see
he could never； like my son； make his fortune by writing plays。〃
The motion of Agathe's eyes； with which alone she replied to this
speech； showed how anxious Philippe's future made her； they all kept
silence。 The exile himself； Bixiou； and the younger Desroches were
playing at ecarte； a game which was then the rage。
〃Maman Descoings； my brother has no money to play with；〃 whispered
Joseph in the good woman's ear。
The devotee of the Royal Lottery fetched twenty francs and gave them
to the artist； who slipped them secretly into his brother's hand。 All
the company were now assembled。 There were two tables of boston； and
the party grew lively。 Philippe proved a bad player： after winning for
awhile； he began to lose； and by eleven o'clock he owed fifty francs
to young Desroches and to Bixiou。 The racket and the disputes at the
ecarte table resounded more than once in the ears of the more peaceful
boston players； who were watching Philippe surreptitiously。 The exile
showed such signs of bad temper that in his final dispute with the
younger Desroches； who was none too amiable himself； the elder
Desroches joined in； and though his son was decidedly in the right； he
declared he was in the wrong； and forbade him to play any more。 Madame
Descoings did the same with her grandson； who was beginning to let fly
certain witticisms； and although Philippe； so far； had not understood
him； there was always a chance that one of the barbed arrows might
piece the colonel's thick skull and put the sharp jester in peril。
〃You must be tired；〃 whispered Agathe in Philippe's ear； 〃come to
bed。〃
〃Travel educates youth；〃 said Bixiou； grinning； when Madame Bridau and
the colonel had disappeared。
Joseph； who got up at dawn and went to bed early； did not see the end
of the party。 The next morning Agathe and Madame Descoings； while
preparing breakfast； could not help remarking that soires would be
terribly expensive if Philippe were to go on playing that sort of
game； as the Descoings phrased it。 The worthy old woman； then seventy…
six years of age； proposed to sell her furniture； give up her
appartement on the second floor （which the owner was only too glad to
occupy）； and take Agathe's parlor for her chamber； making the other
room a sitting…room and dining…room for the family。 In this way they
could save seven hundred francs a year； which would enable them to
give Philippe fifty francs a month until he could find something to
do。 Agathe accepted the sacrifice。 When the colonel came down and his
mother had asked how he liked his little bedroom； the two widows
explained to him the situation of the family。 Madame Descoings and
Agathe possessed； by putting all their resources together； an income
of five thousand three hundred francs； four thousand of which belonged
to Madame Descoings and were merely a life annuity。 The Descoings made
an allowance of six hundred a year to Bixiou； whom she had
acknowledged as her grandson during the last few months； also six
hundred to Joseph； the rest of her income； together with that of
Agathe； was spent for the household wants。 All their savings were by
this time eaten up。
〃Make yourselves easy；〃 said the lieutenant…colonel。 〃I'll find a
situation and put you to no expense； all I need for the present is
board and lodging。〃
Agathe kissed her son； and Madame Descoings slipped a hundred francs
into his hand to pay for his losses of the night before。 In ten days
the furniture was sold； the appartement given up； and the change in
Agathe's domestic arrangements accomplished with a celerity seldom
seen outside of Paris。 During those ten days； Philippe regularly
decamped after breakfast； came back for dinner； was off again for the
evening； and only got home about midnight to go to bed。 He contracted
certain habits half mechanically； and they soon became rooted in him；
he got his boots blacked on the Pont Neuf for the two sous it would
have cost him to go by the Pont des Arts to the Palais…Royal； where he
consumed regularly two glasses of brandy while reading the newspapers；
an occupation which employed him till midday； after that he
sauntered along the rue Vivienne to the cafe Minerve； where the
Liberals congregated； and where he played at billiards with a number
of old comrades。 While winning and losing； Philippe swallowed four or
five more glasses of divers liquors； and smoked ten or a dozen cigars
in going and coming； and idling along the streets。 In the evening；
after consuming a few pipes at the Hollandais smoking…rooms； he would
go to some gambling…place towards ten o'clock at night。 The waiter
handed him a card and a pin； he always inquired of certain well…
seasoned players about the chances of the red or the black； and staked
ten francs when the lucky moment seemed to come； never p