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and then we shall have to scrape up another ten or twelve thousand
francs！ He gambles every night； when he comes home； drunk as a
templar； he drops on the staircase the pricked cards on which he marks
the turns of the red and black。 Old Desroches is trying to get him
back into the army； and； on my word on honor； I believe he would hate
to serve again。 Would you ever have believed that a boy with such
heavenly blue eyes and the look of Bayard could turn out such a
scoundrel？〃
CHAPTER V
In spite of the coolness and discretion with which Philippe played his
trifling game every night； it happened every now and then that he was
what gamblers call 〃cleaned out。〃 Driven by the irresistible necessity
of having his evening stake of ten francs； he plundered the household；
and laid hands on his brother's money and on all that Madame Descoings
or Agathe left about。 Already the poor mother had had a dreadful
vision in her first sleep： Philippe entered the room and took from the
pockets of her gown all the money he could find。 Agathe pretended to
sleep； but she passed the rest of the night in tears。 She saw the
truth only too clearly。 〃One wrong act is not a vice；〃 Madame
Descoings had declared； but after so many repetitions； vice was
unmistakable。 Agathe could doubt no longer； her best…beloved son had
neither delicacy nor honor。
On the morrow of that frightful vision； before Philippe left the house
after breakfast； she drew him into her chamber and begged him； in a
tone of entreaty； to ask her for what money he needed。 After that； the
applications were so numerous that in two weeks Agathe was drained of
all her savings。 She was literally without a penny； and began to think
of finding work。 The means of earning money had been discussed in the
evenings between herself and Madame Descoings； and she had already
taken patterns of worsted work to fill in； from a shop called the
〃Pere de Famille；〃an employment which pays about twenty sous a day。
Notwithstanding Agathe's silence on the subject； Madame Descoings had
guessed the motive of this desire to earn money by women's…work。 The
change in her appearance was eloquent： her fresh face had withered；
the skin clung to the temples and the cheek…bones； and the forehead
showed deep lines； her eyes lost their clearness； an inward fire was
evidently consuming her； she wept the greater part of the night。 A
chief cause of these outward ravages was the necessity of hiding her
anguish； her sufferings； her apprehensions。 She never went to sleep
until Philippe came in； she listened for his step； she had learned the
inflections of his voice； the variations of his walk； the very
language of his cane as it touched the pavement。 Nothing escaped her。
She knew the degree of drunkenness he had reached； she trembled as she
heard him stumble on the stairs； one night she picked up some pieces
of gold at the spot where he had fallen。 When he had drunk and won；
his voice was gruff and his cane dragged； but when he had lost； his
step had something sharp； short and angry about it； he hummed in a
clear voice； and carried his cane in the air as if presenting arms。 At
breakfast； if he had won； his behavior was gay and even affectionate；
he joked roughly； but still he joked； with Madame Descoings； with
Joseph； and with his mother； gloomy； on the contrary； when he had
lost； his brusque； rough speech； his hard glance； and his depression；
frightened them。 A life of debauch and the abuse of liquors debased；
day by day； a countenance that was once so handsome。 The veins of the
face were swollen with blood； the features became coarse； the eyes
lost their lashes and grew hard and dry。 No longer careful of his
person； Philippe exhaled the miasmas of a tavern and the smell of
muddy boots； which； to an observer； stamped him with debauchery。
〃You ought；〃 said Madame Descoings to Philippe during the last days of
December； 〃you ought to get yourself new…clothed from head to foot。〃
〃And who is to pay for it？〃 he answered sharply。 〃My poor mother
hasn't a sou； and I have five hundred francs a year。 It would take my
whole year's pension to pay for the clothes； besides I have mortgaged
it for three years〃
〃What for？〃 asked Joseph。
〃A debt of honor。 Giroudeau borrowed a thousand francs from Florentine
to lend me。 I am not gorgeous； that's a fact； but when one thinks that
Napoleon is at Saint Helena； and has sold his plate for the means of
living； his faithful soldiers can manage to walk on their bare feet；〃
he said； showing his boots without heels； as he marched away。
〃He is not bad；〃 said Agathe； 〃he has good feelings。〃
〃You can love the Emperor and yet dress yourself properly；〃 said
Joseph。 〃If he would take any care of himself and his clothes； he
wouldn't look so like a vagabond。〃
〃Joseph！ you ought to have some indulgence for your brother；〃 cried
Agathe。 〃You do the things you like； while he is certainly not in his
right place。〃
〃What did he leave it for？〃 demanded Joseph。 〃What can it matter to
him whether Louis the Eighteenth's bugs or Napoleon's cuckoos are on
the flag； if it is the flag of his country？ France is France！ For my
part； I'd paint for the devil。 A soldier ought to fight； if he is a
soldier； for the love of his art。 If he had stayed quietly in the
army； he would have been a general by this time。〃
〃You are unjust to him；〃 said Agathe； 〃your father； who adored the
Emperor； would have approved of his conduct。 However； he has consented
to re…enter the army。 God knows the grief it has caused your brother
to do a thing he considers treachery。〃
Joseph rose to return to his studio； but his mother took his hand and
said：
〃Be good to your brother； he is so unfortunate。〃
When the artist got back to his painting…room； followed by Madame
Descoings； who begged him to humor his mother's feelings； and pointed
out to him how changed she was； and what inward suffering the change
revealed； they found Philippe there； to their great amazement。
〃Joseph； my boy；〃 he said； in an off…hand way； 〃I want some money。
Confound it！ I owe thirty francs for cigars at my tobacconist's； and I
dare not pass the cursed shop till I've paid it。 I've promised to pay
it a dozen times。〃
〃Well； I like your present way best；〃 said Joseph； 〃take what you want
out of the skull。〃
〃I took all there was last night； after dinner。〃
〃There was forty…five francs。〃
〃Yes； that's what I made it；〃 replied Philippe。 〃I took them； is there
any objection？〃
〃No； my friend； no；〃 said Joseph。 〃If you were rich； I should do the
same by you； only； before taking what I wanted； I should ask you if it
were convenient。〃
〃It is very humiliating to ask；〃 remarked Philippe； 〃I would rather
see you taking as I do； without a word； it shows more confidence。 In
the army； if a comrade dies； and has a good pair of boots； and you
have a bad pair； you change； that's all。〃
〃Yes； b