第10章
Thenewjournal，whichfortunatelywasstartedbeforetheassassinationoftheDucdeBerry，justescapedtheblowwhichMonsieurDecazesthenlaunchedatthepress。MadameBridau’ssharesintheFunds，representingthirteenhundredfrancs’interest，weretransferredassecurityforPhilippe，whowasthenappointedcashier。
Thatgoodsonatoncepromisedtopayonehundredfrancseverymonthtothetwowidows，forhisboardandlodging，andwasdeclaredbybothtobethebestofsons。ThosewhohadthoughtillofhimnowcongratulatedAgathe。
“Wewereunjusttohim，“theysaid。
PoorJoseph，nottobebehindhisbrotheringenerosity，resolvedtopayforhisownsupport，andsucce
Threemonthslater，thecolonel，whoateanddrankenoughforfourmen，findingfaultwiththefoodandcompellingthepoorwidows，onthescoreofhispayments，tospendmuchmoneyontheirtable，hadnotyetpaiddownasinglepenny。HismotherandMadameDescoingswereunwilling，outofdelicacy，toremindhimofhispromise。TheyearwentbywithoutoneofthosecoinswhichLeonGozlansovigorouslycalled“tigerswithfiveclaws“findingitswayfromPhilippe’spockettothehouseholdpurse。Itistruethatthecolonelquietedhisconscienceonthisscorebyseldomdiningathome。
“Well，heishappy，“saidhismother；“heiseasyinmind；hehasaplace。“
Throughtheinfluenceofafeuilleton，editedbyVernou，afriendofBixiou，Finot，andGiroudeau，Mariettemadeherappearance，notatthePanorama-DramatiquebutatthePorte-Saint-Martin，whereshetriumphedbesidethefamousBegrand。Amongthedirectorsofthetheatrewasarichandluxuriousgeneralofficer，inlovewithanactress，forwhosesakehehadmadehimselfanimpresario。InParis，wefrequentlymeetwithmensofascinatedwithactresses，singers，orballet-dancers，thattheyarewillingtobecomedirectorsofatheatreoutoflove。
ThisofficerknewPhilippeandGiroudeau。Mariette’sfirstappearance，heraldedalreadybyFinot’sjournalandalsobyPhilippe’s，waspromptlyarrangedbythethreeofficers；forthereseemstobesolidarityamongthepassionsinamatteroffolly。
ThemischievousBixiouwasnotlonginrevealingtohisgrandmotherandthedevotedAgathethatPhilippe，thecashier，theheroofheroes，wasinlovewithMariette，thecelebratedballet-danceratthePorte-
Saint-Martin。Thenewswasathunder-claptothetwowidows；Agathe’sreligiousprinciplestaughthertothinkthatallwomenonthestagewerebrandsintheburning；moreover，shethought，andsodidMadameDescoings，thatwomenofthatkinddinedoffgold，drankpearls，andwastedfortunes。
“Nowdoyousuppose，“saidJosephtohismother，“thatmybrotherissuchafoolastospendhismoneyonMariette？Suchwomenonlyruinrichmen。“
“TheytalkofengagingMarietteattheOpera，“saidBixiou。“Don’tbeworried，MadameBridau；thediplomaticbodyoftencomestothePorte-
Saint-Martin，andthathandsomegirlwon’tstaylongwithyourson。I
didhearthatanambassadorwasmadlyinlovewithher。Bythebye，anotherpieceofnews！OldClaparonisdead，andhisson，whohasbecomeabanker，hasorderedthecheapestkindoffuneralforhim。
Thatfellowhasnoeducation；theywouldn’tbehavelikethatinChina。“
Philippe，promptedbymercenarymotives，proposedtoMariettethatsheshouldmarryhim；butshe，knowingherselfontheeveofanengagementattheGrandOpera，refusedtheoffer，eitherbecausesheguessedthecolonel’smotive，orbecauseshesawhowimportantherindependencewouldbetoherfuturefortune。Fortheremainderofthisyear，Philippenevercamemorethantwiceamonthtoseehismother。Wherewashe？Eitherathisoffice，orthetheatre，orwithMariette。NolightwhateverastohisconductreachedthehouseholdoftherueMazarin。Giroudeau，Finot，Bixiou，Vernou，Lousteau，sawhimleadingalifeofpleasure。PhilippesharedthegayamusementsofTullia，aleadingsingerattheOpera，ofFlorentine，whotookMariette’splaceatthePorte-Saint-Martin，ofFlorineandMatifat，CoralieandCamusot。Afterfouro’clock，whenhelefthisoffice，untilmidnight，heamusedhimself；somepartyofpleasurehadusuallybeenarrangedthenightbefore，——agooddinner，acard-party，asupperbysomeoneorotheroftheset。Philippewasinhiselement。
Thiscarnival，whichlastedeighteenmonths，wasnotaltogetherwithoutitstroubles。ThebeautifulMariettenosoonerappearedattheOpera，inJanuary，1821，thanshecapturedoneofthemostdistinguisheddukesofthecourtofLouisXVIII。Philippetriedtomakeheadagainstthepeer，andbythemonthofAprilhewascompelledbyhispassion，notwithstandingsomeluckatcards，todipintothefundsofwhichhewascashier。ByMayhehadtakenelevenhundredfrancs。InthatfatalmonthMariettestartedforLondon，toseewhatcouldbedonewiththelordswhilethetemporaryoperahouseintheHotelChoiseul，rueLepelletier，wasbeingprepared。ThelucklessPhilippehadended，asoftenhappens，inlovingMariettenotwithstandingherflagrantinfidelities；sheherselfhadneverthoughthimanythingbutadull-minded，brutalsoldier，thefirstrungofaladderonwhichshehadneverintendedtoremainlong。So，foreseeingthetimewhenPhilippewouldhavespentallhismoney，shecapturedotherjournalisticsupportwhichreleasedherfromthenecessityofdependingonhim；nevertheless，shedidfeelthepeculiargratitudethatclassofwomenacknowledgetowardsthefirstmanwhosmoothstheirway，asitwere，amongthedifficultiesandhorrorsofatheatricalcareer。
ForcedtolethisterriblemistressgotoLondonwithouthim，Philippewentintowinterquarters，ashecalledit，——thatis，hereturnedtohisatticroominhismother’sappartement。Hemadesomegloomyreflectionsashewenttobedthatnight，andwhenhegotupagain。Hewasconsciouswithinhimselfoftheinabilitytoliveotherwisethanashehadbeenlivingthelastyear。TheluxurythatsurroundedMariette，thedinners，thesuppers，theeveningsintheside-scenes，theanimationofwitsandjournalists，thesortofracketthatwentonaroundhim，thedelightsthattickledbothhissensesandhisvanity，——suchalife，foundonlyinParis，andofferingdailythecharmofsomenewthing，wasnowmorethanhabit，——ithadbecometoPhilippeasmuchanecessityashistobaccoorhisbrandy。Hesawplainlythathecouldnotlivewithoutthesecontinualenjoyments。Theideaofsuicidecameintohishead；notonaccountofthedeficitwhichmustsoonbediscoveredinhisaccounts，butbecausehecouldnolongerlivewithMarietteintheatmosphereofpleasureinwhichhehaddisportedhimselfforoverayear。Fullofthesegloomythoughts，heenteredforthefirsttimehisbrother’spainting-room，wherehefoundthepainterinablueblouse，copyingapictureforadealer。
“Sothat’showpicturesaremade，“saidPhilippe，bywayofopeningtheconversation。
“No，“saidJoseph，“thatishowtheyarecopied。“
“Howmuchdotheypayyouforthat？“
“Eh！neverenough；twohundredandfiftyfrancs。ButIstudythemannerofthemastersandlearnagreatdeal；Ifoundoutthesecretsoftheirmethod。There’soneofmyownpictures，“headded，pointingwiththeendofhisbrushtoasketchwiththecolorsstillmoist。
“Howmuchdoyoupocketinayear？“
“Unfortunately，Iamknownonlytopainters。Schinnerbacksme；andhehasgotmesomeworkattheChateaudePresles，whereIamgoinginOctobertodosomearabesques，panels，andotherdecorations，forwhichtheComtedeSerizy，nodoubt，willpaywell。Withsuchtriflesandwithordersfromthedealers，Imaymanagetoearneighteenhundredtotwothousandfrancsayearoverandabovetheworkingexpenses。Ishallsendthatpicturetothenextexhibition；ifithitsthepublictaste，myfortuneismade。Myfriendsthinkwellofit。“
“Idon’tknowanythingaboutsuchthings，“saidPhilippe，inasubduedvoicewhichcausedJosephtoturnandlookathim。
“Whatisthematter？“saidtheartist，seeingthathisbrotherwasverypale。
“Ishouldliketoknowhowlongitwouldtakeyoutopaintmyportrait？“
“IfIworkedsteadily，andtheweatherwereclear，Icouldfinishitinthreeorfourdays。“
“That’stoolong；Ihaveonlyonedaytogiveyou。MypoormotherlovesmesomuchthatIwishedtoleavehermylikeness。Wewillsaynomoreaboutit。“
“Why！areyougoingawayagain？“
“Iamgoingnevertoreturn，“repliedPhilippewithanairofforcedgayety。
“Lookhere，Philippe，whatisthematter？Ifitisanythingserious，I
amamanandnotaninny。Iamaccustomedtohardstruggles，andifdiscretionisneeded，Ihaveit。“
“Areyousure？“
“Onmyhonor。“
“Youwilltellnoone，nomatterwho？“
“Noone。“
“Well，Iamgoingtoblowmybrainsout。“
“You！——areyougoingtofightaduel？“
“Iamgoingtokillmyself。“
“Why？“
“Ihavetakenelevenhundredfrancsfromthefundsinmyhands；Ihavegottosendinmyaccountsto-morrowmorning。Halfmysecurityislost；ourpoormotherwillbereducedtosixhundredfrancsayear。
Thatwouldbenothing！Icouldmakeafortuneforherlater；butIamdishonored！Icannotliveunderdishonor——“
“Youwillnotbedishonoredifitispaidback。Tobesure，youwillloseyourplace，andyouwillonlyhavethefivehundredfrancsayearfromyourcross；butyoucanliveonfivehundredfrancs。“
“Farewell！“saidPhilippe，runningrapidlydownstairs，andnotwaitingtohearanotherword。