第15章
Unhappily，Josephdidnotknowthewaytoanyofthelottery-offices，whichinthosedayswereaswellknowntomostpeopleasthecigarshopstoasmokerinours。Thepainterranalong，readingthestreetnamesuponthelamps。Whenheaskedthepassers-bytoshowhimalottery-office，hewastoldtheywereallclosed，excepttheoneundertheporticoofthePalais-Royalwhichwassometimeskeptopenalittlelater。HeflewtothePalais-Royal:theofficewasshut。
“Twominutesearlier，andyoumighthavepaidyourstake，“saidoneofthevendorsoftickets，whosebeatwasundertheportico，wherehevociferatedthissingularcry:“Twelvehundredfrancsforfortysous，“
andofferedticketsallpaidup。
BytheglimmerofthestreetlampandthelightsofthecafedelaRotonde，Josephexaminedtheseticketstoseeif，bychance，anyofthemboretheDescoings’snumbers。Hefoundnone，andreturnedhomegrievedathavingdonehisbestinvainfortheoldwoman，towhomherelatedhisill-luck。AgatheandherauntwenttogethertothemidnightmassatSaint-Germain-des-Pres。Josephwenttobed。Thecollationdidnottakeplace。MadameDescoingshadlostherhead；andinAgathe’sheartwaseternalmourning。
ThetworoselateonChristmasmorning。Teno’clockhadstruckbeforeMadameDescoingsbegantobestirherselfaboutthebreakfast，whichwasonlyreadyathalf-pasteleven。Atthathour，theoblongframescontainingthewinningnumbersarehungoverthedoorsofthelottery-
offices。IfMadameDescoingshadpaidherstakeandheldherticket，shewouldhavegonebyhalf-pastnineo’clocktolearnherfateatabuildingclosetotheministryofFinance，intherueNeuve-des-PetitsChamps，asituationnowoccupiedbytheTheatreVentadourintheplaceofthesamename。Onthedayswhenthedrawingstookplace，anobservermightwatchwithcuriositythecrowdofoldwomen，cooks，andoldmenassembledaboutthedoorofthisbuilding；asightasremarkableasthecueofpeopleabouttheTreasuryonthedayswhenthedividendsarepaid。
“Well，hereyouare，rollinginwealth！“saidoldDesroches，comingintotheroomjustastheDescoingswasswallowingherlastdropofcoffee。
“Whatdoyoumean？“criedpoorAgathe。
“Hertreyhasturnedup，“hesaid，producingthelistofnumberswrittenonabitofpaper，suchastheofficialsofthelotteryputbyhundredsintolittlewoodenbowlsontheircounters。
Josephreadthelist。Agathereadthelist。TheDescoingsreadnothing；shewasstruckdownasbyathunderbolt。Atthechangeinherface，atthecryshegave，oldDesrochesandJosephcarriedhertoherbed。Agathewentforadoctor。Thepoorwomanwasseizedwithapoplexy，andsheonlyrecoveredconsciousnessatfourintheafternoon；oldHaudry，herdoctor，thensaidthat，inspiteofthisimprovement，sheoughttosettleherworldlyaffairsandthinkofhersalvation。Sheherselfonlyutteredtwowords:——
“Threemillions！“
OldDesroches，informedbyJoseph，withduereservations，ofthestateofthings，relatedmanyinstanceswherelottery-playershadseenafortuneescapethemontheverydaywhen，bysomefatality，theyhadforgottentopaytheirstakes；buthethoroughlyunderstoodthatsuchablowmightbefatalwhenitcameaftertwentyyears’perseverance。
Aboutfiveo’clock，asadeepsilencereignedinthelittleappartement，andthesickwoman，watchedbyJosephandhismother，theonesittingatthefoot，theotherattheheadofherbed，wasexpectinghergrandsonBixiou，whomDesrocheshadgonetofetch，thesoundofPhilippe’sstepandcaneresoundedonthestaircase。
“Thereheis！thereheis！“criedtheDescoings，sittingupinbedandsuddenlyabletouseherparalyzedtongue。
AgatheandJosephweredeeplyimpressedbythispowerfuleffectofthehorrorwhichviolentlyagitatedtheoldwoman。TheirpainfulsuspensewassoonendedbythesightofPhilippe’sconvulsedandpurpleface，hisstaggeringwalk，andthehorriblestateofhiseyes，whichweredeeplysunken，dull，andyethaggard；hehadastrongchilluponhim，andhisteethchattered。
“StarvationinPrussia！“hecried，lookingabouthim。“Nothingtoeatordrink？——andmythroatonfire！Well，what’sthematter？Thedevilisalwaysmeddlinginouraffairs。There’smyoldDescoingsinbed，lookingatmewithhereyesasbigassaucers。“
“Besilent，monsieur！“saidAgathe，rising。“Atleast，respectthesorrowsyouhavecaused。“
“MONSIEUR，indeed！“hecried，lookingathismother。“Mydearlittlemother，thatwon’tdo。Haveyouceasedtoloveyourson？“
“Areyouworthyoflove？Haveyouforgottenwhatyoudidyesterday？Goandfindyourselfanotherhome；youcannotlivewithusanylonger，——
thatis，afterto-morrow，“sheadded；“forinthestateyouareinnowitisdifficult——“
“Toturnmeout，——isthatit？“heinterrupted。“Ha！areyougoingtoplaythemelodramaof’TheBanishedSon’？Welldone！isthathowyoutakethings？Youareallaprettyset！WhatharmhaveIdone？I’vecleanedouttheoldwoman’smattress。Whatthedevilisthegoodofmoneykeptinwool？Doyoucallthatacrime？Didn’tshetaketwentythousandfrancsfromyou？Wearehercreditors，andI’vepaidmyselfasmuchasIcouldget，——that’sall。“
“MyGod！myGod！“criedthedyingwoman，claspingherhandsandpraying。
“Besilent！“exclaimedJoseph，springingathisbrotherandputtinghishandbeforehismouth。
“Totherightabout，march！bratofapainter！“retortedPhilippe，layinghisstronghandonJoseph’shead，andtwirlinghimround，asheflunghimonasofa。“Don’tdaretotouchthemoustacheofacommanderofasquadronofthedragoonsoftheGuard！“
“Shehaspaidmebackallthatsheowedme，“criedAgathe，risingandturninganangryfacetoherson；“andbesides，thatismyaffair。Youhavekilledher。Goaway，myson，“sheadded，withagesturethattookallherremainingstrength，“andneverletmeseeyouagain。Youareamonster。“
“Ikillher？“
“Hertreyhasturnedup，“criedJoseph，“andyoustolethemoneyforherstake。“
“Well，ifsheisdyingofalosttrey，itisn’tIwhohavekilledher，“saidthedrunkard。
“Go，go！“saidAgathe。“Youfillmewithhorror；youhaveeveryvice。
MyGod！isthismyson？“
AhollowrattlesoundedinMadameDescoings’sthroat，increasingAgathe’sanger。
“Iloveyoustill，mymother，——youwhoarethecauseofallmymisfortunes，“saidPhilippe。“YouturnmeoutofdoorsonChristmas-
day。WhatdidyoudotograndpaRouget，toyourfather，thatheshoulddriveyouawayanddisinherityou？Ifyouhadnotdispleasedhim，weshouldallberichnow，andIshouldnotbereducedtomisery。Whatdidyoudotoyourfather，——youwhoareagoodwoman？Youseebyyourownself，Imaybeagoodfellowandyetbeturnedoutofhouseandhome，——I，thegloryofthefamily——“
“Thedisgraceofit！“criedtheDescoings。
“Youshallleavethisroom，oryoushallkillme！“criedJoseph，springingonhisbrotherwiththefuryofalion。
“MyGod！myGod！“criedAgathe，tryingtoseparatethebrothers。
AtthismomentBixiouandHaudrythedoctorentered。Josephhadjustknockedhisbrotheroverandstretchedhimontheground。
“Heisaregularwildbeast，“hecried。“Don’tspeakanotherword，orI’ll——“
“I’llpayyouforthis！“roaredPhilippe。
“Afamilyexplanation，“remarkedBixiou。
“Lifthimup，“saidthedoctor，lookingathim。“HeisasillasMadameDescoings；undresshimandputhimtobed；getoffhisboots。“
“That’seasytosay，“criedBixiou，“buttheymustbecutoff；hislegsareswollen。“
Agathetookapairofscissors。Whenshehadcutdowntheboots，whichinthosedayswerewornoutsidetheclingingtrousers，tenpiecesofgoldrolledonthefloor。
“Thereitis，——hermoney，“murmuredPhilippe。“CursedfoolthatIwas，Iforgotit。Itoohavemissedafortune。“
Hewasseizedwithahorribledeliriumoffever，andbegantorave。
Joseph，assistedbyoldDesroches，whohadcomeback，andbyBixiou，carriedhimtohisroom。DoctorHaudrywasobligedtowritealinetotheHopitaldelaChariteandborrowastrait-waistcoat；forthedeliriumransohighastomakehimfearthatPhilippemightkillhimself，——hewasraving。Atnineo’clockcalmwasrestored。TheAbbeLorauxandDesrochesendeavoredtocomfortAgathe，whoneverceasedtoweepatheraunt’sbedside。Shelistenedtotheminsilence，andobstinatelyshookherhead；JosephandtheDescoingsaloneknewtheextentanddepthofherinwardwound。
“Hewilllearntodobetter，mother，“saidJoseph，whenDesrochesandBixiouhadleft。
“Oh！“criedthewidow，“Philippeisright，——myfathercursedme:I
havenorightto——Here，hereisyourmoney，“shesaidtoMadameDescoings，addingJoseph’sthreehundredfrancstothetwohundredfoundonPhilippe。“Goandseeifyourbrotherdoesnotneedsomething，“shesaidtoJoseph。
“Willyoukeepapromisemadetoadyingwoman？“askedMadameDescoings，whofeltthathermindwasfailingher。
“Yes，aunt。“
“ThensweartometogiveyourpropertytoyoungDesrochesforalifeannuity。Myincomeceasesatmydeath；andfromwhatyouhavejustsaid，Iknowyouwillletthatwretchwringthelastfarthingoutofyou。“
“Iswearit，aunt。“