第17章
Hetookhisleadedcane，andmoistenedacigar。
“Ican’tacceptyourinvitation；Iamtotakeourmothertodineatatabled’hote。“
“Ah！howisshe，thepoor，dearwoman？“
“Sheisprettywell，“answeredthepainter，“Ihavejustrepaintedourfather’sportrait，andauntDescoings’s。Ihavealsopaintedmyown，andIshouldliketogiveourmotheryours，intheuniformofthedragoonsoftheImperialGuard。“
“Verygood。“
“Youwillhavetocomeandsit。“
“I’mobligedtobeinthishen-coopfromnineo’clocktillfive。“
“TwoSundayswillbeenough。“
“Sobeit，littleman，“saidNapoleon’sstaffofficer，lightinghiscigarattheporter’slamp。
WhenJosephrelatedPhilippe’spositiontohismother，ontheirwaytodinnerintheruedeBeaune，hefeltherarmtrembleinhis，andjoylightedupherwornface；thepoorsoulbreathedlikeonerelievedofaheavyweight。Thenextday，inspiredbyjoyandgratitude，shepaidJosephanumberoflittleattentions；shedecoratedhisstudiowithflowers，andboughthimtwostandsofplants。OnthefirstSundaywhenPhilippewastosit，Agathearrangedacharmingbreakfastinthestudio。Shelaiditalloutonthetable；notforgettingaflaskofbrandy，which，however，wasonlyhalffull。Sheherselfstayedbehindascreen，inwhichshemadealittlehole。Theex-dragoonsenthisuniformthenightbefore，andshehadnotrefrainedfromkissingit。
WhenPhilippewasplaced，infulldress，ononeofthosestrawhorses，allsaddled，whichJosephhadhiredfortheoccasion，Agathe，fearingtobetrayherpresence，mingledthesoftsoundofhertearswiththeconversationofthetwobrothers。Philippeposedfortwohoursbeforeandtwohoursafterbreakfast。Atthreeo’clockintheafternoon，heputonhisordinaryclothesand，ashelightedacigar，heproposedtohisbrothertogoanddinetogetherinthePalais-Royal，jinglinggoldinhispocketashespoke。
“No，“saidJoseph，“itfrightensmetoseegoldaboutyou。“
“Ah！you’llalwayshaveabadopinionofmeinthishouse，“criedthecolonelinathunderingvoice。“Can’tIsavemymoney，too？“
“Yes，yes！“criedAgathe，comingoutofherhiding-place，andkissingherson。“Letusgoanddinewithhim，Joseph！“
Josephdarednotscoldhismother。Hewentanddressedhimself；andPhilippetookthemtotheRocherdeCancale，wherehegavethemasplendiddinner，thebillforwhichamountedtoahundredfrancs。
“Thedevil！“mutteredJosephuneasily；“withanincomeofelevenhundredfrancsyoumanage，likePonchardinthe’DameBlance，’tosaveenoughtobuyestates。“
“Bah，I’monarunofluck，“answeredthedragoon，whohaddrunkenormously。
Hearingthisspeechjustastheywereonthestepsofthecafe，andbeforetheygotintothecarriagetogotothetheatre，——forPhilippewastotakehismothertotheCirque-Olympique(theonlytheatreherconfessorallowedhertovisit)，——Josephpinchedhismother’sarm。Sheatoncepretendedtofeelunwell，andrefusedtogothetheatre；
PhilippeaccordinglytookthembacktotherueMazarin，where，assoonasshewasalonewithJosephinhergarret，Agathefellintoagloomysilence。
ThefollowingSundayPhilippecameagain。Thistimehismotherwasvisiblypresentatthesitting。Sheservedthebreakfast，andputseveralquestionstothedragoon。ShethenlearnedthatthenephewofoldMadameHochon，thefriendofhermother，playedaconsiderablepartinliterature。PhilippeandhisfriendGiroudeaulivedamongacircleofjournalists，actresses，andbooksellers，wheretheywereregardedinthelightofcashiers。Philippe，whohadbeendrinkingkirschbeforeposing，wasloquacious。Heboastedthathewasabouttobecomeagreatman。ButwhenJosephaskedaquestionastohispecuniaryresourceshewasdumb。Itsohappenedthattherewasnonewspaperonthefollowingday，itbeingafete，andtofinishthepicturePhilippeproposedtositagainonthemorrow。JosephtoldhimthattheSalonwascloseathand，andashedidnothavethemoneytobuytwoframesforthepictureshewishedtoexhibit，hewasforcedtoprocureitbyfinishingacopyofaRubenswhichhadbeenorderedbyElieMagus，thepicture-dealer。TheoriginalbelongedtoawealthySwissbanker，whohadonlylentitfortendays，andthenextdaywasthelast；thesittingmustthereforebeputofftillthefollowingSunday。
“Isthatit？“askedPhilippe，pointingtoapicturebyRubensonaneasel。
“Yes，“repliedJoseph；“itisworthtwentythousandfrancs。That’swhatgeniuscando。Itwilltakemeallto-morrowtogetthetonesoftheoriginalandmakethecopylooksoolditcan’tbedistinguishedfromit。“
“Adieu，mother，“saidPhilippe，kissingAgathe。“NextSunday，then。“
ThenextdayElieMaguswastocomeforhiscopy。Joseph’sfriend，PierreGrassou，whowasworkingforthesamedealer，wantedtoseeitwhenfinished。Toplayhimatrick，Joseph，whenheheardhisknock，putthecopy，whichwasvarnishedwithaspecialglazeofhisown，inplaceoftheoriginal，andputtheoriginalonhiseasel。PierreGrassouwascompletelytakenin；andthenamazedanddelightedatJoseph’ssuccess。
“DoyouthinkitwilldeceiveoldMagus？“hesaidtoJoseph。
“Weshallsee，“answeredthelatter。
Thedealerdidnotcomeashehadpromised。Itwasgettinglate；
AgathedinedthatdaywithMadameDesroches，whohadlatelylostherhusband，andJosephproposedtoPierreGrassoutodineathistabled’hote。Ashewentoutheleftthekeyofhisstudiowiththeconcierge。
AnhourlaterPhilippeappearedandsaidtotheconcierge，——
“Iamtositthisevening；Josephwillbeinsoon，andIwillwaitforhiminthestudio。“
Thewomangavehimthekey；Philippewentupstairs，tookthecopy，thinkingitwastheoriginal，andwentdownagain；returnedthekeytotheconciergewiththeexcusethathehadforgottensomething，andhurriedofftosellhisRubensforthreethousandfrancs。HehadtakentheprecautiontoconveyamessagefromhisbrothertoElieMagus，askinghimnottocalltillthefollowingday。
ThateveningwhenJosephreturned，bringinghismotherfromMadameDesroches’s，theconciergetoldhimofPhilippe’sfreak，——howhehadcalledintendingtowait，andgoneawayagainimmediately。
“Iamruined——unlesshehashadthedelicacytotakethecopy，“criedthepainter，instantlysuspectingthetheft。Heranrapidlyupthethreeflightsandrushedintohisstudio。“Godbepraised！“heejaculated。“Heis，whathealwayshasbeen，avilescoundrel。“
Agathe，whohadfollowedJoseph，didnotunderstandwhathewassaying；butwhenhersonexplainedwhathadhappened，shestoodstill，withthetearsinhereyes。
“HaveIbutoneson？“shesaidinabrokenvoice。
“Wehaveneveryetdegradedhimtotheeyesofstrangers，“saidJoseph；“butwemustnowwarntheconcierge。Infutureweshallhavetokeepthekeysourselves。I’llfinishhisblackguardfacefrommemory；there’snotmuchtodotoit。“
“Leaveitasitis；itwillpainmetoomuchevertolookatit，“
answeredthemother，heart-strickenandstupefiedatsuchwickedness。
Philippehadbeentoldhowthemoneyforthiscopywastobeexpended；
moreoverheknewtheabyssintowhichhewouldplungehisbrotherthroughthelossoftheRubens；butnothingrestrainedhim。AfterthislastcrimeAgathenevermentionedhim；herfaceacquiredanexpressionofcoldandconcentratedandbitterdespair；onethoughttookpossessionofhermind。
“Someday，“shesaidtoherself，“weshallhearofaBridauinthepolicecourts。“
Twomonthslater，asAgathewasabouttostartforheroffice，anoldofficer，whoannouncedhimselfasafriendofPhilippeonurgentbusiness，calledonMadameBridau，whohappenedtobeinJoseph’sstudio。
WhenGiroudeaugavehisname，motherandsontrembled，andnonethelessbecausetheex-dragoonhadthefaceofatougholdsailoroftheworsttype。Hisfishygrayeyes，hispiebaldmoustache，theremainsofhisshaggyhairfringingaskullthatwasthecoloroffreshbutter，allgaveanindescribablydebauchedandlibidinousexpressiontohisappearance。Heworeanoldiron-grayovercoatdecoratedwiththeredribbonofanofficeroftheLegionofhonor，whichmetwithdifficultyoveragastronomicstomachinkeepingwithamouththatstretchedfromeartoear，andapairofpowerfulshoulders。Thetorsowassupportedbyaspindlingpairoflegs，whiletherubicundtintsonthecheek-
bonesboretestimonytoarollickinglife。Thelowerpartofthecheeks，whichweredeeplywrinkled，overhungacoat-collarofvelvettheworseforwear。Amongotheradornments，theex-dragoonworeenormousgoldringsinhisears。
“Whata’noceur’！“thoughtJoseph，usingapopularexpression，meaninga“loosefish，“whichhadlatelypassedintotheateliers。
“Madame，“saidFinot’suncleandcashier，“yoursonisinsounfortunateapositionthathisfriendsfinditabsolutelynecessarytoaskyoutosharethesomewhatheavyexpensewhichheistothem。Hecannolongerdohisworkattheoffice；andMademoiselleFlorentine，ofthePorte-Saint-Martin，hastakenhimtolodgewithher，inamiserableatticintheruedeVendome。Philippeisdying；andifyouandhisbrotherarenotabletopayforthedoctorandmedicines，weshallbeobliged，forthesakeofcuringhim，tohavehimtakentothehospitaloftheCapuchins。Forthreehundredfrancswewouldkeephimwhereheis。Buthemusthaveanurse；foratnight，whenMademoiselleFlorentineisatthetheatre，hepersistsingoingout，andtakesthingsthatareirritatingandinjurioustohismaladyanditstreatment。Aswearefondofhim，thismakesusreallyveryunhappy。
Thepoorfellowhaspledgedthepensionofhiscrossforthenextthreeyears；heistemporarilydisplacedfromhisoffice，andhehasliterallynothing。Hewillkillhimself，madame，unlesswecanputhimintotheprivateasylumofDoctorDubois。Itisadecenthospital，wheretheywilltakehimfortenfrancsaday。FlorentineandIwillpayhalf，ifyouwillpaytherest；itwon’tbeformorethantwomonths。“