Theoldwomandiedonthe31stofDecember，fivedaysaftertheterribleblowwhicholdDesrocheshadsoinnocentlygivenher。Thefivehundredfrancs——theonlymoneyinthehousehold——werebarelyenoughtopayforherfuneral。Sheleftasmallamountofsilverandsomefurniture，thevalueofwhichMadameBixioupaidovertohergrandsonBixiou。Reducedtoeighthundredfrancs’annuitypaidtoherbyyoungDesroches，whohadboughtabusinesswithoutclients，andhimselftookthecapitaloftwelvethousandfrancs，Agathegaveupherappartementonthethirdfloor，andsoldallhersuperfluousfurniture。When，attheendofamonth，Philippeseemedtobeconvalescent，hismothercoldlyexplainedtohimthatthecostsofhisillnesshadtakenallherreadymoney，thatsheshouldbeobligedinfuturetoworkforherliving，andsheurgedhim，withtheutmostkindness，tore-enterthearmyandsupporthimself。
　　“Youmighthavesparedmethatsermon，“saidPhilippe，lookingathismotherwithaneyethatwascoldfromutterindifference。“Ihaveseenallalongthatneitheryounormybrotherloveme。Iamaloneintheworld；Ilikeitbest！“
　　“Makeyourselfworthyofouraffection，“answeredthepoormother，strucktotheveryheart，“andwewillgiveitbacktoyou——“
　　“Nonsense！“hecried，interruptingher。
　　Hetookhisoldhat，rubbedwhiteattheedges，stuckitoveroneear，andwentdownstairs，whistling。
　　“Philippe！whereareyougoingwithoutanymoney？“criedhismother，whocouldnotrepresshertears。“Here，takethis——“
　　Sheheldouttohimahundredfrancsingold，wrappedupinpaper。
　　Philippecameupthestairshehadjustdescended，andtookthemoney。
　　“Well；won’tyoukissme？“shesaid，burstingintotears。
　　Hepressedhismotherinhisarms，butwithoutthewarmthoffeelingwhichwasallthatcouldgivevaluetotheembrace。
　　“Whereshallyougo？“askedAgathe。
　　“ToFlorentine，Girodeau’smistress。Ah！theyarerealfriends！“heansweredbrutally。
　　Hewentaway。Agatheturnedbackwithtremblinglimbs，andfailingeyes，andachingheart。Shefelluponherknees，prayedGodtotakeherunnaturalchildintoHisownkeeping，andabdicatedherwoefulmotherhood。
　　ByFebruary，1822，MadameBridauhadsettledintotheatticroomrecentlyoccupiedbyPhilippe，whichwasoverthekitchenofherformerappartement。Thepainter’sstudioandbedroomwasopposite，ontheothersideofthestaircase。WhenJosephsawhismotherthusreduced，hewasdeterminedtomakeherascomfortableaspossible。
　　Afterhisbrother’sdepartureheassistedinthere-arrangementofthegarretroom，towhichhegaveanartist’stouch。Headdedarug；thebed，simpleincharacterbutexquisiteintaste，hadsomethingmonasticaboutit；thewalls，hungwithacheapglazedcottonselectedwithtaste，ofacolorwhichharmonizedwiththefurnitureandwasnewlycovered，gavetheroomanairofeleganceandnicety。Inthehallwayheaddedadoubledoor，witha“portiere“totheinnerone。
　　Thewindowwasshadedbyablindwhichgavesofttonestothelight。
　　Ifthepoormother’slifewasreducedtotheplainestcircumstancesthatthelifeofanywomancouldhaveinParis，Agathewasatleastbetteroffthanallothersinalikecase，thankstoherson。
　　Tosavehismotherfromthecruelcaresofsuchreducedhousekeeping，Josephtookhereverydaytodineatatable-d’hoteintheruedeBeaune，frequentedbywell-bredwomen，deputies，andtitledpeople，whereeachperson’sdinnercostninetyfrancsamonth。Havingnothingbutthebreakfasttoprovide，Agathetookupforhersontheoldhabitsshehadformerlyhadwiththefather。ButinspiteofJoseph’spiouslies，shediscoveredthefactthatherdinnerwascostinghimnearlyahundredfrancsamonth。Alarmedatsuchenormousexpense，andnotimagingthathersoncouldearnmuchmoneybypaintingnakedwomen，sheobtained，thankstoherconfessor，theAbbeLoraux，aplaceworthsevenhundredfrancsayearinalottery-officebelongingtotheComtessedeBauvan，thewidowofaChouanleader。Thelottery-officesofthegovernment，thelot，asonemightsay，ofprivilegedwidows，ordinarilysufficedforthesupportofthefamilyofeachpersonwhomanagedthem。ButaftertheRestorationthedifficultyofrewarding，withinthelimitsofconstitutionalgovernment，alltheservicesrenderedtothecause，ledtothecustomofgivingtoreducedwomenoftitlenotonlyonebuttwolottery-offices，worth，usually，fromsixtotenthousandayear。Insuchcases，thewidowofageneralornoblemanthus“protected“didnotkeepthelottery-officeherself；sheemployedapaidmanager。Whenthesemanagerswereyoungmentheywereobligedtoemployanassistant；for，accordingtolaw，theofficeshadtobekeptopentillmidnight；moreover，thereportsrequiredbytheministeroffinanceinvolvedconsiderablewriting。TheComtessedeBauvan，towhomtheAbbeLorauxexplainedthecircumstancesofthewidowBridau，promised，incasehermanagershouldleave，togivetheplacetoAgathe；meantimeshestipulatedthatthewidowshouldbetakenasassistant，andreceiveasalaryofsixhundredfrancs。PoorAgathe，whowasobligedtobeattheofficebyteninthemorning，hadscarcelytimetogetherdinner。Shereturnedtoherworkatsevenintheevening，remainingtheretillmidnight。Josephnever，fortwoyears，failedtofetchhismotheratnight，andbringherbacktotherueMazarin；andoftenhewenttotakehertodinner；hisfriendsfrequentlysawhimleavetheoperaorsomebrilliantsalontobepunctuallyatmidnightattheofficeintherueVivienne。
　　Agathesoonacquiredthemonotonousregularityoflifewhichbecomesastayandasupporttothosewhohaveenduredtheshockofviolentsorrows。Inthemorning，afterdoingupherroom，inwhichtherewerenolongercatsandlittlebirds，shepreparedthebreakfastatherownfireandcarrieditintothestudio，wheresheateitwithherson。
　　ShethenarrangedJoseph’sbedroom，putoutthefireinherownchamber，andbroughthersewingtothestudio，whereshesatbythelittleironstove，leavingtheroomifacomradeoramodelenteredit。Thoughsheunderstoodnothingwhateverofart，thesilenceofthestudiosuitedher。Inthematterofartshemadenottheslightestprogress；sheattemptednohypocrisy；shewasutterlyamazedattheimportancetheyallattachedtocolor，composition，drawing。WhentheCenaclefriendsorsomebrother-painter，likeSchinner，PierreGrassou，LeondeLora，——averyyouthful“rapin“whowascalledatthattimeMistigris，——discussedapicture，shewouldcomebackafterwards，examineitattentively，anddiscovernothingtojustifytheirfinewordsandtheirhotdisputes。Shemadeherson’sshirts，shemendedhisstockings，sheevencleanedhispalette，suppliedhimwithragstowipehisbrushes，andkeptthingsinorderinthestudio。Seeinghowmuchthoughthismothergavetotheselittledetails，Josephheapedattentionsuponherinreturn。Ifmotherandsonhadnosympathiesinthematterofart，theywereatleastboundtogetherbysignsoftenderness。Themotherhadapurpose。OnemorningasshewaspettingJosephwhilehewassketchingalargepicturefinishedinafteryearsandneverunderstood，shesaid，asitwere，casuallyandaloud，——
　　“MyGod！whatishedoing？“
　　“Doing？who？“
　　“Philippe。“
　　“Oh，ah！he’ssowinghiswildoats；thatfellowwillmakesomethingofhimselfbyandby。“
　　“Buthehasgonethroughthelessonofpoverty；perhapsitwaspovertywhichchangedhimtowhatheis。Ifhewereprosperoushewouldbegood——“
　　“Youthink，mydearmother，thathesufferedduringthatjourneyofhis。Youaremistaken；hekeptcarnivalinNewYorkjustashedoeshere——“
　　“Butifheissufferingatthismoment，neartous，woulditnotbehorrible？“
　　“Yes，“repliedJoseph。“Formypart，Iwillgladlygivehimsomemoney；butIdon’twanttoseehim；hekilledourpoorDescoings。“
　　“So，“resumedAgathe，“youwouldnotbewillingtopainthisportrait？“
　　“Foryou，dearmother，I’dsuffermartyrdom。Icanmakemyselfremembernothingexceptthatheismybrother。“
　　“Hisportraitasacaptainofdragoonsonhorseback？“
　　“Yes，I’veacopyofafinehorsebyGrosandIhaven’tanyuseforit。“
　　“Well，then，goandseethatfriendofhisandfindoutwhathasbecomeofhim。“
　　“I’llgo！“
　　Agatherose；herscissorsandworkfellatherfeet；shewentandkissedJoseph’shead，anddroppedtwotearsonhishair。
　　“Heisyourpassion，thatfellow，“saidthepainter。“Weallhaveourhopelesspassions。“
　　Thatafternoon，aboutfouro’clock，JosephwenttotherueduSentierandfoundhisbrother，whohadtakenGiroudeau’splace。Theolddragoonhadbeenpromotedtobecashierofaweeklyjournalestablishedbyhisnephew。AlthoughFinotwasstillproprietoroftheothernewspaper，whichhehaddividedintoshares，holdingalltheshareshimself，theproprietorandeditor“devisu“wasoneofhisfriends，namedLousteau，thesonofthatverysub-delegateofIssoudunonwhomtheBridaus’grandfather，DoctorRouget，hadvowedvengeance；
　　consequentlyhewasthenephewofMadameHochon。Tomakehimselfagreeabletohisuncle，FinotgavePhilippetheplaceGiroudeauwasquitting；cuttingoff，however，halfthesalary。Moreover，daily，atfiveo’clock，Giroudeauauditedtheaccountsandcarriedawaythereceipts。Coloquinte，theoldveteran，whowastheofficeboyanddiderrands，alsokeptaneyeontheslipperyPhilippe；whowas，however，behavingproperly。Asalaryofsixhundredfrancs，andthefivehundredofhiscrosssufficedhimtolive，allthemorebecause，livinginawarmofficealldayandatthetheatreonafreepasseveryevening，hehadonlytoprovidehimselfwithfoodandaplacetosleepin。Coloquintewasdepartingwiththestampedpapersonhishead，andPhilippewasbrushinghisfalsesleevesofgreenlinen，whenJosephentered。
　　“Blessme，here’sthecub！“criedPhilippe。“Well，we’llgoanddinetogether。Youshallgototheopera；FlorineandFlorentinehavegotabox。I’mgoingwithGiroudeau；youshallbeoftheparty，andI’llintroduceyoutoNathan。“