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-Olympiquetheonlytheatreherconfessorallowedhertovisit，——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。“