the two brothers-第23章

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She　then　arranged　Joseph's　bedroom；　put　out　the　fire　in　her　own

chamber；　and　brought　her　sewing　to　the　studio；　where　she　sat　by　the

little　iron　stove；　leaving　the　room　if　a　comrade　or　a　model　entered

it。　Though　she　understood　nothing　whatever　of　art；　the　silence　of　the

studio　suited　her。　In　the　matter　of　art　she　made　not　the　slightest

progress；　she　attempted　no　hypocrisy；　she　was　utterly　amazed　at　the

importance　they　all　attached　to　color；　composition；　drawing。　When　the

Cenacle　friends　or　some　brother…painter；　like　Schinner；　Pierre

Grassou；　Leon　de　Lora；a　very　youthful　〃rapin〃　who　was　called　at　that

time　Mistigris；discussed　a　picture；　she　would　come　back　afterwards；

examine　it　attentively；　and　discover　nothing　to　justify　their　fine

words　and　their　hot　disputes。　She　made　her　son's　shirts；　she　mended

his　stockings；　she　even　cleaned　his　palette；　supplied　him　with　rags　to

wipe　his　brushes；　and　kept　things　in　order　in　the　studio。　Seeing　how

much　thought　his　mother　gave　to　these　little　details；　Joseph　heaped

attentions　upon　her　in　return。　If　mother　and　son　had　no　sympathies　in

the　matter　of　art；　they　were　at　least　bound　together　by　signs　of

tenderness。　The　mother　had　a　purpose。　One　morning　as　she　was　petting

Joseph　while　he　was　sketching　a　large　picture　（finished　in　after　years

and　never　understood）；　she　said；　as　it　were；　casually　and　aloud；



〃My　God！　what　is　he　doing？〃



〃Doing？　who？〃



〃Philippe。〃



〃Oh；　ah！　he's　sowing　his　wild　oats；　that　fellow　will　make　something　of

himself　by　and　by。〃



〃But　he　has　gone　through　the　lesson　of　poverty；　perhaps　it　was　poverty

which　changed　him　to　what　he　is。　If　he　were　prosperous　he　would　be

good〃



〃You　think；　my　dear　mother；　that　he　suffered　during　that　journey　of

his。　You　are　mistaken；　he　kept　carnival　in　New　York　just　as　he　does

here〃



〃But　if　he　is　suffering　at　this　moment；　near　to　us；　would　it　not　be

horrible？〃



〃Yes；〃　replied　Joseph。　〃For　my　part；　I　will　gladly　give　him　some

money；　but　I　don't　want　to　see　him；　he　killed　our　poor　Descoings。〃



〃So；〃　resumed　Agathe；　〃you　would　not　be　willing　to　paint　his

portrait？〃



〃For　you；　dear　mother；　I'd　suffer　martyrdom。　I　can　make　myself

remember　nothing　except　that　he　is　my　brother。〃



〃His　portrait　as　a　captain　of　dragoons　on　horseback？〃



〃Yes；　I've　a　copy　of　a　fine　horse　by　Gros　and　I　haven't　any　use　for

it。〃



〃Well；　then；　go　and　see　that　friend　of　his　and　find　out　what　has

become　of　him。〃



〃I'll　go！〃



Agathe　rose；　her　scissors　and　work　fell　at　her　feet；　she　went　and

kissed　Joseph's　head；　and　dropped　two　tears　on　his　hair。



〃He　is　your　passion；　that　fellow；〃　said　the　painter。　〃We　all　have　our

hopeless　passions。〃



That　afternoon；　about　four　o'clock；　Joseph　went　to　the　rue　du　Sentier

and　found　his　brother；　who　had　taken　Giroudeau's　place。　The　old

dragoon　had　been　promoted　to　be　cashier　of　a　weekly　journal

established　by　his　nephew。　Although　Finot　was　still　proprietor　of　the

other　newspaper；　which　he　had　divided　into　shares；　holding　all　the

shares　himself；　the　proprietor　and　editor　〃de　visu〃　was　one　of　his

friends；　named　Lousteau；　the　son　of　that　very　sub…delegate　of　Issoudun

on　whom　the　Bridaus'　grandfather；　Doctor　Rouget；　had　vowed　vengeance；

consequently　he　was　the　nephew　of　Madame　Hochon。　To　make　himself

agreeable　to　his　uncle；　Finot　gave　Philippe　the　place　Giroudeau　was

quitting；　cutting　off；　however；　half　the　salary。　Moreover；　daily；　at

five　o'clock；　Giroudeau　audited　the　accounts　and　carried　away　the

receipts。　Coloquinte；　the　old　veteran；　who　was　the　office　boy　and　did

errands；　also　kept　an　eye　on　the　slippery　Philippe；　who　was；　however；

behaving　properly。　A　salary　of　six　hundred　francs；　and　the　five

hundred　of　his　cross　sufficed　him　to　live；　all　the　more　because；

living　in　a　warm　office　all　day　and　at　the　theatre　on　a　free　pass

every　evening；　he　had　only　to　provide　himself　with　food　and　a　place　to

sleep　in。　Coloquinte　was　departing　with　the　stamped　papers　on　his

head；　and　Philippe　was　brushing　his　false　sleeves　of　green　linen；　when

Joseph　entered。



〃Bless　me；　here's　the　cub！〃　cried　Philippe。　〃Well；　we'll　go　and　dine

together。　You　shall　go　to　the　opera；　Florine　and　Florentine　have　got　a

box。　I'm　going　with　Giroudeau；　you　shall　be　of　the　party；　and　I'll

introduce　you　to　Nathan。〃



He　took　his　leaded　cane；　and　moistened　a　cigar。



〃I　can't　accept　your　invitation；　I　am　to　take　our　mother　to　dine　at　a

table　d'hote。〃



〃Ah！　how　is　she；　the　poor；　dear　woman？〃



〃She　is　pretty　well；〃　answered　the　painter；　〃I　have　just　repainted　our

father's　portrait；　and　aunt　Descoings's。　I　have　also　painted　my　own；

and　I　should　like　to　give　our　mother　yours；　in　the　uniform　of　the

dragoons　of　the　Imperial　Guard。〃



〃Very　good。〃



〃You　will　have　to　come　and　sit。〃



〃I'm　obliged　to　be　in　this　hen…coop　from　nine　o'clock　till　five。〃



〃Two　Sundays　will　be　enough。〃



〃So　be　it；　little　man；〃　said　Napoleon's　staff　officer；　lighting　his

cigar　at　the　porter's　lamp。



When　Joseph　related　Philippe's　position　to　his　mother；　on　their　way　to

dinner　in　the　rue　de　Beaune；　he　felt　her　arm　tremble　in　his；　and　joy

lighted　up　her　worn　face；　the　poor　soul　breathed　like　one　relieved　of

a　heavy　weight。　The　next　day；　inspired　by　joy　and　gratitude；　she　paid

Joseph　a　number　of　little　attentions；　she　decorated　his　studio　with

flowers；　and　bought　him　two　stands　of　plants。　On　the　first　Sunday　when

Philippe　was　to　sit；　Agathe　arranged　a　charming　breakfast　in　the

studio。　She　laid　it　all　out　on　the　table；　not　forgetting　a　flask　of

brandy；　which；　however；　was　only　half　full。　She　herself　stayed　behind

a　screen；　in　which　she　made　a　little　hole。　The　ex…dragoon　sent　his

uniform　the　night　before；　and　she　had　not　refrained　from　kissing　it。

When　Philippe　was　placed；　in　full　dress；　on　one　of　those　straw　horses；

all　saddled；　which　Joseph　had　hired　for　the　occasion；　Agathe；　fearing

to　betray　her　presence；　mingled　the　soft　sound　of　her　tears　with　the

conversation　of　the　two　brothers。　Philippe　posed　for　two　hours　before

and　two　hours　after　breakfast。　At　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　he

put　on　his　ordinary　clothes　and；　as　he　lighted　a　cigar；　he　proposed　to

his　brother　to　go　and　dine　together　in　the　Palais…Royal；　jingling　gold

in　his　pocket　as　he　spoke。



〃No；〃　said　Joseph；　〃it　frightens　me　to　see　gold　about　you。〃



〃Ah！　you'll　always　have　a　bad　opinion　of　me　in　this　house；〃　cried　the

colonel　in　a　thundering　voice。　〃Can't　I　save　my　money；　too？〃



〃Yes；　yes！〃　cried　Agathe；　coming　out　of　her　hiding…place；　and　kissing

her　son。　〃Let　us　go　and　dine　with　him；　Joseph！〃



Joseph　dared　not　scold　his　mother。　He　went　and　dressed　himself；　and

Philippe　took　them　to　the　Rocher　de　Cancale；　where　he　gave　them　a

splendid　dinner；　the　bill　for　which　amounted　to　a　hundred　francs。



〃The　devil！〃　muttered　Joseph　uneasily；　〃with　an　income　of　eleven

hundred　francs　you　manage；　like　Ponchard　in　the　'Dame　Blance；'　to　save

enough　to　buy　estates。〃



〃Bah；　I'm　on　a　run　of　luck；〃　answered　the　dragoon；　who　had　drunk

enormously。



Hearing　this　speech　just　as　they　were　on　the　steps　of　the　cafe；　and

before　they　got　into　the　carriage　to　go　to　the　theatre；for　Philippe

was　to　take　his　mother　to　the　Cirque…Olympique　（the　only　theatre　her

confessor　allowed　her　to　visit）；Joseph　pinched　his　mother's　arm。　She

at　once　pretended　to　feel　unwell；　and　refused　to　go　the　theatre；

Philippe　accordingly　took　them　back　to　the　rue　Mazarin；　where；　as　soon

as　she　was　alone　with　Joseph　in　her　garret；　Agathe　fell　into　a　gloomy

silence。



The　following　Sunday　Philippe　came　again。　This　time　his　mother　was

visibly　present　at　the　sitting。　She　served　the　breakfast；　and　put

several　questions　to　the　dragoon。　She　then　learned　that　the　nephew　of

old　Madame　Hochon；　the　friend　of　her　mother；　played　a　considerable

part　in　literature。　Philippe　and　his　friend　Giroudeau　lived　among　a

circle　of　journalists；　actresses；