“Monsieur，itisdifficultforamothernottobeeternallygratefultoyouforyourkindnesstoherson，“repliedAgathe；“butthissonisbanishedfrommyheart，andasformoney，Ihavenone。Nottobeaburdenonmysonwhomyouseehere，whoworksdayandnightanddeservesallthelovehismothercangivehim，Iamtheassistantinalottery-office——atmyage！“
“Andyou，youngman，“saidtheolddragoontoJoseph；“can’tyoudoasmuchforyourbrotherasapoordanceratthePorte-Saint-Martinandanoldsoldier？“
“Lookhere！“saidJoseph，outofpatience；“doyouwantmetotellyouinartistlanguagewhatIthinkofyourvisit？Well，youhavecometoswindleusonfalsepretences。“
“To-morrowyourbrothershallgotothehospital。“
“Andhewilldoverywellthere，“answeredJoseph。“IfIwereinlikecase，Ishouldgotheretoo。“
Giroudeauwithdrew，muchdisappointed，andalsoreallymortifiedatbeingobligedtosendtoahospitalamanwhohadcarriedtheEmperor’sordersatthebattleofMontereau。Threemonthslater，attheendofJuly，asAgatheonemorningwascrossingthePontNeuftoavoidpayingasouatthePontdesArts，shesaw，comingalongbytheshopsoftheQuaidel’Ecole，amanbearingallthesignsofsecond-
classpoverty，who，shethought，resembledPhilippe。InParis，therearethreedistinctclassesofpoverty。First，thepovertyofthemanwhopreservesappearances，andtowhomafuturestillbelongs；thisisthepovertyofyoungmen，artists，menoftheworld，momentarilyunfortunate。Theoutwardsignsoftheirdistressarenotvisible，exceptunderthemicroscopeofacloseobserver。Thesepersonsaretheequestrianorderofpoverty；theycontinuetodriveaboutincabriolets。Inthesecondorderwefindoldmenwhohavebecomeindifferenttoeverything，and，inJune，putthecrossoftheLegionofhonoronalpacaovercoats；thatisthepovertyofsmallincomes，——
ofoldclerks，wholiveatSainte-Perineandcarenolongerabouttheiroutwardman。Thencomes，inthethirdplace，povertyinrags，thepovertyofthepeople，thepovertythatispoetic；whichCallot，Hogarth，Murillo，Charlet，Raffet，Gavarni，Meissonier，Artitselfadoresandcultivates，especiallyduringthecarnival。ThemaninwhompoorAgathethoughtsherecognizedhersonwasastridethelasttwoclassesofpoverty。Shesawtheraggedneck-cloth，thescurfyhat，thebrokenandpatchedboots，thethreadbarecoat，whosebuttonshadshedtheirmould，leavingtheemptyshrivelledpoddanglingincongruitywiththetornpocketsandthedirtycollar。Scrapsoffluewereinthecreasesofthecoat，whichshowedplainlythedustthatfilledit。Themandrewfromthepocketsofhisseam-rentiron-graytrousersapairofhandsasblackasthoseofamechanic。Aknittedwoollenwaistcoat，discoloredbyuse，showedbelowthesleevesofhiscoat，andabovethetrousers，andnodoubtservedinsteadofashirt。Philippeworeagreensilkshadewithawireedgeoverhiseyes；hishead，whichwasnearlybald，thetintsofhisskin，andhissunkenfacetooplainlyrevealedthathewasjustleavingtheterribleHopitalduMidi。Hisblueovercoat，whitenedattheseams，wasstilldecoratedwiththeribbonofhiscross；andthepassers-bylookedatthehero，doubtlesssomevictimofthegovernment，withcuriosityandcommiseration；therosetteattractednotice，andthefiercest“ultra“wasjealousforthehonoroftheLegion。Inthosedays，howevermuchthegovernmentendeavoredtobringtheOrderintodisreputebybestowingitscrossrightandleft，therewerenotfifty-threethousandpersonsdecorated。
Agathetrembledthroughherwholebeing。Ifitwereimpossibletolovethissonanylonger，shecouldstillsufferforhim。Quiveringwiththislastexpressionofmotherhood，sheweptasshesawthebrilliantstaffofficeroftheEmperorturntoentertobacconist’sandpauseonthethreshold；hehadfeltinhispocketandfoundnothing。Agatheleftthebridge，crossedthequairapidly，tookoutherpurse，thrustitintoPhilippe’shand，andfledawayasifshehadcommittedacrime。Afterthat，sheatenothingfortwodays；beforeherwasthehorriblevisionofhersondyingofhungerinthestreetsofParis。
“Whenhehasspentallthemoneyinmypurse，whowillgivehimany？“
shethought。“Giroudeaudidnotdeceiveus；Philippeisjustoutofthathospital。“
Shenolongersawtheassassinofherpooraunt，thescourgeofthefamily，thedomesticthief，thegambler，thedrunkard，thelowliverofabadlife；shesawonlythemanrecoveringfromillness，yetdoomedtodieofstarvation，thesmokerdeprivedofhistobacco。Atforty-sevenyearsofageshegrewtolooklikeawomanofseventy。Hereyesweredimmedwithtearsandprayers。Yetitwasnotthelastgriefthissonwastobringuponher；herworstapprehensionsweredestinedtoberealized。Aconspiracyofofficerswasdiscoveredattheheartofthearmy，andarticlesfromthe“Moniteur“givingdetailsofthearrestswerehawkedaboutthestreets。
Inthedepthsofhercageinthelottery-officeoftherueVivienne，AgatheheardthenameofPhilippeBridau。Shefainted，andthemanager，understandinghertroubleandthenecessityoftakingcertainsteps，gaveherleaveofabsencefortwoweeks。
“Ah！myfriend，“shesaidtoJoseph，asshewenttobedthatnight，“itisourseveritywhichdrovehimtoit。“
“I’llgoandseeDesroches，“answeredJoseph。
Whiletheartistwasconfidinghisbrother’saffairstotheyoungerDesroches，——whobythistimehadthereputationofbeingoneofthekeenestandmostastutelawyersinParis，andwho，moreover，didsundryservicesforpersonagesofdistinction，amongothersfordesLupeaulx，thensecretaryofaministry，——Giroudeaucalleduponthewidow。Thistime，Agathebelievedhim。
“Madame，“hesaid，“ifyoucanproducetwelvethousandfrancsyoursonwillbesetatlibertyforwantofproof。Itisnecessarytobuythesilenceoftwowitnesses。“
“Iwillgetthemoney，“saidthepoormother，withoutknowinghoworwhere。
Inspiredbythisdanger，shewrotetohergodmother，oldMadameHochon，begginghertoaskJean-JacquesRougettosendherthetwelvethousandfrancsandsavehisnephewPhilippe。IfRougetrefused，sheentreatedMadameHochontolendthemtoher，promisingtoreturnthemintwoyears。Byreturnofcourier，shereceivedthefollowingletter:——
Mydeargirl:Thoughyourbrotherhasanincomeofnotlessthanfortythousandfrancsayear，withoutcountingthesumshehaslaidbyforthelastseventeenyears，andwhichMonsieurHochonestimatesatmorethansixhundredthousandfrancs，hewillnotgiveonepennytonephewswhomhehasneverseen。Asforme，youknowIcannotdisposeofafarthingwhilemyhusbandlives。HochonisthegreatestmiserinIssoudun。Idonotknowwhathedoeswithhismoney；hedoesnotgivetwentyfrancsayeartohisgrandchildren。Asforborrowingthemoney，Ishouldhavetogethissignature，andhewouldrefuseit。Ihavenotevenattemptedtospeaktoyourbrother，wholiveswithaconcubine，towhomheisaslave。Itispitiabletoseehowthepoormanistreatedinhisownhome，whenhemighthaveasisterandnephewstotakecareofhim。
IhavehintedtoyouseveraltimesthatyourpresenceatIssoudunmightsaveyourbrother，andrescueafortuneofforty，perhapssixty，thousandfrancsayearfromtheclawsofthatslut；butyoueitherdonotanswerme，oryouseemnevertounderstandmymeaning。Soto-dayIamobligedtowritewithoutepistolarycircumlocution。Ifeelforthemisfortunewhichhasovertakenyou，but，mydearest，Icandonomorethanpityyou。Andthisiswhy:
Hochon，ateighty-fiveyearsofage，takesfourmealsaday，eatsasaladwithhard-boiledeggseverynight，andfrisksaboutlikearabbit。Ishallhavespentmywholelife——forhewilllivetowritemyepitaph——withouteverhavinghadtwentyfrancsinmypurse。IfyouwillcometoIssoudunandcounteracttheinfluenceofthatconcubineoveryourbrother，youmuststaywithme，fortherearereasonswhyRougetcannotreceiveyouinhisownhouse；
buteventhen，Ishallhavehardworktogetmyhusbandtoletmehaveyouhere。However，youcansafelycome；Icanmakehimmindmeastothat。IknowawaytogetwhatIwantoutofhim；Ihaveonlytospeakofmakingmywill。ItseemssuchahorridthingtodothatIdonotoftenhaverecoursetoit；butforyou，dearAgathe，Iwilldotheimpossible。
IhopeyourPhilippewillgetoutofhistrouble；andIbegyoutoemployagoodlawyer。Inanycase，cometoIssoudunassoonasyoucan。Rememberthatyourimbecileofabrotheratfifty-sevenisanolderandweakermanthanMonsieurHochon。Soitisapressingmatter。Peoplearetalkingalreadyofawillthatcutsoffyourinheritance；butMonsieurHochonsaysthereisstilltimetogetitrevoked。
Adieu，mylittleAgathe；mayGodhelpyou！Believeintheloveofyourgodmother，MaximilienneHochon，neeLousteau。
P。S。Hasmynephew，Etienne，whowritesinthenewspapersandisintimate，theytellme，withyoursonPhilippe，beentopayhisrespectstoyou？ButcomeatoncetoIssoudun，andwewilltalkoverthings。
ThislettermadeagreatimpressiononAgathe，whoshowedit，ofcourse，toJoseph，towhomshehadbeenforcedtomentionGiroudeau’sproposal。Theartist，whogrewwarywhenitconcernedhisbrother，pointedouttoherthatsheoughttotelleverythingtoDesroches。
Consciousofthewisdomofthatadvice，Agathewentwithhersonthenextmorning，atsixo’clock，tofindDesrochesathishouseintheruedeBussy。Thelawyer，ascoldandsternashislatefather，withasharpvoice，aroughskin，implacableeyes，andthevisageofafoxashelickshislipsofthebloodofchickens，boundedlikeatigerwhenheheardofGiroudeau’svisitandproposal。
“Andpray，mereBridau，“hecried，inhislittlecrackedvoice，“howlongareyougoingtobedupedbyyourcursedbrigandofason？Don’tgivehimafarthing。Makeyourselfeasy，I’llanswerforPhilippe。I
shouldliketoseehimbroughtbeforetheCourtofPeers；itmightsavehisfuture。Youareafraidhewillbecondemned；butIsay，mayitpleaseGodhislawyerletshimbeconvicted。GotoIssoudun，securethepropertyforyourchildren。Ifyoudon’tsucceed，ifyourbrotherhasmadeawillinfavorofthatwoman，andyoucan’tmakehimrevokeit，——wellthen，atleastgetalltheevidenceyoucanofundueinfluence，andI’llinstituteproceedingsforyou。Butyouaretoohonestawomantoknowhowtogetatthebottomfactsofsuchamatter。I’llgomyselftoIssoudunintheholidays，——ifIcan。“
That“gomyself“madeJosephtrembleinhisskin。Desrocheswinkedathimtolethismothergodownstairsfirst，andthenthelawyerdetainedtheyoungmanforasinglemoment。
“Yourbrotherisagreatscoundrel；heisthecauseofthediscoveryofthisconspiracy，——intentionallyornot，Ican’tsay，fortherascalissoslynoonecanfindouttheexacttruthastothat。Foolortraitor，——takeyourchoice。Hewillbeputunderthesurveillanceofthepolice，nothingmore。Youneedn’tbeuneasy；nooneknowsthissecretbutmyself。GotoIssoudunwithyourmother。Youhavegoodsense；trytosavetheproperty。“
