the two brothers-第16章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
that is； after to…morrow；〃 she added； 〃for in the state you are in now
it is difficult〃
〃To turn me out；is that it？〃 he interrupted。 〃Ha！ are you going to
play the melodrama of 'The Banished Son'？ Well done！ is that how you
take things？ You are all a pretty set！ What harm have I done？ I've
cleaned out the old woman's mattress。 What the devil is the good of
money kept in wool？ Do you call that a crime？ Didn't she take twenty
thousand francs from you？ We are her creditors； and I've paid myself
as much as I could get；that's all。〃
〃My God！ my God！〃 cried the dying woman； clasping her hands and
praying。
〃Be silent！〃 exclaimed Joseph； springing at his brother and putting
his hand before his mouth。
〃To the right about； march！ brat of a painter！〃 retorted Philippe；
laying his strong hand on Joseph's head； and twirling him round； as he
flung him on a sofa。 〃Don't dare to touch the moustache of a commander
of a squadron of the dragoons of the Guard！〃
〃She has paid me back all that she owed me；〃 cried Agathe； rising and
turning an angry face to her son； 〃and besides； that is my affair。 You
have killed her。 Go away； my son；〃 she added； with a gesture that took
all her remaining strength； 〃and never let me see you again。 You are a
monster。〃
〃I kill her？〃
〃Her trey has turned up；〃 cried Joseph； 〃and you stole the money for
her stake。〃
〃Well； if she is dying of a lost trey； it isn't I who have killed
her；〃 said the drunkard。
〃Go； go！〃 said Agathe。 〃You fill me with horror； you have every vice。
My God！ is this my son？〃
A hollow rattle sounded in Madame Descoings's throat； increasing
Agathe's anger。
〃I love you still； my mother；you who are the cause of all my
misfortunes；〃 said Philippe。 〃You turn me out of doors on Christmas…
day。 What did you do to grandpa Rouget； to your father； that he should
drive you away and disinherit you？ If you had not displeased him； we
should all be rich now； and I should not be reduced to misery。 What
did you do to your father；you who are a good woman？ You see by your
own self； I may be a good fellow and yet be turned out of house and
home；I； the glory of the family〃
〃The disgrace of it！〃 cried the Descoings。
〃You shall leave this room； or you shall kill me！〃 cried Joseph；
springing on his brother with the fury of a lion。
〃My God！ my God！〃 cried Agathe； trying to separate the brothers。
At this moment Bixiou and Haudry the doctor entered。 Joseph had just
knocked his brother over and stretched him on the ground。
〃He is a regular wild beast；〃 he cried。 〃Don't speak another word； or
I'll〃
〃I'll pay you for this！〃 roared Philippe。
〃A family explanation；〃 remarked Bixiou。
〃Lift him up；〃 said the doctor； looking at him。 〃He is as ill as
Madame Descoings； undress him and put him to bed； get off his boots。〃
〃That's easy to say；〃 cried Bixiou； 〃but they must be cut off； his
legs are swollen。〃
Agathe took a pair of scissors。 When she had cut down the boots； which
in those days were worn outside the clinging trousers； ten pieces of
gold rolled on the floor。
〃There it is；her money；〃 murmured Philippe。 〃Cursed fool that I was；
I forgot it。 I too have missed a fortune。〃
He was seized with a horrible delirium of fever； and began to rave。
Joseph； assisted by old Desroches； who had come back； and by Bixiou；
carried him to his room。 Doctor Haudry was obliged to write a line to
the Hopital de la Charite and borrow a strait…waistcoat； for the
delirium ran so high as to make him fear that Philippe might kill
himself；he was raving。 At nine o'clock calm was restored。 The Abbe
Loraux and Desroches endeavored to comfort Agathe； who never ceased to
weep at her aunt's bedside。 She listened to them in silence； and
obstinately shook her head； Joseph and the Descoings alone knew the
extent and depth of her inward wound。
〃He will learn to do better； mother；〃 said Joseph； when Desroches and
Bixiou had left。
〃Oh！〃 cried the widow； 〃Philippe is right；my father cursed me： I
have no right to Here； here is your money；〃 she said to Madame
Descoings； adding Joseph's three hundred francs to the two hundred
found on Philippe。 〃Go and see if your brother does not need
something；〃 she said to Joseph。
〃Will you keep a promise made to a dying woman？〃 asked Madame
Descoings； who felt that her mind was failing her。
〃Yes； aunt。〃
〃Then swear to me to give your property to young Desroches for a life
annuity。 My income ceases at my death； and from what you have just
said； I know you will let that wretch wring the last farthing out of
you。〃
〃I swear it； aunt。〃
The old woman died on the 31st of December； five days after the
terrible blow which old Desroches had so innocently given her。 The
five hundred francsthe only money in the householdwere barely
enough to pay for her funeral。 She left a small amount of silver and
some furniture； the value of which Madame Bixiou paid over to her
grandson Bixiou。 Reduced to eight hundred francs' annuity paid to her
by young Desroches； who had bought a business without clients； and
himself took the capital of twelve thousand francs； Agathe gave up her
appartement on the third floor； and sold all her superfluous
furniture。 When； at the end of a month； Philippe seemed to be
convalescent； his mother coldly explained to him that the costs of his
illness had taken all her ready money； that she should be obliged in
future to work for her living； and she urged him； with the utmost
kindness； to re…enter the army and support himself。
〃You might have spared me that sermon；〃 said Philippe； looking at his
mother with an eye that was cold from utter indifference。 〃I have seen
all along that neither you nor my brother love me。 I am alone in the
world； I like it best！〃
〃Make yourself worthy of our affection；〃 answered the poor mother；
struck to the very heart； 〃and we will give it back to you〃
〃Nonsense！〃 he cried； interrupting her。
He took his old hat； rubbed white at the edges； stuck it over one ear；
and went downstairs； whistling。
〃Philippe！ where are you going without any money？〃 cried his mother；
who could not repress her tears。 〃Here； take this〃
She held out to him a hundred francs in gold； wrapped up in paper。
Philippe came up the stairs he had just descended； and took the money。
〃Well； won't you kiss me？〃 she said； bursting into tears。
He pressed his mother in his arms； but without the warmth of feeling
which was all that could give value to the embrace。
〃Where shall you go？〃 asked Agathe。
〃To Florentine； Girodeau's mistress。 Ah！ they are real friends！〃 he
answered brutally。
He went away。 Agathe turned back with trembling limbs； and failing
eyes； and aching heart。 She fell upon her knees； prayed God to take
her unnatural child into His own keeping； and abdicated her woeful
motherhood。
CHAPTER VI
By February； 1822； Madame Bridau had settled into the attic room
recently occupied by Philippe； which was over the kitchen of her
former appartement。 The painter's studio and bedroom was opposite； on
the other side of the staircase。 When Joseph saw his mother thus
reduced； he was determined to make her as comfortable as possible。
After his brother's departure he assisted in the re…arrangement of the
garret room； to which he gave an artist's touch。 He added a rug； the
bed； simple in character but exquisite in taste； had something
monastic about it； the walls； hung with a cheap glazed cotton selected
with taste； of a color which harmonized with the furniture and was
newly covered； gave the room an air of elegance and nicety。 In the
hallway he added a double door； with a 〃portiere〃 to the inner one。
The window was shaded by a blind which gave soft tones to the light。
If the poor mother's life was reduced to the plainest circumstances
that the life of any woman could have in Paris； Agathe was at least
better off than all others in a like case； thanks to her son。
To save his mother from the cruel cares of such reduced housekeeping；
Joseph took her every day to dine at a table…d'hote in the rue de
Beaune； frequented by well…bred women； deputies； and titled people；
where each person's dinner cost ninety francs a month。 Having nothing
but the breakfast to provide； Agathe took up for her son the old
habits she had formerly had with the father。 But in spite of Joseph's
pious lies； she discovered the fact that her dinner was costing him
nearly a hundred francs a month。 Alarmed at such enormous expense； and
not imaging that her son could earn much money by painting naked
women； she obtained； thanks to her confessor； the Abbe Loraux； a place
worth seven hundred francs a year in a lottery…office belonging to the
Comtesse de Bauvan； the widow of a Chouan leader。 The lottery…offices
of the government； the lot； as one might say； of privileged widows；
ordinarily sufficed for the support of the family of each person who
managed them。 But after the Restoration the difficulty of rewarding；
within the limits of constitutional government； all the services
rendered to the cause； led to the custom of giving to reduced women of
title not only one but two lottery…offices； worth； usually； from six
to ten thousand a year。 In such cases； the widow of a general or
nobleman thus 〃protected〃 did not keep the lottery…office herself； she
employed a paid manager。 When these managers were young men they were
obliged to employ an assistant； for； according to law； the offices had
to be kept open till midnight； moreover； the reports required by the
minister of finance involved considerable writing。 The Comtesse de
Bauvan； to whom the Abbe Loraux explained the circumstances of the
widow Bridau； promised； in case her manager should leave； to give the
place to Agathe； meantime she stipulated that the widow should be
taken as assistant； and receive a salary of six hundred francs。 Poor
Agathe； who was obliged to be at the office by ten in the morning； had
scarcely time to get her dinner。 She returned to her work at seven in
the evening； remaining there till midnight。 Joseph never； for two
years； failed to fetch his mother at night； and bring her back to the
rue Mazarin； and often he went to take her to dinner； his friends
frequently saw him leave the opera or some brilliant salon to be
punctually at midnight at the office in the rue Vivienne。
Agathe soon acquired the monotonous regularity of life which becomes a
stay and a support to those who have endured the shock of violent
sorrows。 In the morning； after doing up her room； in which there were
no longer cats and little birds； she prepared the breakfast at her own
fire and carried it into the studio； where she ate it with her son。
She then arranged Joseph's bedroom； put out the fire in her own
chamber； and brought her sewing to the studio； where she
