the two brothers-第15部分

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and　then　we　shall　have　to　scrape　up　another　ten　or　twelve　thousand

francs！　He　gambles　every　night；　when　he　comes　home；　drunk　as　a

templar；　he　drops　on　the　staircase　the　pricked　cards　on　which　he　marks

the　turns　of　the　red　and　black。　Old　Desroches　is　trying　to　get　him

back　into　the　army；　and；　on　my　word　on　honor；　I　believe　he　would　hate

to　serve　again。　Would　you　ever　have　believed　that　a　boy　with　such

heavenly　blue　eyes　and　the　look　of　Bayard　could　turn　out　such　a

scoundrel？〃







CHAPTER　V



In　spite　of　the　coolness　and　discretion　with　which　Philippe　played　his

trifling　game　every　night；　it　happened　every　now　and　then　that　he　was

what　gamblers　call　〃cleaned　out。〃　Driven　by　the　irresistible　necessity

of　having　his　evening　stake　of　ten　francs；　he　plundered　the　household；

and　laid　hands　on　his　brother's　money　and　on　all　that　Madame　Descoings

or　Agathe　left　about。　Already　the　poor　mother　had　had　a　dreadful

vision　in　her　first　sleep：　Philippe　entered　the　room　and　took　from　the

pockets　of　her　gown　all　the　money　he　could　find。　Agathe　pretended　to

sleep；　but　she　passed　the　rest　of　the　night　in　tears。　She　saw　the

truth　only　too　clearly。　〃One　wrong　act　is　not　a　vice；〃　Madame

Descoings　had　declared；　but　after　so　many　repetitions；　vice　was

unmistakable。　Agathe　could　doubt　no　longer；　her　best…beloved　son　had

neither　delicacy　nor　honor。



On　the　morrow　of　that　frightful　vision；　before　Philippe　left　the　house

after　breakfast；　she　drew　him　into　her　chamber　and　begged　him；　in　a

tone　of　entreaty；　to　ask　her　for　what　money　he　needed。　After　that；　the

applications　were　so　numerous　that　in　two　weeks　Agathe　was　drained　of

all　her　savings。　She　was　literally　without　a　penny；　and　began　to　think

of　finding　work。　The　means　of　earning　money　had　been　discussed　in　the

evenings　between　herself　and　Madame　Descoings；　and　she　had　already

taken　patterns　of　worsted　work　to　fill　in；　from　a　shop　called　the

〃Pere　de　Famille；〃an　employment　which　pays　about　twenty　sous　a　day。

Notwithstanding　Agathe's　silence　on　the　subject；　Madame　Descoings　had

guessed　the　motive　of　this　desire　to　earn　money　by　women's…work。　The

change　in　her　appearance　was　eloquent：　her　fresh　face　had　withered；

the　skin　clung　to　the　temples　and　the　cheek…bones；　and　the　forehead

showed　deep　lines；　her　eyes　lost　their　clearness；　an　inward　fire　was

evidently　consuming　her；　she　wept　the　greater　part　of　the　night。　A

chief　cause　of　these　outward　ravages　was　the　necessity　of　hiding　her

anguish；　her　sufferings；　her　apprehensions。　She　never　went　to　sleep

until　Philippe　came　in；　she　listened　for　his　step；　she　had　learned　the

inflections　of　his　voice；　the　variations　of　his　walk；　the　very

language　of　his　cane　as　it　touched　the　pavement。　Nothing　escaped　her。

She　knew　the　degree　of　drunkenness　he　had　reached；　she　trembled　as　she

heard　him　stumble　on　the　stairs；　one　night　she　picked　up　some　pieces

of　gold　at　the　spot　where　he　had　fallen。　When　he　had　drunk　and　won；

his　voice　was　gruff　and　his　cane　dragged；　but　when　he　had　lost；　his

step　had　something　sharp；　short　and　angry　about　it；　he　hummed　in　a

clear　voice；　and　carried　his　cane　in　the　air　as　if　presenting　arms。　At


breakfast；　if　he　had　won；　his　behavior　was　gay　and　even　affectionate；

he　joked　roughly；　but　still　he　joked；　with　Madame　Descoings；　with

Joseph；　and　with　his　mother；　gloomy；　on　the　contrary；　when　he　had

lost；　his　brusque；　rough　speech；　his　hard　glance；　and　his　depression；

frightened　them。　A　life　of　debauch　and　the　abuse　of　liquors　debased；

day　by　day；　a　countenance　that　was　once　so　handsome。　The　veins　of　the

face　were　swollen　with　blood；　the　features　became　coarse；　the　eyes

lost　their　lashes　and　grew　hard　and　dry。　No　longer　careful　of　his

person；　Philippe　exhaled　the　miasmas　of　a　tavern　and　the　smell　of

muddy　boots；　which；　to　an　observer；　stamped　him　with　debauchery。



〃You　ought；〃　said　Madame　Descoings　to　Philippe　during　the　last　days　of

December；　〃you　ought　to　get　yourself　new…clothed　from　head　to　foot。〃



〃And　who　is　to　pay　for　it？〃　he　answered　sharply。　〃My　poor　mother

hasn't　a　sou；　and　I　have　five　hundred　francs　a　year。　It　would　take　my

whole　year's　pension　to　pay　for　the　clothes；　besides　I　have　mortgaged

it　for　three　years〃



〃What　for？〃　asked　Joseph。



〃A　debt　of　honor。　Giroudeau　borrowed　a　thousand　francs　from　Florentine

to　lend　me。　I　am　not　gorgeous；　that's　a　fact；　but　when　one　thinks　that

Napoleon　is　at　Saint　Helena；　and　has　sold　his　plate　for　the　means　of

living；　his　faithful　soldiers　can　manage　to　walk　on　their　bare　feet；〃

he　said；　showing　his　boots　without　heels；　as　he　marched　away。



〃He　is　not　bad；〃　said　Agathe；　〃he　has　good　feelings。〃



〃You　can　love　the　Emperor　and　yet　dress　yourself　properly；〃　said

Joseph。　〃If　he　would　take　any　care　of　himself　and　his　clothes；　he

wouldn't　look　so　like　a　vagabond。〃



〃Joseph！　you　ought　to　have　some　indulgence　for　your　brother；〃　cried

Agathe。　〃You　do　the　things　you　like；　while　he　is　certainly　not　in　his

right　place。〃



〃What　did　he　leave　it　for？〃　demanded　Joseph。　〃What　can　it　matter　to

him　whether　Louis　the　Eighteenth's　bugs　or　Napoleon's　cuckoos　are　on

the　flag；　if　it　is　the　flag　of　his　country？　France　is　France！　For　my

part；　I'd　paint　for　the　devil。　A　soldier　ought　to　fight；　if　he　is　a

soldier；　for　the　love　of　his　art。　If　he　had　stayed　quietly　in　the

army；　he　would　have　been　a　general　by　this　time。〃



〃You　are　unjust　to　him；〃　said　Agathe；　〃your　father；　who　adored　the

Emperor；　would　have　approved　of　his　conduct。　However；　he　has　consented

to　re…enter　the　army。　God　knows　the　grief　it　has　caused　your　brother

to　do　a　thing　he　considers　treachery。〃



Joseph　rose　to　return　to　his　studio；　but　his　mother　took　his　hand　and

said：



〃Be　good　to　your　brother；　he　is　so　unfortunate。〃



When　the　artist　got　back　to　his　painting…room；　followed　by　Madame

Descoings；　who　begged　him　to　humor　his　mother's　feelings；　and　pointed

out　to　him　how　changed　she　was；　and　what　inward　suffering　the　change

revealed；　they　found　Philippe　there；　to　their　great　amazement。



〃Joseph；　my　boy；〃　he　said；　in　an　off…hand　way；　〃I　want　some　money。

Confound　it！　I　owe　thirty　francs　for　cigars　at　my　tobacconist's；　and　I

dare　not　pass　the　cursed　shop　till　I've　paid　it。　I've　promised　to　pay

it　a　dozen　times。〃



〃Well；　I　like　your　present　way　best；〃　said　Joseph；　〃take　what　you　want

out　of　the　skull。〃



〃I　took　all　there　was　last　night；　after　dinner。〃



〃There　was　forty…five　francs。〃



〃Yes；　that's　what　I　made　it；〃　replied　Philippe。　〃I　took　them；　is　there

any　objection？〃



〃No；　my　friend；　no；〃　said　Joseph。　〃If　you　were　rich；　I　should　do　the

same　by　you；　only；　before　taking　what　I　wanted；　I　should　ask　you　if　it

were　convenient。〃



〃It　is　very　humiliating　to　ask；〃　remarked　Philippe；　〃I　would　rather

see　you　taking　as　I　do；　without　a　word；　it　shows　more　confidence。　In

the　army；　if　a　comrade　dies；　and　has　a　good　pair　of　boots；　and　you

have　a　bad　pair；　you　change；　that's　all。〃



〃Yes；　but　you　don't　take　them　while　he　is　living。〃



〃Oh；　what　meanness！〃　said　Philippe；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃Well；　so

you　haven't　got　any　money？〃



〃No；〃　said　Joseph；　who　was　determined　not　to　show　his　hiding…place。



〃In　a　few　days　we　shall　be　rich；〃　said　Madame　Descoings。



〃Yes；　you；　you　think　your　trey　is　going　to　turn　up　on　the　25th　at　the

Paris　drawing。　You　must　have　put　in　a　fine　stake　if　you　think　you　can

make　us　all　rich。〃



〃A　paid…up　trey　of　two　hundred　francs　will　give　three　millions；

without　counting　the　couplets　and　the　singles。〃



〃At　fifteen　thousand　times　the　stakeyes；　you　are　right；　it　is　just

two　hundred　you　must　pay　up！〃　cried　Philippe。



Madame　Descoings　bit　her　lips；　she　knew　she　had　spoken　imprudently。　In

fact；　Philippe　was　asking　himself　as　he　went　downstairs：



〃That　old　witch！　where　does　she　keep　her　money？　It　is　as　good　as　lost；

I　can　make　a　better　use　of　it。　With　four　pools　at　fifty　francs　each；　I

could　win　two　hundred　thousand　francs；　and　that's　much　surer　than　the

turning　up　of　a　trey。〃



He　tried　to　think　where　the　old　woman　was　likely　to　have　hid　the

money。　On　the　days　preceding　festivals；　Agathe　went　to　church　and

stayed　there　a　long　time；　no　doubt　she　confessed　and　prepared　for　the

communion。　It　was　now　the　day　before　Christmas；　Madame　Descoings　would

certainly　go　out　to　buy　some　dainties　for　the　〃reveillon；〃　the

midnight　meal；　and　she　might　also　take　occasion　to　pay　up　her　stake。

The　lottery　was　drawn　every　five　days　in　different　localities；　at

Bordeaux；　Lyons；　Lille；　Strasburg；　and　Paris。　The　Paris　lottery　was

drawn　on　the　twenty…fifth　of　each　month；　and　the　lists　closed　on　the

twenty…fourth；　at　midnight。　Philippe　studied　all　these　points　and　set

himself　to　watch。　He　came　home　at　midday；　the　Descoings　had　gone　out；

and　had　taken　the　key　of　the　appartement。　But　that　was　no　difficulty。

Philippe　pretended　to　have　forgotten　something；　and　asked　the

concierge　to　go　herself　and　get　a　locksmith；　who　lived　close　by；　and

who　came　at　once　and　opened　the　door。　The　villain's　first　thought　was

the　bed；　he　uncovered　it；　passed　his　hands　over　the　mattress　before　he

examined　the　bedstead；　and　at　the　lower　end　felt　the　pieces　wrapped　up

in　paper。　He　at　once　ripped　the　ticking；　picked　out　twenty　napoleons；

and　then；　without　taking　time　to　sew　up　the　mattress；　re…made　the　bed

neatly　enough；　so　that　Madame　Descoings　could　suspect　nothing。



The　gambler　stole　off　with　a　light　foot；　resolving　to　play　at　three

different　times；　three　hours　apart；　and　each　time　for　only　ten

minutes。　Thorough…going　players；　ever　since　1786；　the　time　at　which

public　gaming…houses　were　established；the　true　players　whom　the

government　dreaded；　and　who　ate　up；　to　use　a　gambling　term；　the　money

of　the　bank；never　played　in　any　other　way。　But　before　attaining　this

measure　of　experience　they　lost　fortunes。　The　whole　science　of

gambling…houses　and　their　gains　rests　upon　three　thing