MadameDescoings’spassionforcedhertobecontentwithfiftyfrancsamonthforherdomesticexpenses，soastogamblewiththerest。
Ontheotherhand，MadameBridau，motherlylove，keptherexpensesdowntothesamesum。Bywayofpenanceforherformerover-
confidence，sheheroicallycutoffherownlittleenjoyments。Aswithothertimidsoulsoflimitedintelligence，oneshocktoherfeelingsrousingherdistrustledhertoexaggerateadefectinhercharacteruntilitassumedtheconsistencyofavirtue。TheEmperor，shesaidtoherself，mightforgetthem；hemightdieinbattle；herpension，atanyrate，ceasedwithherlife。Sheshudderedattheriskherchildrenranofbeingleftaloneintheworldwithoutmeans。QuiteincapableofunderstandingRoguinwhenheexplainedtoherthatinsevenyearsMadameDescoings’sassignmentwouldreplacethemoneyshehadsoldoutoftheFunds，shepersistedintrustingneitherthenotarynorheraunt，noreventhegovernment；shebelievedinnothingbutherselfandtheprivationsshewaspractising。Bylayingasidethreethousandfrancseveryyearfromherpension，shewouldhavethirtythousandfrancsattheendoftenyears；whichwouldgivefifteenhundredayeartoherchildren。Atthirty-six，shemightexpecttolivetwentyyearslonger；andifshekepttothesamesystemofeconomyshemightleavetoeachchildenoughforthebarenecessariesoflife。
Thusthetwowidowspassedfromhollowopulencetovoluntarypoverty，——oneunderthepressureofavice，theotherthroughthepromptingsofthepurestvirtue。Noneofthesepettydetailsareuselessinteachingthelessonwhichoughttobelearnedfromthispresenthistory，drawnasitisfromthemostcommonplaceinterestsoflife，butwhosebearingsare，itmaybe，onlythemorewidespread。Theviewfromthewindowsintothestudentdens；thetumultoftherapinsbelow；thenecessityoflookingupattheskytoescapethemiserablesightsofthedampangleofthestreet；thepresenceofthatportrait，fullofsoulandgrandeurdespitetheworkmanshipofanamateurpainter；thesightoftherichcolors，nowoldandharmonious，inthatcalmandplacidhome；thepreferenceofthemotherforhereldestchild；heroppositiontothetastesoftheyounger；inshort，thewholebodyoffactsandcircumstanceswhichmakethepreambleofthishistoryareperhapsthegeneratingcausestowhichweoweJosephBridau，oneofthegreatestpaintersofthemodernFrenchschoolofart。
Philippe，theelderofthetwosons，wasstrikinglylikehismother。