Theoldwomandiedonthe31stofDecember，fivedaysaftertheterribleblowwhicholdDesrocheshadsoinnocentlygivenher。Thefivehundredfrancs——theonlymoneyinthehousehold——werebarelyenoughtopayforherfuneral。Sheleftasmallamountofsilverandsomefurniture，thevalueofwhichMadameBixioupaidovertohergrandsonBixiou。Reducedtoeighthundredfrancs’annuitypaidtoherbyyoungDesroches，whohadboughtabusinesswithoutclients，andhimselftookthecapitaloftwelvethousandfrancs，Agathegaveupherappartementonthethirdfloor，andsoldallhersuperfluousfurniture。When，attheendofamonth，Philippeseemedtobeconvalescent，hismothercoldlyexplainedtohimthatthecostsofhisillnesshadtakenallherreadymoney，thatsheshouldbeobligedinfuturetoworkforherliving，andsheurgedhim，withtheutmostkindness，tore-enterthearmyandsupporthimself。
“Youmighthavesparedmethatsermon，“saidPhilippe，lookingathismotherwithaneyethatwascoldfromutterindifference。“Ihaveseenallalongthatneitheryounormybrotherloveme。Iamaloneintheworld；Ilikeitbest！“
“Makeyourselfworthyofouraffection，“answeredthepoormother，strucktotheveryheart，“andwewillgiveitbacktoyou——“
“Nonsense！“hecried，interruptingher。
Hetookhisoldhat，rubbedwhiteattheedges，stuckitoveroneear，andwentdownstairs，whistling。
“Philippe！whereareyougoingwithoutanymoney？“criedhismother，whocouldnotrepresshertears。“Here，takethis——“
Sheheldouttohimahundredfrancsingold，wrappedupinpaper。
Philippecameupthestairshehadjustdescended，andtookthemoney。
“Well；won’tyoukissme？“shesaid，burstingintotears。
Hepressedhismotherinhisarms，butwithoutthewarmthoffeelingwhichwasallthatcouldgivevaluetotheembrace。
“Whereshallyougo？“askedAgathe。
“ToFlorentine，Girodeau’smistress。Ah！theyarerealfriends！“heansweredbrutally。
Hewentaway。Agatheturnedbackwithtremblinglimbs，andfailingeyes，andachingheart。Shefelluponherknees，prayedGodtotakeherunnaturalchildintoHisownkeeping，andabdicatedherwoefulmotherhood。
ByFebruary，1822，MadameBridauhadsettledintotheatticroomrecentlyoccupiedbyPhilippe，whichwasoverthekitchenofherformerappartement。Thepainter’sstudioandbedroomwasopposite，ontheothersideofthestaircase。WhenJosephsawhismotherthusreduced，hewasdeterminedtomakeherascomfortableaspossible。
Afterhisbrother’sdepartureheassistedinthere-arrangementofthegarretroom，towhichhegaveanartist’stouch。Headdedarug；thebed，simpleincharacterbutexquisiteintaste，hadsomethingmonasticaboutit；thewalls，hungwithacheapglazedcottonselectedwithtaste，ofacolorwhichharmonizedwiththefurnitureandwasnewlycovered，gavetheroomanairofeleganceandnicety。Inthehallwayheaddedadoubledoor，witha“portiere“totheinnerone。
Thewindowwasshadedbyablindwhichgavesofttonestothelight。
Ifthepoormother’slifewasreducedtotheplainestcircumstancesthatthelifeofanywomancouldhaveinParis，Agathewasatleastbetteroffthanallothersinalikecase，thankstoherson。
Tosavehismotherfromthecruelcaresofsuchreducedhousekeeping，Josephtookhereverydaytodineatatable-d’hoteintheruedeBeaune，frequentedbywell-bredwomen，deputies，andtitledpeople，whereeachperson’sdinnercostninetyfrancsamonth。Havingnothingbutthebreakfasttoprovide，Agathetookupforhersontheoldhabitsshehadformerlyhadwiththefather。ButinspiteofJoseph’spiouslies，shediscoveredthefactthatherdinnerwascostinghimnearlyahundredfrancsamonth。Alarmedatsuchenormousexpense，andnotimagingthathersoncouldearnmuchmoneybypaintingnakedwomen，sheobtained，thankstoherconfessor，theAbbeLoraux，aplaceworthsevenhundredfrancsayearinalottery-officebelongingtotheComtessedeBauvan，thewidowofaChouanleader。Thelottery-officesofthegovernment，thelot，asonemightsay，ofprivilegedwidows，ordinarilysufficedforthesupportofthefamilyofeachpersonwhomanagedthem。ButaftertheRestorationthedifficultyofrewarding，withinthelimitsofconstitutionalgovernment，alltheservicesrenderedtothecause，ledtothecustomofgivingtoreducedwomenoftitlenotonlyonebuttwolottery-offices，worth，usually，fromsixtotenthousandayear。Insuchcases，thewidowofageneralornoblemanthus“protected“didnotkeepthelottery-officeherself；sheemployedapaidmanager。Whenthesemanagerswereyoungmentheywereobligedtoemployanassistant；for，accordingtolaw，theofficeshadtobekeptopentillmidnight；moreover，thereportsrequiredbytheministeroffinanceinvolvedconsiderablewriting。TheComtessedeBauvan，towhomtheAbbeLorauxexplainedthecircumstancesofthewidowBridau，promised，incasehermanagershouldleave，togivetheplacetoAgathe；meantimeshestipulatedthatthewidowshouldbetakenasassistant，andreceiveasalaryofsixhundredfrancs。PoorAgathe，whowasobligedtobeattheofficebyteninthemorning，hadscarcelytimetogetherdinner。Shereturnedtoherworkatsevenintheevening，remainingtheretillmidnight。Josephnever，fortwoyears，failedtofetchhismotheratnight，andbringherbacktotherueMazarin；andoftenhewenttotakehertodinner；hisfriendsfrequentlysawhimleavetheoperaorsomebrilliantsalontobepunctuallyatmidnightattheofficeintherueVivienne。
Agathesoonacquiredthemonotonousregularityoflifewhichbecomesastayandasupporttothosewhohaveenduredtheshockofviolentsorrows。Inthemorning，afterdoingupherroom，inwhichtherewerenolongercatsandlittlebirds，shepreparedthebreakfastatherownfireandcarrieditintothestudio，wheresheateitwithherson。
ShethenarrangedJoseph’sbedroom，putoutthefireinherownchamber，andbroughthersewingtothestudio，whereshesatbythelittleironstove，leavingtheroomifacomradeoramodelenteredit。Thoughsheunderstoodnothingwhateverofart，thesilenceofthestudiosuitedher。Inthematterofartshemadenottheslightestprogress；sheattemptednohypocrisy；shewasutterlyamazedattheimportancetheyallattachedtocolor，composition，drawing。WhentheCenaclefriendsorsomebrother-painter，likeSchinner，PierreGrassou，LeondeLora，——averyyouthful“rapin“whowascalledatthattimeMistigris，——discussedapicture，shewouldcomebackafterwards，examineitattentively，anddiscovernothingtojustifytheirfinewordsandtheirhotdisputes。Shemadeherson’sshirts，shemendedhisstockings，sheevencleanedhispalette，suppliedhimwithragstowipehisbrushes，andkeptthingsinorderinthestudio。Seeinghowmuchthoughthismothergavetotheselittledetails，Josephheapedattentionsuponherinreturn。Ifmotherandsonhadnosympathiesinthematterofart，theywereatleastboundtogetherbysignsoftenderness。Themotherhadapurpose。OnemorningasshewaspettingJosephwhilehewassketchingalargepicturefinishedinafteryearsandneverunderstood，shesaid，asitwere，casuallyandaloud，——
“MyGod！whatishedoing？“
“Doing？who？“
“Philippe。“
“Oh，ah！he’ssowinghiswildoats；thatfellowwillmakesomethingofhimselfbyandby。“
“Buthehasgonethroughthelessonofpoverty；perhapsitwaspovertywhichchangedhimtowhatheis。Ifhewereprosperoushewouldbegood——“
“Youthink，mydearmother，thathesufferedduringthatjourneyofhis。Youaremistaken；hekeptcarnivalinNewYorkjustashedoeshere——“
“Butifheissufferingatthismoment，neartous，woulditnotbehorrible？“
“Yes，“repliedJoseph。“Formypart，Iwillgladlygivehimsomemoney；butIdon’twanttoseehim；hekilledourpoorDescoings。“
“So，“resumedAgathe，“youwouldnotbewillingtopainthisportrait？“
“Foryou，dearmother，I’dsuffermartyrdom。Icanmakemyselfremembernothingexceptthatheismybrother。“
“Hisportraitasacaptainofdragoonsonhorseback？“
“Yes，I’veacopyofafinehorsebyGrosandIhaven’tanyuseforit。“
“Well，then，goandseethatfriendofhisandfindoutwhathasbecomeofhim。“
“I’llgo！“
Agatherose；herscissorsandworkfellatherfeet；shewentandkissedJoseph’shead，anddroppedtwotearsonhishair。
“Heisyourpassion，thatfellow，“saidthepainter。“Weallhaveourhopelesspassions。“
Thatafternoon，aboutfouro’clock，JosephwenttotherueduSentierandfoundhisbrother，whohadtakenGiroudeau’splace。Theolddragoonhadbeenpromotedtobecashierofaweeklyjournalestablishedbyhisnephew。AlthoughFinotwasstillproprietoroftheothernewspaper，whichhehaddividedintoshares，holdingalltheshareshimself，theproprietorandeditor“devisu“wasoneofhisfriends，namedLousteau，thesonofthatverysub-delegateofIssoudunonwhomtheBridaus’grandfather，DoctorRouget，hadvowedvengeance；
consequentlyhewasthenephewofMadameHochon。Tomakehimselfagreeabletohisuncle，FinotgavePhilippetheplaceGiroudeauwasquitting；cuttingoff，however，halfthesalary。Moreover，daily，atfiveo’clock，Giroudeauauditedtheaccountsandcarriedawaythereceipts。Coloquinte，theoldveteran，whowastheofficeboyanddiderrands，alsokeptaneyeontheslipperyPhilippe；whowas，however，behavingproperly。Asalaryofsixhundredfrancs，andthefivehundredofhiscrosssufficedhimtolive，allthemorebecause，livinginawarmofficealldayandatthetheatreonafreepasseveryevening，hehadonlytoprovidehimselfwithfoodandaplacetosleepin。Coloquintewasdepartingwiththestampedpapersonhishead，andPhilippewasbrushinghisfalsesleevesofgreenlinen，whenJosephentered。
“Blessme，here’sthecub！“criedPhilippe。“Well，we’llgoanddinetogether。Youshallgototheopera；FlorineandFlorentinehavegotabox。I’mgoingwithGiroudeau；youshallbeoftheparty，andI’llintroduceyoutoNathan。“