Unhappily，Josephdidnotknowthewaytoanyofthelottery-offices，whichinthosedayswereaswellknowntomostpeopleasthecigarshopstoasmokerinours。Thepainterranalong，readingthestreetnamesuponthelamps。Whenheaskedthepassers-bytoshowhimalottery-office，hewastoldtheywereallclosed，excepttheoneundertheporticoofthePalais-Royalwhichwassometimeskeptopenalittlelater。HeflewtothePalais-Royal:theofficewasshut。
　　“Twominutesearlier，andyoumighthavepaidyourstake，“saidoneofthevendorsoftickets，whosebeatwasundertheportico，wherehevociferatedthissingularcry:“Twelvehundredfrancsforfortysous，“
　　andofferedticketsallpaidup。
　　BytheglimmerofthestreetlampandthelightsofthecafedelaRotonde，Josephexaminedtheseticketstoseeif，bychance，anyofthemboretheDescoings’snumbers。Hefoundnone，andreturnedhomegrievedathavingdonehisbestinvainfortheoldwoman，towhomherelatedhisill-luck。AgatheandherauntwenttogethertothemidnightmassatSaint-Germain-des-Pres。Josephwenttobed。Thecollationdidnottakeplace。MadameDescoingshadlostherhead；andinAgathe’sheartwaseternalmourning。
　　ThetworoselateonChristmasmorning。Teno’clockhadstruckbeforeMadameDescoingsbegantobestirherselfaboutthebreakfast，whichwasonlyreadyathalf-pasteleven。Atthathour，theoblongframescontainingthewinningnumbersarehungoverthedoorsofthelottery-
　　offices。IfMadameDescoingshadpaidherstakeandheldherticket，shewouldhavegonebyhalf-pastnineo’clocktolearnherfateatabuildingclosetotheministryofFinance，intherueNeuve-des-PetitsChamps，asituationnowoccupiedbytheTheatreVentadourintheplaceofthesamename。Onthedayswhenthedrawingstookplace，anobservermightwatchwithcuriositythecrowdofoldwomen，cooks，andoldmenassembledaboutthedoorofthisbuilding；asightasremarkableasthecueofpeopleabouttheTreasuryonthedayswhenthedividendsarepaid。
　　“Well，hereyouare，rollinginwealth！“saidoldDesroches，comingintotheroomjustastheDescoingswasswallowingherlastdropofcoffee。
　　“Whatdoyoumean？“criedpoorAgathe。
　　“Hertreyhasturnedup，“hesaid，producingthelistofnumberswrittenonabitofpaper，suchastheofficialsofthelotteryputbyhundredsintolittlewoodenbowlsontheircounters。
　　Josephreadthelist。Agathereadthelist。TheDescoingsreadnothing；shewasstruckdownasbyathunderbolt。Atthechangeinherface，atthecryshegave，oldDesrochesandJosephcarriedhertoherbed。Agathewentforadoctor。Thepoorwomanwasseizedwithapoplexy，andsheonlyrecoveredconsciousnessatfourintheafternoon；oldHaudry，herdoctor，thensaidthat，inspiteofthisimprovement，sheoughttosettleherworldlyaffairsandthinkofhersalvation。Sheherselfonlyutteredtwowords:——
　　“Threemillions！“
　　OldDesroches，informedbyJoseph，withduereservations，ofthestateofthings，relatedmanyinstanceswherelottery-playershadseenafortuneescapethemontheverydaywhen，bysomefatality，theyhadforgottentopaytheirstakes；buthethoroughlyunderstoodthatsuchablowmightbefatalwhenitcameaftertwentyyears’perseverance。
　　Aboutfiveo’clock，asadeepsilencereignedinthelittleappartement，andthesickwoman，watchedbyJosephandhismother，theonesittingatthefoot，theotherattheheadofherbed，wasexpectinghergrandsonBixiou，whomDesrocheshadgonetofetch，thesoundofPhilippe’sstepandcaneresoundedonthestaircase。
　　“Thereheis！thereheis！“criedtheDescoings，sittingupinbedandsuddenlyabletouseherparalyzedtongue。
　　AgatheandJosephweredeeplyimpressedbythispowerfuleffectofthehorrorwhichviolentlyagitatedtheoldwoman。TheirpainfulsuspensewassoonendedbythesightofPhilippe’sconvulsedandpurpleface，hisstaggeringwalk，andthehorriblestateofhiseyes，whichweredeeplysunken，dull，andyethaggard；hehadastrongchilluponhim，andhisteethchattered。
　　“StarvationinPrussia！“hecried，lookingabouthim。“Nothingtoeatordrink？——andmythroatonfire！Well，what’sthematter？Thedevilisalwaysmeddlinginouraffairs。There’smyoldDescoingsinbed，lookingatmewithhereyesasbigassaucers。“
　　“Besilent，monsieur！“saidAgathe，rising。“Atleast，respectthesorrowsyouhavecaused。“
　　“MONSIEUR，indeed！“hecried，lookingathismother。“Mydearlittlemother，thatwon’tdo。Haveyouceasedtoloveyourson？“
　　“Areyouworthyoflove？Haveyouforgottenwhatyoudidyesterday？Goandfindyourselfanotherhome；youcannotlivewithusanylonger，——
　　thatis，afterto-morrow，“sheadded；“forinthestateyouareinnowitisdifficult——“
　　“Toturnmeout，——isthatit？“heinterrupted。“Ha！areyougoingtoplaythemelodramaof’TheBanishedSon’？Welldone！isthathowyoutakethings？Youareallaprettyset！WhatharmhaveIdone？I’vecleanedouttheoldwoman’smattress。Whatthedevilisthegoodofmoneykeptinwool？Doyoucallthatacrime？Didn’tshetaketwentythousandfrancsfromyou？Wearehercreditors，andI’vepaidmyselfasmuchasIcouldget，——that’sall。“
　　“MyGod！myGod！“criedthedyingwoman，claspingherhandsandpraying。
　　“Besilent！“exclaimedJoseph，springingathisbrotherandputtinghishandbeforehismouth。
　　“Totherightabout，march！bratofapainter！“retortedPhilippe，layinghisstronghandonJoseph’shead，andtwirlinghimround，asheflunghimonasofa。“Don’tdaretotouchthemoustacheofacommanderofasquadronofthedragoonsoftheGuard！“
　　“Shehaspaidmebackallthatsheowedme，“criedAgathe，risingandturninganangryfacetoherson；“andbesides，thatismyaffair。Youhavekilledher。Goaway，myson，“sheadded，withagesturethattookallherremainingstrength，“andneverletmeseeyouagain。Youareamonster。“
　　“Ikillher？“
　　“Hertreyhasturnedup，“criedJoseph，“andyoustolethemoneyforherstake。“
　　“Well，ifsheisdyingofalosttrey，itisn’tIwhohavekilledher，“saidthedrunkard。
　　“Go，go！“saidAgathe。“Youfillmewithhorror；youhaveeveryvice。
　　MyGod！isthismyson？“
　　AhollowrattlesoundedinMadameDescoings’sthroat，increasingAgathe’sanger。
　　“Iloveyoustill，mymother，——youwhoarethecauseofallmymisfortunes，“saidPhilippe。“YouturnmeoutofdoorsonChristmas-
　　day。WhatdidyoudotograndpaRouget，toyourfather，thatheshoulddriveyouawayanddisinherityou？Ifyouhadnotdispleasedhim，weshouldallberichnow，andIshouldnotbereducedtomisery。Whatdidyoudotoyourfather，——youwhoareagoodwoman？Youseebyyourownself，Imaybeagoodfellowandyetbeturnedoutofhouseandhome，——I，thegloryofthefamily——“
　　“Thedisgraceofit！“criedtheDescoings。
　　“Youshallleavethisroom，oryoushallkillme！“criedJoseph，springingonhisbrotherwiththefuryofalion。
　　“MyGod！myGod！“criedAgathe，tryingtoseparatethebrothers。
　　AtthismomentBixiouandHaudrythedoctorentered。Josephhadjustknockedhisbrotheroverandstretchedhimontheground。
　　“Heisaregularwildbeast，“hecried。“Don’tspeakanotherword，orI’ll——“
　　“I’llpayyouforthis！“roaredPhilippe。
　　“Afamilyexplanation，“remarkedBixiou。
　　“Lifthimup，“saidthedoctor，lookingathim。“HeisasillasMadameDescoings；undresshimandputhimtobed；getoffhisboots。“
　　“That’seasytosay，“criedBixiou，“buttheymustbecutoff；hislegsareswollen。“
　　Agathetookapairofscissors。Whenshehadcutdowntheboots，whichinthosedayswerewornoutsidetheclingingtrousers，tenpiecesofgoldrolledonthefloor。
　　“Thereitis，——hermoney，“murmuredPhilippe。“CursedfoolthatIwas，Iforgotit。Itoohavemissedafortune。“
　　Hewasseizedwithahorribledeliriumoffever，andbegantorave。
　　Joseph，assistedbyoldDesroches，whohadcomeback，andbyBixiou，carriedhimtohisroom。DoctorHaudrywasobligedtowritealinetotheHopitaldelaChariteandborrowastrait-waistcoat；forthedeliriumransohighastomakehimfearthatPhilippemightkillhimself，——hewasraving。Atnineo’clockcalmwasrestored。TheAbbeLorauxandDesrochesendeavoredtocomfortAgathe，whoneverceasedtoweepatheraunt’sbedside。Shelistenedtotheminsilence，andobstinatelyshookherhead；JosephandtheDescoingsaloneknewtheextentanddepthofherinwardwound。
　　“Hewilllearntodobetter，mother，“saidJoseph，whenDesrochesandBixiouhadleft。
　　“Oh！“criedthewidow，“Philippeisright，——myfathercursedme:I
　　havenorightto——Here，hereisyourmoney，“shesaidtoMadameDescoings，addingJoseph’sthreehundredfrancstothetwohundredfoundonPhilippe。“Goandseeifyourbrotherdoesnotneedsomething，“shesaidtoJoseph。
　　“Willyoukeepapromisemadetoadyingwoman？“askedMadameDescoings，whofeltthathermindwasfailingher。
　　“Yes，aunt。“
　　“ThensweartometogiveyourpropertytoyoungDesrochesforalifeannuity。Myincomeceasesatmydeath；andfromwhatyouhavejustsaid，Iknowyouwillletthatwretchwringthelastfarthingoutofyou。“
　　“Iswearit，aunt。“