Joseph，whowasnowtwenty-one，andmuchthoughtofbythefriendswhohadstoodbyhiminhisdaysoftrial，felthisownstrengthandwasawareofhistalent；herepresentedtheartofpaintinginacircleofyoungmenwhoselivesweredevotedtoscience，letters，politics，andphilosophy。Consequently，hewaswoundedbyhisbrother’scontempt，whichPhilippestillfurtheremphasizedwithagesture，pullinghisearsasifhewerestillachild。AgathenoticedthecoolnesswhichsucceededthefirstglowoftendernessonthepartofJosephandMadameDescoings；butshehastenedtotellthemofPhilippe’ssufferingsinexile，andsolessenedit。MadameDescoings，wishingtomakeafestivalofthereturnoftheprodigal，asshecalledhimunderherbreath，hadpreparedoneofhergooddinners，towhicholdClaparonandtheelderDesrocheswereinvited。Allthefamilyfriendsweretocome，anddidcome，intheevening。JosephhadinvitedLeonGiraud，d’Arthez，MichelChrestien，FulgenceRidal，andHoraceBianchon，hisfriendsofthefraternity。MadameDescoingshadpromisedBixiou，herso-calledstep-son，thattheyoungpeopleshouldplayatecarte。Desrochestheyounger，whohadnowtaken，underhisfather’ssternrule，hisdegreeatlaw，wasalsooftheparty。DuBruel，Claparon，Desroches，andtheAbbeLorauxcarefullyobservedthereturnedexile，whosemannersandcoarsefeatures，andvoiceroughenedbytheabuseofliquors，togetherwithhisvulgarglanceandphraseology，alarmedthemnotalittle。WhileJosephwasplacingthecard-tables，themoreintimateofthefamilyfriendssurroundedAgatheandasked，——
　　“WhatdoyouintendtomakeofPhilippe？“
　　“Idon’tknow，“sheanswered，“butheisdeterminednottoservetheBourbons。“
　　“ThenitwillbeverydifficultforyoutofindhimaplaceinFrance。
　　Ifhewon’tre-enterthearmy，hecan’tbereadilygotintogovernmentemploy，“saidoldDuBruel。“Andyouhaveonlytolistentohimtoseehecouldnever，likemyson，makehisfortunebywritingplays。“
　　ThemotionofAgathe’seyes，withwhichalonesherepliedtothisspeech，showedhowanxiousPhilippe’sfuturemadeher；theyallkeptsilence。Theexilehimself，Bixiou，andtheyoungerDesrocheswereplayingatecarte，agamewhichwasthentherage。
　　“MamanDescoings，mybrotherhasnomoneytoplaywith，“whisperedJosephinthegoodwoman’sear。
　　ThedevoteeoftheRoyalLotteryfetchedtwentyfrancsandgavethemtotheartist，whoslippedthemsecretlyintohisbrother’shand。Allthecompanywerenowassembled。Thereweretwotablesofboston；andthepartygrewlively。Philippeprovedabadplayer:afterwinningforawhile，hebegantolose；andbyeleveno’clockheowedfiftyfrancstoyoungDesrochesandtoBixiou。Theracketandthedisputesattheecartetableresoundedmorethanonceintheearsofthemorepeacefulbostonplayers，whowerewatchingPhilippesurreptitiously。TheexileshowedsuchsignsofbadtemperthatinhisfinaldisputewiththeyoungerDesroches，whowasnonetooamiablehimself，theelderDesrochesjoinedin，andthoughhissonwasdecidedlyintheright，hedeclaredhewasinthewrong，andforbadehimtoplayanymore。MadameDescoingsdidthesamewithhergrandson，whowasbeginningtoletflycertainwitticisms；andalthoughPhilippe，sofar，hadnotunderstoodhim，therewasalwaysachancethatoneofthebarbedarrowsmightpiecethecolonel’sthickskullandputthesharpjesterinperil。
　　“Youmustbetired，“whisperedAgatheinPhilippe’sear；“cometobed。“
　　“Traveleducatesyouth，“saidBixiou，grinning，whenMadameBridauandthecolonelhaddisappeared。
　　Joseph，whogotupatdawnandwenttobedearly，didnotseetheendoftheparty。ThenextmorningAgatheandMadameDescoings，whilepreparingbreakfast，couldnothelpremarkingthatsoireswouldbeterriblyexpensiveifPhilippeweretogoonplayingthatsortofgame，astheDescoingsphrasedit。Theworthyoldwoman，thenseventy-
　　sixyearsofage，proposedtosellherfurniture，giveupherappartementonthesecondfloorwhichtheownerwasonlytoogladtooccupy，andtakeAgathe’sparlorforherchamber，makingtheotherroomasitting-roomanddining-roomforthefamily。Inthiswaytheycouldsavesevenhundredfrancsayear；whichwouldenablethemtogivePhilippefiftyfrancsamonthuntilhecouldfindsomethingtodo。Agatheacceptedthesacrifice。Whenthecolonelcamedownandhismotherhadaskedhowhelikedhislittlebedroom，thetwowidowsexplainedtohimthesituationofthefamily。MadameDescoingsandAgathepossessed，byputtingalltheirresourcestogether，anincomeoffivethousandthreehundredfrancs，fourthousandofwhichbelongedtoMadameDescoingsandweremerelyalifeannuity。TheDescoingsmadeanallowanceofsixhundredayeartoBixiou，whomshehadacknowledgedashergrandsonduringthelastfewmonths，alsosixhundredtoJoseph；therestofherincome，togetherwiththatofAgathe，wasspentforthehouseholdwants。Alltheirsavingswerebythistimeeatenup。
　　“Makeyourselveseasy，“saidthelieutenant-colonel。“I’llfindasituationandputyoutonoexpense；allIneedforthepresentisboardandlodging。“
　　Agathekissedherson，andMadameDescoingsslippedahundredfrancsintohishandtopayforhislossesofthenightbefore。Intendaysthefurniturewassold，theappartementgivenup，andthechangeinAgathe’sdomesticarrangementsaccomplishedwithacelerityseldomseenoutsideofParis。Duringthosetendays，Philipperegularlydecampedafterbreakfast，camebackfordinner，wasoffagainfortheevening，andonlygothomeaboutmidnighttogotobed。Hecontractedcertainhabitshalfmechanically，andtheysoonbecamerootedinhim；
　　hegothisbootsblackedonthePontNeufforthetwosousitwouldhavecosthimtogobythePontdesArtstothePalais-Royal，whereheconsumedregularlytwoglassesofbrandywhilereadingthenewspapers，——anoccupationwhichemployedhimtillmidday；afterthathesaunteredalongtherueViviennetothecafeMinerve，wheretheLiberalscongregated，andwhereheplayedatbilliardswithanumberofoldcomrades。Whilewinningandlosing，Philippeswallowedfourorfivemoreglassesofdiversliquors，andsmokedtenoradozencigarsingoingandcoming，andidlingalongthestreets。Intheevening，afterconsumingafewpipesattheHollandaissmoking-rooms，hewouldgotosomegambling-placetowardsteno’clockatnight。Thewaiterhandedhimacardandapin；healwaysinquiredofcertainwell-
　　seasonedplayersaboutthechancesoftheredortheblack，andstakedtenfrancswhentheluckymomentseemedtocome；neverplayingmorethanthreetimes，winorlose。Ifhewon，whichusuallyhappened，hedrankatumblerofpunchandwenthometohisgarret；butbythattimehetalkedofsmashingtheultrasandtheBourbonbody-guard，andtrolledout，ashemountedthestaircase，“WewatchtosavetheEmpire！“Hispoormother，hearinghim，usedtothink“HowgayPhilippeisto-night！“andthenshewouldcreepupandkisshim，withoutcomplainingofthefetidodorsofthepunch，andthebrandy，andthepipes。
　　“Yououghttobesatisfiedwithme，mydearmother，“hesaid，towardstheendofJanuary；“Ileadthemostregularoflives。“
　　Thecolonelhaddinedfivetimesatarestaurantwithsomeofhisarmycomrades。Theseoldsoldierswerequitefrankwitheachotheronthestateoftheirownaffairs，allthewhiletalkingofcertainhopeswhichtheybasedonthebuildingofasubmarinevessel，expectedtobringaboutthedeliveranceoftheEmperor。Amongtheseformercomrades，PhilippeparticularlylikedanoldcaptainofthedragoonsoftheGuard，namedGiroudeau，inwhosecompanyhehadseenhisfirstservice。ThisfriendshipwiththelatedragoonledPhilippeintocompletingwhatRabelaiscalled“thedevil’sequipage“；andheaddedtohisdrams，andhistobacco，andhisplay，a“fourthwheel。“
　　OneeveningatthebeginningofFebruary，GiroudeautookPhilippeafterdinnertotheGaite，occupyingafreeboxsenttoatheatricaljournalbelongingtohisnephewFinot，inwhoseofficeGiroudeauwascashierandsecretary。BothweredressedafterthefashionoftheBonapartistofficerswhonowbelongedtotheConstitutionalOpposition；theyworeampleovercoatswithsquarecollars，buttonedtothechinandcomingdowntotheirheels，anddecoratedwiththerosetteoftheLegionofhonor；andtheycarriedmalaccacaneswithloadedknobs，whichtheyheldbystringsofbraidedleather。Thelatetroopershadjusttouseoneoftheirownexpressions“madeaboutofit，“andweremutuallyunbosomingtheirheartsastheyenteredthebox。Throughthefumesofacertainnumberofbottlesandvariousglassesofvariousliquors，GiroudeaupointedouttoPhilippeaplumpandagilelittleballet-girlwhomhecalledFlorentine，whosegoodgracesandaffection，togetherwiththebox，belongedtohimastherepresentativeofanall-powerfuljournal。
　　“But，“saidPhilippe，“Ishouldliketoknowhowfarhergoodgracesgoforsuchaniron-grayoldtrooperasyou。“
　　“ThankGod，“repliedGiroudeau，“I’vestucktothetraditionsofourgloriousuniform。Ihaveneverwastedafarthinguponawomaninmylife。“
　　“What’sthat？“saidPhilippe，puttingafingeronhislefteye。
　　“Thatisso，“answeredGiroudeau。“But，betweenourselves，thenewspapercountsforagooddeal。To-morrow，inacoupleoflines，weshalladvisethemanagerstoletMademoiselleFlorentinedanceaparticularstep，andsoforth。Faith，mydearboy，I’muncommonlylucky！“
　　“Well！“thoughtPhilippe；“ifthisworthyGiroudeau，withaskullaspolishedasmyknee，forty-eightyears，abigstomach，afacelikeaploughman，andanoselikeapotato，cangetaballet-girl，IoughttobetheloverofthefirstactressinParis。Wheredoesonefindsuchluck？“hesaidaloud。
　　“I’llshowyouFlorentine’splaceto-night。MyDulcineaonlyearnsfiftyfrancsamonthatthetheatre，“addedGiroudeau，“butsheisveryprettilysetup，thankstoanoldsilkdealernamedCardot，whogivesherfivehundredfrancsamonth。“
　　“Well，but——？“exclaimedthejealousPhilippe。
　　“Bah！“saidGiroudeau；“trueloveisblind。“
　　WhentheplaywasoverGiroudeautookPhilippetoMademoiselleFlorentine’sappartement，whichwasclosetothetheatre，intheruedeCrussol。
　　“Wemustbehaveourselves，“saidGiroudeau。“Florentine’smotherishere。Yousee，Ihaven’tthemeanstopayforone，sotheworthywomanisreallyherownmother。Sheusedtobeaconcierge，butshe’snotwithoutintelligence。CallherMadame；shemakesapointofit。“
　　Florentinehappenedthatnighttohaveafriendwithher，——acertainMarieGodeschal，beautifulasanangel，coldasadanseuse，andapupilofVestris，whoforetoldforheragreatchoregraphicdestiny。