Thenewjournal，whichfortunatelywasstartedbeforetheassassinationoftheDucdeBerry，justescapedtheblowwhichMonsieurDecazesthenlaunchedatthepress。MadameBridau’ssharesintheFunds，representingthirteenhundredfrancs’interest，weretransferredassecurityforPhilippe，whowasthenappointedcashier。
　　Thatgoodsonatoncepromisedtopayonehundredfrancseverymonthtothetwowidows，forhisboardandlodging，andwasdeclaredbybothtobethebestofsons。ThosewhohadthoughtillofhimnowcongratulatedAgathe。
　　“Wewereunjusttohim，“theysaid。
　　PoorJoseph，nottobebehindhisbrotheringenerosity，resolvedtopayforhisownsupport，andsucce
　　Threemonthslater，thecolonel，whoateanddrankenoughforfourmen，findingfaultwiththefoodandcompellingthepoorwidows，onthescoreofhispayments，tospendmuchmoneyontheirtable，hadnotyetpaiddownasinglepenny。HismotherandMadameDescoingswereunwilling，outofdelicacy，toremindhimofhispromise。TheyearwentbywithoutoneofthosecoinswhichLeonGozlansovigorouslycalled“tigerswithfiveclaws“findingitswayfromPhilippe’spockettothehouseholdpurse。Itistruethatthecolonelquietedhisconscienceonthisscorebyseldomdiningathome。
　　“Well，heishappy，“saidhismother；“heiseasyinmind；hehasaplace。“
　　Throughtheinfluenceofafeuilleton，editedbyVernou，afriendofBixiou，Finot，andGiroudeau，Mariettemadeherappearance，notatthePanorama-DramatiquebutatthePorte-Saint-Martin，whereshetriumphedbesidethefamousBegrand。Amongthedirectorsofthetheatrewasarichandluxuriousgeneralofficer，inlovewithanactress，forwhosesakehehadmadehimselfanimpresario。InParis，wefrequentlymeetwithmensofascinatedwithactresses，singers，orballet-dancers，thattheyarewillingtobecomedirectorsofatheatreoutoflove。
　　ThisofficerknewPhilippeandGiroudeau。Mariette’sfirstappearance，heraldedalreadybyFinot’sjournalandalsobyPhilippe’s，waspromptlyarrangedbythethreeofficers；forthereseemstobesolidarityamongthepassionsinamatteroffolly。
　　ThemischievousBixiouwasnotlonginrevealingtohisgrandmotherandthedevotedAgathethatPhilippe，thecashier，theheroofheroes，wasinlovewithMariette，thecelebratedballet-danceratthePorte-
　　Saint-Martin。Thenewswasathunder-claptothetwowidows；Agathe’sreligiousprinciplestaughthertothinkthatallwomenonthestagewerebrandsintheburning；moreover，shethought，andsodidMadameDescoings，thatwomenofthatkinddinedoffgold，drankpearls，andwastedfortunes。
　　“Nowdoyousuppose，“saidJosephtohismother，“thatmybrotherissuchafoolastospendhismoneyonMariette？Suchwomenonlyruinrichmen。“
　　“TheytalkofengagingMarietteattheOpera，“saidBixiou。“Don’tbeworried，MadameBridau；thediplomaticbodyoftencomestothePorte-
　　Saint-Martin，andthathandsomegirlwon’tstaylongwithyourson。I
　　didhearthatanambassadorwasmadlyinlovewithher。Bythebye，anotherpieceofnews！OldClaparonisdead，andhisson，whohasbecomeabanker，hasorderedthecheapestkindoffuneralforhim。
　　Thatfellowhasnoeducation；theywouldn’tbehavelikethatinChina。“
　　Philippe，promptedbymercenarymotives，proposedtoMariettethatsheshouldmarryhim；butshe，knowingherselfontheeveofanengagementattheGrandOpera，refusedtheoffer，eitherbecausesheguessedthecolonel’smotive，orbecauseshesawhowimportantherindependencewouldbetoherfuturefortune。Fortheremainderofthisyear，Philippenevercamemorethantwiceamonthtoseehismother。Wherewashe？Eitherathisoffice，orthetheatre，orwithMariette。NolightwhateverastohisconductreachedthehouseholdoftherueMazarin。Giroudeau，Finot，Bixiou，Vernou，Lousteau，sawhimleadingalifeofpleasure。PhilippesharedthegayamusementsofTullia，aleadingsingerattheOpera，ofFlorentine，whotookMariette’splaceatthePorte-Saint-Martin，ofFlorineandMatifat，CoralieandCamusot。Afterfouro’clock，whenhelefthisoffice，untilmidnight，heamusedhimself；somepartyofpleasurehadusuallybeenarrangedthenightbefore，——agooddinner，acard-party，asupperbysomeoneorotheroftheset。Philippewasinhiselement。
　　Thiscarnival，whichlastedeighteenmonths，wasnotaltogetherwithoutitstroubles。ThebeautifulMariettenosoonerappearedattheOpera，inJanuary，1821，thanshecapturedoneofthemostdistinguisheddukesofthecourtofLouisXVIII。Philippetriedtomakeheadagainstthepeer，andbythemonthofAprilhewascompelledbyhispassion，notwithstandingsomeluckatcards，todipintothefundsofwhichhewascashier。ByMayhehadtakenelevenhundredfrancs。InthatfatalmonthMariettestartedforLondon，toseewhatcouldbedonewiththelordswhilethetemporaryoperahouseintheHotelChoiseul，rueLepelletier，wasbeingprepared。ThelucklessPhilippehadended，asoftenhappens，inlovingMariettenotwithstandingherflagrantinfidelities；sheherselfhadneverthoughthimanythingbutadull-minded，brutalsoldier，thefirstrungofaladderonwhichshehadneverintendedtoremainlong。So，foreseeingthetimewhenPhilippewouldhavespentallhismoney，shecapturedotherjournalisticsupportwhichreleasedherfromthenecessityofdependingonhim；nevertheless，shedidfeelthepeculiargratitudethatclassofwomenacknowledgetowardsthefirstmanwhosmoothstheirway，asitwere，amongthedifficultiesandhorrorsofatheatricalcareer。
　　ForcedtolethisterriblemistressgotoLondonwithouthim，Philippewentintowinterquarters，ashecalledit，——thatis，hereturnedtohisatticroominhismother’sappartement。Hemadesomegloomyreflectionsashewenttobedthatnight，andwhenhegotupagain。Hewasconsciouswithinhimselfoftheinabilitytoliveotherwisethanashehadbeenlivingthelastyear。TheluxurythatsurroundedMariette，thedinners，thesuppers，theeveningsintheside-scenes，theanimationofwitsandjournalists，thesortofracketthatwentonaroundhim，thedelightsthattickledbothhissensesandhisvanity，——suchalife，foundonlyinParis，andofferingdailythecharmofsomenewthing，wasnowmorethanhabit，——ithadbecometoPhilippeasmuchanecessityashistobaccoorhisbrandy。Hesawplainlythathecouldnotlivewithoutthesecontinualenjoyments。Theideaofsuicidecameintohishead；notonaccountofthedeficitwhichmustsoonbediscoveredinhisaccounts，butbecausehecouldnolongerlivewithMarietteintheatmosphereofpleasureinwhichhehaddisportedhimselfforoverayear。Fullofthesegloomythoughts，heenteredforthefirsttimehisbrother’spainting-room，wherehefoundthepainterinablueblouse，copyingapictureforadealer。
　　“Sothat’showpicturesaremade，“saidPhilippe，bywayofopeningtheconversation。
　　“No，“saidJoseph，“thatishowtheyarecopied。“
　　“Howmuchdotheypayyouforthat？“
　　“Eh！neverenough；twohundredandfiftyfrancs。ButIstudythemannerofthemastersandlearnagreatdeal；Ifoundoutthesecretsoftheirmethod。There’soneofmyownpictures，“headded，pointingwiththeendofhisbrushtoasketchwiththecolorsstillmoist。
　　“Howmuchdoyoupocketinayear？“
　　“Unfortunately，Iamknownonlytopainters。Schinnerbacksme；andhehasgotmesomeworkattheChateaudePresles，whereIamgoinginOctobertodosomearabesques，panels，andotherdecorations，forwhichtheComtedeSerizy，nodoubt，willpaywell。Withsuchtriflesandwithordersfromthedealers，Imaymanagetoearneighteenhundredtotwothousandfrancsayearoverandabovetheworkingexpenses。Ishallsendthatpicturetothenextexhibition；ifithitsthepublictaste，myfortuneismade。Myfriendsthinkwellofit。“
　　“Idon’tknowanythingaboutsuchthings，“saidPhilippe，inasubduedvoicewhichcausedJosephtoturnandlookathim。
　　“Whatisthematter？“saidtheartist，seeingthathisbrotherwasverypale。
　　“Ishouldliketoknowhowlongitwouldtakeyoutopaintmyportrait？“
　　“IfIworkedsteadily，andtheweatherwereclear，Icouldfinishitinthreeorfourdays。“
　　“That’stoolong；Ihaveonlyonedaytogiveyou。MypoormotherlovesmesomuchthatIwishedtoleavehermylikeness。Wewillsaynomoreaboutit。“
　　“Why！areyougoingawayagain？“
　　“Iamgoingnevertoreturn，“repliedPhilippewithanairofforcedgayety。
　　“Lookhere，Philippe，whatisthematter？Ifitisanythingserious，I
　　amamanandnotaninny。Iamaccustomedtohardstruggles，andifdiscretionisneeded，Ihaveit。“
　　“Areyousure？“
　　“Onmyhonor。“
　　“Youwilltellnoone，nomatterwho？“
　　“Noone。“
　　“Well，Iamgoingtoblowmybrainsout。“
　　“You！——areyougoingtofightaduel？“
　　“Iamgoingtokillmyself。“
　　“Why？“
　　“Ihavetakenelevenhundredfrancsfromthefundsinmyhands；Ihavegottosendinmyaccountsto-morrowmorning。Halfmysecurityislost；ourpoormotherwillbereducedtosixhundredfrancsayear。
　　Thatwouldbenothing！Icouldmakeafortuneforherlater；butIamdishonored！Icannotliveunderdishonor——“
　　“Youwillnotbedishonoredifitispaidback。Tobesure，youwillloseyourplace，andyouwillonlyhavethefivehundredfrancsayearfromyourcross；butyoucanliveonfivehundredfrancs。“
　　“Farewell！“saidPhilippe，runningrapidlydownstairs，andnotwaitingtohearanotherword。