observer　might　watch　with　curiosity　the　crowd　of　old　women；　cooks；　and
  old　men　assembled　about　the　door　of　this　building；　a　sight　as
  remarkable　as　the　cue　of　people　about　the　Treasury　on　the　days　when
  the　dividends　are　paid。
  〃Well；　here　you　are；　rolling　in　wealth！〃　said　old　Desroches；　coming
  into　the　room　just　as　the　Descoings　was　swallowing　her　last　drop　of
  coffee。
  〃What　do　you　mean？〃　cried　poor　Agathe。
  〃Her　trey　has　turned　up；〃　he　said；　producing　the　list　of　numbers
  written　on　a　bit　of　paper；　such　as　the　officials　of　the　lottery　put　by
  hundreds　into　little　wooden　bowls　on　their　counters。
  Joseph　read　the　list。　Agathe　read　the　list。　The　Descoings　read
  nothing；　she　was　struck　down　as　by　a　thunderbolt。　At　the　change　in　her
  face；　at　the　cry　she　gave；　old　Desroches　and　Joseph　carried　her　to　her
  bed。　Agathe　went　for　a　doctor。　The　poor　woman　was　seized　with
  apoplexy；　and　she　only　recovered　consciousness　at　four　in　the
  afternoon；　old　Haudry；　her　doctor；　then　said　that；　in　spite　of　this
  improvement；　she　ought　to　settle　her　worldly　affairs　and　think　of　her
  salvation。　She　herself　only　uttered　two　words：
  〃Three　millions！〃
  Old　Desroches；　informed　by　Joseph；　with　due　reservations；　of　the　state
  of　things；　related　many　instances　where　lottery…players　had　seen　a
  fortune　escape　them　on　the　very　day　when；　by　some　fatality；　they　had
  forgotten　to　pay　their　stakes；　but　he　thoroughly　understood　that　such
  a　blow　might　be　fatal　when　it　came　after　twenty　years'　perseverance。
  About　five　o'clock；　as　a　deep　silence　reigned　in　the　little
  appartement；　and　the　sick　woman；　watched　by　Joseph　and　his　mother；　the
  one　sitting　at　the　foot；　the　other　at　the　head　of　her　bed；　was
  expecting　her　grandson　Bixiou；　whom　Desroches　had　gone　to　fetch；　the
  sound　of　Philippe's　step　and　cane　resounded　on　the　staircase。
  〃There　he　is！　there　he　is！〃　cried　the　Descoings；　sitting　up　in　bed　and
  suddenly　able　to　use　her　paralyzed　tongue。
  Agathe　and　Joseph　were　deeply　impressed　by　this　powerful　effect　of　the
  horror　which　violently　agitated　the　old　woman。　Their　painful　suspense
  was　soon　ended　by　the　sight　of　Philippe's　convulsed　and　purple　face；
  his　staggering　walk；　and　the　horrible　state　of　his　eyes；　which　were
  deeply　sunken；　dull；　and　yet　haggard；　he　had　a　strong　chill　upon　him；
  and　his　teeth　chattered。
  〃Starvation　in　Prussia！〃　he　cried；　looking　about　him。　〃Nothing　to　eat
  or　drink？and　my　throat　on　fire！　Well；　what's　the　matter？　The　devil
  is　always　meddling　in　our　affairs。　There's　my　old　Descoings　in　bed；
  looking　at　me　with　her　eyes　as　big　as　saucers。〃
  〃Be　silent；　monsieur！〃　said　Agathe；　rising。　〃At　least；　respect　the
  sorrows　you　have　caused。〃
  〃MONSIEUR；　indeed！〃　he　cried；　looking　at　his　mother。　〃My　dear　little
  mother；　that　won't　do。　Have　you　ceased　to　love　your　son？〃
  〃Are　you　worthy　of　love？　Have　you　forgotten　what　you　did　yesterday？　Go
  and　find　yourself　another　home；　you　cannot　live　with　us　any　longer；
  that　is；　after　to…morrow；〃　she　added；　〃for　in　the　state　you　are　in　now
  it　is　difficult〃
  〃To　turn　me　out；is　that　it？〃　he　interrupted。　〃Ha！　are　you　going　to
  play　the　melodrama　of　'The　Banished　Son'？　Well　done！　is　that　how　you
  take　things？　You　are　all　a　pretty　set！　What　harm　have　I　done？　I've
  cleaned　out　the　old　woman's　mattress。　What　the　devil　is　the　good　of
  money　kept　in　wool？　Do　you　call　that　a　crime？　Didn't　she　take　twenty
  thousand　francs　from　you？　We　are　her　creditors；　and　I've　paid　myself
  as　much　as　I　could　get；that's　all。〃
  〃My　God！　my　God！〃　cried　the　dying　woman；　clasping　her　hands　and
  praying。
  〃Be　silent！〃　exclaimed　Joseph；　springing　at　his　brother　and　putting
  his　hand　before　his　mouth。
  〃To　the　right　about；　march！　brat　of　a　painter！〃　retorted　Philippe；
  laying　his　strong　hand　on　Joseph's　head；　and　twirling　him　round；　as　he
  flung　him　on　a　sofa。　〃Don't　dare　to　touch　the　moustache　of　a　commander
  of　a　squadron　of　the　dragoons　of　the　Guard！〃
  〃She　has　paid　me　back　all　that　she　owed　me；〃　cried　Agathe；　rising　and
  turning　an　angry　face　to　her　son；　〃and　besides；　that　is　my　affair。　You
  have　killed　her。　Go　away；　my　son；〃　she　added；　with　a　gesture　that　took
  all　her　remaining　strength；　〃and　never　let　me　see　you　again。　You　are　a
  monster。〃
  〃I　kill　her？〃
  〃Her　trey　has　turned　up；〃　cried　Joseph；　〃and　you　stole　the　money　for
  her　stake。〃
  〃Well；　if　she　is　dying　of　a　lost　trey；　it　isn't　I　who　have　killed
  her；〃　said　the　drunkard。
  〃Go；　go！〃　said　Agathe。　〃You　fill　me　with　horror；　you　have　every　vice。
  My　God！　is　this　my　son？〃
  A　hollow　rattle　sounded　in　Madame　Descoings's　throat；　increasing
  Agathe's　anger。
  〃I　love　you　still；　my　mother；you　who　are　the　cause　of　all　my
  misfortunes；〃　said　Philippe。　〃You　turn　me　out　of　doors　on　Christmas…
  day。　What　did　you　do　to　grandpa　Rouget；　to　your　father；　that　he　should
  drive　you　away　and　disinherit　you？　If　you　had　not　displeased　him；　we
  should　all　be　rich　now；　and　I　should　not　be　reduced　to　misery。　What
  did　you　do　to　your　father；you　who　are　a　good　woman？　You　see　by　your
  own　self；　I　may　be　a　good　fellow　and　yet　be　turned　out　of　house　and
  home；I；　the　glory　of　the　family〃
  〃The　disgrace　of　it！〃　cried　the　Descoings。
  〃You　shall　leave　this　room；　or　you　shall　kill　me！〃　cried　Joseph；
  springing　on　his　brother　with　the　fury　of　a　lion。
  〃My　God！　my　God！〃　cried　Agathe；　trying　to　separate　the　brothers。
  At　this　moment　Bixiou　and　Haudry　the　doctor　entered。　Joseph　had　just
  knocked　his　brother　over　and　stretched　him　on　the　ground。
  〃He　is　a　regular　wild　beast；〃　he　cried。　〃Don't　speak　another　word；　or
  I'll〃
  〃I'll　pay　you　for　this！〃　roared　Philippe。
  〃A　family　explanation；〃　remarked　Bixiou。
  〃Lift　him　up；〃　said　the　doctor；　looking　at　him。　〃He　is　as　ill　as
  Madame　Descoings；　undress　him　and　put　him　to　bed；　get　off　his　boots。〃
  〃That's　easy　to　say；〃　cried　Bixiou；　〃but　they　must　be　cut　off；　his
  legs　are　swollen。〃
  Agathe　took　a　pair　of　scissors。　When　she　had　cut　down　the　boots；　which
  in　those　days　were　worn　outside　the　clinging　trousers；　ten　pieces　of
  gold　rolled　on　the　floor。
  〃There　it　is；her　money；〃　murmured　Philippe。　〃Cursed　fool　that　I　was；
  I　forgot　it。　I　too　have　missed　a　fortune。〃
  He　was　seized　with　a　horrible　delirium　of　fever；　and　began　to　rave。
  Joseph；　assisted　by　old　Desroches；　who　had　come　back；　and　by　Bixiou；
  carried　him　to　his　room。　Doctor　Haudry　was　obliged　to　write　a　line　to
  the　Hopital　de　la　Charite　and　borrow　a　strait…waistcoat；　for　the
  delirium　ran　so　high　as　to　make　him　fear　that　Philippe　might　kill
  himself；he　was　raving。　At　nine　o'clock　calm　was　restored。　The　Abbe
  Loraux　and　Desroches　endeavored　to　comfort　Agathe；　who　never　ceased　to
  weep　at　her　aunt's　bedside。　She　listened　to　them　in　silence；　and
  obstinately　shook　her　head；　Joseph　and　the　Descoings　alone　knew　the
  extent　and　depth　of　her　inward　wound。
  〃He　will　learn　to　do　better；　mother；〃　said　Joseph；　when　Desroches　and
  Bixiou　had　left。
  〃Oh！〃　cried　the　widow；　〃Philippe　is　right；my　father　cursed　me：　I
  have　no　right　to　Here；　here　is　your　money；〃　she　said　to　Madame
  Descoings；　adding　Joseph's　three　hundred　francs　to　the　two　hundred
  found　on　Philippe。　〃Go　and　see　if　your　brother　does　not　need
  something；〃　she　said　to　Joseph。
  〃Will　you　keep　a　promise　made　to　a　dying　woman？〃　asked　Madame
  Descoings；　who　felt　that　her　mind　was　failing　her。
  〃Yes；　aunt。〃
  〃Then　swear　to　me　to　give　your　property　to　young　Desroches　for　a　life
  annuity。　My　income　ceases　at　my　death；　and　from　what　you　have　just
  said；　I　know　you　will　let　that　wretch　wring　the　last　farthing　out　of
  you。〃
  〃I　swear　it；　aunt。〃
  The　old　woman　died　on　the　31st　of　December；　five　days　after　the
  terrible　blow　which　old　Desroches　had　so　innocently　given　her。　The
  five　hundred　francsthe　only　money　in　the　householdwere　barely
  enough　to　pay　for　her　funeral。　She　left　a　small　amount　of　silver　and
  some　furniture；　the　value　of　which　Madame　Bixiou　paid　over　to　her
  grandson　Bixiou。　Reduced　to　eight　hundred　francs'　annuity　paid　to　her
  by　young　Desroches；　who　had　bought　a　business　without　clients；　and
  himself　took　the　capital　of　twelve　thousand　francs；　Agathe　gave　up　her
  appartement　on　the　third　floor；　and　sold　all　her　superfluous
  furniture。　When；　at　the　end　of　a　month；　Philippe　seemed　to　be
  convalescent；　his　mother　coldly　explained　to　him　that　the　costs　of　his
  illness　had　taken　all　her　ready　money；　that　she　should　be　obliged　in
  future　to　work　for　her　living；　and　she　urged　him；　with　the　utmost
  kindness；　to　re…enter　the　army　and　support　himself。
  〃You　might　have　spared　me　that　sermon；〃　said　Philippe；　looking　at　his
  mother　with　an　eye　that　was　cold　from　utter　indifference。　〃I　have　seen
  all　along　that　neither　you　nor　my　brother　love　me。　I　am　alone　in　the
  world；　I　like　it　best！〃
  〃Make　yourself　worthy　of　our　affection；〃　answered　the　poor　mother；
  struck　to　the　very　heart；　〃and　we　will　give　it　back　to　you〃