ugene were
dragging them in his train into some break-neck pit, whence they would
emerge yet more hungry and impoverished? However, faith was dawning
on her. Eugene had commanded with such an air of authority that she
ultimately came to believe in him. In this case again some unknown power
was at work. Pierre would speak mysteriously of the high personages whom
their eldest son visited in Paris. For her part she did not know what
he could have to do with them, but on the other hand she was unable to
close her eyes to Aristide's ill-advised acts at Plassans. The
visitors to her drawing-room did not scruple to denounce the democratic
journalist with extreme severity. Granoux muttered that he was a
brigand, and Roudier would three or four times a week repeat to
Felicite: "Your son is writing some fine articles. Only yesterday he
attacked our friend Vuillet with revolting scurrility."

The whole room joined in the chorus, and Commander Sicardot spoke of
boxing his son-in-law's ears, while Pierre flatly disowned him. The poor
mother hung her head, restraining her tears. For an instant she felt
an inclination to burst forth, to tell Roudier that her dear child,
in spite of his faults, was worth more than he and all the others put
together. But she was tied down, and did not wish to compromise the
position they had so laboriously attained. Seeing the whole town so
bitter against Aristide, she despaired of his future, thinking he was
hopelessly ruining himself. On two occasions she spoke to him in
secret, imploring him to return to them, and not to irritate the yellow
drawing-room any further. Aristide replied that she did not understand
such matters; that she was the one who had committed a great blunder in
placing her husband at the service of the marquis. So she had to abandon
her son to his own courses, resolving, however that if Eugene succeeded
she would compel him to share the spoils with the poor fellow who was
her favourite child.

After the departure of his eldest son, Pierre Rougon pursued his
reactionary intrigues. Nothing seemed to have changed in the opinions of
the famous yellow drawing-room. Every evening the same men came to join
in the same propaganda in favour of the establishment of a monarchy,
while the master of the house approved and aided them with as much zeal
as in the past. Eugene had left Plassans on May 1. A few days later,
the yellow drawing-room was in raptures. The gossips were discussing the
l