s;
"when I've served my time, I shall be able to live like a gentleman."

This belief, together with his stupid ignorance, prevented him from
rising even to the grade of corporal.

Since his departure he had never spent a day's furlough at Plassans, his
brother having invented a thousand pretexts to keep him at a distance.
He was therefore completely ignorant of the adroit manner in which
Pierre had got possession of their mother's fortune. Adelaide, with her
profound indifference, did not even write to him three times to tell him
how she was going on. The silence which generally greeted his numerous
requests for money did not awaken the least suspicion in him; Pierre's
stinginess sufficed to explain the difficulty he experienced in securing
from time to time a paltry twenty-franc piece. This, however, only
increased his animosity towards his brother, who left him to languish
in military service in spite of his formal promise to purchase his
discharge. He vowed to himself that on his return home he would no
longer submit like a child, but would flatly demand his share of the
fortune to enable him to live as he pleased. In the diligence which
conveyed him home he dreamed of a delightful life of idleness. The
shattering of his castles in the air was terrible. When he reached
the Faubourg, and could no longer even recognise the Fouques' plot of
ground, he was stupefied. He was compelled to ask for his mother's new
address. There a terrible scene occurred. Adelaide calmly informed him
of the sale of the property. He flew into a rage, and even raised his
hand against her.

The poor woman kept repeating: "Your brother has taken everything; it is
understood that he will take care of you."

At last he left her and ran off to see Pierre, whom he had previously
informed of his return, and who was prepared to receive him in such a
way as to put an end to the matter at the first word of abuse.

"Listen," the oil-dealer said to him, affecting distant coldness; "don't
rouse my anger, or I'll turn you out. As a matter of fact, I don't know
you. We don't bear the same name. It's quite misfortune enough for me
that my mother misconducted herself, without having her offspring coming
here and insulting me. I was well disposed towards you, but since you
are insolent I shall do nothing for you, absolutely nothing."

Antoine was almost choking with rage.

"And what about my money," he cried; "will you give it up, you thief, or
shall