ng man formally undertaking not to molest them in
future. Adelaide felt no regret at her son leaving her; the short stay
he had made with her had condemned her to bread and water for more than
three months. However, Antoine had soon eaten and drunk the two hundred
francs he received from Pierre. He never for a moment thought of
investing them in some little business which would have helped him to
live. When he was again penniless, having no trade, and being, moreover,
unwilling to work, he again sought to slip a hand into the Rougons'
purse. Circumstances were not the same as before, however, and he failed
to intimidate them. Pierre even took advantage of this opportunity to
turn him out, and forbade him ever to set foot in his house again.
It was of no avail for Antoine to repeat his former accusations. The
townspeople, who were acquainted with his brother's munificence from
the publicity which Felicite had given to it, declared him to be in
the wrong, and called him a lazy, idle fellow. Meantime his hunger was
pressing. He threatened to turn smuggler like his father, and perpetrate
some crime which would dishonour his family. At this the Rougons
shrugged their shoulders; they knew he was too much of a coward to risk
his neck. At last, blindly enraged against his relatives in particular
and society in general, Antoine made up his mind to seek some work.

In a tavern of the Faubourg he made the acquaintance of a basket-maker
who worked at home. He offered to help him. In a short time he learnt to
plait baskets and hampers--a coarse and poorly-paid kind of labour which
finds a ready market. He was very soon able to work on his own account.
This trade pleased him, as it was not over laborious. He could still
indulge his idleness, and that was what he chiefly cared for. He would
only take to his work when he could no longer do otherwise; then he
would hurriedly plait a dozen baskets and go and sell them in the
market. As long as the money lasted he lounged about, visiting all
the taverns and digesting his drink in the sunshine. Then, when he had
fasted a whole day, he would once more take up his osier with a low
growl and revile the wealthy who lived in idleness. The trade of a
basket-maker, when followed in such a manner, is a thankless one.
Antoine's work would not have sufficed to pay for his drinking bouts
if he had not contrived a means of procuring his osier at low cost. He
never bought any at Plassans, but used to sa