In his plump person of medium height, in his long pale face, in which the features derived from his father had acquired some of the maternal refinement, one could already detect signs of sly and crafty ambition and insatiable desire, with the hardness of heart and envious hatred of a peasant's son whom his mother's means and nervous temperament had turned into a member of the middle classes.
When, at the age of seventeen, Pierre observed and was able to understand Adelaide's disorders and the singular position of Antoine and Ursule, he seemed neither sorry nor indignant, but simply worried as to the course which would best serve his own interests.

He was the only one of the three children who had pursued his studies with any industry.
When a peasant begins to feel the need of instruction he most frequently becomes a fierce calculator.

At school Pierre's playmates roused his first suspicions by the manner in which they treated and hooted his brother.

Later on he came to understand the significance of many looks and words.

And at last he clearly saw that the house was being pillaged.
From that time forward he regarded Antoine and Ursule as shameless parasites, mouths that were devouring his own substance.