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.