That's why the only person I can apply to is my brother Toussaint.

His wife isn't a bad sort by any means, but she's no longer the same since she's been living in fear of her husband having another attack.

The first one carried off all her savings, and what would become of her if Toussaint should remain on her hands, paralysed?
Besides, she's threatened with another burden, for, as you may know, her son Charles got keeping company with a servant at a wine shop, who of course ran away after she had a baby, which she left him to see to.

So one can understand that the Toussaints themselves are hard put.

I don't complain of them.