Up to this time he was, to her mind, throughout his misfortunes, less faulty than victimized by his noble nature, his energy, the fall of the Emperor, the duplicity of the Liberals, and the rancor of the Bourbons against the Bonapartists.
During the week at Havre, a week which was horribly costly, she dared not ask him to make terms with the royal government and apply to the minister of war.

She had hard work to get him away from Havre, where living is very expensive, and to bring him back to Paris before her money gave out.

Madame Descoings and Joseph, who were awaiting their arrival in the courtyard of the coach-office of the Messageries Royales, were struck with the change in Agathe's face.
"Your mother has aged ten years in two months," whispered the Descoings to Joseph, as they all embraced, and the two trunks were being handed down.
"How do you do, mere Descoings ?" was the cool greeting the colonel bestowed on the old woman whom Joseph was in the habit of calling "maman Descoings." "I have no money to pay for a hackney-coach," said Agathe, in a sad voice.
"I have," replied the young painter.

"What a splendid color Philippe has turned!" he cried, looking at his brother.
"Yes, I've browned like a pipe," said Philippe.

"But as for you, you're not a bit changed, little man." Joseph, who was now twenty-one, and much thought of by the friends who had stood by him in his days of trial, felt his own strength and was aware of his talent; he represented the art of painting in a circle of young men whose lives were devoted to science, letters, politics, and philosophy.