From that time she ceased to accuse her children, and turned her anger against fate, which never wearied of striking her.

She started her old complaints afresh, and bemoaned more and more the want of means which made her strand, as it were, in port.

Whenever Rougon said to her, "Your sons are lazy fellows, they will eat up all we have," she sourly replied, "Would to God I had more money to give them; if they do vegetate, poor fellows, it's because they haven't got a sou to bless themselves with." At the beginning of the year 1848, on the eve of the Revolution of February, the three young Rougons held very precarious positions at Plassans.

They presented most curious and profoundly dissimilar characteristics, though they came of the same stock.

They were in reality superior to their parents.