of weakness and
languor still depressed him; the air of Paris weighed on him like
lead. He sighed for his native breeze at Andelys, and still more for
his mother's embrace--his good and tender mother, whose letters to him
were so often rendered almost illegible by her tears, and whose memory
had been his sweetest comfort during the weary nights of sickness.

He set out on his journey with six livres in his pocket, which he had
earned by painting a bunch of hats on the sign-post of a hatter, and
arrived safely at home. Soon afterwards, his father died, and Nicholas
determined never again to leave his mother. She, tender woman that she
was, grieved for a husband who had rarely shewn her any kindness, and
who, in his hard selfishness, had now left her totally destitute. All
the money she had brought him as her dowry, he, unknown to her, had
sunk in an annuity on his own life, and nothing now remained for her
but the devoted love of her only son.

This, however, was a 'goodly heritage.' Those who zealously try to
fulfil their duty, may be assured that a kind Providence will assist
their efforts; and Nicholas succeeded for some time in maintaining his
mother by the sale of water-colour paintings for the decoration of a
convent chapel. At length, this resource failed; and the ardent young
painter determined to relinquish all his bright visions, and learn
some manual trade, when his mother was seized with illness, and,
despite of his anxious care, died.

No motive now detained him at Andelys. The sale of his slender
possessions there furnished him with a little money; and, partly in
order to assuage his grief for his mother, partly to see the works of
the great masters, he determined to go to Italy.

Rome was naturally the goal of his steps, but on this occasion he was
not destined to reach it. On arriving at Florence, he met with an
accidental hurt, which confined him to a lodging for a month, and when
he was cured, left him almost penniless. Finding it impossible to
dispose of the sketches which he drew for his daily bread, he
determined to retrace his steps. Arrived at Paris, he was once more
received by his faithful friend, Philippe de Champagne, and by him
introduced to Duchesne, who was then painting the ornaments of the
Luxembourg, and who engaged both the young men as his assistants.

This promised to be a durable and profitable engagement; but Duchesne,
who had but little pretension to genius, soon grew jealous