Augustin made a sound, a sort of low growl emitted from the back of his throat that served to illustrate just how much stock he put into Antoine's assurances. "Antoine said, Antoine said," he muttered, cruelly mimicking Aimé as life finally returned to his limbs; he pushed himself up so that he was sitting on the edge of the mattress, watching Aimé closely as the younger man moved. "Antoine says a lot and does very little, Aimé -- he says, 'get down on your knees to that duke and help the family,' but I don't see him offering himself to do the job. A job," he added, "that I don't even think is necessary. We were fine before we came here. If Father has anything to be ashamed of, it's in how far he is willing to sink in order to rise."