When Felicite spoke of sending them to college, he got angry.  Latin was a useless luxury, it would be quite sufficient if they went through the classes of a little neighbouring school The young woman, however, persisted in her design.  She possessed certain elevated instincts which made her take a great pride in surrounding herself with accomplished children; moreover, she felt that her sons must never remain as illiterate as her husband, if she wished to see them become prominent men.  She fancied them all three in Paris in high positions, which she did not clearly define.  When Rougon consented, and the three youngsters had entered the eighth class, Felicite felt the most lively satisfaction she had ever experienced.  She listened with delight as they talked of their professors and their studies.  When she heard her eldest son make one of his brothers decline Rosa, a rose, it sounded like delicious music to her.  It is only fair to add that her delight was not tarnished by any sordid calculations.  Even Rougon felt the satisfaction which an illiterate man experiences on perceiving his sons grow more learned than himself.  Then the fellowship which grew up between their sons and those of the local big-wigs completed the parents’ gratification.  The youngsters were soon on familiar terms with the sons of the Mayor and the Sub-Prefect, and even with two or three young noblemen whom the Saint-Marc quarter had deigned to send to the Plassans College.  Felicite was at a loss how to repay such an honour.  The education of the three lads weighed seriously on the budget of the Rougon household.

Until the boys had taken their degrees, their parents, who kept them at college at enormous sacrifices, lived in hopes of their success.  When they had obtained their diplomas Felicite wished to continue her work, and even persuaded her husband to send the three to Paris.  Two of them devoted themselves to the study of law, and the third passed through the School of Medicine.  Then, when they were men, and had exhausted the resources of the Rougon family and were obliged to return and establish themselves in the provinces, their parents’ disenchantment began.  They idled about and grew fat.  And Felicite again felt all the bitterness of her ill-luck.  Her sons were failing her.  They had ruined her, and did not return any interest on the capital which they represented.  This last blow of fate was the heaviest, as it fell on her ambition and her maternal vanity alike.  Rougon repeated to her from morning till night, “I told you so!” which only exasperated her the more.

One day, as she was bitterly reproaching her eldest son with the large amount of money expended on his education, he said to her with equal bitterness, “I will repay you later on if I can.  But as you had no means, you should have brought us up to a trade.  We are out of our element, we are suffering more than you.”