about on crutches. He had first
of all managed to get as far as the street, and smoke his pipe in
front of the door. Then he had managed to reach the exterior Boulevard,
dragging himself along in the sunshine, and remaining for hours on one
of the seats. Gaiety returned to him; his infernal tongue got sharper in
these long hours of idleness. And with the pleasure of living, he gained
there a delight in doing nothing, an indolent feeling took possession of
his limbs, and his muscles gradually glided into a very sweet slumber.
It was the slow victory of laziness, which took advantage of his
convalescence to obtain possession of his body and unnerve him with
its tickling. He regained his health, as thorough a banterer as before,
thinking life beautiful, and not seeing why it should not last for ever.

As soon as he could get about without the crutches, he made longer
walks, often visiting construction jobs to see old comrades. He would
stand with his arms folded, sneering and shaking his head, ridiculing
the workers slaving at the job, stretching out his leg to show them what
you got for wearing yourself out. Being able to stand about and mock
others while they were working satisfied his spite against hard work.
No doubt he'd have to go back to it, but he'd put it off as long as
possible. He had a reason now to be lazy. Besides, it seemed good to him
to loaf around like a bum!

On the afternoons when Coupeau felt dull, he would call on the
Lorilleuxs. The latter would pity him immensely, and attract him with
all sorts of amiable attentions. During the first years following his
marriage, he had avoided them, thanks to Gervaise's influence. Now they
regained their sway over him by twitting him about being afraid of his
wife. He was no man, that was evident! The Lorilleuxs, however, showed
great discretion, and were loud in their praise of the laundress's good
qualities. Coupeau, without as yet coming to wrangling, swore to the
latter that his sister adored her, and requested that she would behave
more amiably to her. The first quarrel which the couple had occurred one
evening on account of Etienne. The zinc-worker had passed the afternoon
with the Lorilleuxs. On arriving home, as the dinner was not quite
ready, and the children were whining for their soup, he suddenly turned
upon Etienne, and boxed his ears soundly. And during an hour he did not
cease to grumble; the brat was not his; he did not know why he allowed
him to b