riage!"

"Oh, don't let that bother you," he replied, turning red in his turn.
"I'm not going to be married now. That was just an idea, you know.
Really, I would much sooner lend you the money."

Then they both held down their heads. There was something very pleasant
between them to which they did not give expression. And Gervaise
accepted. Goujet had told his mother. They crossed the landing, and went
to see her at once. The lace-mender was very grave, and looked rather
sad as she bent her face over her tambour-frame. She would not thwart
her son, but she no longer approved Gervaise's project; and she plainly
told her why. Coupeau was going to the bad; Coupeau would swallow up
her shop. She especially could not forgive the zinc-worker for having
refused to learn to read during his convalescence. The blacksmith had
offered to teach him, but the other had sent him to the right about,
saying that learning made people get thin. This had almost caused a
quarrel between the two workmen; each went his own way. Madame Goujet,
however, seeing her big boy's beseeching glances, behaved very kindly
to Gervaise. It was settled that they would lend their neighbors five
hundred francs; the latter were to repay the amount by installments of
twenty francs a month; it would last as long as it lasted.

"I say, the blacksmith's sweet on you," exclaimed Coupeau, laughing,
when he heard what had taken place. "Oh, I'm quite easy; he's too big a
muff. We'll pay him back his money. But, really, if he had to deal with
some people, he'd find himself pretty well duped."

On the morrow the Coupeaus took the shop. All day long, Gervaise was
running from Rue Neuve de la Goutte-d'Or. When the neighbors beheld her
pass thus, nimble and delighted to the extent that she no longer limped,
they said she must have undergone some operation.

CHAPTER V.

It so happened that the Boches had left the Rue des Poissonniers at the
April quarter, and were now taking charge of the great house in the Rue
de la Goutte-d'Or. It was a curious coincidence, all the same! One thing
that worried Gervaise who had lived so quietly in her lodgings in the
Rue Neuve, was the thought of again being under the subjection of some
unpleasant person, with whom she would be continually quarrelling,
either on account of water spilt in the passage or of a door shut too
noisily at night-time. Concierges are such a disagreeable class! But it
would be a pleasure to be with the Boc