covered himself and stated
that she was not to expect his mother; she was suffering from an attack
of sciatica. Gervaise was greatly grieved; she talked of putting a piece
of the goose on one side as she particularly wished Madame Goujet to
have a taste of the bird. No one else was expected. Coupeau was no doubt
strolling about in the neighborhood with Poisson whom he had called for
directly after his lunch; they would be home directly, they had promised
to be back punctually at six. Then as the soup was almost ready,
Gervaise called to Madame Lerat, saying that she thought it was time to
go and fetch the Lorilleuxs. Madame Lerat became at once very grave; it
was she who had conducted all the negotiations and who had settled how
everything should pass between the two families. She put her cap and
shawl on again and went upstairs very stiffly in her skirts, looking
very stately. Down below the laundress continued to stir her vermicelli
soup without saying a word. The guests suddenly became serious and
solemnly waited.

It was Madame Lerat who appeared first. She had gone round by the street
so as to give more pomp to the reconciliation. She held the shop-door
wide open whilst Madame Lorilleux, wearing a silk dress, stopped at
the threshold. All the guests had risen from their seats; Gervaise went
forward and kissing her sister-in-law as had been agreed, said:

"Come in. It's all over, isn't it? We'll both be nice to each other."

And Madame Lorilleux replied:

"I shall be only too happy if we're so always."

When she had entered Lorilleux also stopped at the threshold and he
likewise waited to be embraced before penetrating into the shop. Neither
the one nor the other had brought a bouquet. They had decided not to do
so as they thought it would look too much like giving way to Clump-Clump
if they carried flowers with them the first time they set foot in her
home. Gervaise called to Augustine to bring two bottles of wine. Then,
filling some glasses on a corner of the table, she called everyone
to her. And each took a glass and drank to the good friendship of the
family. There was a pause whilst the guests were drinking, the ladies
raising their elbows and emptying their glasses to the last drop.

"Nothing is better before soup," declared Boche, smacking his lips.

Mother Coupeau had placed herself opposite the door to see the faces the
Lorilleuxs would make. She pulled Gervaise by the skirt and dragged her
into the