his death which she had been promising herself for two days
past, like some nasty thing hidden away and forbidden to children; and
her young cat-like eyes dilated before that white face all emaciated at
the last gasp by the passion of life, she felt that tingling in her back
which she felt behind the glass door when she crept there to spy on what
was no concern of chits like her.

"Come, get up," said her mother in a low voice. "You can't remain here."

She regretfully slid out of bed, turning her head round and not taking
her eyes off the corpse. Gervaise was much worried about her, not
knowing where to put her till day-time. She was about to tell her to
dress herself, when Lantier, in his trousers and slippers, rejoined her.
He could not get to sleep again, and was rather ashamed of his behavior.
Then everything was arranged.

"She can sleep in my bed," murmured he. "She'll have plenty of room."

Nana looked at her mother and Lantier with her big, clear eyes and put
on her stupid air, the same as on New Year's day when anyone made her a
present of a box of chocolate candy. And there was certainly no need
for them to hurry her. She trotted off in her night-gown, her bare feet
scarcely touching the tiled floor; she glided like a snake into the bed,
which was still quite warm, and she lay stretched out and buried in it,
her slim body scarcely raising the counterpane. Each time her mother
entered the room she beheld her with her eyes sparkling in her
motionless face--not sleeping, not moving, very red with excitement, and
appearing to reflect on her own affairs.

Lantier assisted Gervaise in dressing mother Coupeau--and it was not an
easy matter, for the body was heavy. One would never have thought that
that old woman was so fat and so white. They put on her stockings, a
white petticoat, a short linen jacket and a white cap--in short, the
best of her linen. Coupeau continued snoring, a high note and a low one,
the one sharp, the other flat. One could almost have imagined it to be
church music accompanying the Good Friday ceremonies. When the corpse
was dressed and properly laid out on the bed, Lantier poured himself out
a glass of wine, for he felt quite upset. Gervaise searched the chest
of drawers to find a little brass crucifix which she had brought
from Plassans, but she recollected that mother Coupeau had, in all
probability, sold it herself. They had lighted the stove, and they
passed the rest of the night half