es, Nana
and Pauline, who had been allowed to keep on their things; they sat bolt
upright through fear of spilling anything on their white dresses and at
every mouthful they were told to hold up their chins so as to swallow
cleanly. Nana, greatly bored by all this fuss, ended by slobbering her
wine over the body of her dress, so it was taken off and the stains were
at once washed out in a glass of water.

Then at dessert the children's future careers were gravely discussed.

Madame Boche had decided that Pauline would enter a shop to learn how
to punch designs on gold and silver. That paid five or six francs a
day. Gervaise didn't know yet because Nana had never indicated any
preference.

"In your place," said Madame Lerat, "I would bring Nana up as an
artificial flower-maker. It is a pleasant and clean employment."

"Flower-makers?" muttered Lorilleux. "Every one of them might as well
walk the streets."

"Well, what about me?" objected Madame Lerat, pursing her lips. "You're
certainly not very polite. I assure you that I don't lie down for anyone
who whistles."

Then all the rest joined together in hushing her. "Madame Lerat! Oh,
Madame Lerat!" By side glances they reminded her of the two girls, fresh
from communion, who were burying their noses in their glasses to keep
from laughing out loud. The men had been very careful, for propriety's
sake, to use only suitable language, but Madame Lerat refused to follow
their example. She flattered herself on her command of language, as she
had often been complimented on the way she could say anything before
children, without any offence to decency.

"Just you listen, there are some very fine women among the
flower-makers!" she insisted. "They're just like other women and they
show good taste when they choose to commit a sin."

"_Mon Dieu!_" interrupted Gervaise, "I've no dislike for artificial
flower-making. Only it must please Nana, that's all I care about; one
should never thwart children on the question of a vocation. Come Nana,
don't be stupid; tell me now, would you like to make flowers?"

The child was leaning over her plate gathering up the cake crumbs with
her wet finger, which she afterwards sucked. She did not hurry herself.
She grinned in her vicious way.

"Why yes, mamma, I should like to," she ended by declaring.

Then the matter was at once settled. Coupeau was quite willing that
Madame Lerat should take the child with her on the morrow to the place