as sufficient.

"They're all honest here," remarked Rosalie, "and if La Noyelle talks in
the night it's 'cause she's been drinking; she's a chatterbox. Tomorrow
you get up with the others. I'll tell you where you have to go to wash.
Good night."

"Good night, and thank you," replied Perrine.

She hurriedly undressed, thankful that she was alone and would not have
to submit to the inquisitive regards of the other occupants of the room.
But when she was between the sheets she did not feel so comfortable as
she had hoped, for they were very rough and hard. But then the ground
had seemed very hard the first time she had slept on it, and she had
quickly grown accustomed to it.

It was not long before the door was opened and a young girl about
fifteen came in and commenced to get undressed. From time to time she
glanced at Perrine, but without saying a word. As she was in her Sunday
clothes, her disrobing took longer than usual, for she had to put away
her best dress in a small box and hang her working clothes on the nail
for the next day.

A second girl came in, then a third, then a fourth. There was a babble
of tongues, all talking at the same time, each relating what had
happened during the day. In the narrow space between the beds they
pulled out and pushed back their boxes or baskets, and with each effort
came an outburst of impatience and furious upbraidings against the
landlady.

"What a hole!"

"She'll be putting another bed in here soon."

"Sure! But I won't stay!"

"Where would yer go? It ain't no better nowhere else."

The complaining, mixed with a desultory chatter, continued. At length,
however, when the two who had first arrived were in bed, a little order
was established. Soon all the beds were occupied but one.

But even then the conversation did not cease. They had discussed the
doings of the day just passed, so now they went on to the next day, to
the work at the factories, the quarrels, the doings of the heads of the
concern--M. Vulfran Paindavoine and his nephews, whom they called "the
kids," and the foreman, Talouel. They spoke of this man by name only
once, but the names they called him bespoke better than words what they
thought of him.

Perrine experienced a strange contradictory feeling which surprised her.
She wanted to hear everything, for this information might be of great
importance to her, yet on the other hand she felt embarrassed, almost
ashamed, to listen to such talk.

Most