GERMINAL
"In your place I would have done with it," said Pierronne, sensibly. "Your Zacharie has already filled her twice, and they go on and join themselves. Anyhow, the money is gone."
Maheude was furious and raised her hands.
"Listen to this: I will curse them if they get joined. Doesn't Zacharie owe us any respect? He has cost us something, hasn't he? Very well. He must return it before getting a wife to hang on him. What will become of us, eh, if our children begin at once to work for others? Might as well die!"
However, she grew calm.
"I'm speaking in a general way; we shall see later. It is fine and strong, your coffee; you make it proper."
And after a quarter of an hour spent over other stories, she ran off, exclaiming that the men's soup was not yet made. Outside, the children were going back to school; a few women were showing themselves at their doors, looking at Madam Hennebeau, who, with lifted finger, was explaining the settlement to her guests. This visit began to stir up the village. The earth-cutting man stopped digging for a moment, and two disturbed fowls were frightened in the gardens.
As Maheude returned, she ran against the Levaque woman who had come out to stop Dr. Vanderhaghen, a doctor of the Company, a small hurried man, overwhelmed by work, who gave his advice as he walked.
"Sir," she said, "I can't sleep; I feel ill everywhere. I must tell you about it."
He spoke to them all familiarly, and replied without stopping:
"Just leave me alone; you drink too much coffee."
"And my husband, sir," said Maheude in her turn, "you must come and see him. He always has those pains in his legs."
"It is you who take too much out of him. Just leave me alone!"
The two women were left to gaze at the doctor's retreating back.
"Come in, then," said the Levaque woman, when she had exchanged a despairing shrug with her neighbour. "You know, there is something new. And you will take a little coffee. It is quite fresh."
[90]
