GERMINAL
the Company. In spite of his efforts, Étienne had not been able to place a single member's card, and he had given his best efforts to his Provident Fund, which was much better received. But this fund was still so small that it would be quickly exhausted, as Souvarine said, and the strikers would then inevitably throw themselves into the association of workers so that their brothers in every country could come to their aid.
"How much have you in the Fund?" asked Rasseneur.
"Hardly three thousand francs," replied Étienne, "and you know that the directors sent for me yesterday. Oh! they were very polite; they repeated that they wouldn't prevent their men from forming a reserve fund. But I understood that they wanted to control it. We are bound to have a struggle over that."
The innkeeper was walking up and down, whistling contemptuously. "Three thousand francs! what can you do with that! It wouldn't yield six days' bread; and if one took strangers into account, the people living in England, one might go to bed at once and swallow one's tongue. No, it was too foolish, this strike!"
Then for the first time bitter words passed between these two who usually always agreed together at last in their common hatred of capital.
"We shall see! and you; what do you say of it?" repeated Étienne, turning towards Souvarine.
The latter replied with his usual phrase of habitual contempt.
"A strike? Foolery!
Then, in the midst of the angry silence, he added gently:
"On the whole, I shouldn't say no if it amuses you; it ruins the one side and kills the other, and that is always so much cleared away. Only in that way it will take quite a thousand years to renew the world. Just begin by blowing up this prison in which you are all being done to death!"
With his delicate hand he pointed out the Voreux, the buildings of which could be seen through the open door. But an unforeseen drama interrupted him: Poland, the big tame rabbit, which had ventured outside, came bounding back, fleeing from the stones of a band of trammers; and in her terror, with fallen ears and raised tail, she took refuge against his legs,
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