GERMINAL
made her despair now to think of the happy life she would have led if she had chanced to fall to another lad, whose arm she would always have felt thus round her waist. Another? and the vague image of that other arose from the depth of her emotion. But it was done with; she only desired now to live to the end with this one, if he would not hustle her about too much.
"Then," she said, "try to be like this sometimes."
Sobs cut short her words, and he embraced her again.
"You're a stupid! There, I swear to be kind. I'm not worse than anyone else, go on!"
She looked at him, and began to smile through her tears. Perhaps he was right; one never met women who were happy. Then, although she distrusted his oath, she gave herself up to the joy of seeing him affectionate. Good God! if only that could last! They had both embraced again, and as they were pressing each other in a long clasp they heard steps, which made them get up. Three mates who had seen them pass had come up to know how she was.
They set out together. It was nearly ten o'clock, and they took their lunch into a fresh corner before going back to sweat at the bottom of the cutting. They were finishing the double slice of bread-and-butter, their brick, and were about to drink the coffee from their tin, when they were disturbed by a noise coming from stalls in the distance. What then? was it another accident? They got up and ran. Pikemen, putters, trammers crossed them at every step; no one knew anything; all were shouting that it must be some great misfortune. Gradually the whole mine was in terror, frightened shadows emerged from the galleries, lanterns danced and flew away in darkness. Where was it? Why could no one say?
All at once a captain passed, shouting:
"They are cutting the cables! they are cutting the cables!"
Then the panic increased. It was a furious gallop through the gloomy passages. Their heads were confused. Why cut the cables? And who was cutting them, when the men were below? It seemed monstrous.
But the voice of another captain was heard and then lost.
"The Montsou men are cutting the cables! Let everyone go up!"
When he had understood, Chaval stopped Catherine short.
[279]
