Ah! what a family! As for Macquart, he has annoyed us to such an extent that I felt inclined to break his head for him the other day when I had a gun in my hand.

Yes, I had a mind to do it." Felicite let the storm pass over.

She had received her husband's reproaches with angelic sweetness, bowing her head like a culprit, whereby she was able to smile in her sleeve.

Her demeanour provoked and maddened Pierre.

When speech failed the poor man, she heaved deep sighs, feigning repentance; and then she repeated, in a disconsolate voice: "Whatever shall we do! Whatever shall we do! We are over head and ears in debt." "It's your fault!" Pierre cried, with all his remaining strength.
The Rougons, in fact, owed money on every side.