27/81 Gervaise, for a while, remained undecided. She was tempted to kick the bundle of dirty clothes on one side, and to sit down and sew. But Lantier's regular breathing ended by reassuring her. She took the ball of blue and the piece of soap remaining from her last washing, and going up to the little ones who were quietly playing with some old corks in front of the window, she kissed them, and said in a low voice: "Be very good, don't make any noise; papa's asleep." When she left the room, Claude's and Etienne's gentle laughter alone disturbed the great silence beneath the blackened ceiling. |