It was he who locked the door and who told you to bring the key, wasn't it ?" And, lowering her voice, she whispered in Claude's ear: "Was there a lady in the cab ?" The child again got confused.

Then he recommenced his story in a triumphant manner: "He jumped off the bed, he put all the things in the trunk.

He's gone away." Then, when Madame Boche let him go, he drew his brother in front of the tap, and they amused themselves by turning on the water.

Gervaise was unable to cry.

She was choking, leaning back against her tub, her face still buried in her hands.