Everyone thought Gervaise was scalded; but only her left foot had been slightly touched.

And, exasperated by the pain, she seized a bucket, without troubling herself to fill it this time, and threw it with all her might at the legs of Virginie, who fell to the ground.

All the women spoke together.
"She's broken one of her limbs!" "Well, the other tried to cook her!" "She's right, after all, the blonde one, if her man's been taken from her!" Madame Boche held up her arms to heaven, uttering all sorts of exclamations.

She had prudently retreated out of the way between two tubs; and the children, Claude and Etienne, crying, choking, terrified, clung to her dress with the continuous cry of "Mamma! Mamma!" broken by their sobs.

When she saw Virginie fall she hastened forward, and tried to pull Gervaise away by her skirt, repeating the while, "Come now, go home! Be reasonable.