She never went to shop without stopping to ask Gervaise if there was anything she needed, sugar or butter or salt.

She always brought over hot bouillon on the evenings she cooked _pot au feu_.

Sometimes, when Gervaise seemed to have too much to do, Madame Goujet helped her do the dishes, or cleaned the kitchen herself.

Goujet took her water pails every morning and filled them at the tap on Rue des Poissonniers, saving her two sous a day.

After dinner, if no family came to visit, the Goujets would come over to visit with the Coupeaus.
Until ten o'clock, the blacksmith would smoke his pipe and watch Gervaise busy with her invalid.