Coupeau, without as yet coming to wrangling, swore to the latter that his sister adored her, and requested that she would behave more amiably to her.

The first quarrel which the couple had occurred one evening on account of Etienne.

The zinc-worker had passed the afternoon with the Lorilleuxs.

On arriving home, as the dinner was not quite ready, and the children were whining for their soup, he suddenly turned upon Etienne, and boxed his ears soundly.

And during an hour he did not cease to grumble; the brat was not his; he did not know why he allowed him to be in the place; he would end by turning him out into the street.
Up till then he had tolerated the youngster without all that fuss.