Madame Boche naturally replied in a similar strain.

When one had a beast of a girl like that one should keep her locked up.

At length Boche himself appeared in the doorway to call his wife to come in and not to enter into so many explanations with a filthy thing like her.

There was a regular quarrel.
As a matter of fact things had not gone on very pleasantly between the Boches and the Coupeaus for a month past.

Gervaise, who was of a very generous nature, was continually bestowing wine, broth, oranges and slices of cake on the Boches.