But the husband ended by no longer answering her.

The wife was now at the forge scouring a piece of chain in the little, long-handled brass saucepan full of lye-water.

She still affectedly turned her back, as though a hundred leagues away.

And Gervaise continued speaking, watching them pretending to be absorbed in their labor in the midst of the black dust of the workshop, their bodies distorted, their clothes patched and greasy, both become stupidly hardened like old tools in the pursuit of their narrow mechanical task.

Then suddenly anger again got the better of her and she exclaimed: "Very well, I'd rather it was so; keep your money! I'll give mother Coupeau a home, do you hear?
I picked up a cat the other evening, so I can at least do the same for your mother.