Souvarine, who once more became uncommunicative, replied briefly. He had been working the day before, and the cage did, in fact, jar; the engine-men had even had to double the speed to pass that spot. But all the bosses received any observations with the same irritating remark: it was coal they wanted; that could be repaired later on.
"You see that will smash up!" Étienne murmured. "It will be a fine time!"
With eyes vaguely fixed on the pit in the shadow, Souvarine quietly concluded:
"If it does smash up, the mates will know it, since you advise them to go down again."
Nine o'clock struck at the Montsou steeple; and his companion having said that he was going to bed, he added, without putting out his hand:
"Well, good-bye. I'm going away."
"What! you're going away?"
"Yes, I've asked for my certificate back. I'm going elsewhere."
Étienne, stupefied and affected, looked at him. After walking for two hours he said that to him! And in so calm a voice, while the mere announcement of this sudden separation made his own heart ache. They had got to know each other, they had toiled together; that always makes one sad, the idea of not seeing a person again.
"You're going away! And where do you go?"