"No, it's not worth while; they can be for the children. At Paris I can arrange for myself."
Two more cages had gone down, and Pierron decided to speak straight to Maheude.
"I say now, over there, they are waiting for you! Is that little chat nearly done?"
But she turned her back. Why should he be so zealous, this man who had sold himself? The descent didn't concern him. His men hated him enough already on his level. And she persisted, with her lamp in her hand, frozen amid the draughts in spite of the mildness of the season. Neither Étienne nor she found anything more to say. They remained facing each other with hearts so full that they would have liked to speak once more.
At last she spoke for the sake of speaking.
"The Levaque is in the family way. Levaque is still in prison; Bouteloup is taking his place meanwhile."
"Ah, yes! Bouteloup."
"And, listen! did I tell you? Philoméne has gone away."
"What! gone away?"
"Yes, gone away with a Pas-de-Calais miner. I was afraid she would leave the two brats on me. But no, she took them with her. Eh? A woman who spits blood and always looks as if she were on the point of death!"