He began laughing, for he made no secret of his mode of life; and, no doubt, had told the driver all about his intrigue with Philomène Sauvagnat.
Jacques muttered an oath, as he perceived the deluge of rain increase in violence, after showing signs of abating.
Pecqueux, with the last mouthful of meat at the end of his knife, again gave a good-humoured laugh.
"You must have something to do then, to-night?" said he. "Well, they can't reproach us two with wearing out the mattresses, over there, in the Rue François-Mazeline."
Jacques quickly left the window.
"Why?" he inquired.
"Well, you're just like me. Since the spring, you never turn in till two or three o'clock in the morning," answered the other.
He seemed to know something. Perhaps he had caught them together. In each room the bedsteads were in couples: fireman and driver. The railway authorities sought to bind these men to one another as firmly as possible, on account of their work, which necessitated such a close understanding. And so, Jacques was not astonished that the fireman should have noticed the late hours he kept, particularly as he had formerly been so regular.
"I suffer from headache," remarked the driver, for want of something better to say; "and it does me good to walk out at night-time."