This was out of respect for her former status as an employer.
The household seemed to be getting on well and Gervaise looked forward to the day when all the debts would be paid. Hard work and economy would solve all their money troubles.
Unfortunately, she dreamed of this in the warm satisfaction of the large sum earned by her husband.
Soon, she said that the good things never lasted and took things as they came.
What the Coupeaus most suffered from at that time was seeing the Poissons installing themselves at their former shop. They were not naturally of a particularly jealous disposition, but people aggravated them by purposely expressing amazement in their presence at the embellishments of their successors.
The Boches and the Lorilleuxs especially, never tired.
According to them, no one had ever seen so beautiful a shop.
They were also continually mentioning the filthy state in which the Poissons had found the premises, saying that it had cost thirty francs for the cleaning alone.
After much deliberation, Virginie had decided to open a shop specializing in candies, chocolate, coffee and tea.
Lantier had advised this, saying there was much money to be made from such delicacies.
The shop was stylishly painted black with yellow stripes.
Three carpenters worked for eight days on the interior, putting up shelves, display cases and counters.
Poisson’s small inheritance must have been almost completely used, but Virginie was ecstatic. The Lorilleuxs and the Boches made sure that Gervaise did not miss a single improvement and chuckled to themselves while watching her expression.
There was also a question of a man beneath all this.
It was reported that Lantier had broken off with Gervaise.
The neighborhood declared that it was quite right. In short, it gave a moral tone to the street.
And all the honor of the separation was accorded to the crafty hatter on whom all the ladies continued to dote.
Some said that she was still crazy about him and he had to slap her to make her leave him alone.
Of course, no one told the actual truth. It was too simple and not interesting enough.
Actually Lantier climbed to the sixth floor to see her whenever he felt the impulse.
Mademoiselle Remanjou had often seen him coming out of the Coupeaus’ at odd hours.
The situation was even more complicated by neighborhood gossip linking Lantier and Virginie. The neighbors were a bit too hasty in this also; he had not even reached the stage of buttock-pinching with her.
Still, the Lorilleuxs delighted in talking sympathetically to Gervaise about the affair between Lantier and Virginie.
The Boches maintained they had never seen a more handsome couple.
The odd thing in all this was that the Rue de la Goutte-d’Or seemed to have no objection to this new arrangement which everyone thought was progressing nicely. Those who had been so harsh to Gervaise were now quite lenient toward Virginie.
Gervaise had previously heard numerous reports about Lantier’s affairs with all sorts of girls on the street and they had bothered her so little that she hadn’t even felt enough resentment to break off the affair. However, this new intrigue with Virginie wasn’t quite so easy to accept because she was sure that the two of them were just out to spite her. She hid her resentment though to avoid giving any satisfaction to her enemies.
Mademoiselle Remanjou thought that Gervaise had words with Lantier over this because one afternoon she heard the sound of a slap. There was certainly a quarrel because Lantier stopped speaking to Gervaise for a couple of weeks, but then he was the first one to make up and things seemed to go along the same as before.
Coupeau found all this most amusing.
The complacent husband who had been blind to his own situation laughed heartily at Poisson’s predicament.
Then Coupeau even teased Gervaise.
Her lovers always dropped her.
First the blacksmith and now the hatmaker.
The trouble was that she got involved with undependable trades.
She should take up with a mason, a good solid man.
He said such things as if he were joking, but they upset Gervaise because his small grey eyes seemed to be boring right into her.
On evenings when Coupeau became bored being alone with his wife up in their tiny hole under the roof, he would go down for Lantier and invite him up. He thought their dump was too dreary without Lantier’s company so he patched things up between Gervaise and Lantier whenever they had a falling out.
In the midst of all this Lantier put on the most consequential airs.
He showed himself both paternal and dignified.
On three successive occasions he had prevented a quarrel between the Coupeaus and the Poissons.
The good understanding between the two families formed a part of his contentment.
Thanks to the tender though firm glances with which he watched over Gervaise and Virginie, they always pretended to entertain a great friendship for each other.
He reigned over both blonde and brunette with the tranquillity of a pasha, and fattened on his cunning.
The rogue was still digesting the Coupeaus when he already began to devour the Poissons.
Oh, it did not inconvenience him much!
As soon as one shop was swallowed, he started on a second.
It was only men of his sort who ever have any luck.
It was in June of that year that Nana was confirmed.
She was then nearly thirteen years old, as tall as an asparagus shoot run to seed, and had a bold, impudent air about her.
The year before she had been sent away from the catechism class on account of her bad behavior; and the priest had only allowed her to join it this time through fear of losing her altogether, and of casting one more heathen onto the street.
Nana danced for joy as she thought of the white dress.