The hatter!” yelled Coupeau.
And the house surgeon questioning Gervaise, the latter stuttered without being able to answer, for this scene stirred up within her all the worries of her life.
The zinc-worker thrust out his fists.
“We’ll settle this between us, my lad.
It’s full time I did for you!
Ah, you coolly come, with that virago on your arm, to make a fool of me before everyone.
Well! I’m going to throttle you — yes, yes, I! And without putting any gloves on either!
I’ll stop your swaggering.
Take that!
And that!
And that!”
He hit about in the air viciously.
Then a wild rage took possession of him.
Having bumped against the wall in walking backwards, he thought he was being attacked from behind.
He turned round, and fiercely hammered away at the padding.
He sprang about, jumped from one corner to another, knocked his stomach, his back, his shoulder, rolled over, and picked himself up again.
His bones seemed softened, his flesh had a sound like damp oakum.
He accompanied this pretty game with atrocious threats, and wild and guttural cries.
However the battle must have been going badly for him, for his breathing became quicker, his eyes were starting out of his head, and he seemed little by little to be seized with the cowardice of a child.
“Murder!
Murder!
Be off with you both.
Oh! you brutes, they’re laughing.
There she is on her back, the virago!
She must give in, it’s settled. Ah! the brigand, he’s murdering her!
He’s cutting off her leg with his knife.
The other leg’s on the ground, the stomach’s in two, it’s full of blood.
Oh! Mon Dieu!
Oh!
Mon Dieu!”
And, covered with perspiration, his hair standing on end, looking a frightful object, he retired backwards, violently waving his arms, as though to send the abominable sight from him.
He uttered two heart-rending wails, and fell flat on his back on the mattress, against which his heels had caught.
“He’s dead, sir, he’s dead!” said Gervaise, clasping her hands.
The house surgeon had drawn near, and was pulling Coupeau into the middle of the mattress.
No, he was not dead.
They had taken his shoes off. His bare feet hung off the end of the mattress and they were dancing all by themselves, one beside the other, in time, a little hurried and regular dance.
Just then the head doctor entered.
He had brought two of his colleagues — one thin, the other fat, and both decorated like himself.
All three stooped down without saying a word, and examined the man all over; then they rapidly conversed together in a low voice.
They had uncovered Coupeau from his thighs to his shoulders, and by standing on tiptoe Gervaise could see the naked trunk spread out.
Well! it was complete. The trembling had descended from the arms and ascended from the legs, and now the trunk itself was getting lively!
“He’s sleeping,” murmured the head doctor.
And he called the two others’ attention to the man’s countenance.
Coupeau, his eyes closed, had little nervous twinges which drew up all his face.
He was more hideous still, thus flattened out, with his jaw projecting, and his visage deformed like a corpse’s that had suffered from nightmare; but the doctors, having caught sight of his feet, went and poked their noses over them, with an air of profound interest.
The feet were still dancing. Though Coupeau slept the feet danced.
Oh! their owner might snore, that did not concern them, they continued their little occupation without either hurrying or slackening.
Regular mechanical feet, feet which took their pleasure wherever they found it.
Gervaise having seen the doctors place their hands on her old man, wished to feel him also.
She approached gently and laid a hand on his shoulder, and she kept it there a minute.