. He was hustled by the coming and going of the
occupants of the house, by callers, and by the swing of Palmyra's
broom; but she let him alone and said nothing, thinking to herself,
no doubt, that the exploitation of the national calamity is a more
profitable treasure than problematical caskets.
Two gossips are standing in a recess and exchanging confidences in
low voices, hard by an old map of Russia that is peopled with flies.
"Oui, but it's with the Picon bitters that you've got to be careful.
If you haven't got a light touch, you can't get your sixteen glasses
out of a bottle, and so you lose too much profit. I don't say but
what one's all right in one's purse, even so, but one doesn't make
enough. To guard against that, the retailers ought to agree among
themselves, but the understanding's so difficult to bring off, even
when it's in the general interest."
Outside there is torrid sunshine, riddled with flies. The little
beasts, quite scarce but a few days ago, multiply everywhere the
murmur of their minute and innumerable engines. I go out in the
company of Lamuse; we are going for a saunter. One can be at peace
today--it is complete rest, by reason of the overnight march. We
might sleep, but it suits us much better to use the rest for an
extensive promenade. To-morrow, the exercise and fatigues will get
us again. There are some, less lucky than we, who are already caught
in the cogwheels of fatigue. To Lamuse, who invites him to come and
stroll with us, Corvisart replies, screwing up the little round nose
that is laid flatly on his oblong face like a cork, "Can't--I'm on
manure!" He points to the shovel and broom by whose help he is
performing his task of scavenger and night-soil man.
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