and then there was Jouse who wore out his socks so
incredibly fast; and then there was Anfos. Four
bodies to clothe and four mouths to feed, and that
cold weight of fear that lay on her heart. . . .
'Is it that I must pay the chemist . . .* she fal-
tered.
'Has he not had enough? Let him rot!* growled
Jouse. He pushed back his chair but he did not get
up and hurry away as had once been his custom.
Anfos went off to the workshop alone. 'Your Beau-
vais has given me an order/ he told her. 'I must put
a cheap fence round his precious land, and a board
to announce that the land is private! Maybe he will
ask me to build a dog-kennel, or if that is too costly
perhaps a hen-coop; yet they say that the land was
sold, thanks to Kahn, for double its value — there is
no lack of money.5
CI also have heard that,5 Marie assented.
After this they fell silent, he scratching his chin
through his beard with slow, meditative fingers;
she nodding to Christophe, then glancing at the clock
to remind him that he and Loup would be late:
clt is time that you started for school,' she whis-
pered.
So Christophe and his brother stole quietly away,
for even the turbulent tout petit Loup did not dare
to disturb his father at that moment.
But when they had gone Marie faced her husband:
'Jouse, I must have the money for the chemist, and a
few francs aver to buy Christophe a jersey. Genas
will not wait, he is pressing us hard, and Loup can-
not exist without asthma powder. As for Christophe
. . . you can see for yourself how it is . . . he grows
hourly. There is also Eusebe's small bill; it is time
he was paid for that last pair of sandals; although that
is far less urgent than the chemist.5
Jouse got up slowly ; he moved slowly these days,
263