"Industrious! God bless you, he has always overworked himself; he is the soberest, steadiest creature alive; and I verily believe that if he had the promise of obtaining any favour he liked to ask of Heaven, it would be that the day might be made doubly as long as it now is, that he might earn bread enough to stop the cries of his starving brats." "Then the father cannot earn enough if he were to try ever so hard, it seems?" "Why, the poor man was ill abed for three months, and that threw them all behind; his wife's health was quite ruined by the fatigue of nursing him and the severe want she experienced of common necessaries for herself and family. She now lies in a dying state; they have had nothing for all that period besides Louise's wages and what they could obtain from Mother Burette upon the few wretched articles they could dispose of. True, the master for whom Morel had worked advanced them a trifle, out of respect for a man he had always found punctual and honest when he could work. But, la! Eight people only to be found in bread, that is what I say,--just imagine how hard it must be to keep life and soul together upon such small means; and if you could only see the hole they are all huddled together in--But do not let us talk any more about that, monsieur, for our dinner is ready, and the very thought of their wretched garret turns my stomach. However, happily, M. Bras Rouge is going to clear the house of them,--when I say happily, I don't mean it ill-naturedly in the least; but since these poor Morels have fallen into such misery, and it is quite out of our power to help them, why let them go and be miserable elsewhere; it will be a heartache the less for us all." "But, if they are turned out from here, where will they go to?" "Truly, I don't know." "And how much can this poor workman earn daily when in health, and without any calls upon his time or attention?" "Why, if he had not to attend to his old mother, nurse his sick wife, and look after the five children, he could earn his three or four francs a day, because he works like a downright slave; but now that at least three-quarters of his time are taken up with the family, he can hardly manage to earn forty sous." "That is little, indeed,--poor creatures!" "Yes, it is easy to say poor creatures, but there are so many equally poor creatures, that, as we can do nothing for them, it is no use to worry ourselves about it,--is it, Alfred? And, talking of consoling ourselves, there stands the cassia, and we have never thought of tasting it." "To tell you the truth, Madame Pipelet, after what I have just heard I have no inclination to partake of it. You and M. Pipelet must drink my health in it when I am gone." "You are extremely kind, sir," said the porter; "but will you not like to see the rooms up-stairs?" "I shall be glad to do so, if perfectly convenient; and, if they suit, I will engage them at once and leave a deposit."