nt, that cousin of Madame Quenu's?"

The three women drew more closely together, and lowered their voices.

"You remember," said Madame Lecoeur, "that we saw him one morning with
his boots all split, and his clothes covered with dust, looking just
like a thief who's been up to some roguery. That fellow quite frightens
me."

"Well, he's certainly very thin," said La Sarriette, "but he isn't
ugly."

Mademoiselle Saget was reflecting, and she expressed her thoughts
aloud. "I've been trying to find out something about him for the last
fortnight, but I can make nothing of it. Monsieur Gavard certainly knows
him. I must have met him myself somewhere before, but I can't remember
where."

She was still ransacking her memory when La Normande swept up to them
like a whirlwind. She had just left the pork shop.

"That big booby Lisa has got nice manners, I must say!" she cried,
delighted to be able to relieve herself. "Fancy her telling me that I
sold nothing but stinking fish! But I gave her as good as she deserved,
I can tell you! A nice den they keep, with their tainted pig meat which
poisons all their customers!"

"But what had you been saying to her?" asked the old maid, quite
frisky with excitement, and delighted to hear that the two women had
quarrelled.

"I! I'd said just nothing at all--no, not that! I just went into the
shop and told her very civilly that I'd buy some black-pudding to-morrow
evening, and then she overwhelmed me with abuse. A dirty hypocrite she
is, with her saint-like airs! But she'll pay more dearly for this than
she fancies!"

The three women felt that La Normande was not telling them the truth,
but this did not prevent them from taking her part with a rush of bad
language. They turned towards the Rue Rambuteau with insulting mien,
inventing all sorts of stories about the uncleanliness of the cookery at
the Quenu's shop, and making the most extraordinary accusations. If the
Quenus had been detected selling human flesh the women could not have
displayed more violent and threatening anger. The fish-girl was obliged
to tell her story three times over.

"And what did the cousin say?" asked Mademoiselle Saget, with wicked
intent.

"The cousin!" repeated La Normande, in a shrill voice. "Do you really
believe that he's a cousin? He's some lover or other, I'll wager, the
great booby!"

The three others protested against this. Lisa's honourability was an
article of faith in the neighbourhood.