traffic rumbled on the bridge overhead, the
noisy bustle of Paris, of which they could glimpse only the rooftops to
the left and right, as though they were in the bottom of a deep pit.

Mademoiselle Remanjou sighed; if the leaves had been out this would have
reminded her of a bend of the Marne where she used to go with a young
man. It still made her cry to think of him.

At last, Monsieur Madinier gave the signal for departure. They passed
through the Tuileries gardens, in the midst of a little community of
children, whose hoops and balls upset the good order of the couples.
Then as the wedding party on arriving at the Place Vendome looked up at
the column, Monsieur Madinier gallantly offered to treat the ladies to a
view from the top. His suggestion was considered extremely amusing. Yes,
yes, they would go up; it would give them something to laugh about for
a long time. Besides, it would be full of interest for those persons who
had never been higher than a cow pasture.

"Do you think Clump-clump will venture inside there with her leg all out
of place?" murmured Madame Lorilleux.

"I'll go up with pleasure," said Madame Lerat, "but I won't have any men
walking behind me."

And the whole party ascended. In the narrow space afforded by the spiral
staircase, the twelve persons crawled up one after the other, stumbling
against the worn steps, and clinging to the walls. Then, when the
obscurity became complete, they almost split their sides with laughing.
The ladies screamed when the gentlemen pinched their legs. But they were
weren't stupid enough to say anything! The proper plan is to think that
it is the mice nibbling at them. It wasn't very serious; the men knew
when to stop.

Boche thought of a joke and everyone took it up. They called down to
Madame Gaudron to ask her if she could squeeze her belly through. Just
think! If she should get stuck there, she would completely block the
passage, and how would they ever get out? They laughed so at the jokes
about her belly that the column itself vibrated. Boche was now quite
carried away and declared that they were growing old climbing up this
chimney pipe. Was it ever coming to an end, or did it go right up to
heaven? He tried to frighten the ladies by telling them the structure
was shaking.

Coupeau, meanwhile, said nothing. He was behind Gervaise, with his arm
around her waist, and felt that she was everything perfect to him. When
they suddenly emerged again into