met another band--soldiers marching along with spurs jingling at
their heels--sailors again--isolated citizens--clerks in business houses.
On all sides might be seen fresh streets, narrow, and studded all over
with those equivocal lanterns. They pursued their way still through this
labyrinth of squalid habitation, over those greasy pavements through
which putrid water was oozing, between those walls filled with women's
flesh.

At last, Duclos made up his mind, and, drawing up before a house of
rather attractive exterior, made all his companions follow him in there.

PART II

Then followed a scene of thorough going revelry. For four hours the six
sailors gorged themselves with love and wine. Six months' pay was thus
wasted.

In the principal room in the tavern they were installed as masters,
gazing with malignant glances at the ordinary customers, who were seated
at the little tables in the corners, where one of the girls, who was
left free to come and go, dressed like a big baby or a singer at a
cafe-concert, went about serving them, and then seated herself near them.
Each man, on coming in, had selected his partner, whom he kept all the
evening, for the vulgar taste is not changeable. They had drawn three
tables close up to them; and, after the first bumper, the procession
divided into two parts, increased by as many women as there were seamen,
had formed itself anew on the staircase. On the wooden steps, the four
feet of each couple kept tramping for some time, while this long file of
lovers got swallowed up behind the narrow doors leading into the
different rooms.

Then they came down again to have a drink, and, after they had returned
to the rooms descended the stairs once more.

Now, almost intoxicated, they began to howl. Each of them, with bloodshot
eyes, and his chosen female companion on his knee, sang or bawled, struck
the table with his fist, shouted while swilling wine down his throat, set
free the human brute. In the midst of them, Celestin Duclos, pressing
close to him, a big damsel with red cheeks, who sat astride over his
legs, gazed at her ardently. Less tipsy than the others, not that he had
taken less drink, he was as yet occupied with other thoughts, and, more
tender than his comrades, he tried to get up a chat. His thoughts
wandered a little, escaped him, and then came back, and disappeared
again, without allowing him to recollect exactly what he meant to say.

"What time--what time--how