On the next pay-day, however, he would station himself on the watch, and as soon as he had succeeded in pilfering the youngster's earnings, he disappeared for days together.
Gervaise, beaten and brought up in the streets among all the lads of the neighbourhood, became a mother when she was fourteen years of age.

The father of her child was not eighteen years old.

He was a journeyman tanner named Lantier.

At first Macquart was furious, but he calmed down somewhat when he learnt that Lantier's mother, a worthy woman, was willing to take charge of the child.

He kept Gervaise, however; she was then already earning twenty-five sous a day, and he therefore avoided all question of marriage.