Had Michaud and Grivet not arrived, she would have gone and fetched them.

When strangers were in the dining-room, between herself and Laurent, she felt more calm.

She would have liked to always have guests there, to hear a noise, something to divert her, and detach her from her thoughts.

In the presence of other people, she displayed a sort of nervous gaiety.

Laurent also recovered his previous merriment, returning to his coarse peasant jests, his hoarse laughter, his practical jokes of a former canvas dauber.