He had seen how jolly and healthy one could become when one did not get drunk.

Well, he must continue at home the sensible life he had led at Sainte-Anne, fancy himself under lock and key and that dram-shops no longer existed.
"The gentleman's right," said Gervaise in the omnibus which was taking them back to the Rue de la Goutte-d'Or.
"Of course he's right," replied Coupeau.
Then, after thinking a minute, he resumed: "Oh! you know, a little glass now and again can't kill a man; it helps the digestion." And that very evening he swallowed a glass of bad spirit, just to keep his stomach in order.

For eight days he was pretty reasonable.

He was a great coward at heart; he had no desire to end his days in the Bicetre mad-house.

But his passion got the better of him; the first little glass led him, in spite of himself, to a second, to a third and to a fourth, and at the end of a fortnight, he had got back to his old ration, a pint of vitriol a day.