Gervaise, who stood erect in the middle of the street, was still watching the door.

The look-out seemed a bad one.
A couple of workmen who were late appeared on the threshold, but there were still no signs of Coupeau.

And when she asked the workmen if Coupeau wasn't coming, they answered her, being up to snuff, that he had gone off by the back-door with Lantimeche.

Gervaise understood what this meant.

Another of Coupeau's lies; she could whistle for him if she liked.