To think that she had been ambitious of having a corner in this barracks! Had her ears been stopped up then, that she had not heard the cursed music of despair which sounded behind the walls?
Since she had set foot in the place she had begun to go down hill.

Yes, it must bring bad luck to shut oneself up in these big workmen's houses; the cholera of misery was contagious there.

That night everyone seemed to have kicked the bucket.

She only heard the Boches snoring on the right-hand side, while Lantier and Virginie on the left were purring like a couple of cats who were not asleep, but have their eyes closed and feel warm.

In the courtyard she fancied she was in a perfect cemetery; the snow paved the ground with white; the high frontages, livid grey in tint, rose up unlighted like ruined walls, and not a sigh could be heard.