Then the bald-headed old gentleman, who was not very polite by the way, at length appeared to become aware of her presence; and when the house surgeon had informed him that she was the patient's wife, he began to question her in the harsh manner of a commissary of the police.
"Did this man's father drink ?" "Yes, sir; just a little like everyone.

He killed himself by falling from a roof one day when he was tipsy." "Did his mother drink ?" "Well! sir, like everyone else, you know; a drop here, a drop there.

Oh! the family is very respectable! There was a brother who died very young in convulsions." The doctor looked at her with his piercing eye.

He resumed in his rough voice: "And you, you drink too, don't you ?" Gervaise stammered, protested, and placed her hand upon her heart, as though to take her solemn oath.
"You drink! Take care; see where drink leads to.

One day or other you will die thus." Then she remained close to the wall.