One of his sisters, a widow of thirty-six, worked in a flower shop and lived in the Batignolles section, on Rue des Moines.

The other sister was thirty years old now.

She had married a deadpan chainmaker named Lorilleux.
That's where he was going now.

They lived in a big tenement on the left side.

He ate with them in the evenings; it saved a bit for all of them.
But he had been invited out this evening and he was going to tell her not to expect him.
Gervaise, who was listening to him, suddenly interrupted him to ask, with a smile: "So you're called 'Young Cassis,' Monsieur Coupeau ?" "Oh!" replied he, "it's a nickname my mates have given me because I generally drink 'cassis' when they force me to accompany them to the wineshop.