Every hour he had to get up to give the baby spoonfuls of lukewarm sugar and water.

That did not prevent his going off to his work in the morning as usual.

He even took advantage of his lunch-hour to make a declaration of the birth at the mayor's.

During this time Madame Boche, who had been informed of the event, had hastened to go and pass the day with Gervaise.

But the latter, after ten hours of sleep, bewailed her position, saying that she already felt pains all over her through having been so long in bed.