He collected all the rents and kept them for a couple of weeks in his bureau drawer.
That evening the Coupeaus, to express their gratitude to the Boches, sent them two bottles of wine as a present.
The following Monday the workmen started doing up the shop.

The purchasing of the paper turned out especially to be a very big affair.
Gervaise wanted a grey paper with blue flowers, so as to enliven and brighten the walls.

Boche offered to take her to the dealers, so that she might make her own selection.

But the landlord had given him formal instructions not to go beyond the price of fifteen sous the piece.

They were there an hour.