She stood up to the full height of her little figure, with a fierce expression about her, though her face looked quite pale beneath her black cap; she thrust out her left fist with a satisfied pride as she thundered in a voice bigger than herself: "If the pirate audacious Should o'er the waves chase us, The buccaneer slaughter, Accord him no quarter.
To the guns every man, And with rum fill each can! While these pests of the seas Dangle from the cross-trees." That was something serious.

By Jove! it gave one a fine idea of the real thing.

Poisson, who had been on board ship nodded his head in approval of the description.

One could see too that that song was in accordance with Madame Putois's own feeling.

Coupeau then told how Madame Putois, one evening on Rue Poulet, had slapped the face of four men who sought to attack her virtue.
With the assistance of mother Coupeau, Gervaise was now serving the coffee, though some of the guests had not yet finished their Savoy cake.
They would not let her sit down again, but shouted that it was her turn.
With a pale face, and looking very ill at ease, she tried to excuse herself; she seemed so queer that someone inquired whether the goose had disagreed with her.