He squeezed Coupeau's hand across the table as he said: "I accept.

It's in all good fellowship on both sides, is it not?
Yes, I accept for the child's sake." The next day when the landlord, Monsieur Marescot, came to spend an hour with the Boches, Gervaise mentioned the matter to him.

He refused angrily at first.

Then, after a careful inspection of the premises, particularly gazing upward to verify that the upper floors would not be weakened, he finally granted permission on condition there would be no expense to him.

He had the Coupeaus sign a paper saying they would restore everything to its original state on the expiration of the lease.
Coupeau brought in some friends of his that very evening--a mason, a carpenter and a painter.