It was snowing, a snow that melted as it fell.
"You will excuse me ?" said Chevalier, and he slipped under the tarpaulin and seated himself beside the old man.
From time to time they exchanged a remark.
"Rotten weather!" "It's what we expect at this season.

Winter's hard; summer's better." "So you look after the job at night, old fellow ?" The old man answered readily when questioned.

Before he spoke his throat emitted a long, very gentle murmur.
"I do one thing one day; another thing another.

Odd jobs.

See ?" "You are not a Parisian ?" "No, I was born in La Creuse.