Brujon remained silent an instant longer, then he shook his head in various ways, and finally concluded to speak:⁠—

“See here; this morning I came across two sparrows fighting, this evening I jostled a woman who was quarrelling. All that’s bad. Let’s quit.”

They went away.

As they went, Montparnasse muttered:⁠—

“Never mind! if they had wanted, I’d have cut her throat.”

Babet responded:⁠—

“I wouldn’t. I don’t hit a lady.”

At the corner of the street they halted and exchanged the following enigmatical dialogue in a low tone:⁠—

“Where shall we go to sleep tonight?”