Summary

Three more years have passed, and Étienne has begun working at the same blacksmith factory as Goujet, only as an apprentice. One day Gervaise decides to and see Goujet, but to use her son as an excuse to be at the factory. The factory’s location is only partially known to Gervaise, and Zola’s narration of her short jaunt to the outskirts of her neighborhood paints a vivid picture of this industrialized zone.

Gervaise, clearly out of place in this liminal district, finally steps into the factory, asking for her son. When the attendant doesn't recognize the name, she asks for Goujet, who is promptly called over to great the woman. Goujet, having been infatuated with Gervaise for quite some time, is overjoyed at her presence, and sends Étienne over to his mother while he finishes a piece of work.

As Goujet finishes...