The Labor enquirer., 1885-12-05
GERniNAL.
A Novel by Emile lola, Which
is Said TO Rival Hugo's Les
Miserables.
The Bearings Of this Book Upsn
Social Industrial Questions
Very Important.
Extracts Made By ssZeno" Showing Its
Usefulness in the Revolutionary
Agitation.

4
| Agitation.
On an open plain, under starless Sky
black and thick as ink. a solitary mar
was following the main road from Mar
chienne to Montson- He could not ever
see the dark ground before him, and BIT
was insensible to the immense plair
around him, except from blasts of Marcel
wind, great gusts as on the sea, sweeping
over leagues of marsh and naked field.
A single thought occupied his mind
mechanic without work and without
home 1.-The hope that the cold would be
less severe after the break of days BE
perceived, on the left, some red fires,
three brasiers Of glowing coal, burning
as if suspended in the open air. At first
through fear, he hesitated, thenhe could
nut resist the pitiful desire to warm hIa
iran,is an instant, a, a
The young man saw.it was mine,
He again became disheartened. What
good2 He would get no work there,
Now he could hear the, ,pushers showing
their cars upon the trestles, and fitting
shadows tipping them up near the fire.
"Good evening"" said he, approaching
one of the kettles. rae
"Good evening" replied the old man.
II call myself Etlenne Lantier, am a
machinist Is there not some work for
me here?" " -
"Work for a machinist? No, no.
There were two here yesterday. There
was nothing for them"
A gust of wind cut off his words.
Then Etienpe demanded, pointing to
the dark spot where the buildings stood,
THAT is a mine is it not ?" ..- -
"Yes, the Voreux. The entrance is
close by" a ..# '7~,l
Etienne related his useless journey of
week. Must he perish from hunger ?
Soon the road would be full of bepgars.
"Yes," said the old man, that will be
bad ending. We do not have meat
every day." H. ! s
7-'@Sfiil one has 1breea. 4, s
"True, if we only have bread
"You are, perhaps, from b Bslgium,H rs-
sumed the driver.
"No, I am from the sonth ! responded
the young man.
GAS for me, ! am from Montson Pm
called Bonnemort,"
"Is that surname2" asked Etienne,
astonished. The old man laughed in a
disagreeable manner and pointed to the
Voreux.
"Yes, yes. They have taken me three
times from inside--once with all my skin
scorched, another time with the earth
up to my throat, the third time with my
stomach filed with water like frog.
Then when they saw that couldn't be
killed, they called me Bonnemort, for
fun" His gaiety redoubled, and his dis
agreeable laugh brought on terrible fit
of coughing.
"Have you worked long in the mine 2''
"a long time, ah yes WASN'T eight
years old when I went down into the
Voreux, and Pm forty eight now
Finally, on account ofthese cursed limbs
they put me above ground. They told
me to rest. Mel couldn't do that
Moreover. Pm sound, apart from my
legs. You see, it's the water which has
entered beneath the skin, on account o.
being soaked in the mine. Some days
can't move foot without crying"
A coughing spell interrupted him.
"And is that what makes you cough
So" said Etienne.
But he shook his head violently
Then, when he could speak; "No, no,
caught cold some months ago. I nevel
used to cough, but now l can't get rid Q
lit. The strange thing is that ] splt1it
strange. /
! His throat again filed up and he spa
black. ali.a '''''''' s
4 "Do you spit blood?" demanded Ell
enne, at last daring to question him.
"Its coal. have enough in my car
cass to warm me the rest of my days
And I've uot put my foot below for fiv'
years. l had that on hand sure. Bah
it keeps"
"still, when one can eat," murmure'
Etienne again.
That's what I say; while one ha
bread one can live"
THE MINERS HOME.
"Well, I've told you'll haven't so
left, and thiss Monday-stlll six day
to wait for the fifteenth. This can't z
on any longer. All of YOU only earn
francs a day, how do you expect me t
getalongP We have ten in the family.
"Oh! 9 francs" growled Maheu, "Zact
p - F.1 ~