eleven in the
evening
She answered invariably with a jest but passed her days in a fire of indelicate allusions , however , which did not bring a flush to her cheek . So long as he was not rough and brutal , she objected to nothing , but one day she was very angry when he , in trying to steal a kiss , tore out a lock of her hair . About the last of June Coupeau became absolutely morose , and Gervaise was so much disturbed by certain glances he gave her that she fairly barricaded her door at night . Finally one Tuesday evening , when he had sulked from the previous Sunday , he came to her door at eleven in the evening . At first she refused to open it , but his voice was so gentle , so sad even , that she pulled away the barrier she had pushed against the door for her better protection . When he came in she was startled and thought him ill ; he was so deadly pale and his eyes were so bright . No , he was not ill , he said , but things could not go on like this ; he could not sleep .