Agricola, after casting a last glance of tolerable satisfaction at his looking-glass, while he combed his moustache and imperial, quitted his chamber, to go and join Angela in the women's workroom.The corridor, along which he had to pass, was broad, well-lighted from above, floored with pine, and extremely clean.Notwithstanding some seeds of discord which had been lately sown by M.Hardy's enemies amongst his workmen, until now so fraternally united, joyous songs were heard in almost all the apartments which skirted the corridor, and, as Agricola passed before several open doors, he exchanged a cordial good-morrow with many of his comrades.The smith hastily descended the stairs, crossed the court-
yard, in which was a grass-plot planted with trees, with a fountain in the centre, and gained the other wing of the building.There was the workroom, in which a portion of the wives and daughters of the associated artisans, who happened not to be employed in the factory, occupied themselves in making up the linen.This labor, joined to the enormous saving effected by the purchase of the materials wholesale, reduced to an incredible extent the price of each article.After passing through this workroom, a vast apartment looking on the garden, well-aired in summer,[29] and well-warmed in winter, Agricola knocked at the door of the rooms occupied by Angela's mother.
If we say a few words with regard to this lodging, situated on the first story, with an eastern aspect, and also looking on the garden, it is that we may tape it as a specimen of the habitation of a family in this association, supplied at the incredibly small price of one hundred and twenty-five francs per annum.