All three hurried
round her, especially the boy, who knelt on the floor with his hands
among her skirts. And at last she calmed down again when Daguenet
assured her it could not be later than a quarter past twelve, seeing
that by dint of scamping her words and skipping her lines she had
effectually shortened the third act of the Blonde Venus.
"The play's still far too good for that crowd of idiots," she said. "Did
you see? There were thousands there tonight. Zoe, my girl, you will
wait in here. Don't go to bed, I shall want you. By gum, it is time they
came. Here's company!"
She ran off while Georges stayed where he was with the skirts of his
coat brushing the floor. He blushed, seeing Daguenet looking at him.
Notwithstanding which, they had conceived a tender regard the one for
the other. They rearranged the bows of their cravats in front of the big
dressing glass and gave each other a mutual dose of the clothesbrush,
for they were all white from their close contact with Nana.
"One would think it was sugar," murmured Georges, giggling like a greedy
little child.
A footman hired for the evening was ushering the guests into the small
drawing room, a narrow slip of a place in which only four armchairs had
been left in order the better to pack in the company.
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