He resumed
laughingly:
"The devil, are you jealous?"
"Jealous!" said Lucy in a fury. "Good gracious, if Rose is wanting
Leon I give him up willingly--for what he's worth! That's to say, for
a bouquet a week and the rest to match! Look here, my dear boy, these
theatrical trollops are all made the same way. Why, Rose cried with
rage when she read Leon's article on Nana; I know she did. So now, you
understand, she must have an article, too, and she's gaining it. As for
me, I'm going to chuck Leon downstairs--you'll see!"
She paused to say "Leoville" to the waiter standing behind her with his
two bottles and then resumed in lowered tones:
"I don't want to shout; it isn't my style. But she's a cocky slut all
the same. If I were in her husband's place I should lead her a lovely
dance. Oh, she won't be very happy over it. She doesn't know my
Fauchery: a dirty gent he is, too, palling up with women like that so as
to get on in the world. Oh, a nice lot they are!"
Vandeuvres did his best to calm her down, but Bordenave, deserted by
Rose and by Lucy, grew angry and cried out that they were letting Papa
perish of hunger and thirst. This produced a fortunate diversion. Yet
the supper was flagging; no one was eating now, though platefuls of
cepes a' l'italienne and pineapple fritters a la Pompadour were being
mangled.
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