So she ate her cream with an
air of philosophy, though she was perfectly well aware that Satin with
her great blue virginal eyes was throwing the neighboring tables into
a state of great excitement. There was one woman in particular, a
powerful, fair-haired person who sat close to her and made herself
extremely agreeable. She seemed all aglow with affection and pushed
toward the girl so eagerly that Nana was on the point of interfering.
But at that very moment a woman who was entering the room gave her a
shock of surprise. Indeed, she had recognized Mme Robert. The latter,
looking, as was her wont, like a pretty brown mouse, nodded familiarly
to the tall, lean serving maid and came and leaned upon Laure's counter.
Then both women exchanged a long kiss. Nana thought such an attention on
the part of a woman so distinguished looking very amusing, the more so
because Mme Robert had quite altered her usual modest expression. On
the contrary, her eye roved about the saloon as she kept up a whispered
conversation. Laure had resumed her seat and once more settled herself
down with all the majesty of an old image of Vice, whose face has been
worn and polished by the kisses of the faithful. Above the range of
loaded plates she sat enthroned in all the opulence which a hotelkeeper
enjoys after forty years of activity, and as she sat there she swayed
her bloated following of large women, in comparison with the biggest of
whom she seemed monstrous.
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