Little by little
her soft embrace compelled Nana to dry her tears. She was touched and
replied to Satin's caresses. When two o'clock struck the candle was
still burning, and a sound of soft, smothered laughter and lovers' talk
was audible in the room.
But suddenly a loud noise came up from the lower floors of the hotel,
and Satin, with next to nothing on, got up and listened intently.
"The police!" she said, growing very pale.
"Oh, blast our bad luck! We're bloody well done for!"
Often had she told stories about the raids on hotel made by the
plainclothes men. But that particular night neither of them had
suspected anything when they took shelter in the Rue de Laval. At the
sound of the word "police" Nana lost her head. She jumped out of bed and
ran across the room with the scared look of a madwoman about to jump out
of the window. Luckily, however, the little courtyard was roofed with
glass, which was covered with an iron-wire grating at the level of the
girls' bedroom. At sight of this she ceased to hesitate; she stepped
over the window prop, and with her chemise flying and her legs bared to
the night air she vanished in the gloom.
"Stop! Stop!" said Satin in a great fright.
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