She learned intimate details, too, and found
out that he had hair on his arms and a birthmark on his shoulder. So
thoroughly did she learn her lesson that one day, when she was full of
the image of the man who was to be turned out of doors by her orders,
she cried out:
"I say, Zizi, your brother's not coming. He's a base deserter!"
The next day, when Georges and Nana were alone together, Francois came
upstairs to ask whether Madame would receive Lieutenant Philippe Hugon.
Georges grew extremely white and murmured:
"I suspected it; Mamma was talking about it this morning."
And he besought the young woman to send down word that she could not see
visitors. But she was already on her feet and seemed all aflame as she
said:
"Why should I not see him? He would think me afraid. Dear me, we'll have
a good laugh! Just leave the gentleman in the drawing room for a quarter
of an hour, Francois; afterward bring him up to me."
She did not sit down again but began pacing feverishly to and fro
between the fireplace and a Venetian mirror hanging above an Italian
chest. And each time she reached the latter she glanced at the glass
and tried the effect of a smile, while Georges sat nervously on a sofa,
trembling at the thought of the coming scene.
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