She leaned
forward and asked him questions in a low voice, for she was aware that
Vandeuvres commissioned him to arrange matters with the bookmakers so
as to be able to bet the more easily. Supposing him to have got to know
something, he might quite well tell it her. But without entering into
explanations Labordette persuaded her to trust to his sagacity. He would
put on her fifty louis for her as he might think best, and she would not
repent of his arrangement.
"All the horses you like!" she cried gaily, letting him take his
departure, "but no Nana; she's a jade!"
There was a burst of uproarious laughter in the carriage. The young men
thought her sally very amusing, while Louiset in his ignorance lifted
his pale eyes to his mother's face, for her loud exclamations surprised
him. However, there was no escape for Labordette as yet. Rose Mignon had
made a sign to him and was now giving him her commands while he wrote
figures in a notebook. Then Clarisse and Gaga called him back in order
to change their bets, for they had heard things said in the crowd, and
now they didn't want to have anything more to do with Valerio II and
were choosing Lusignan. He wrote down their wishes with an impassible
expression and at length managed to escape.
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