The young Hugons
and La Faloise remained in the landau behind her retreating figure and
continued to do the honors of her champagne. She shouted to them that
she would return immediately.
But Vandeuvres caught sight of Labordette and called him, and there was
an interchange of brief sentences.
"You've scraped everything up?"
"Yes."
"To what amount?"
"Fifteen hundred louis--pretty well all over the place."
As Nana was visibly listening, and that with much curiosity, they held
their tongues. Vandeuvres was very nervous, and he had those same clear
eyes, shot with little flames, which so frightened her the night he
spoke of burning himself and his horses together. As they crossed over
the course she spoke low and familiarly.
"I say, do explain this to me. Why are the odds on your filly changing?"
He trembled, and this sentence escaped him:
"Ah, they're talking, are they? What a set those betting men are! When
I've got the favorite they all throw themselves upon him, and there's
no chance for me. After that, when an outsider's asked for, they give
tongue and yell as though they were being skinned."
"You ought to tell me what's going to happen--I've made my bets," she
rejoined.
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