"Dear me, you're charming, you are!" said Zoe.
But Satin sat up, looked savagely at the count and once more hurled her
remark at him.
"That's right; it'll teach him!"
And she lay down again and blew forth a thin jet of smoke, as though she
had no interest in present events and were resolved not to meddle in any
of them. No, it was all too silly!
Zoe, however, introduced Muffat into the bedroom, where a scent of ether
lingered amid warm, heavy silence, scarce broken by the dull roll of
occasional carriages in the Avenue de Villiers. Nana, looking very white
on her pillow, was lying awake with wide-open, meditative eyes. She
smiled when she saw the count but did not move.
"Ah, dear pet!" she slowly murmured. "I really thought I should never
see you again."
Then as he leaned forward to kiss her on the hair, she grew tender
toward him and spoke frankly about the child, as though he were its
father.
"I never dared tell you; I felt so happy about it! Oh, I used to dream
about it; I should have liked to be worthy of you! And now there's
nothing left. Ah well, perhaps that's best. I don't want to bring a
stumbling block into your life."
Astounded by this story of paternity, he began stammering vague phrases.
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