Their whole household management was
altered, and five hundred thousand francs were squandered in utterly
transforming the old house in the Rue Miromesnil. Then there were
extravagantly magnificent gowns and large sums disappeared, squandered
or perhaps given away, without her ever dreaming of accounting for them.
Twice Muffat ventured to mention this, for he was anxious to know how
the money went, but on these occasions she had smiled and gazed at him
with so singular an expression that he dared not interrogate her further
for fear of a too-unmistakable answer. If he were taking Daguenet as
son-in-law as a gift from Nana it was chiefly with the hope of being
able to reduce Estelle's dower to two hundred thousand francs and of
then being free to make any arrangements he chose about the remainder
with a young man who was still rejoicing in this unexpected match.
Nevertheless, for the last week, under the immediate necessity of
finding Labordette's hundred thousand francs, Muffat had been able
to hit on but one expedient, from which he recoiled. This was that he
should sell the Bordes, a magnificent property valued at half a million,
which an uncle had recently left the countess. However, her signature
was necessary, and she herself, according to the terms of the deed,
could not alienate the property without the count's authorization.
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