r ease,
just as though they were in a restaurant. Forgetting her role of
hostess, she busied herself exclusively with bulky Steiner, who was
verging on apoplexy beside her. She was listening to his proposals and
continually refusing them with shakes of the head and that temptress's
laughter which is peculiar to a voluptuous blonde. The champagne she had
been drinking had flushed her a rosy-red; her lips were moist; her eyes
sparkled, and the banker's offers rose with every kittenish movement of
her shoulders, with every little voluptuous lift and fall of her throat,
which occurred when she turned her head. Close by her ear he kept
espying a sweet little satiny corner which drove him crazy. Occasionally
Nana was interrupted, and then, remembering her guests, she would try
and be as pleased as possible in order to show that she knew how to
receive. Toward the end of the supper she was very tipsy. It made her
miserable to think of it, but champagne had a way of intoxicating her
almost directly! Then an exasperating notion struck her. In behaving
thus improperly at her table, these ladies were showing themselves
anxious to do her an ugly turn. Oh yes, she could see it all distinctly.
Lucy had given Foucarmont a wink in order to egg him on against
Labordette, while Rose, Caroline and the others were doing all they
could to stir up the men. Now there was such a din you couldn't hear
your neighbor speak, and so the story would get about that you might
allow yourself every kind of liberty when you supped at Nana's. Very
well then! They should see! She might be tipsy, if you like, but she was
still the smartest and most ladylike woman there.

"Do tell them to serve the coffee here, duckie," resumed Bordenave. "I
prefer it here because of my leg."

But Nana had sprung savagely to her feet after whispering into the
astonished ears of Steiner and the old gentleman:

"It's quite right; it'll teach me to go and invite a dirty lot like
that."

Then she pointed to the door of the dining room and added at the top of
her voice:

"If you want coffee it's there, you know."

The company left the table and crowded toward the dining room without
noticing Nana's indignant outburst. And soon no one was left in the
drawing room save Bordenave, who advanced cautiously, supporting himself
against the wall and cursing away at the confounded women who chucked
Papa the moment they were chock-full. The waiters behind him were
already busy remo