very ugly and extremely familiar young girl, who was
helping Simonne into her coat, positively writhed with laughter. The
three pushed each other and babbled little phrases which redoubled their
merriment.

"Come, Clarisse, kiss the gentleman," said Fauchery. "You know, he's got
the rhino."

And turning to the count:

"You'll see, she's very nice! She's going to kiss you!"

But Clarisse was disgusted by the men. She spoke in violent terms of the
dirty lot waiting at the porter's lodge down below. Besides, she was
in a hurry to go downstairs again; they were making her miss her last
scene. Then as Fauchery blocked up the doorway, she gave Muffat a couple
of kisses on the whiskers, remarking as she did so:

"It's not for you, at any rate! It's for that nuisance Fauchery!"

And with that she darted off, and the count remained much embarrassed
in his father-in-law's presence. The blood had rushed to his face. In
Nana's dressing room, amid all the luxury of hangings and mirrors, he
had not experienced the sharp physical sensation which the shameful
wretchedness of that sorry garret excited within him, redolent as it was
of these two girls' self-abandonment. Meanwhile the marquis had hurried
in the rear of Simonne, who was making off at the top of her pace,
and he kept whispering in her ear while she shook her head in token of
refusal. Fauchery followed them, laughing. And with that the count
found himself alone with the dresser, who was washing out the basins.
Accordingly he took his departure, too, his legs almost failing under
him. Once more he put up flights of half-dressed women and caused doors
to bang as he advanced. But amid the disorderly, disbanded troops of
girls to be found on each of the four stories, he was only distinctly
aware of a cat, a great tortoise-shell cat, which went gliding upstairs
through the ovenlike place where the air was poisoned with musk, rubbing
its back against the banisters and keeping its tail exceedingly erect.

"Yes, to be sure!" said a woman hoarsely. "I thought they'd keep us back
tonight! What a nuisance they are with their calls!"

The end had come; the curtain had just fallen. There was a veritable
stampede on the staircase--its walls rang with exclamations, and
everyone was in a savage hurry to dress and be off. As Count Muffat
came down the last step or two he saw Nana and the prince passing slowly
along the passage. The young woman halted and lowered her voice as she
sa