he tears from her eyes without answering. When she became
somewhat calmer, she began curling her flowers again and declared, "It
can't be repeated."

The others insisted, but she shook her head, seized again with a gust
of gaiety. Thereupon Augustine, her left-hand neighbor, besought her to
whisper it to her; and finally Leonie consented to do so with her lips
close to Augustine's ear. Augustine threw herself back and wriggled with
convulsive laughter in her turn. Then she repeated the phrase to a
girl next to her, and from ear to ear it traveled round the room amid
exclamations and stifled laughter. When they were all of them acquainted
with Sophie's disgusting remark they looked at one another and burst out
laughing together although a little flushed and confused. Madame Lerat
alone was not in the secret and she felt extremely vexed.

"That's very impolite behavior on your part, young ladies," said she.
"It is not right to whisper when other people are present. Something
indecent no doubt! Ah! that's becoming!"

She did not dare go so far as to ask them to pass Sophie's remark on to
her although she burned to hear it. So she kept her eyes on her work,
amusing herself by listening to the conversation. Now no one could
make even an innocent remark without the others twisting it around and
connecting it with the gentleman on the sidewalk. Madame Lerat herself
once sent them into convulsions of laughter when she said, "Mademoiselle
Lisa, my fire's gone out. Pass me yours."

"Oh! Madame Lerat's fire's out!" laughed the whole shop.

They refused to listen to any explanation, but maintained they were
going to call in the gentleman outside to rekindle Madame Lerat's fire.

However, the gentleman over the way had gone off. The room grew calmer
and the work was carried on in the sultry heat. When twelve o'clock
struck--meal-time--they all shook themselves. Nana, who had hastened
to the window again, volunteered to do the errands if they liked. And
Leonie ordered two sous worth of shrimps, Augustine a screw of fried
potatoes, Lisa a bunch of radishes, Sophie a sausage. Then as Nana was
doing down the stairs, Madame Lerat, who found her partiality for the
window that morning rather curious, overtook her with her long legs.

"Wait a bit," said she. "I'll go with you. I want to buy something too."

But in the passage below she perceived the gentleman, stuck there like
a candle and exchanging glances with Nana. The girl flush