ce all she
ought to tell her, to keep her on her guard against men, and it was not
her fault if the girl still had a liking for the nasty beasts. Now, she
washed her hands of the whole business; she swore she would not mix
up in it, for she knew what she knew about scandalmongers in her own
family, yes, certain persons who had the nerve to accuse her of going
astray with Nana and finding an indecent pleasure in watching her take
her first misstep. Then Coupeau found out from the proprietress that
Nana was being corrupted by that little floozie Leonie, who had given up
flower-making to go on the street. Nana was being tempted by the jingle
of cash and the lure of adventure on the streets.

In the tenement in the Rue de la Goutte-d'Or, Nana's old fellow was
talked about as a gentleman everyone was acquainted with. Oh! he
remained very polite, even a little timid, but awfully obstinate
and patient, following her ten paces behind like an obedient poodle.
Sometimes, indeed, he ventured into the courtyard. One evening,
Madame Gaudron met him on the second floor landing, and he glided down
alongside the balusters with his nose lowered and looking as if on fire,
but frightened. The Lorilleuxs threatened to move out if that wayward
niece of theirs brought men trailing in after her. It was disgusting.
The staircase was full of them. The Boches said that they felt sympathy
for the old gentleman because he had fallen for a tramp. He was really
a respectable businessman, they had seen his button factory on the
Boulevard de la Villette. He would be an excellent catch for a decent
girl.

For the first month Nana was greatly amused with her old flirt. You
should have seen him always dogging her--a perfect great nuisance, who
followed far behind, in the crowd, without seeming to do so. And his
legs! Regular lucifers. No more moss on his pate, only four straight
hairs falling on his neck, so that she was always tempted to ask him
where his hairdresser lived. Ah! what an old gaffer, he was comical and
no mistake, nothing to get excited over.

Then, on finding him always behind her, she no longer thought him so
funny. She became afraid of him and would have called out if he had
approached her. Often, when she stopped in front of a jeweler's shop,
she heard him stammering something behind her. And what he said was
true; she would have liked to have had a cross with a velvet neck-band,
or a pair of coral earrings, so small you would have