f her knees served to outline the rounded contour of
the thigh under the thin fabric of her skirt. A little flush of blood
appeared in the marquis's cadaverous cheeks. Count Muffat, who was on
the point of speaking, lowered his eyes. The air of that little room was
too hot: it had the close, heavy warmth of a greenhouse. The roses were
withering, and intoxicating odors floated up from the patchouli in the
cup.

"One would like to be very rich on occasions like this," added Nana.
"Well, well, we each do what we can. Believe me, gentlemen, if I had
known--"

She was on the point of being guilty of a silly speech, so melted was
she at heart. But she did not end her sentence and for a moment was
worried at not being able to remember where she had put her fifty francs
on changing her dress. But she recollected at last: they must be on the
corner of her toilet table under an inverted pomatum pot. As she was
in the act of rising the bell sounded for quite a long time. Capital!
Another of them still! It would never end. The count and the marquis had
both risen, too, and the ears of the latter seemed to be pricked up and,
as it were, pointing toward the door; doubtless he knew that kind of
ring. Muffat looked at him; then they averted their gaze mutually. They
felt awkward and once more assumed their frigid bearing, the one looking
square-set and solid with his thick head of hair, the other drawing back
his lean shoulders, over which fell his fringe of thin white locks.

"My faith," said Nana, bringing the ten big silver pieces and quite
determined to laugh about it, "I am going to entrust you with this,
gentlemen. It is for the poor."

And the adorable little dimple in her chin became apparent. She assumed
her favorite pose, her amiable baby expression, as she held the pile of
five-franc pieces on her open palm and offered it to the men, as though
she were saying to them, "Now then, who wants some?" The count was the
sharper of the two. He took fifty francs but left one piece behind and,
in order to gain possession of it, had to pick it off the young woman's
very skin, a moist, supple skin, the touch of which sent a thrill
through him. She was thoroughly merry and did not cease laughing.

"Come, gentlemen," she continued. "Another time I hope to give more."

The gentlemen no longer had any pretext for staying, and they bowed and
went toward the door. But just as they were about to go out the bell
rang anew. The marquis co