, I don't bother about anything. They're
making a fearful mess in the kitchen and all over the flat! I've had to
fight my battles too. The other two came again. My eye! I did just chuck
'em out!"

She referred, of course, to her employer's old admirers, the tradesman
and the Walachian, to whom Nana, sure of her future and longing to shed
her skin, as she phrased it, had decided to give the go-by.

"There are a couple of leeches for you!" she muttered.

"If they come back threaten to go to the police."

Then she called Daguenet and Georges, who had remained behind in the
anteroom, where they were hanging up their overcoats. They had both met
at the stage door in the Passage des Panoramas, and she had brought them
home with her in a cab. As there was nobody there yet, she shouted
to them to come into the dressing room while Zoe was touching up her
toilet. Hurriedly and without changing her dress she had her hair done
up and stuck white roses in her chignon and at her bosom. The little
room was littered with the drawing-room furniture, which the workmen had
been compelled to roll in there, and it was full of a motley assemblage
of round tables, sofas and armchairs, with their legs in air for the
most part. Nana was quite ready when her dress caught on a castor and
tore upward. At this she swore furiously; such things only happened
to her! Ragingly she took off her dress, a very simple affair of white
foulard, of so thin and supple a texture that it clung about her like
a long shift. But she put it on again directly, for she could not find
another to her taste, and with tears in her eyes declared that she was
dressed like a ragpicker. Daguenet and Georges had to patch up the rent
with pins, while Zoe once more arranged her hair. All three hurried
round her, especially the boy, who knelt on the floor with his hands
among her skirts. And at last she calmed down again when Daguenet
assured her it could not be later than a quarter past twelve, seeing
that by dint of scamping her words and skipping her lines she had
effectually shortened the third act of the Blonde Venus.

"The play's still far too good for that crowd of idiots," she said. "Did
you see? There were thousands there tonight. Zoe, my girl, you will
wait in here. Don't go to bed, I shall want you. By gum, it is time they
came. Here's company!"

She ran off while Georges stayed where he was with the skirts of his
coat brushing the floor. He blushed, seeing Dague