appearance at the Folies. Labordette had
brought the whole collection in a single fly, and they were still
laughing at the way they had been squeezed with Maria Blond on her
knees. But on entering the room they pursed up their lips, and all grew
very conventional as they shook hands and exchanged salutations.
Gaga even affected the infantile and lisped through excess of genteel
deportment. Tatan Nene alone transgressed. They had been telling her as
they came along that six absolutely naked Negroes would serve up Nana's
supper, and she now grew anxious about them and asked to see them.
Labordette called her a goose and besought her to be silent.

"And Bordenave?" asked Fauchery.

"Oh, you may imagine how miserable I am," cried Nana; "he won't be able
to join us."

"Yes," said Rose Mignon, "his foot caught in a trap door, and he's got
a fearful sprain. If only you could hear him swearing, with his leg tied
up and laid out on a chair!"

Thereupon everybody mourned over Bordenave's absence. No one ever gave
a good supper without Bordenave. Ah well, they would try and do without
him, and they were already talking about other matters when a burly
voice was heard:

"What, eh, what? Is that the way they're going to write my obituary
notice?"

There was a shout, and all heads were turned round, for it was indeed
Bordenave. Huge and fiery-faced, he was standing with his stiff leg
in the doorway, leaning for support on Simonne Cabiroche's shoulder.
Simonne was for the time being his mistress. This little creature had
had a certain amount of education and could play the piano and talk
English. She was a blonde on a tiny, pretty scale and so delicately
formed that she seemed to bend under Bordenave's rude weight. Yet she
was smilingly submissive withal. He postured there for some moments, for
he felt that together they formed a tableau.

"One can't help liking ye, eh?" he continued. "Zounds, I was afraid I
should get bored, and I said to myself, 'Here goes.'"

But he interrupted himself with an oath.

"Oh, damn!"

Simonne had taken a step too quickly forward, and his foot had just felt
his full weight. He gave her a rough push, but she, still smiling away
and ducking her pretty head as some animal might that is afraid of a
beating, held him up with all the strength a little plump blonde can
command. Amid all these exclamations there was a rush to his assistance.
Nana and Rose Mignon rolled up an armchair, into which Bor