de. Turning round, Nana could see the walking party hesitating and
then returning the way they had come without crossing the bridge. Mme
Hugon was leaning silently on Count Muffat's arm, and so sad was her
look that no one dared comfort her.

"I say, did you see Fauchery, dear?" Nana shouted to Lucy, who was
leaning out of the carriage in front. "What a brute he was! He shall pay
out for that. And Paul, too, a fellow I've been so kind to! Not a sign!
They're polite, I'm sure."

And with that she gave Steiner a terrible dressing, he having ventured
to suggest that the gentlemen's attitude had been quite as it should be.
So then they weren't even worth a bow? The first blackguard that came
by might insult them? Thanks! He was the right sort, too, he was! It
couldn't be better! One ought always to bow to a woman.

"Who's the tall one?" asked Lucy at random, shouting through the noise
of the wheels.

"It's the Countess Muffat," answered Steiner.

"There now! I suspected as much," said Nana. "Now, my dear fellow, it's
all very well her being a countess, for she's no better than she should
be. Yes, yes, she's no better that she should be. You know, I've got an
eye for such things, I have! And now I know your countess as well as if
I had been at the making of her! I'll bet you that she's the mistress of
that viper Fauchery! I tell you, she's his mistress! Between women you
guess that sort of thing at once!"

Steiner shrugged his shoulders. Since the previous day his irritation
had been hourly increasing. He had received letters which necessitated
his leaving the following morning, added to which he did not much
appreciate coming down to the country in order to sleep on the
drawing-room divan.

"And this poor baby boy!" Nana continued, melting suddenly at sight of
Georges's pale face as he still sat rigid and breathless in front of
her.

"D'you think Mamma recognized me?" he stammered at last.

"Oh, most surely she did! Why, she cried out! But it's my fault. He
didn't want to come with us; I forced him to. Now listen, Zizi, would
you like me to write to your mamma? She looks such a kind, decent sort
of lady! I'll tell her that I never saw you before and that it was
Steiner who brought you with him for the first time today."

"No, no, don't write," said Georges in great anxiety. "I'll explain it
all myself. Besides, if they bother me about it I shan't go home again."

But he continued plunged in thought, racking his