om whom stories about women are concealed. Accordingly he
experienced an uneasy sense of shame when he saw him so free in Nana's
company and heard him laugh uproariously, as became a man who was
plunging into a life of pleasure with the gusto born of magnificent
health. Nevertheless, when his brother shortly began to present himself
every day, Georges ended by getting somewhat used to it all. Nana was
radiant.

This, her latest installation, had been involving all the riotous waste
attendant on the life of gallantry, and now her housewarming was being
defiantly celebrated in a grand mansion positively overflowing with
males and with furniture.

One afternoon when the Hugons were there Count Muffat arrived out of
hours. But when Zoe told him that Madame was with friends he refused
to come in and took his departure discreetly, as became a gallant
gentleman. When he made his appearance again in the evening Nana
received him with the frigid indignation of a grossly affronted woman.

"Sir," she said, "I have given you no cause why you should insult me.
You must understand this: when I am at home to visitors, I beg you to
make your appearance just like other people."

The count simply gaped in astonishment. "But, my dear--" he endeavored
to explain.

"Perhaps it was because I had visitors! Yes, there were men here, but
what d'you suppose I was doing with those men? You only advertise a
woman's affairs when you act the discreet lover, and I don't want to be
advertised; I don't!"

He obtained his pardon with difficulty, but at bottom he was enchanted.
It was with scenes such as these that she kept him in unquestioning and
docile submission. She had long since succeeded in imposing Georges on
him as a young vagabond who, she declared, amused her. She made him dine
with Philippe, and the count behaved with great amiability. When they
rose from table he took the young man on one side and asked news of his
mother. From that time forth the young Hugons, Vandeuvres and Muffat
were openly about the house and shook hands as guests and intimates
might have done. It was a more convenient arrangement than the previous
one. Muffat alone still abstained discreetly from too-frequent visits,
thus adhering to the ceremonious policy of an ordinary strange caller.
At night when Nana was sitting on her bearskins drawing off her
stockings, he would talk amicably about the other three gentlemen and
lay especial stress on Philippe, who was lo