. "That's what happens before, but
afterward, what then?"

She laughed merrily.

"Yes, just so, before and after! When I'm going to sleep I hear him
jawing away again. But the biggest bore of all is that we can't argue
about anything now without his growing 'pi.' I've always been religious.
Yes, chaff as much as you like; that won't prevent me believing what
I do believe! Only he's too much of a nuisance: he blubbers; he talks
about remorse. The day before yesterday, for instance, he had a regular
fit of it after our usual row, and I wasn't the least bit reassured when
all was over."

But she broke off, crying out:

"Just look at the Mignons arriving. Dear me, they've brought the
children! Oh, how those little chaps are dressed up!"

The Mignons were in a landau of severe hue; there was something
substantially luxurious about their turnout, suggesting rich retired
tradespeople. Rose was in a gray silk gown trimmed with red knots and
with puffs; she was smiling happily at the joyous behavior of Henri and
Charles, who sat on the front seat, looking awkward in their ill-fitting
collegians' tunics. But when the landau had drawn up by the rails and
she perceived Nana sitting in triumph among her bouquets, with her four
horses and her liveries, she pursed up her lips, sat bolt upright and
turned her head away. Mignon, on the other hand, looking the picture
of freshness and gaiety, waved her a salutation. He made it a matter of
principle to keep out of feminine disagreements.

"By the by," Nana resumed, "d'you know a little old man who's very clean
and neat and has bad teeth--a Monsieur Venot? He came to see me this
morning."

"Monsieur Venot?" said Georges in great astonishment. "It's impossible!
Why, the man's a Jesuit!"

"Precisely; I spotted that. Oh, you have no idea what our conversation
was like! It was just funny! He spoke to me about the count, about his
divided house, and begged me to restore a family its happiness. He was
very polite and very smiling for the matter of that. Then I answered to
the effect that I wanted nothing better, and I undertook to reconcile
the count and his wife. You know it's not humbug. I should be delighted
to see them all happy again, the poor things! Besides, it would be a
relief to me for there are days--yes, there are days--when he bores me
to death."

The weariness of the last months escaped her in this heartfelt outburst.
Moreover, the count appeared to be in big money diff