e crowd as though enthroned amid her
feminine subjects. All the latter smiled discreetly at her while she,
in her superiority, pretended not to know them. She wasn't there for
business purposes: she was watching the races for the love of the thing,
as became a frantic gambler with a passion for horseflesh.

"Dear me, there's that idiot La Faloise!" said Georges suddenly.

It was a surprise to them all. Nana did not recognize her La Faloise,
for since he had come into his inheritance he had grown extraordinarily
up to date. He wore a low collar and was clad in a cloth of delicate
hue which fitted close to his meager shoulders. His hair was in little
bandeaux, and he affected a weary kind of swagger, a soft tone of voice
and slang words and phrases which he did not take the trouble to finish.

"But he's quite the thing!" declared Nana in perfect enchantment.

Gaga and Clarisse had called La Faloise and were throwing themselves
at him in their efforts to regain his allegiance, but he left them
immediately, rolling off in a chaffing, disdainful manner. Nana dazzled
him. He rushed up to her and stood on the carriage step, and when she
twitted him about Gaga he murmured:

"Oh dear, no! We've seen the last of the old lot! Mustn't play her off
on me any more. And then, you know, it's you now, Juliet mine!"

He had put his hand to his heart. Nana laughed a good deal at this
exceedingly sudden out-of-door declaration. She continued:

"I say, that's not what I'm after. You're making me forget that I want
to lay wagers. Georges, you see that bookmaker down there, a great
red-faced man with curly hair? He's got a dirty blackguard expression
which I like. You're to go and choose--Oh, I say, what can one choose?"

"I'm not a patriotic soul--oh dear, no!" La Faloise blurted out. "I'm
all for the Englishman. It will be ripping if the Englishman gains! The
French may go to Jericho!"

Nana was scandalized. Presently the merits of the several horses began
to be discussed, and La Faloise, wishing to be thought very much in
the swim, spoke of them all as sorry jades. Frangipane, Baron Verdier's
horse, was by The Truth out of Lenore. A big bay horse he was, who
would certainly have stood a chance if they hadn't let him get foundered
during training. As to Valerio II from the Corbreuse stable, he wasn't
ready yet; he'd had the colic in April. Oh yes, they were keeping that
dark, but he was sure of it, on his honor! In the end he advise