celebrity. Why had Vandeuvres got this jockey to come over, seeing that
Gresham ordinarily rode Nana? Besides, they were astonished to see him
confiding Lusignan to this man Gresham, who, according to La Faloise,
never got a place. But all these remarks were swallowed up in jokes,
contradictions and an extraordinarily noisy confusion of opinions. In
order to kill time the company once more set themselves to drain bottles
of champagne. Presently a whisper ran round, and the different groups
opened outward. It was Vandeuvres. Nana affected vexation.

"Dear me, you're a nice fellow to come at this time of day! Why, I'm
burning to see the enclosure."

"Well, come along then," he said; "there's still time. You'll take a
stroll round with me. I just happen to have a permit for a lady about
me."

And he led her off on his arm while she enjoyed the jealous glances with
which Lucy, Caroline and the others followed her. The young Hugons
and La Faloise remained in the landau behind her retreating figure and
continued to do the honors of her champagne. She shouted to them that
she would return immediately.

But Vandeuvres caught sight of Labordette and called him, and there was
an interchange of brief sentences.

"You've scraped everything up?"

"Yes."

"To what amount?"

"Fifteen hundred louis--pretty well all over the place."

As Nana was visibly listening, and that with much curiosity, they held
their tongues. Vandeuvres was very nervous, and he had those same clear
eyes, shot with little flames, which so frightened her the night he
spoke of burning himself and his horses together. As they crossed over
the course she spoke low and familiarly.

"I say, do explain this to me. Why are the odds on your filly changing?"

He trembled, and this sentence escaped him:

"Ah, they're talking, are they? What a set those betting men are! When
I've got the favorite they all throw themselves upon him, and there's
no chance for me. After that, when an outsider's asked for, they give
tongue and yell as though they were being skinned."

"You ought to tell me what's going to happen--I've made my bets," she
rejoined. "Has Nana a chance?"

A sudden, unreasonable burst of anger overpowered him.

"Won't you deuced well let me be, eh? Every horse has a chance. The odds
are shortening because, by Jove, people have taken the horse. Who, I
don't know. I should prefer leaving you if you must needs badger me with
your idiotic questions."