him in a sort
of sensual ecstasy. She had a very coaxing way with him and would
intoxicate him with furtive kisses and yield herself to him in sudden
fits of self-abandonment, which tied him to her apron strings the moment
he was able to escape from his military duties.

One evening, Nana having announced that her name, too, was Therese and
that her fete day was the fifteenth of October, the gentlemen all sent
her presents. Captain Philippe brought his himself; it was an old comfit
dish in Dresden china, and it had a gold mount. He found her alone in
her dressing room. She had just emerged from the bath, had nothing
on save a great red-and-white flannel bathing wrap and was very busy
examining her presents, which were ranged on a table. She had already
broken a rock-crystal flask in her attempts to unstopper it.

"Oh, you're too nice!" she said. "What is it? Let's have a peep! What a
baby you are to spend your pennies in little fakements like that!"

She scolded him, seeing that he was not rich, but at heart she was
delighted to see him spending his whole substance for her. Indeed, this
was the only proof of love which had power to touch her. Meanwhile she
was fiddling away at the comfit dish, opening it and shutting it in her
desire to see how it was made.

"Take care," he murmured, "it's brittle."

But she shrugged her shoulders. Did he think her as clumsy as a street
porter? And all of a sudden the hinge came off between her fingers and
the lid fell and was broken. She was stupefied and remained gazing at
the fragments as she cried:

"Oh, it's smashed!"

Then she burst out laughing. The fragments lying on the floor tickled
her fancy. Her merriment was of the nervous kind, the stupid, spiteful
laughter of a child who delights in destruction. Philippe had a little
fit of disgust, for the wretched girl did not know what anguish this
curio had cost him. Seeing him thoroughly upset, she tried to contain
herself.

"Gracious me, it isn't my fault! It was cracked; those old things barely
hold together. Besides, it was the cover! Didn't you see the bound it
gave?"

And she once more burst into uproarious mirth.

But though he made an effort to the contrary, tears appeared in the
young man's eyes, and with that she flung her arms tenderly round his
neck.

"How silly you are! You know I love you all the same. If one never
broke anything the tradesmen would never sell anything. All that sort of
thing's made to be