and the bed
was not delivered till one day about the middle of January. Muffat was
just then in Normandy, whither he had gone to sell a last stray shred of
property, but Nana demanded four thousand francs forthwith. He was not
due in Paris till the day after tomorrow, but when his business was once
finished he hastened his return and without even paying a flying visit
in the Rue Miromesnil came direct to the Avenue de Villiers. Ten o'clock
was striking. As he had a key of a little door opening on the Rue
Cardinet, he went up unhindered. In the drawing room upstairs Zoe, who
was polishing the bronzes, stood dumfounded at sight of him, and not
knowing how to stop him, she began with much circumlocution, informing
him that M. Venot, looking utterly beside himself, had been searching
for him since yesterday and that he had already come twice to beg her to
send Monsieur to his house if Monsieur arrived at Madame's before going
home. Muffat listened to her without in the least understanding the
meaning of her recital; then he noticed her agitation and was seized by
a sudden fit of jealousy of which he no longer believed himself capable.
He threw himself against the bedroom door, for he heard the sound of
laughter within. The door gave; its two flaps flew asunder, while Zoe
withdrew, shrugging her shoulders. So much the worse for Madame! As
Madame was bidding good-by to her wits, she might arrange matters for
herself.

And on the threshold Muffat uttered a cry at the sight that was
presented to his view.

"My God! My God!"

The renovated bedroom was resplendent in all its royal luxury. Silver
buttons gleamed like bright stars on the tea-rose velvet of the
hangings. These last were of that pink flesh tint which the skies assume
on fine evenings, when Venus lights her fires on the horizon against
the clear background of fading daylight. The golden cords and tassels
hanging in corners and the gold lace-work surrounding the panels were
like little flames of ruddy strands of loosened hair, and they half
covered the wide nakedness of the room while they emphasized its pale,
voluptuous tone. Then over against him there was the gold and silver
bed, which shone in all the fresh splendor of its chiseled workmanship,
a throne this of sufficient extent for Nana to display the outstretched
glory of her naked limbs, an altar of Byzantine sumptuousness, worthy of
the almighty puissance of Nana's sex, which at this very hour lay nudely
di