He knew this power and rocked Nana to sleep with endless words, telling her all kinds of idiotic anecdotes.

When they left the table d'hote she was blushing rosy-red; she trembled as she hung on his arm; he had reconquered her.

As it was very fine, she sent her carriage away and walked with him as far as his own place, where she went upstairs with him naturally enough.

Two hours later, as she was dressing again, she said: "So you hold to this marriage of yours, Mimi ?" "Egad," he muttered, "it's the best thing I could possibly do after all! You know I'm stony broke." She summoned him to button her boots, and after a pause: "Good heavens! I've no objection.

I'll shove you on! She's as dry as a lath, is that little thing, but since it suits your game--oh, I'm agreeable: I'll run the thing through for you." Then with bosom still uncovered, she began laughing: "Only what will you give me ?" He had caught her in his arms and was kissing her on the shoulders in a perfect access of gratitude while she quivered with excitement and struggled merrily and threw herself backward in her efforts to be free.
"Oh, I know," she cried, excited by the contest.