Julien set to work to pour out the champagne and did so without mishap, but Francois, who was handing round the fruit, was so unfortunate as to tilt the fruit dish too low, and the apples, the pears and the grapes rolled on the table.
"You bloody clumsy lot!" cried Nana.
The footman was mistaken enough to try and explain that the fruit had not been firmly piled up.

Zoe had disarranged it by taking out some oranges.
"Then it's Zoe that's the goose!" said Nana.
"Madame--" murmured the lady's maid in an injured tone.
Straightway Madame rose to her feet, and in a sharp voice and with royally authoritative gesture: "We've had enough of this, haven't we?
Leave the room, all of you! We don't want you any longer!" This summary procedure calmed her down, and she was forthwith all sweetness and amiability.

The dessert proved charming, and the gentlemen grew quite merry waiting on themselves.

But Satin, having peeled a pear, came and ate it behind her darling, leaning on her shoulder the while and whispering sundry little remarks in her ear, at which they both laughed very loudly.

By and by she wanted to share her last piece of pear with Nana and presented it to her between her teeth.