He gave a choking cry and stood gaping at them.
Nana had bounded up, and now she pushed him into the bedroom in order to give the lad time to escape.
"Come in," she murmured with reeling senses, "I'll explain." She was exasperated at being thus surprised.

Never before had she given way like this in her own house, in her own drawing room, when the doors were open.

It was a long story: Georges and she had had a disagreement; he had been mad with jealousy of Philippe, and he had sobbed so bitterly on her bosom that she had yielded to him, not knowing how else to calm him and really very full of pity for him at heart.

And on this solitary occasion, when she had been stupid enough to forget herself thus with a little rascal who could not even now bring her bouquets of violets, so short did his mother keep him--on this solitary occasion the count turned up and came straight down on them.

'Gad, she had very bad luck! That was what one got if one was a good-natured wench! Meanwhile in the bedroom, into which she had pushed Muffat, the darkness was complete.