As she accompanied him to the door Nana remembered the baker and briskly inquired: "By the by, you wouldn't be having ten louis about you ?" Labordette made it a solemn rule, which stood him in good stead, never to lend women money.

He used always to make the same reply.
"No, my girl, I'm short.

But would you like me to go to your little rough ?" She refused; it was useless.

Two days before she had succeeded in getting five thousand francs out of the count.

However, she soon regretted her discreet conduct, for the moment Labordette had gone the baker reappeared, though it was barely half-past two, and with many loud oaths roughly settled himself on a bench in the hall.