As her dining room was too small, the manager had arranged the table in the drawing room, a table with twenty-five covers, placed somewhat close together.
"Is everything ready ?" asked Nana when she returned at midnight.
"Oh! I don't know," replied Zoe roughly, looking beside herself with worry.

"The Lord be thanked, I don't bother about anything.

They're making a fearful mess in the kitchen and all over the flat! I've had to fight my battles too.

The other two came again.

My eye! I did just chuck 'em out!" She referred, of course, to her employer's old admirers, the tradesman and the Walachian, to whom Nana, sure of her future and longing to shed her skin, as she phrased it, had decided to give the go-by.
"There are a couple of leeches for you!" she muttered.
"If they come back threaten to go to the police." Then she called Daguenet and Georges, who had remained behind in the anteroom, where they were hanging up their overcoats.