She played at being Mamma while he wickedly enjoyed being dandled in the arms of the great wench and allowed himself to be rocked to and fro like a baby that is being sent to sleep.

It was all so delightful, and Nana was so charmed with her present existence, that she seriously proposed to him never to leave the country.

They would send all the other people away, and he, she and the child would live alone.

And with that they would make a thousand plans till daybreak and never once hear Mme Lerat as she snored vigorously after the fatigues of a day spent in picking country flowers.
This charming existence lasted nearly a week.

Count Muffat used to come every evening and go away again with disordered face and burning hands.
One evening he was not even received, as Steiner had been obliged to run up to Paris.