He had not expected to be shown off in this situation; nevertheless, he took things very easily, for he was used to sudden surprises on the stage.
Indeed, after the first shock he even hit upon a grimace calculated to tide him honorably over his difficulty; he "turned rabbit," as he phrased it, and stuck out his lips and wrinkled up his nose, so as completely to transform the lower half of his face.

His base, satyrlike head seemed to exude incontinence.

It was this man Fontan then whom Nana had been to fetch at the Varieties every day for a week past, for she was smitten with that fierce sort of passion which the grimacing ugliness of a low comedian is wont to inspire in the genus courtesan.
"There!" she said, pointing him out with tragic gesture.
Muffat, who hitherto had pocketed everything, rebelled at this affront.
"Bitch!" he stammered.
But Nana, who was once more in the bedroom, came back in order to have the last word.
"How am I a bitch?
What about your wife ?" And she was off and, slamming the door with a bang, she noisily pushed to the bolt.

Left alone, the two men gazed at one another in silence.
Zoe had just come into the room, but she did not drive them out.

Nay, she spoke to them in the most sensible manner.