When two o'clock struck the candle was still burning, and a sound of soft, smothered laughter and lovers' talk was audible in the room.
But suddenly a loud noise came up from the lower floors of the hotel, and Satin, with next to nothing on, got up and listened intently.
"The police!" she said, growing very pale.
"Oh, blast our bad luck! We're bloody well done for!" Often had she told stories about the raids on hotel made by the plainclothes men.

But that particular night neither of them had suspected anything when they took shelter in the Rue de Laval.

At the sound of the word "police" Nana lost her head.

She jumped out of bed and ran across the room with the scared look of a madwoman about to jump out of the window.

Luckily, however, the little courtyard was roofed with glass, which was covered with an iron-wire grating at the level of the girls' bedroom.