In the early days it was really delicious.
On Twelfth Night Mme Lerat and Louiset were the first to arrive.

As Fontan had not yet come home, the old lady ventured to give expression to her fears, for she trembled to see her niece renouncing the chance of wealth.
"Oh, Aunt, I love him so dearly!" cried Nana, pressing her hands to her heart with the prettiest of gestures.
This phrase produced an extraordinary effect on Mme Lerat, and tears came into her eyes.
"That's true," she said with an air of conviction.

"Love before all things!" And with that she went into raptures over the prettiness of the rooms.
Nana took her to see the bedroom, the parlor and the very kitchen.
Gracious goodness, it wasn't a vast place, but then, they had painted it afresh and put up new wallpapers.

Besides, the sun shone merrily into it during the daytime.
Thereupon Mme Lerat detained the young woman in the bedroom, while Louiset installed himself behind the charwoman in the kitchen in order to watch a chicken being roasted.

If, said Mme Lerat, she permitted herself to say what was in her mind, it was because Zoe had just been at her house.