A splendid deal! Muffat was getting rid of her in every sense of the word; it was a pretty trick to have plucked him of this last feather! But Rose in her anger vouchsafed no answer.

Whereupon Mignon in disdain left her to her feminine spite and, turning to Bordenave, who was once more on the stage with Fauchery and Muffat, said: "We'll sign tomorrow morning.

Have the money in readiness." At this moment Nana, to whom Labordette had brought the news, came down to the stage in triumph.

She was quite the honest woman now and wore a most distinguished expression in order to overwhelm her friends and prove to the idiots that when she chose she could give them all points in the matter of smartness.

But she nearly got into trouble, for at the sight of her Rose darted forward, choking with rage and stuttering: "Yes, you, I'll pay you out! Things can't go on like this; d'you understand ?" Nana forgot herself in face of this brisk attack and was going to put her arms akimbo and give her what for.