Nana (Barnes & Noble Classics) - Emile Zola [213]
“Never mind, my girl; only depend upon yourself. Your body’s your own, and it’s best to make use of it rather than to submit to an insult.”
And without even ringing for Zoé, she hastily dressed herself to go to old Tricon’s. It was her supreme resource in the hours of great distress. Very much asked for, always required by the old woman, she refused or accepted, according to her wants; and the days, which were becoming more and more frequent, when she suffered from any embarrassment in her royal career, she was always sure of finding twenty-five louis awaiting her there. She would go to old Tricon’s in the easy style gained by habit, the same as poor people go to the pawn-shop.
But on leaving her bed-room, she ran up against George, standing in the middle of the parlour. She did not notice his wax-like paleness, the dull light in his wide open eyes. She uttered a sigh of relief.
“Ah! you’ve come from your brother?”
“No,” said the youngster, turning paler still.
Then she made a gesture of despair. What did he want? Why was he standing in front of her? Come, she was in a hurry; and she passed him. Then retracing her steps, she asked,
“Have you any money with you?”
“No.”
“It’s true—how stupid of me! Never a thing, not even the six sous for their omnibus. Mamma won’t. What men!”
And she was hurrying off; but he stopped her. He wished to speak to her. She, excited, kept saying that she had not time, when with a word he made her leave off.
“Listen, I know you are going to marry my brother.”
Well, that was comic. She dropped into a chair to laugh at her ease.
“Yes,” continued the youngster; “and I will not have it. It is I whom you must marry. That is why I have come.”
“Eh, what? you also?” she exclaimed. “Is it then a family complaint? But, never! What an idea! Did I ever ask you to do such a disgraceful thing? Neither the one nor the other—never!”
Then George’s face brightened up. He might by chance have been mistaken. He resumed, “Then swear to me that you are not my brother’s mistress.”
“Ah! you’re becoming a confounded nuisance!” said Nana, rising to her feet, impatient to be off. “It’s funny for a minute, but I tell you I’m in a hurry! I’m your brother’s mistress when I choose to be. Do you keep me—do you pay here, that you come and call me to account? Yes, I’m your brother’s mistress.”
He had seized her arm, and squeezed it almost enough to break it, as he stammered out, “Don’t say that—don’t say that—”
With a slap she freed herself.
“He’s whipping me now! the young monkey! My little fellow, you must be off, and at once too. I’ve let you be here through kindness. It’s just so, however wide you may open your eyes! You didn’t expect, I suppose, to have me for your mamma until the day of my death. I’ve something better to do than to nurse brats.”
He listened to her in an agony which stiffened his limbs and left him powerless. Each word stabbed him to the heart, with a blow so hard that he felt it was killing him. She, not even noticing his suffering, continued, happy at being able to vent herself on him for all her worries of the morning.
“It’s just the same with your brother; he’s a nice one, he is! He promised me two hundred francs. Ah, well! I may wait for ever for him. It’s not that I care about his money! Not enough to pay for my pomades. But he’s left me in a fix! Now would you like to know? Well, through your brother’s fault, I’m going out to earn twenty-five louis from another man.”
Then, in a state of bewilderment, he stood before the door; and he cried, and implored, clasping his hands together,