Nana (Barnes & Noble Classics) - Emile Zola [54]
But sounds of laughter were heard coming from the anteroom, there were whisperings, and then quite a hubbub of gay voices all speaking at once, as though a whole convent full of girls had been let loose there. Suddenly Labordette appeared, dragging five women behind him—his school, as Lucy Stewart maliciously termed them. There was Gaga, looking very majestic in a blue velvet dress that was a great deal too tight for her, Caroline Héquet, always in black Flemish silk trimmed with Chantilly lace, then Léa de Horn, most slovenly dressed as usual, plump Tatan Néné, a jolly fair girl with the breast of a wet-nurse, whom every one made fun of, and finally little Maria Blond, a girl of fifteen, as thin and as wicked as a street-arab, and who was becoming quite the fashion ever since her first appearance at the Folies-Dramatiques Theatre. Labordette had brought them all in the same cab; and they were still laughing at the recollection of how they had been squeezed together, with Maria Blond on the others’ knees. But they composed themselves, shaking hands and bowing all round, like the most respectable people. Gaga acted quite childishly; and even stuttered in her attempts to behave well. Tatan Néné, however, who had been told coming along that six naked blacks would wait on them during Nana’s supper, became very uneasy at not seeing them. Labordette called her a goose, and told her to hold her tongue.
“And Bordenave?” inquired Fauchery.
“Oh! I am really quite upset,” cried Nana, “he will not be able to join us.”
“Yes,” said Rose Mignon, “his foot caught in a trap-door and he has sprained his ankle most abominably. If you had only heard him swear, with his leg all tied up and stretched out on a chair! ”
Then, they all expressed their regret. No one ever gave a good supper without Bordenave. However, they must try to do without him. And they were already talking of something else, when the sound of a loud voice reached them—
“What next! what next! so that’s the way I’m buried and forgotten!”
There was a shout, and all the heads were turned in the direction of the door. It was Bordenave—enormous in size and very red, his leg stretched out straight—who appeared leaning on Simone Cabiroche’s shoulder. For the time being, Simone was the lady of his affections. The child, who had received a good education, being able to play the piano and speak English, was fair and very pretty, but so delicate that she quite bent beneath Bordenave’s heavy weight, though smiling and submissive all the time. He stood still for a few seconds, conscious that they made quite a picture.
“Well! what do you say? just see how I love you,” he continued. “The truth is, I was afraid I should feel deuced dull, so I said to myself, ‘I shall go.’ ” But he interrupted himself with an oath, “Damnation!”
Simone had made a step rather too quickly, and his foot had touched the ground. He abused and shook her. She, without ceasing her smile, held down her pretty face like an animal that is afraid of being beaten, supporting him with all the strength of a plump little blonde. However, in the midst of his exclamation, the others hastened to assist him. Nana and Rose Mignon wheeled forward an arm-chair, into which Bordenave allowed himself to be placed, whilst the other women slipped another chair beneath his injured leg; and all the actresses, who were there, kissed him as a matter of course. He groaned, he sighed.
“Confound it! confound it! Anyhow, the stomach’s all right, as you’ll soon see.”
Other guests had arrived, and one could scarcely move about in the room. The noise of the plate and the crockery had ceased; but now the sound of a quarrel came from the drawing-room, where the head-waiter was speaking in a furious tone of voice. Nana was becoming very impatient, for, not expecting any one else, she was surprised the supper was not served. She had sent George off to see what the waiters were about, when, to her great surprise, some more people, both men and women, entered