He had made pretense of sneaking off in front of Simonne and had returned after her departure.  For the matter of that, the lodge was still full of gentlemen who sat there gloved, elegant, submissive and patient as ever.  They were all waiting and viewing each other gravely as they waited.  On the table there were now only some dirty plates, Mme Bron having recently distributed the last of the bouquets.  A single fallen rose was withering on the floor in the neighborhood of the black cat, who had lain down and curled herself up while the kittens ran wild races and danced fierce gallops among the gentlemen’s legs.  Clarisse was momentarily inclined to turn La Faloise out.  The idiot wasn’t fond of animals, and that put the finishing touch to him!  He was busy drawing in his legs because the cat was there, and he didn’t want to touch her.

“He’ll nip you; take care!” said Pluto, who was a joker, as he went upstairs, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

After that Clarisse gave up the idea of hauling La Faloise over the coals.  She had seen Mme Bron giving the letter to Simonne’s young man, and he had gone out to read it under the gas light in the lobby.  “Impossible tonight, darling—­I’m booked.”  And with that he had peaceably departed, as one who was doubtless used to the formula.  He, at any rate, knew how to conduct himself!  Not so the others, the fellows who sat there doggedly on Mme Bron’s battered straw-bottomed chairs under the great glazed lantern, where the heat was enough to roast you and there was an unpleasant odor.  What a lot of men it must have held!  Clarisse went upstairs again in disgust, crossed over behind scenes and nimbly mounted three flights of steps which led to the dressing rooms, in order to bring Simonne her reply.

Downstairs the prince had withdrawn from the rest and stood talking to Nana.  He never left her; he stood brooding over her through half-shut eyelids.  Nana did not look at him but, smiling, nodded yes.  Suddenly, however, Count Muffat obeyed an overmastering impulse, and leaving Bordenave, who was explaining to him the working of the rollers and windlasses, he came up in order to interrupt their confabulations.  Nana lifted her eyes and smiled at him as she smiled at His Highness.  But she kept her ears open notwithstanding, for she was waiting for her cue.

“The third act is the shortest, I believe,” the prince began saying, for the count’s presence embarrassed him.

She did not answer; her whole expression altered; she was suddenly intent on her business.  With a rapid movement of the shoulders she had let her furs slip from her, and Mme Jules, standing behind, had caught them in her arms.  And then after passing her two hands to her hair as though to make it fast, she went on the stage in all her nudity.

“Hush, hush!” whispered Bordenave.