But as she left her own chamber Nana came suddenly upon Georges standing in the middle of the drawing room.  Not noticing his waxen pallor and the somber fire in his wide eyes, she gave a sigh of relief.

“Ah, you’ve come from your brother.”

“No,” said the lad, growing yet paler.

At this she gave a despairing shrug.  What did he want?  Why was he barring her way?  She was in a hurry—­yes, she was.  Then returning to where he stood: 

“You’ve no money, have you?”

“No.”

“That’s true.  How silly of me!  Never a stiver; not even their omnibus fares Mamma doesn’t wish it!  Oh, what a set of men!”

And she escaped.  But he held her back; he wanted to speak to her.  She was fairly under way and again declared she had no time, but he stopped her with a word.

“Listen, I know you’re going to marry my brother.”

Gracious!  The thing was too funny!  And she let herself down into a chair in order to laugh at her ease.

“Yes,” continued the lad, “and I don’t wish it.  It’s I you’re going to marry.  That’s why I’ve come.”

“Eh, what?  You too?” she cried.  “Why, it’s a family disease, is it?  No, never!  What a fancy, to be sure!  Have I ever asked you to do anything so nasty?  Neither one nor t’other of you!  No, never!”

The lad’s face brightened.  Perhaps he had been deceiving himself!  He continued: 

“Then swear to me that you don’t go to bed with my brother.”

“Oh, you’re beginning to bore me now!” said Nana, who had risen with renewed impatience.  “It’s amusing for a little while, but when I tell you I’m in a hurry—­I go to bed with your brother if it pleases me.  Are you keeping me—­are you paymaster here that you insist on my making a report?  Yes, I go to bed with your brother.”

He had caught hold of her arm and squeezed it hard enough to break it as he stuttered: 

“Don’t say that!  Don’t say that!”

With a slight blow she disengaged herself from his grasp.

“He’s maltreating me now!  Here’s a young ruffian for you!  My chicken, you’ll leave this jolly sharp.  I used to keep you about out of niceness.  Yes, I did!  You may stare!  Did you think I was going to be your mamma till I died?  I’ve got better things to do than to bring up brats.”

He listened to her stark with anguish, yet in utter submission.  Her every word cut him to the heart so sharply that he felt he should die.  She did not so much as notice his suffering and continued delightedly to revenge herself on him for the annoyance of the morning.

“It’s like your brother; he’s another pretty Johnny, he is!  He promised me two hundred francs.  Oh, dear me; yes, I can wait for ’em.  It isn’t his money I care for!  I’ve not got enough to pay for hair oil.  Yes, he’s leaving me in a jolly fix!  Look here, d’you want to know how matters stand?  Here goes then:  it’s all owing to your brother that I’m going out to earn twenty-five louis with another man.”