"These flowers are for me?"

"Yes."

"Then give 'em to me, booby!"

But as she took the bouquet from him he sprang upon her hands and kissed
them with all the gluttonous eagerness peculiar to his charming time
of life. She had to beat him to make him let go. There was a dreadful
little dribbling customer for you! But as she scolded him she flushed
rosy-red and began smiling. And with that she sent him about his
business, telling him that he might call again. He staggered away; he
could not find the doors.

Nana went back into her dressing room, where Francis made his appearance
almost simultaneously in order to dress her hair for the evening. Seated
in front of her mirror and bending her head beneath the hairdresser's
nimble hands, she stayed silently meditative. Presently, however, Zoe
entered, remarking:

"There's one of them, madame, who refuses to go."

"Very well, he must be left alone," she answered quietly.

"If that comes to that they still keep arriving."

"Bah! Tell 'em to wait. When they begin to feel too hungry they'll be
off." Her humor had changed, and she was now delighted to make people
wait about for nothing. A happy thought struck her as very amusing; she