270
u become wasteful I get anxious not to be ruined. To each man his own."
And he pocketed the money in a lordly way while Nana gazed at him, dumfounded. He continued speaking complaisantly:
"You must understand I'm not such a fool as to keep aunts and likewise children who don't belong to me. You were pleased to spend your own money--well, that's your affair! But my money--no, that's sacred! When in the future you cook a leg of mutton I'll pay for half of it. We'll settle up tonight--there!"
Straightway Nana rebelled. She could not help shouting:
"Come, I say, it's you who've run through my ten thousand francs. It's a dirty trick, I tell you!"
But he did not stop to discuss matters further, for he dealt her a random box on the ear across the table, remarking as he did so:
"Let's have that again!"
She let him have it again despite his blow. Whereupon he fell upon her and kicked and cuffed her heartily. Soon he had reduced her to such a state that she ended, as her wont was, by undressing and going to bed in a flood of tears.
He was out of breath and was going to bed, in his turn, when he noticed the letter he had written to Georges lying on the table. Whereupon he folded it up carefully and, turning toward the bed, remarked in threatening accents:
"It's very well written, and I'm going to post it myself because I don't like women's fancies. Now don't go moaning any more; it puts my teeth on edge."
Nana, who was crying and gasping, thereupon held her breath. When he was in bed she choked with emotion and threw herself upon his breast with a wild burst of sobs. Their scuffles always ended thus, for she trembled at the thought of losing him and, like a coward, wanted always to feel that he belonged entirely to her, despite everything. Twice he pushed her magnificently away, but the warm embrace of this woman who was begging for mercy with great, tearful eyes, as some faithful brute might do, finally aroused desire. And he became royally condescending