At ten o'clock the next morning Nana was still asleep. She occupied the second floor of a large new house in the Boulevard Haussmann, the landlord of which let flats to single ladies in order by their means to dry the paint. A rich merchant from Moscow, who had come to pass a winter in Paris, had installed her there after paying six months' rent in advance. The rooms were too big for her and had never been completely furnished. The vulgar sumptuosity of gilded consoles and gilded chairs formed a crude contrast therein to the bric-a-brac of a secondhand furniture shop--to mahogany round tables, that is to say, and zinc candelabras, which sought to imitate Florentine bronze. All of which smacked of the courtesan too early deserted by her first serious protector and fallen back on shabby lovers, of a precarious first appearance of a bad start, handicapped by refusals of credit and threats of eviction .
1
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
Nana was sleeping on her face, hugging in her bare arms a pillow in which she was burying cheeks grown pale in sleep. The bedroom and the dressing room were the only two apartments which had been properly furnished by a neighboring upholsterer. A ray of light, gliding in under a curtain, rendered visible rosewood furniture and hangings and chairbacks of figured damask with a pattern of big blue flowers on a gray ground. But in the soft atmosphere of that slumbering chamber
2
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
Nana suddenly awoke with a start, as though surprised to find an empty place at her side. She looked at the other pillow lying next to hers; there was the dint of a human head among its flounces: it was still warm. And groping with one hand, she pressed the knob of an electric bell by her bed's head.
3
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"He's gone then?" she asked the maid who presented herself.
4
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"Yes, madame, Monsieur Paul went away not ten minutes back. As Madame was tired, he did not wish to wake her. But he ordered me to tell Madame that he would come tomorrow."
5
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
As she spoke Zoe, the lady's maid, opened the outer shutter . A flood of daylight entered. Zoe, a dark brunette with hair in little plaits, had a long canine face, at once livid and full of seams, a snub nose, thick lips and two black eyes in continual movement.
6
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"Tomorrow, tomorrow," repeated Nana, who was not yet wide awake, "is tomorrow the day?"
7
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"Yes, madame, Monsieur Paul has always come on the Wednesday."
8
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"No, now I remember," said the young woman, sitting up. "It's all changed. I wanted to tell him so this morning. He would run against the nigger! We should have a nice to-do!"
9
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"Madame did not warn me; I couldn't be aware of it," murmured Zoe. "When Madame changes her days she will do well to tell me so that I may know. Then the old miser is no longer due on the Tuesday?"
10
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
Between themselves they were wont thus gravely to nickname as "old miser" and "nigger" their two paying visitors, one of whom was a tradesman of economical tendencies from the Faubourg Saint-Denis, while the other was a Walachian, a mock count, whose money, paid always at the most irregular intervals , never looked as though it had been honestly come by. Daguenet had made Nana give him the days subsequent to the old miser's visits, and as the trader had to be at home by eight o'clock in the morning, the young man would watch for his departure from Zoes kitchen and would take his place, which was still quite warm, till ten o'clock. Then he, too, would go about his business. Nana and he were wont to think it a very comfortable arrangement.
11
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"So much the worse," said Nana; "I'll write to him this afternoon. And if he doesn't receive my letter, then tomorrow you will stop him coming in."
12
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
In the meantime Zoe was walking softly about the room. She spoke of yesterday's great hit. Madame had shown such talent; she sang so well! Ah! Madame need not fret at all now!
13
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
Nana, her elbow dug into her pillow, only tossed her head in reply. Her nightdress had slipped down on her shoulders, and her hair, unfastened and entangled , flowed over them in masses.
14
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"Without doubt," she murmured, becoming thoughtful; "but what's to be done to gain time? I'm going to have all sorts of bothers today. Now let's see, has the porter come upstairs yet this morning?"
15
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
Then both the women talked together seriously. Nana owed three quarters' rent; the landlord was talking of seizing the furniture. Then, too, there was a perfect downpour of creditors ; there was a livery-stable man, a needlewoman, a ladies' tailor, a charcoal dealer and others besides, who came every day and settled themselves on a bench in the little hall. The charcoal dealer especially was a dreadful fellow--he shouted on the staircase. But Nana's greatest cause of distress was her little Louis, a child she had given birth to when she was sixteen and now left in charge of a nurse in a village in the neighborhood of Rambouillet. This woman was clamoring for the sum of three hundred francs before she would consent to give the little Louis back to her. Nana, since her last visit to the child, had been seized with a fit of maternal love and was desperate at the thought that she could not realize a project, which had now become a hobby with her. This was to pay off the nurse and to place the little man with his aunt, Mme Lerat, at the Batignolles, whither she could go and see him as often as she liked.
16
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
Meanwhile the lady's maid kept hinting that her mistress ought to have confided her necessities to the old miser.
17
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"To be sure, I told him everything," cried Nana, "and he told me in answer that he had too many big liabilities. He won't go beyond his thousand francs a month. The nigger's beggared just at present; I expect he's lost at play. As to that poor Mimi, he stands in great need of a loan himself; a fall in stocks has cleaned him out--he can't even bring me flowers now."
18
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
She was speaking of Daguenet. In the self-abandonment of her awakening she had no secrets from Zoe, and the latter, inured to such confidences, received them with respeciful sympathy. Since Madame condescended to speak to her of her affairs she would permit herself to say what she thought. Besides, she was very fond of Madame; she had left Mme Blanche for the express purpose of taking service with her, and heaven knew Mme Blanche was straining every nerve to have her again! Situations weren't lacking; she was pretty well known, but she would have stayed with Madame even in narrow circumstances, because she believed in Madame's future. And she concluded by stating her advice with precision. When one was young one often did silly things. But this time it was one's duty to look alive, for the men only thought of having their fun. Oh dear, yes! Things would right themselves. Madame had only to say one word in order to quiet her creditors and find the money she stood in need of.
19
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"All that doesn't help me to three hundred francs," Nana kept repeating as she plunged her fingers into the vagrant convolutions of her back hair. "I must have three hundred francs today, at once! It's stupid not to know anyone who'll give you three hundred francs."
20
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
She racked her brains. She would have sent Mme Lerat, whom she was expecting that very morning, to Rambouillet. The counteraction of her sudden fancy spoiled for her the triumph of last night. Among all those men who had cheered her, to think that there wasn't one to bring her fifteen louis! And then one couldn't accept money in that way! Dear heaven, how unfortunate she was! And she kept harking back again to the subject of her baby--he had blue eyes like a cherub's; he could lisp "Mamma" in such a funny voice that you were ready to die of laughing!
21
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
But at this moment the electric bell at the outer door was heard to ring with its quick and tremulous vibration . Zoe returned, murmuring with a confidential air:
22
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"It's a woman."
23
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
She had seen this woman a score of times, only she made believe never to recognize her and to be quite ignorant of the nature of her relations with ladies in difficulties.
24
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"She has told me her name--Madame Tricon."
25
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"The Tricon," cried Nana. "Dear me! That's true. I'd forgotten her. Show her in."
26
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
Zoe ushered in a tall old lady who wore ringlets and looked like a countess who haunts lawyers' offices. Then she effaced herself, disappearing noiselessly with the lithe , serpentine movement wherewith she was wont to withdraw from a room on the arrival of a gentleman. However, she might have stayed. The Tricon did not even sit down. Only a brief exchange of words took place.
27
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"I have someone for you today. Do you care about it?"
28
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"Yes. How much?"
29
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"Twenty louis."
30
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"At what o'clock?"
31
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"At three. It's settled then?"
32
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"It's settled."
33
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
Straightway the Tricon talked of the state of the weather. It was dry weather, pleasant for walking. She had still four or five persons to see. And she took her departure after consulting a small memorandum book. When she was once more alone Nana appeared comforted. A slight shiver agitated her shoulders, and she wrapped herself softly up again in her warm bedclothes with the lazy movements of a cat who is susceptible to cold. Little by little her eyes closed, and she lay smiling at the thought of dressing Louiset prettily on the following day, while in the slumber into which she once more sank last night's long, feverish dream of endlessly rolling applause returned like a sustained accompaniment to music and gently soothed her lassitude.
34
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
At eleven o'clock, when Zoe showed Mme Lerat into the room, Nana was still asleep. But she woke at the noise and cried out at once:
35
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"It's you.You'll go to Rambouillet today?"
36
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"That's what I've come for," said the aunt. "There's a train at twenty past twelve. I've got time to catch it."
37
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"No, I shall only have the money by and by," replied the young woman, stretching herself and throwing out her bosom . "You'll have lunch, and then we'll see."
38
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
Zoe brought a dressing jacket.
39
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"The hairdresser's here, madame," she murmured.
40
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
But Nana did not wish to go into the dressing room. And she herself cried out:
41
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"Come in, Francis."
42
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
A well-dressed man pushed open the door and bowed. Just at that moment Nana was getting out of bed, her bare legs in full view. But she did not hurry and stretched her hands out so as to let Zoe draw on the sleeves of the dressing jacket. Francis, on his part, was quite at his ease and without turning away waited with a sober expression on his face.
43
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"Perhaps Madame has not seen the papers. There's a very nice article in the Figaro."
44
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
He had brought the journal. Mme Lerat put on her spectacles and read the article aloud, standing in front of the window as she did so. She had the build of a policeman, and she drew herself up to her full height, while her nostrils seemed to compress themselves whenever she uttered a gallantepithet
45
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
. It was a notice by Fauchery, written just after the performance, and it consisted of a couple of very glowing columns, full of witty sarcasm
46
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
about the artist and of broad admiration for the woman.
47
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"Excellent!" Francis kept repeating.
48
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
Nana laughed good-humoredly at his chaffing her about her voice! He was a nice fellow, was that Fauchery, and she would repay him for his charming style of writing. Mme Lerat, after having reread the notice, roundly declared that the men all had the devil in their shanks, and she refused to explain her self further, being fully satisfied with a brisk allusion of which she alone knew the meaning her in an income of six hundred francs a year. Nana promised to rent some pretty little lodgings for her and to give her a hundred francs a month besides. At the mention of this sum the aunt forgot herself and shrieked to her niece, bidding her squeeze their throats, since she had them in her grasp. She was meaning the men, of course. Then they both embraced again, but i. Francis finished turning up and fastening Nana's hair. He bowed and said:
49
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"I'll keep my eye on the evening papers. At half-past five as usual, eh?"
50
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"Bring me a pot of pomade and a pound of burnt almonds from Boissier's," Nana cried to him across the drawing room just as he was shutting the door after him.
51
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
Then the two women, once more alone, recollected that they had not embraced, and they planted big kisses on each other's cheeks. The notice warmed their hearts. Nana, who up till now had been half asleep, was again seized with the fever of her triumph. Dear, dear, 'twas Rose Mignon that would be spending a pleasant morning! Her aunt having been unwilling to go to the theater because, as she averred , sudden emotions ruined her stomach, Nana set herself to describe the events of the evening and grew intoxicated at her own recital , as though all Paris had been shaken to the ground by the applause. Then suddenly interrupting herself, she asked with a laugh if one would ever have imagined it all when she used to go traipsing about the Rue de la Goutte-d'Or. Mme Lerat shook her head. No, no, one never could have foreseen it! And she began talking in her turn, assuming a serious air as she did so and calling Nana "daughter." Wasn't she a second mother to her since the first had gone to rejoinPapa and Grandmamma? Nana was greatly softened and on the verge of tears. But Mme Lerat declared that the past was the past--oh yes, to be sure, a dirty past with things in it which it was as well not to stir up every day. She had left off seeing her niece for a long time because among the family she was accused of ruining herself along with the little thing. Good God, as though that were possible! She didn't ask for confidences; she believed that Nana had always lived decently, and now it was enough for her to have found her again in a fine position and to observe her kind feelings toward her son. Virtue and hard work were still the only things worth anything in this world.
52
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"Who is the baby's father?" she said, interrupting herself, her eyes lit up with an exhad crossed two knives on the table in front of her. Notwithstanding this, the young woman defended herself from the charge of superstition . Thus, if the salt were upset, it meant nothing, even on a Friday; but when it came to knives, that was too much of a good thing; that had never proved fallacious. There could be no doubt that something unpleasant was going to happen to her. She yawned, and then with an air, of profound boredom :
53
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"Two o'clock already. I must go out. What a nuisance!"
54
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
The two old ladies looked at one another. The three women shook their heads without speaking. To be sure, life was not always amusing. Nana had tilted her chair back anew and lit a cigarette, while the others sat pursing up their lips discreetly , thinking deeply philosophic thoughts.
55
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"While waiting for you to return we'll play a game of bezique," said Mme Maloir after a short silence. "Does Madame play bezique?"
56
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
Certainly Mme Lerat played it, and that to perfection. It was no good troubling Zoe, who had vanished--a corner of the table would do quite well. And they pushepression of acute curiosity.
57
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
Nana was taken by surprise and hesitated a moment.
58
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"A gentleman," she replied.
59
读书笔记
是否公开
我的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
网友的读书笔记
仅对会员开放
-
"There now!" rejoined the aunt. "They declared that you had him by a stonemason who was in the habit of beating you. Indeed, you shall tell me all about it someday; you know I'm discreet ! Tut, tut, I'll look after him as though he were a prince's son."