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Thereupon, both very grave, like people of society who are forced somewhat over-promptly into familiarity, Mathilde and Mahoudeau shook hands. Only, as soon as the latter had got rid of the job and had found Gagniere in a corner of the drawing-room, they both began sneering and recalling, in terrible language, all the abominations of yore.
The shock was so violent that Mahoudeau was carried off his legs and thrown over, as far back as the wall; and there, without relaxing his hold on the girl's trunk, he remained as if stunned lying beside her. 'Ah! confound it! repeated Claude, furiously, believing that his friend was dead. With great difficulty Mahoudeau rose to his knees, and burst into violent sobs.
Then the laughter began again, while the sculptor stammered his explanations. 'Oh! she only poses for the head and the hands, and merely just to give me a few indications. Mathilde, however, laughed with the others, with a sharp, brazen-faced laughter, showing the while the gaping holes in her mouth, where several teeth were wanting. 'Yes, resumed Mahoudeau.
But Mahoudeau, feeling vexed, became angry. 'You do wrong to laugh, he said, 'for you are a nice backslider yourself. Yes, you always told us that you would give us a lift up when you had a paper of your own. 'Ah! allow me, allow me Gagniere, however, united with Mahoudeau: 'That's quite true! he said.
And they accused Claude of having paralysed them, of having traded on them yes, traded on them, but in so clumsy and dull-witted a manner that he himself had not derived any benefit by it. 'Why, as for me, resumed Mahoudeau, 'didn't he make me quite idiotic at one moment? When I think of it, I sound myself, and remain wondering why I ever joined his band. Am I at all like him?
Bongrand, who came to look at it, caught the painter in his big arms, and stifled him with embraces, his eyes full of tears. Sandoz, in his enthusiasm, gave a dinner; the others, Jory, Mahoudeau and Gagniere, again went about announcing a masterpiece. As for Fagerolles, he remained motionless before the painting for a moment, then burst into congratulations, pronouncing it too beautiful.
Sandoz took Mathilde's, Jory charged himself with Christine, while Mahoudeau and Gagniere brought up the rear, still joking coarsely about what they called the beautiful herbalist's padding. The dining-room which they now entered was very spacious, and the light was gaily bright after the subdued illumination of the drawing-room.
To him the figure seemed to be moving; a quiver like the ripple of a wavelet crossed her stomach, and her left hip became straightened, as if the right leg were about to step out. 'Have you noticed the smooth surface just about the loins? Mahoudeau went on, without noticing anything. 'Ah, my boy, I took great pains over that! But by degrees the whole statue was becoming animated.
They all grew excited, their eyes opened wide with desire. Was it not glory herself that swept from the summit of that avenue over the whole capital? Paris was there, and they longed to make her theirs. 'Well, we'll take her one day, said Sandoz, with his obstinate air. 'To be sure we shall, said Mahoudeau and Jory in the simplest manner.
But those fine strokes of business were not to be renewed at present, and Naudet, whose expenditure had increased with his gains, drawn on and swallowed up in the mad craze which was his own work, could now hear his regal mansion crumbling beneath him, and was reduced to defend it against the assault of creditors. 'Won't you take some more mushrooms, Mahoudeau? obligingly interrupted Henriette.
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