Chapter 11 Summary

Madame Desforges is having another Saturday tea. Bouthemont now regularly comes. Madame Desforges is talking with him about her plan to get Denise and Mouret at her house together. However, the truth is that Mouret is spending tons of money on other women to get over his rejection from Denise. Bouthemont talks to Madame Desforges about the possibility of setting up another department store as competition to Au Bonheur des Dames.

Mouret arrives with Vallagnosc. Mouret tells Bouthemont that the store's management is angry with him. Denise arrives to help Madame Desforges with a coat. Madame Marty and Madame de Boves arrive and talk about the coat. While Madame Desforges makes Denise wait, Baron Hartman arrives. Denise stands, waiting patiently in the antechamber. Finally, Mouret recognizes Denise from the other room, and gets uncomfortable, which Madame Desforges notices. Baron Hartman and Madame Marty...