one thinking that the public had started on a journey from which
they would never return.

Just about then Rose, as the little duchess who has been misled into the
society of a courtesan, came to the footlights, lifted up her hands and
pouted adorably at the dark and empty theater, which was as sad as a
house of mourning.

"Good heavens, what queer people!" she said, emphasizing the phrase and
confident that it would have its effect.

Far back in the corner box in which she was hiding Nana sat enveloped in
a great shawl. She was listening to the play and devouring Rose with her
eyes. Turning toward Labordette, she asked him in a low tone:

"You are sure he'll come?"

"Quite sure. Without doubt he'll come with Mignon, so as to have an
excuse for coming. As soon as he makes his appearance you'll go up into
Mathilde's dressing room, and I'll bring him to you there."

They were talking of Count Muffat. Labordette had arranged this
interview with him on neutral ground. He had had a serious talk with
Bordenave, whose affairs had been gravely damaged by two successive
failures. Accordingly Bordenave had hastened to lend him his theater and
to offer Nana a part, for he was anxious to win the count's favor and
hoped to be able to borrow from him.

"And this part of Geraldine, what d'you thing of it?" continued
Labordette.

But Nana sat motionless and vouchsafed no reply. After the first act, in
which the author showed how the Duc de Beaurivage played his wife false
with the blonde Geraldine, a comic-opera celebrity, the second act
witnessed the Duchess Helene's arrival at the house of the actress on
the occasion of a masked ball being given by the latter. The duchess has
come to find out by what magical process ladies of that sort conquer
and retain their husbands' affections. A cousin, the handsome Oscar de
Saint-Firmin, introduces her and hopes to be able to debauch her. And
her first lesson causes her great surprise, for she hears Geraldine
swearing like a hodman at the duke, who suffers with most ecstatic
submissiveness. The episode causes her to cry out, "Dear me, if that's
the way one ought to talk to the men!" Geraldine had scarce any other
scene in the act save this one. As to the duchess, she is very soon
punished for her curiosity, for an old buck, the Baron de Tardiveau,
takes her for a courtesan and becomes very gallant, while on her other
side Beaurivage sits on a lounging chair and makes his peace with
Ge