so disagreeably of
lavender scent turned sour that Nana opened the window and for some
moments stayed leaning on the sill, breathing the fresh air and craning
forward to catch sight of Mme Bron underneath. She could hear her broom
wildly at work on the mildewed pantiles of the narrow court which was
buried in shadow. A canary, whose cage hung on a shutter, was trilling
away piercingly. The sound of carriages in the boulevard and neighboring
streets was no longer audible, and the quiet and the wide expanse of
sleeping sunlight suggested the country. Looking farther afield, her
eye fell on the small buildings and glass roofs of the galleries in the
passage and, beyond these, on the tall houses in the Rue Vivienne, the
backs of which rose silent and apparently deserted over against her.
There was a succession of terrace roofs close by, and on one of these a
photographer had perched a big cagelike construction of blue glass. It
was all very gay, and Nana was becoming absorbed in contemplation, when
it struck her someone had knocked at the door.

She turned round and shouted:

"Come in!"

At sight of the count she shut the window, for it was not warm, and
there was no need for the eavesdropping Mme Bron to listen. The pair
gazed at one another gravely. Then as the count still kept standing
stiffly in front of her, looking ready to choke with emotion, she burst
out laughing and said:

"Well! So you're here again, you silly big beast!"

The tumult going on within him was so great that he seemed a man frozen
to ice. He addressed Nana as "madame" and esteemed himself happy to
see her again. Thereupon she became more familiar than ever in order to
bounce matters through.

"Don't do it in the dignified way! You wanted to see me, didn't you? But
you didn't intend us to stand looking at one another like a couple of
chinaware dogs. We've both been in the wrong--Oh, I certainly forgive
you!"

And herewith they agreed not to talk of that affair again, Muffat
nodding his assent as Nana spoke. He was calmer now but as yet could
find nothing to say, though a thousand things rose tumultuously to his
lips. Surprised at his apparent coldness, she began acting a part with
much vigor.

"Come," she continued with a faint smile, "you're a sensible man! Now
that we've made our peace let's shake hands and be good friends in
future."

"What? Good friends?" he murmured in sudden anxiety.

"Yes; it's idiotic, perhaps, but I should like