Nana made an effort to regain her dignity, for the driver seemed now to be suppressing a laugh behind his dry, speechless lips.

She refrained from setting off at a run and listened to the gardener, who was a very talkative fellow.

He begged Madame to excuse the disorder in which she found everything, seeing that he had only received Madame's letter that very morning.

But despite all his efforts, she flew off at a tangent and walked so quickly that Zoe could scarcely follow her.

At the end of the avenue she paused for a moment in order to take the house in at a glance.