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.