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.