He thought of nothing.

Frequently he planted himself before Notre Dame, to contemplate the scaffolding surrounding the cathedral which was then undergoing repair.

These huge pieces of timber amused him although he failed to understand why.

Then he cast a glance into the Port aux Vins as he went past, and after that counted the cabs coming from the station.
In the evening, quite stupefied, with his head full of some silly story related to his office, he crossed the Jardin des Plantes, and went to have a look at the bears, if he was not in too great a hurry.

There he remained half an hour, leaning over the rails at the top of the pit, observing the animals clumsily swaying to and fro.