Come, come, don't be childish." And when she still refused to make her appearance--for she was startled as yet, though she had begun to laugh--he added in peevish, paternal tones: "Good heavens, these gentlemen know perfectly well what a woman looks like.

They won't eat you." "I'm not so sure of that," said the prince wittily.
With that the whole company began laughing in an exaggerated manner in order to pay him proper court.
"An exquisitely witty speech--an altogether Parisian speech," as Bordenave remarked.
Nana vouchsafed no further reply, but the curtain began moving.
Doubtless she was making up her mind.

Then Count Muffat, with glowing cheeks, began to take stock of the dressing room.

It was a square room with a very low ceiling, and it was entirely hung with a light-colored Havana stuff.

A curtain of the same material depended from a copper rod and formed a sort of recess at the end of the room, while two large windows opened on the courtyard of the theater and were faced, at a distance of three yards at most, by a leprous-looking wall against which the panes cast squares of yellow light amid the surrounding darkness.
A large dressing glass faced a white marble toilet table, which was garnished with a disorderly array of flasks and glass boxes containing oils, essences and powders.