Nana was silent at this, and her face grew grave.

Meanwhile the count was venturing down a passage when Barillot stopped him and said he would make a discovery there.

Indeed, he obtained an oblique back view of the scenery and of the wings which had been strengthened, as it were, by a thick layer of old posters.

Then he caught sight of a corner of the stage, of the Etna cave hollowed out in a silver mine and of Vulcan's forge in the background.

Battens, lowered from above, lit up a sparkling substance which had been laid on with large dabs of the brush.