For three weeks the existence of the pair of lovers was really charming.  Nana fancied she was returning to those early days when her first silk dress had caused her infinite delight.  She went out little and affected a life of solitude and simplicity.  One morning early, when she had gone down to buy fish in PROPRIA persona in La Rouchefoucauld Market, she was vastly surprised to meet her old hair dresser Francis face to face.  His getup was as scrupulously careful as ever:  he wore the finest linen, and his frock coat was beyond reproach; in fact, Nana felt ashamed that he should see her in the street with a dressing jacket and disordered hair and down-at-heel shoes.  But he had the tact, if possible, to intensify his politeness toward her.  He did not permit himself a single inquiry and affected to believe that Madame was at present on her travels.  Ah, but Madame had rendered many persons unhappy when she decided to travel!  All the world had suffered loss.  The young woman, however, ended by asking him questions, for a sudden fit of curiosity had made her forget her previous embarrassment.  Seeing that the crowd was jostling them, she pushed him into a doorway and, still holding her little basket in one hand, stood chatting in front of him.  What were people saying about her high jinks?  Good heavens!  The ladies to whom he went said this and that and all sorts of things.  In fact, she had made a great noise and was enjoying a real boom:  And Steiner?  M. Steiner was in a very bad way, would make an ugly finish if he couldn’t hit on some new commercial operation.  And Daguenet?  Oh, he was getting on swimmingly.  M. Daguenet was settling down.  Nana, under the exciting influence of various recollections, was just opening her mouth with a view to a further examination when she felt it would be awkward to utter Muffat’s name.  Thereupon Francis smiled and spoke instead of her.  As to Monsieur le Comte, it was all a great pity, so sad had been his sufferings since Madame’s departure.

He had been like a soul in pain—­you might have met him wherever Madame was likely to be found.  At last M. Mignon had come across him and had taken him home to his own place.  This piece of news caused Nana to laugh a good deal.  But her laughter was not of the easiest kind.

“Ah, he’s with Rose now,” she said.  “Well then, you must know, Francis, I’ve done with him!  Oh, the canting thing!  It’s learned some pretty habits—­can’t even go fasting for a week now!  And to think that he used to swear he wouldn’t have any woman after me!”

She was raging inwardly.

“My leavings, if you please!” she continued.  “A pretty Johnnie for Rose to go and treat herself to!  Oh, I understand it all now:  she wanted to have her revenge because I got that brute of a Steiner away from her.  Ain’t it sly to get a man to come to her when I’ve chucked him out of doors?”

“M.  Mignon doesn’t tell that tale,” said the hairdresser.  “According to his account, it was Monsieur le Comte who chucked you out.  Yes, and in a pretty disgusting way too—­with a kick on the bottom!”