The interior of a grand 19th-century railway station on a winter morning. A black steam locomotive with red wheels has just pulled in at the platform and releases enormous billowing clouds of white and grey steam that rise into the vast iron-and-glass roof. Bright sunlight streams down through the glass panes in diagonal shafts and turns the steam into glowing veils of gold, lilac and blue. Passengers in long dark coats and top hats crowd the platform, a porter pushes a cart stacked with leather suitcases, and a woman in a burgundy dress waves a white handkerchief. A large enamel sign hanging from the roof reads "GARE SAINT-LAZARE", and a round station clock beside it shows ten past nine.