MEMOIRS OF JACQUES CASANOVA de SEINGALT 1725-1798

THE ETERNAL QUEST, Volume 3b--RETURN TO PARIS

THE RARE UNABRIDGED LONDON EDITION OF 1894 TRANSLATED BY ARTHUR MACHEN TOWHICH HAS BEEN ADDED THE CHAPTERS DISCOVERED BY ARTHUR SYMONS. THE ETERNAL QUESTRETURN TO PARIS

CHAPTER V

My Fortune in Holland--My Return to Paris with Young Pompeati

Amongst the letters which were waiting for me was one from thecomptroller-general, which advised me that twenty millions in Governmentsecurities had been placed in the hands of M. D'Afri, who was not to gobeyond a loss of eight per cent. ; and another letter from my good patron, M. De Bernis, telling me to do the best I could, and to be assured thatthe ambassador would be instructed to consent to whatever bargain mightbe made, provided the rate was not more disadvantageous than that of theexchange at Paris. Boaz, who was astonished at the bargain I had madewith my shares, wanted to discount the Government securities for me, andI should very likely have agreed to his terms if he had not required meto give him three months, and the promise that the agreement should holdeven in the case of peace being concluded in the meanwhile. It was notlong before I saw that I should do well to get back to Amsterdam, but Idid not care to break my word to Therese, whom I had promised to meet atthe Hague. I received a letter from her while I was at the play, and theservant who brought it told me he was waiting to conduct me to her. Isent my own servant home, and set out on my quest. 

My guide made me climb to the fourth floor of a somewhat wretched house, and there I found this strange woman in a small room, attended by her sonand daughter. The table stood in the midst of the room, and was coveredwith a black cloth, and the two candles standing upon it made it looklike some sort of sepulchral altar. The Hague was a Court town. I wasrichly dressed; my elaborate attire made the saddest possible contrastwith the gloom of my surroundings. Therese, dressed in black and seatedbetween her children at that black table, reminded me of Medea. To seethese two fair young creatures vowed to a lot of misery and disgrace wasa sad and touching sight. I took the boy between my arms, and pressinghim to my breast called him my son. His mother told him to look upon meas his father from henceforth. The lad recognized me; he remembered, muchto my delight, seeing me in the May of 1753, in Venice, at MadameManzoni's. He was slight but strong; his limbs were well proportioned, and his features intellectual. He was thirteen years old. 

His sister sat perfectly still, apparently waiting for her turn to come. I took her on my knee, and as I embraced her, nature herself seemed totell me that she was my daughter. She took my kisses in silence, but itwas easy to see that she thought herself preferred to her brother, andwas charmed with the idea. All her clothing was a slight frock, and I wasable to feel every limb and to kiss her pretty little body all over, delighted that so sweet a being owed her existence to me. 

"Mamma, dear, " said she, "is not this fine gentleman the same we saw atAmsterdam, and who was taken for my papa because I am like him? But thatcannot be, for my papa is dead. "

"So he is, sweetheart; but I may be your dear friend, mayn't I? Would youlike to have me for a friend?"

"Yes, yes!" she cried, and throwing her arms about my neck gave me athousand kisses, which I returned with delight. 

After we had talked and laughed together we sat down at table, and theheroine Therese gave me a delicate supper accompanied by exquisite wines. "I have never given the margrave better fare, " said she, "at those nicelittle suppers we used to take together. "

Wishing to probe the disposition of her son, whom I had engaged to takeaway with me, I addressed several remarks to him, and soon discoveredthat he was of a false and deceitful nature, always on his guard, takingcare of what he said, and consequently speaking only from his head andnot from his heart. Every word was delivered with a quiet politenesswhich, no doubt, was intended to please me. 

I told him that this sort of thing was all very well on occasion; butthat there were times when a man's happiness depended on his freedom fromconstraint; then and only then was his amiability, if he had any, displayed. His mother, thinking to praise him, told me that reserve washis chief characteristic, that she had trained him to keep his counsel atall times and places, and that she was thus used to his being reservedwith her as with everyone else. 

"All I can say is, " said I, "your system is an abominable one. You mayhave strangled in their infancy all the finer qualities with which naturehas endowed your son, and have fairly set him on the way to become amonster instead of an angel. I don't see how the most devoted father canpossibly have any affection for a son who keeps all his emotions underlock and key. "

This outburst, which proceeded from the tenderness I would fain have feltfor the boy, seemed to strike his mother dumb. 

"Tell me, my dear, if you feel yourself capable of shewing me thatconfidence which a father has a right to expect of a good son, and if youcan promise to be perfectly open and unreserved towards me?"

"I promise that I will die rather than tell you a falsehood. "

"That's just like him, " said the mother. "I have succeeded in inspiringhim with the utmost horror of untruthfulness. "

"That's all very well, my dear madam, but you might have pursued a stillbetter course, and one which would have been still more conducive to hishappiness. "

"What is that?"

"I will tell you. It was necessary to make him detest a lie; you shouldhave rather endeavoured to make him a lover of the truth by displaying itto him in all its native beauty. This is the only way to make himlovable, and love is the sole bestower of happiness in this world. "

"But isn't it the same thing not to lie and to tell the truth, " said theboy, with a smile which charmed his mother and displeased me. 

"Certainly not; there is a great difference--for to avoid lying you haveonly to hold your tongue; and do you think that comes to the same thingas speaking the truth? You must open your mind to me, my son, and tellme all your thoughts, even if you blush in the recital. I will teach youhow to blush, and soon you will have nothing to fear in laying open allyour thoughts and deeds. When we know each other a little longer we shallsee how we agree together. You must understand that I cannot look uponyou as my son until I see cause to love you, and I cannot have you callme father till you treat me as the best friend you have. You may be quitesure that I shall find a way to discover your thoughts, however cleverlyyou try to hide them. If I find you deceitful and suspicious I shallcertainly entertain no regard for you. As soon as I have finished mybusiness at Amsterdam we will set out for Paris. I am leaving the Hagueto-morrow, and on my return I hope to find you instructed by your motherin a system of morality more consonant with my views, and more likely tolead to your happiness. "

On glancing at my little daughter, who had been listening to me with thegreatest attention, I saw that her eyes were swimming with tears, whichshe could hardly retain. 

"Why are you crying?" said the mother; "it is silly to cry. " And withthat the child ran to her mother and threw her arms round her neck. 

"Would you like to come to Paris, too?" said I to her. 

"Oh, yes! But mamma must come too, as she would die without me. "

"What would you do if I told you to go?" said the mother. 

"I would obey you, mamma, but how could I exist away from you?"

Thereupon my little daughter pretended to cry. I say pretended, as it wasquite evident that the child did not mean what she said, and I am surethat her mother knew it as well as I. 

It was really a melancholy thing to see the effects of a bad education onthis young child, to whom nature had given intelligence and feeling. Itook the mother on one side, and said that if she had intended to makeactors of her children she had succeeded to admiration; but if she wishedthem to become useful members of society her system had failedlamentably, as they were in a fair way to become monsters of deceit. Icontinued making her the most pointed remonstrances until, in spite ofher efforts to control herself, she burst into tears. However, she soonrecovered her composure, and begged me to stay at the Hague a day longer, but I told her it was out of the question, and left the room. I came inagain a few minutes after, and Sophie came up to me and said, in a lovinglittle voice, "If you are really my friend, you will give me some proof of yourfriendship. "

"And what proof do you want, my dear?"

"I want you to come and sup with me to-morrow. "

"I can't, Sophie dear, for I have just said no to your mother, and shewould be offended if I granted you what I had refused her. "

"Oh, no! she wouldn't; it was she who told me to ask you just now. "

I naturally began to laugh, but on her mother calling the girl a littlefool, and the brother adding that he had never committed such anindiscretion, the poor child began to tremble all over, and lookedabashed. I reassured her as best I could, not caring whether what I saiddispleased her mother or not, and I endeavoured to instill into herprinciples of a very different nature to those in which she had beenreared, while she listened with an eagerness which proved that her heartwas still ready to learn the right way. Little by little her facecleared, and I saw that I had made an impression, and though I could notflatter myself that any good I might do her would be lasting in itseffects as long as she remained under the bad influence of her mother, Ipromised to come and sup with her next evening, "but on the condition, " Isaid, "that you give me a plain meal, and one bottle of chambertin only, for you are not too well off. "

"I know that, but mamma says that you pay for everything. "

This reply made me go off into a roar of laughter; and in spite of hervexation the mother was obliged to follow my example. The poor woman, hardened by the life she led, took the child's simplicity for stupidity, but I saw in her a rough diamond which only wanted polishing. 

Therese told me that the wine did not cost her anything, as the son ofthe Rotterdam burgomaster furnished her with it, and that he would supwith us the next day if I would allow him to be present. I answeredsmilingly that I should be delighted to see him, and I went away aftergiving my daughter, of whom I felt fond, a tender embrace. I would havedone anything to be entrusted with her, but I saw it would be no goodtrying to get possession of her, as the mother was evidently keeping heras a resource for her old age. This is a common way for adventuresses tolook upon their daughters, and Therese was an adventuress in the widestacceptation of the term. I gave her twenty ducats to get clothes for myadopted son and Sophie, who, with spontaneous gratitude, and her eyesfilled with tears, came and gave me a kiss. Joseph was going to kiss myhand, but I told him that it was degrading for one man to kiss another'shand, and that for the future he was to shew his gratitude by embracingme as a son embraces his father. 

Just as I was leaving, Therese took me to the closet where the twochildren were sleeping. I knew what she was thinking of; but all that wasover long ago; I could think of no one but Esther. 

The next day I found the burgomaster's son at my actress's house. He wasa fine young fellow of twenty or twenty-one, but totally devoid ofmanner. He was Therese's lover, but he should have regulated hisbehaviour in my presence. Therese, seeing that he was posing as master ofthe field, and that his manners disgusted me, began to snub him, much tohis displeasure, and after sneering at the poorness of the dishes, andpraising the wine which he had supplied, he went out leaving us to finishour dessert by ourselves. I left myself at eleven, telling Therese that Ishould see her again before I went away. The Princesse de Galitzin, aCantimir by birth, had asked me to dinner, and this made me lose anotherday. 

Next day I heard from Madame d'Urfe, who enclosed a bill of exchange onBoaz for twelve thousand francs. She said that she had bought her sharesfor sixty thousand, that she did not wish to make anything of them, andthat she hoped I would accept the overplus as my broker's fee. She wordedher offer with too much courtesy for me to refuse it. The remainder ofthe letter was devoted to the wildest fancies. She said that her geniushad revealed to her that I should bring back to Paris a boy born of theMystical Marriage, and she hoped I would take pity on her. It was astrange coincidence, and seemed likely to attach the woman still moreclosely to her visionary theories. I laughed when I though how she wouldbe impressed by Therese's son, who was certainly not born of the MysticalMarriage. 

Boaz paid me my twelve thousand francs in ducats, and I made him myfriend, as he thanked me for receiving the moneys in ducats, and hedoubtless made a profit on the transaction, gold being a commodity inHolland, and all payments being made in silver or paper money. 

At that time gold was at a low rate, and nobody would take ducats. 

After having an excellent dinner with the Princesse de Galitzin, I put onmy cloak and went to the cafe. I found there the burgomaster's son, whowas just beginning a game of billiards. He whispered to me that I mightback him with advantage, and thinking he was sure of his stroke I thankedhim and followed his advice. However, after losing three games one afterthe other, I took his measure and began to lay against him without hisknowledge. After playing for three hours and losing all the time, hestopped play and came to condole with me on my heavy loss. It isimpossible to describe his amazed expression when I shewed him a handfulof ducats, and assured him that I had spent a very profitable evening inlaying against him. Everybody in the room began to laugh at him, but hewas the sort of young man who doesn't understand a joke, and he went outin a rage. Soon after I left the billiard-room myself, and, according tomy promise went to see Therese, as I was leaving for Amsterdam the nextday. 

Therese was waiting for her young wine merchant, but on my recounting hisadventures she expected him no longer. I took my little daughter on myknee and lavished my caresses on her, and so left them, telling them thatwe should see each other again in the course of three weeks or a month atlatest. 

As I was going home in the moonlight by myself, my sword under my arm, Iwas encountered all of a sudden by the poor dupe of a burgomaster's son. 

"I want to know, " said he, "if your sword has as sharp a point as yourtongue. "

I tried to quiet him by speaking common sense, and I kept my swordwrapped in my cloak, though his was bared and directed against me. 

"You are wrong to take my jests in such bad part, " said I; "however, Iapologize to you. "

"No apologies; look to yourself. "

"Wait till to-morrow, you will be cooler then, but if you still wish it Iwill give you satisfaction in the midst of the billiard-room. "

"The only satisfaction you can give me is to fight; I want to kill you. "

As evidence of his determination, and to provoke me beyond recall, hestruck me with the flat of his sword, the first and last time in my lifein which I have received such and insult. I drew my sword, but stillhoping to bring him to his senses I kept strictly on the defensive andendeavoured to make him leave off. This conduct the Dutchman mistook forfear, and pushed hard on me, lunging in a manner that made me look tomyself. His sword passed through my necktie; a quarter of an inch fartherin would have done my business. 

I leapt to one side, and, my danger no longer admitting of my fighting onthe defensive, I lunged out and wounded him in the chest. I thought thiswould have been enough for him, so I proposed we should terminate ourengagement. 

"I'm not dead yet, " said he; "I want to kill you. "

This was his watchword; and, as he leapt on me in a paroxysm of rage, more like a madman than a sensible being, I hit him four times. At thefourth wound he stepped back, and, saying he had had enough, begged me toleave him. 

I went off as fast as I could, and was very glad to see from the look ofmy sword that his wounds were slight. I found Boaz still up, and onhearing what had taken place he advised me to go to Amsterdam at once, though I assured him that the wounds were not mortal. I gave in to hisadvice, and as my carriage was at the saddler's he lent me his, and I setout, bidding my servant to come on the next day with my luggage, and torejoin me at the "Old Bible, " in Amsterdam. I reached Amsterdam at noonand my man arrived in the evening. 

I was curious to hear if my duel had made any noise, but as my servanthad left at an early hour he had heard nothing about it. Fortunately forme nothing whatever was known about it at Amsterdam for a week after;otherwise, things might not have gone well with me, as the reputation ofbeing a duellist is not a recommendation to financiers with whom one isabout to transact business of importance. 

The reader will not be surprised when I tell him that my first call wason M. D'O, or rather on his charming daughter Esther, for she it was onwhom I waited. It will be remembered that the way in which we parted dida good deal towards augmenting the warmth of my affection for her. Onentering the room I found Esther writing at a table. 

"What are you doing Esther, dear?"

"An arithmetical problem. "

"Do you like problems?"

"I am passionately fond of anything which contains difficulties andoffers curious results. "

"I will give you something which will please you. "

I made her, by way of jest, two magic squares, which delighted her. Inreturn, she spewed me some trifles with which I was well acquainted, butwhich I pretended to think very astonishing. My good genius then inspiredme with the idea of trying divination by the cabala. I told her to ask aquestion in writing, and assured her that by a certain kind ofcalculation a satisfactory answer would be obtained. She smiled, andasked why I had returned to Amsterdam so soon. I shewed her how to makethe pyramid with the proper numbers and the other ceremonies, then I madeher extract the answer in numbers, translating it into French, andgreatly was she surprised to find that the cause which had made me returnto Amsterdam so soon was--love. 

Quite confounded, she said it was very wonderful, even though the answermight not be true, and she wished to know what masters could teach thismode of calculation. 

"Those who know it cannot teach it to anyone. "

"How did you learn it, then?"

"From a precious manuscript I inherited from my father. "

"Sell it me. "

"I have burnt it; and I am not empowered to communicate the secret toanyone before I reach the age of fifty. "

"Why fifty?"

"I don't know; but I do know that if I communicated it to anyone beforethat age I should run the risk of losing it myself. The elementary spiritwho is attached to the oracle would leave it. "

"How do you know that?"

"I saw it so stated in the manuscript I have spoken of. "

"Then you are able to discover all secrets?"

"Yes, or I should be if the replies were not sometimes too obscure to beunderstood. "

"As it does not take much time, will you be kind enough to get me ananswer to another question?"

"With pleasure; you can command me in anything not forbidden by myfamiliar spirit. "

She asked what her destiny would be, and the oracle replied that she hadnot yet taken the first step towards it. Esther was astonished and calledher governess to see the two answers, but the good woman saw nothingwonderful in them whatever. Esther impatiently called her a blockhead, and entreated me to let her ask another question. I begged her to do so, and she asked, "Who loves me most in Amsterdam?" The oracle replied that no one lovedher as well as he who had given her being: Poor Esther then told me thatI had made her miserable, and that she would die of grief if she couldnot succeed in learning the method of calculation. I gave no answer, andpretended to feel sad at heart. She began to write down another question, putting her hand in front so as to screen the paper. I rose as if to getout of her way, but while she was arranging the pyramid I cast my eyes onthe paper whilst walking up and down the room, and read her question. After she had gone as far as I had taught her, she asked me to extractthe answer, saying that I could do so without reading the question. Iagreed to do so on the condition that she would not ask a second time. 

As I had seen her question, it was easy for me to answer it. She hadasked the oracle if she might shew the questions she had propounded toher father, and the answer was that she would be happy as long as she hadno secrets from her father. 

When she read these words she gave a cry of surprise, and could find nowords wherewith to express her gratitude to me. I left her for theExchange, where I had a long business conversation with M. Pels. 

Next morning a handsome and gentlemanly man came with a letter ofintroduction from Therese, who told me that he would be useful in case Iwanted any assistance in business. His name was Rigerboos. She informedme that the burgomaster's son was only slightly wounded, and that I hadnothing to fear as the matter was not generally known, and that if I hadbusiness at the Hague I might return there in perfect safety. She saidthat my little Sophie talked of me all day, and that I should find my sonmuch improved on my return. I asked M. Rigerboos to give me his address, assuring him that at the proper time I should rely on his services. 

A moment after Rigerboos had gone, I got a short note from Esther, whobegged me, in her father's name, to spend the day with her--at least, ifI had no important engagement. I answered that, excepting a certainmatter of which her father knew, I had no chiefer aim than to convinceher that I desired a place in her heart, and that she might be quite surethat I would not refuse her invitation. 

I went to M. D'O---- at dinner time. I found Esther and her fatherpuzzling over the method which drew reasonable answers out of a pyramidof numbers. As soon as her father saw me, he embraced me, saying howhappy he was to possess a daughter capable of attracting me. 

"She will attract any man who has sufficient sense to appreciate her. "

"You appreciate her, then?"

"I worship her. "

"Then embrace her. "

Esther opened her arms, and with a cry of delight threw them round myneck, and gave the back all my caresses, kiss for kiss. 

"I have got through all my business, " said M. D'O----, "and the rest ofmy day is at your disposal. I have known from my childhood that there issuch a science as the one you profess, and I was acquainted with a Jewwho by its aid made an immense fortune. He, like you, said that, underpain of losing the secret, it could only be communicated to one person, but he put off doing so so long that at last it was too late, for a highfever carried him off in a few days. I hope you will not do as the Jewdid; but in the meanwhile allow me to say that if You do not draw aprofit from this treasure, you do not know what it really is. "

"You call this knowledge of mine a treasure, and yet you possess one farmore excellent, " looking at Esther as I spoke. 

"We will discuss that again. Yes, sir, I call your science a treasure. "

"But the answers of the oracle are often very obscure. "

"Obscure! The answers my daughter received are as clear as day. "

"Apparently, she is fortunate in the way she frames her questions; for onthis the reply depends. "

"After dinner we will try if I am so fortunate--at least, if you will beso kind as to help me. "

"I can refuse you nothing, as I consider father and daughter as onebeing. "

At table we discussed other subjects, as the chief clerks werepresent--notably the manager, a vulgar-looking fellow, who had veryevident aspirations in the direction of my fair Esther. After dinner wewent into M. D'O 's private closet, and thereupon he drew two longquestions out of his pocket. In the first he desired to know how toobtain a favourable decision from the States-General in an importantmatter, the details of which he explained. I replied in terms, theobscurity of which would have done credit to a professed Pythoness, and Ileft Esther to translate the answer into common sense, and find a meaningin it. 

With regard to the second answer I acted in a different manner; I wasimpelled to answer clearly, and did so. M. D'O asked what had become of avessel belonging to the India Company of which nothing had been heard. Itwas known to have started on the return voyage, and should have arrivedtwo months ago, and this delay gave rise to the supposition that it hadgone down. M. D'O---- wished to know if it were still above water, orwhether it were lost, etc. As no tidings of it had come to hand, thecompany were on the look-out for someone to insure it, and offered tenper cent. , but nobody cared to run so great a risk, especially as aletter had been received from an English sea captain who said he had seenher sink. 

I may confess to my readers, though I did not do so to M. D'O----. Thatwith inexplicable folly I composed an answer that left no doubt as to thesafety of the vessel, pronouncing it safe and sound, and that we shouldhear of it in a few days. No doubt I felt the need of exalting my oracle, but this method was likely to destroy its credit for ever. In truth, if Ihad guessed M. D'O----'s design, I would have curbed my vanity, for I hadno wish to make him lose a large sum without profiting myself. 

The answer made him turn pale, and tremble with joy. He told us thatsecrecy in the matter was of the last importance, as he had determined toinsure the vessel and drive a good bargain. At this, dreading theconsequences, I hastened to tell him that for all I knew there might notbe a word of truth in the oracle's reply, and that I should die of griefif I were the involuntary cause of his losing an enormous sum of moneythrough relying on an oracle, the hidden sense of which might becompletely opposed to the literal translation. 

"Have you ever been deceived by it?"

"Often. "

Seeing my distress, Esther begged her father to take no further steps inthe matter. For some moments nobody spoke. 

M. D'O---- looked thoughtful and full of the project which his fancy hadpainted in such gay colours. He said a good deal about it, dwelling onthe mystic virtues of numbers, and told his daughter to read out all thequestions she had addressed to the oracle with the answers she hadreceived. There were six or seven of them, all briefly worded, somedirect and some equivocal. Esther, who had constructed the pyramids, hadshone, with my potent assistance, in extracting the answers, which I hadreally invented, and her father, in the joy of his heart, seeing her soclever, imagined that she would become an adept in the science by theforce of intelligence. The lovely Esther, who was much taken with thetrifle; was quite ready to be of the same opinion. 

After passing several hours in the discussion of the answers, which myhost thought divine, we had supper, and at parting M. D'O---- said that asSunday was a day for pleasure and not business he hoped I would honourthem by passing the day at their pretty house on the Amstel, and theywere delighted at my accepting their invitation. 

I could not help pondering over the mysteries of the commercial mind, which narrows itself down to considerations of profit and loss. M. D'O---- was decidedly an honest man; but although he was rich, he was byno means devoid of the greed incident to his profession. I asked myselfthe question, how a man, who would consider it dishonourable to steal aducat, or to pick one up in the street and keep it, knowing to whom itbelonged, could reconcile it with his conscience to make an enormousprofit by insuring a vessel of the safety of which he was perfectlycertain, as he believed the oracle infallible. Such a transaction wascertainly fraudulent, as it is dishonest to play when one is certain ofwinning. 

As I was going home I passed a tea-garden, and seeing a good many peoplegoing in and coming out I went in curious to know how these places weremanaged in Holland. Great heavens! I found myself the witness of an orgy, the scene a sort of cellar, a perfect cesspool of vice and debauchery. The discordant noise of the two or three instruments which formed theorchestra struck gloom to the soul and added to the horrors of thecavern. The air was dense with the fumes of bad tobacco, and vapoursreeking of beer and garlic issued from every mouth. The company consistedof sailors, men of the lowest-class, and a number of vile women. Thesailors and the dregs of the people thought this den a garden of delight, and considered its pleasures compensation for the toils of the sea andthe miseries of daily labour. There was not a single woman there whoseaspect had anything redeeming about it. I was looking at the repulsivesight in silence, when a great hulking fellow, whose appearance suggestedthe blacksmith, and his voice the blackguard, came up to me and asked mein bad Italian if I would like to dance. I answered in the negative, butbefore leaving me he pointed out a Venetian woman who, he said, wouldoblige me if I gave her some drink. 

Wishing to discover if she was anyone I knew I looked at her attentively, and seemed to recollect her features, although I could not decide who shecould be. Feeling rather curious on the subject I sat down next to her, and asked if she came from Venice, and if she had left that country sometime ago. 

"Nearly eighteen years, " she replied. 

I ordered a bottle of wine, and asked if she would take any; she saidyes, and added, if I liked, she would oblige me. 

"I haven't time, " I said; and I gave the poor wretch the change Ireceived from the waiter. She was full of gratitude, and would haveembraced me if I had allowed her. 

"Do you like being at Amsterdam better than Venice?" I asked. 

"Alas, no! for if I were in my own country I should not be following thisdreadful trade. "

"How old were you when you left Venice. "

"I was only fourteen and lived happily with my father and mother, who nowmay have died of grief. "

"Who seduced you?"

"A rascally footman. "

"In what part of Venice did you live?"

"I did not live in Venice, but at Friuli, not far off. "

Friuli . . . Eighteen years ago . . . A footman . . . I felt moved, andlooking at the wretched woman more closely I soon recognized in her Lucieof Pasean. I cannot describe my sorrow, which I concealed as best Icould, and tried hard to keep up my indifferent air. A life of debaucheryrather than the flight of time had tarnished her beauty, and ruined theonce exquisite outlines of her form. Lucie, that innocent and prettymaiden, grown ugly, vile, a common prostitute! It was a dreadful thought. She drank like a sailor, without looking at me, and without caring who Iwas. I took a few ducats from my purse, and slipped them into her hand, and without waiting for her to find out how much I had given her I leftthat horrible den. 

I went to bed full of saddening thoughts. Not even under the Leads did Ipass so wretched a day. I thought I must have risen under some unhappystar! I loathed myself. With regard to Lucie I felt the sting of remorse, but at the thought of M. D'O---- I hated myself. I considered that Ishould cause him a loss of three or four hundred thousand florins; andthe thought was a bitter drop in the cup of my affection for Esther. Ifancied, she, as well as her father, would become my implacable foe; andlove that is not returned is no love at all. 

I spent a dreadful night. Lucie, Esther, her father, their hatred of me, and my hatred of myself, were the groundwork of my dreams. I saw Estherand her father, if not ruined, at all events impoverished by my fault, and Lucie only thirty-two years old, and already deep in the abyss ofvice, with an infinite prospect of misery and shame before her. The dawnwas welcome indeed, for with its appearance a calm came to my spirit; itis, the darkness which is terrible to a heart full of remorse. 

I got up and dressed myself in my best, and went in a coach to do my suitto the Princesse de Galitzin, who, was staying at the "Etoile d'Orient. "I found her out; she had gone to the Admiralty. I went there, and foundher accompanied by M. De Reissak and the Count de Tot, who had justreceived news of my friend Pesselier, at whose house I made hisacquaintance, and who was dangerously ill when I left Paris. 

I sent away my coach and began to walk towards M. D'O----'s house on theAmsel. The extreme elegance of my costume was displeasing in the eyes ofthe Dutch populace, and they hissed and hooted me, after the manner ofthe mob all the world over, Esther saw me coming from the window, drewthe rope, and opened the door. I ran in, shut the door behind me, and asI was going up the wooden staircase, on the fourth or fifth step my footstruck against some yielding substance. I looked down and saw a greenpocket-book. I stooped down to pick it up, but was awkward enough to sendit through an opening in the stairs, which had been doubtless made forthe purpose of giving light to a stair below. I did not stop, but went upthe steps and was received with the usual hospitality, and on theirexpressing some wonder as to the unusual brilliance of my attire Iexplained the circumstances of the case. Esther smiled and said I lookedquite another person, but I saw that both father and daughter were sad atheart. Esther's governess came in and said something to her in Dutch, atwhich, in evident distress, she ran and embraced her father. 

"I see, my friends, that something has happened to you. If my presence isa restraint, treat me without ceremony, and bid me go. "

"It's not so great an ill-hap after all; I have enough money left to bearthe loss patiently. "

"If I may ask the question, what is the nature of your loss?"

"I have lost a green pocket-book containing a good deal of money, whichif I had been wise I would have left behind, as I did not require it tillto-morrow. "

"And you don't know where you lost it?"

"It must have been in the street, but I can't imagine how it can havehappened. It contained bills of exchange for large amounts, and of coursethey don't matter, as I can stop payment of them, but there were alsonotes of the Bank of England for heavy sums, and they are gone, as theyare payable to the bearer. Let us give thanks to God, my dear child, thatit is no worse, and pray to Him to preserve to us what remains, and aboveall to keep us in good health. I have had much heavier losses than this, and I have been enabled not only to bear the misfortune but to make upthe loss. Let us say no more about the matter. "

While he was speaking my heart was full of joy, but I kept up the sadnessbefitting the scene. I had not the slightest doubt that the pocket-bookin question was the one I had unluckily sent through the staircase, butwhich could not be lost irretrievably. My first point was how to makecapital of my grand discovery in the interests of my cabalistic science. It was too fine an opportunity to be lost, especially as I still felt thesting of having been the cause of an enormous loss to the worthy man. Iwould give them a grand proof of the infallibility of my oracle: how manymiracles are done in the same way! The thought put me into a good humour. I began to crack jokes, and my jests drew peals of laughter from Esther. 

We had an excellent dinner and choice wine. After we had taken coffee Isaid that if they liked we would have a game of cards, but Esther saidthat this would be a waste of time, as she would much prefer making theoracular pyramids. This was exactly what I wanted. 

"With all my heart, " I said. 

"We will do as you suggest. "

"Shall I ask where my father lost his pocket-book?"

"Why not? It's a plain question: write it down. "

She made the pyramid, and the reply was that the pocket-book had not beenfound by anyone. She leapt up from her seat, danced for joy, and threwher arms round her father's neck, saying, "We shall find it, we shall find it, papa!"

"I hope so, too, my dear, that answer is really very consoling. "

Wherewith Esther gave her father one kiss after another. 

"Yes, " said I, "there is certainly ground for hope, but the oracle willbe dumb to all questions. "

"Dumb! Why?"

"I was going to say it will be dumb if you do not give me as many kissesas you have given your father. "

"Oh, then I will soon make it speak!" said she, laughing; and throwingher arms about my neck she began to kiss me, and I to give her kisses inreturn. 

Ah! what happy days they seem when I recall them; and still I likedwelling on these days despite my sad old age, the foe of love. When Irecall these events I grow young again and feel once more the delights ofyouth, despite the long years which separate me from that happy time. 

At last Esther sat down again, and asked, "Where is the pocket-book?" Andthe pyramid told her that the pocket-book had fallen through the openingin the fifth step of the staircase. 

M. D'O---- said to his daughter, "Come, my dear Esther, let us go and test the truth of the oracle. " Andfull of joy and hope they went to the staircase, I following them, and M. D'O shewed her the hole through which the pocket-book must have fallen. He lighted a candle and we went down to the cellar, and before long hepicked up the book, which had fallen into some water. We went up again inhigh spirits, and there we talked for over an hour as seriously as youplease on the divine powers of the oracle, which, according to them, should render its possessor the happiest of mortals. 

He opened the pocket-book and shewed us the four thousand pound notes. Hegave two to his daughter, and made me take the two remaining; but I tookthem with one hand and with the other gave them to Esther begging her tokeep them for me; but before she would agree to do so I had to threatenher with the stoppage of the famous cabalistic oracle. I told M. D'O thatall I asked was his friendship, and thereon he embraced me, and swore tobe my friend to the death. 

By making the fair Esther the depositary of my two thousand pounds, I wassure of winning her affection by an appeal, not to her interest, but toher truthfulness. This charming girl had about her so powerful anattraction that I felt as if my life was wound up with hers. 

I told M. D'O that my chief object was to negotiate the twenty millionsat a small loss. 

"I hope to be of service to you in the matter, " he said, "but as I. Shalloften want to speak to you, you must come and live in our house, whichyou must look upon as your own. "

"My presence will be a restraint on you. I shall be a trouble. "

"Ask Esther. "

Esther joined her entreaties to her father's and I gave in, taking goodcare not to let them see how pleased I was. I contented myself withexpressing my gratitude, to which they answered that it was I whoconferred a favour. 

M. D'O went into his closet, and as soon as I found myself alone withEsther I kissed her tenderly, saying that I should not be happy till Ihad won her heart. 

"Do you love me?"

"Dearly, and I will do all in my power to shew how well I love you, ifyou will love me in return. "

She gave me her hand, which I covered with kisses, and she went on tosay, "As soon as you come and live with us, you must look out for a goodopportunity for asking my hand of my father. You need not be afraid hewill refuse you, but the first thing for you to do is to move into ourhouse. "

"My dear little wife! I will come to-morrow. "

We said many sweet things to one another, talked about the future, andtold each other our inmost thoughts; and I was undoubtedly truly in love, for not a single improper fancy rose in my mind in the presence of mydear who loved me so well. 

The first thing that M. D'O said on his return was, that there would be apiece of news on the Exchange the next day. 

"What is that, papa dear?"

"I have decided to take the whole risk--amounting to three hundredthousand florins-of the ship which is thought to have gone down. Theywill call me mad, but they themselves will be the madmen; which is what Ishould be if, after the proof we have had, I doubted the oracle anymore. "

"My dear sir, you make me frightened. I have told you that I have beenoften deceived by the oracle. "

"That must have been, my dear fellow, when the reply was obscure, and youdid not get at the real sense of it; but in the present case there is noroom, for doubt. I shall make three million florins, or, if the worstcomes to the worse, my loss won't ruin me. "

Esther, whom the finding of the pocket-book had made enthusiastic, toldher father to lose no time. As for me, I could not recall what I haddone, but I was again overwhelmed with sadness. M. D'O---- saw it, andtaking my hand said, "If the oracle does lie this time, I shall be nonethe less your friend. "

"I am glad to hear it, " I answered; "but as this is a matter of theutmost importance, let me consult the oracle a second time before yourisk your three hundred thousand florins. " This proposition pleased thefather and daughter highly; they could not express their gratitude to mefor being so careful of their interests. 

What followed was truly surprising--enough to make one believe infatality. My readers probably will not believe it; but as these Memoirswill not be published till I have left this world, it would be of no usefor me to disguise the truth in any way, especially as the writing ofthem is only the amusement of my leisure hours. Well, let him who willbelieve it; this is absolutely what happened. I wrote down the questionmyself, erected the pyramid, and carried out all the magical ceremonieswithout letting Esther have a hand in it. I was delighted to be able tocheck an act of extreme imprudence, and I was determined to do so. Adouble meaning, which I knew how to get, would abate M. D'O----'s courageand annihilate his plans. I had thought over what I wanted to say, and Ithought I had expressed it properly in the numbers. With that idea, asEsther knew the alphabet perfectly well, I let her extract the answer, and transfer it into letters. What was my surprise when I heard her readthese words:

"In a matter of this kind neither fear nor hesitate. Your repentancewould be too hard for you to bear. "

That was enough. Father and daughter ran to embrace me, and M. D'O-saidthat when the vessel was sighted a tithe of the profits should be mine. My surprise prevented me giving any answer; I had intended to write trustand hazard, and I had written fear and hesitate. But thanks to hisprejudice, M. D'O---- only saw in my silence confirmation of theinfallibility of the oracle. In short, I could do nothing more, and Itook my leave leaving everything to the care of chance, who sometimes iskind to us in spite of ourselves. 

The next morning I took up my abode in a splendid suite of rooms inEsther's house, and the day after I took her to a concert, where shejoked with me on the grief I should endure on account of the absence ofMadame Trend and my daughter. Esther was the only mistress of my soul. Ilived but to adore her, and I should have satisfied my love had notEsther been a girl of good principles. I could not gain possession ofher, and was full of longing and desire. 

Four or five days after my installation in my new quarters, M. D'O---communicated to me the result of a conference which he had had withM. Pels and six other bankers on the twenty millions. They offered tenmillions in hard cash and seven millions in paper money, bearing interestat five or six per cent. With a deduction of one per cent. Brokerage. Furthermore, they would forgive a sum of twelve hundred thousand florinsowed by the French India Company to the Dutch Company. 

With such conditions I could not venture to decide on my ownresponsibility, although, personally, I thought them reasonable enough, the impoverished state of the French treasury being taken intoconsideration. I sent copies of the proposal to M. De Boulogne and M. D'Afri, begging from them an immediate reply. At the end of a week Ireceived an answer in the writing of M. De Courteil, acting for M. DeBoulogne, instructing me to refuse absolutely any such proposal, and toreport myself at Paris if I saw no chance of making a better bargain. Iwas again informed that peace was imminent, though the Dutch were quiteof another opinion. 

In all probability I should have immediately left for Paris, but for acircumstance which astonished nobody but myself in the family of which Ihad become a member. The confidence of M. D'O---- increased every day, andas if chance was determined to make me a prophet in spite of myself, newswas received of the ship which was believed to be lost, and which, on thefaith of my oracle, M. D'O had bought for three hundred thousand florins. The vessel was at Madeira. The joy of Esther, and still more my own, maybe imagined when we saw the worthy man enter the house triumphantly withconfirmation of the good news. 

"I have insured the vessel from Madeira to the mouth of the Texel for atrifle, " said he, "and so, " turning to me, "you may count from thismoment on the tenth part of the profit, which I owe entirely to you. "

The reader may imagine my delight; but there is one thing he will notimagine, unless he knows my character better than I do myself, theconfusion into which I was thrown by the following remarks:

"You are now rich enough, " said M. D'O----, "to set up for yourselfamongst us, and you are positively certain to make an enormous fortune ina short time merely by making use of your cabala. I will be your agent;let us live together, and if you like my daughter as she likes you, youcan call yourself my son as soon as you please. "

In Esther's face shone forth joy and happiness, and in mine, though Iadored her, there was to be seen, alas! nothing but surprise. I wasstupid with happiness and the constraint in which I held myself. I didnot analyze my feelings, but, though I knew it not, there can be no doubtthat my insuperable objection to the marriage tie was working within mysoul. A long silence followed; and last, recovering my powers of speech, I succeeded, with an effort, in speaking to them of my gratitude, myhappiness, my love, and I ended by saying that, in spite of my affectionfor Esther, I must, before settling in Holland, return to Paris, anddischarge the confidential and responsible duty which the Government hadplaced in my hands. I would then return to Amsterdam perfectlyindependent. 

This long peroration won their approval. Esther was quite pleased, and wespent the rest of the day in good spirits. Next day M. D'O---gave asplendid dinner to several of his friends, who congratulated him on hisgood fortune, being persuaded that his courageous action was to beexplained by his having had secret information of the safety of thevessel, though none of them could see from what source he, and he only, had obtained it. 

A week after this lucky event he gave me an ultimatum on the matter ofthe twenty millions, in which he guaranteed that France should not losemore than nine per cent. In the transaction. 

I immediately sent a copy of his proposal to M. D'Afri, begging him to beas prompt as possible, and another copy to the comptroller-general, witha letter in which I warned him that the thing would certainly fallthrough if he delayed a single day in sending full powers to M. D'Afri togive me the necessary authority to act. 

I wrote to the same effect to M. De Courteil and the Duc de Choiseul, telling them that I was to receive no brokerage; but that I should allthe same accept a proposal which I thought a profitable one, and sayingthat I had no doubt of obtaining my expenses from the French Government. 

As it was a time of rejoicing with us, M. D'O---- thought it would be agood plan to give a ball. All the most distinguished people in Amsterdamwere invited to it. The ball and supper were of the most splendiddescription, and Esther, who was a blaze of diamonds, danced all thequadrilles with me, and charmed every beholder by her grace and beauty. 

I spent all my time with Esther, and every day we grew more and more inlove, and more unhappy, for we were tormented by abstinence, whichirritated while it increased our desires. 

Esther was an affectionate mistress, but discreet rather by training thandisposition the favours she accorded me were of the most insignificantdescription. She was lavish of nothing but her kisses, but kisses arerather irritating than soothing. I used to be nearly wild with love. Shetold me, like other virtuous women, that if she agreed to make me happyshe was sure I would not marry her, and that as soon as I made her mywife she would be mine and mine only. She did not think I was married, for I had given her too many assurances to the contrary, but she thoughtI had a strong attachment to someone in Paris. I confessed that she wasright, and said that I was going there to put an end to it that I mightbe bound to her alone. Alas! I lied when I said so, for Esther wasinseparable from her father, a man of forty, and I could not make up mymind to pass the remainder of my days in Holland. 

Ten or twelve days after sending the ultimatum, I received a letter fromM. De Boulogne informing me that M. D'Afri had all necessary instructionsfor effecting the exchange of the twenty millions, and another letterfrom the ambassador was to the same effect. He warned me to take carethat everything was right, as he should not part with the securitiesbefore receiving 18, 200, 000 francs in current money. 

The sad time of parting at last drew near, amid many regrets and tearsfrom all of us. Esther gave me the two thousand pounds I had won soeasily, and her father at my request gave me bills of exchange to theamount of a hundred thousand florins, with a note of two hundred thousandflorins authorizing me to draw upon him till the whole sum was exhausted. Just as I was going, Esther gave me fifty shirts and fifty handkerchiefsof the finest quality. 

It was not my love for Manon Baletti, but a foolish vanity and a desireto cut a figure in the luxurious city of Paris, which made me leaveHolland. But such was the disposition that Mother Nature had given methat fifteen months under The Leads had not been enough to cure thismental malady of mine. But when I reflect upon after events of my life Iam not astonished that The Leads proved ineffectual, for the numberlessvicissitudes which I have gone through since have not cured me--mydisorder, indeed, being of the incurable kind. There is no such thing asdestiny. We ourselves shape our lives, notwithstanding that saying of theStoics, 'Volentem ducit, nolentem trahit'. 

After promising Esther to return before the end of the year, I set outwith a clerk of the company who had brought the French securities, and Ireached the Hague, where Boaz received me with a mingled air of wonderand admiration. He told me that I had worked a miracle; "but, " he added, "to succeed thus you must have persuaded them that peace was on the pointof being concluded. "

"By no means, " I answered; "so far from my persuading them, they are ofthe opposite opinion; but all the same I may tell you that peace isreally imminent. "

"If you like to give me that assurance in writing, " said he, "I will makeyou a present of fifty thousand florins' worth of diamonds. "

"Well, " I answered, "the French ambassador is of the same opinion asmyself; but I don't think the certainty is sufficiently great as yet foryou to risk your diamonds upon it. "

Next day I finished my business with the ambassador, and the clerkreturned to Amsterdam. 

I went to supper at Therese's, and found her children very well dressed. I told her to go on to Rotterdam the next day and wait for me there withher son, as I had no wish to give scandal at the Hague. 

At Rotterdam, Therese told me that she knew I had won half a million atAmsterdam, and that her fortune would be made if she could leave Hollandfor London. She had instructed Sophie to tell me that my good luck wasthe effect of the prayers she had addressed to Heaven on my behalf. I sawwhere the land lay, and I enjoyed a good laugh at the mother's craft andthe child's piety, and gave her a hundred ducats, telling her that sheshould have another hundred when she wrote to me from London. It was veryevident that she thought the sum a very moderate one, but I would notgive her any more. She waited for the moment when I was getting into mycarriage to beg me to give her another hundred ducats, and I said, in alow tone, that she should have a thousand if she would give me herdaughter. She thought it over for a minute, and then said that she couldnot part with her. 

"I know very well why, " I answered; and drawing a watch from my fob Igave it to Sophie, embraced her, and went on my way. I arrived at Parison February 10th, and took sumptuous apartments near the Rue Montorgueil. 

CHAPTER VI

I Meet With a Flattering Reception From My Patron--Madame D'Urfe'sInfatuation--Madame X. C. V. And Her Family--Madame du Rumain

During my journey from the Hague to Paris, short as it was, I had plentyof opportunities for seeing that the mental qualities of my adopted sonwere by no means equal to his physical ones. 

As I had said, the chief point which his mother had impressed on him wasreserve, which she had instilled into him out of regard for her owninterests. My readers will understand what I mean, but the child, infollowing his mother's instructions, had gone beyond the bounds ofmoderation; he possessed reserve, it is true, but he was also full ofdissimulation, suspicion, and hypocrisy--a fine trio of deceit in one whowas still a boy. He not only concealed what he knew, but he pretended toknow that which he did not. His idea of the one quality necessary tosuccess in life was an impenetrable reserve, and to obtain this he hadaccustomed himself to silence the dictates of his heart, and to say noword that had not been carefully weighed. Giving other people wrongimpressions passed with him for discretion, and his soul being incapableof a generous thought, he seemed likely to pass through life withoutknowing what friendship meant. 

Knowing that Madame d'Urfe counted on the boy for the accomplishment ofher absurd hypostasis, and that the more mystery I made of his birth themore extravagant would be her fancies about it, I told the lad that if Iintroduced him to a lady who questioned him by himself about his birth, he was to be perfectly open with her. 

On my arrival at Paris my first visit was to my patron, whom I found ingrand company amongst whom I recognized the Venetian ambassador, whopretended not to know me. 

"How long have you been in Paris?" said the minister, taking me by thehand. 

"I have only just stepped out of my chaise. "

"Then go to Versailles. You will find the Duc de Choiseul and thecomptroller-general there. You have been wonderfully successful, go andget your meed of praise and come and see me afterwards. Tell the dukethat Voltaire's appointment to be a gentleman-in-ordinary to the king isready. "

I was not going to start for Versailles at midday, but ministers in Parisare always talking in this style, as if Versailles were at the end of thestreet. Instead of going there, I went to see Madame d'Urfe. 

She received me with the words that her genius had informed her that Ishould come to-day, and that she was delighted with the fulfilment of theprophecy. 

"Corneman tells me that you have been doing wonders in Holland; but I seemore in the matter than he does, as I am quite certain that you havetaken over the twenty millions yourself. The funds have risen, and ahundred millions at least will be in circulation in the course of thenext week. You must not be offended at my shabby present, for, of course, twelve thousand francs are nothing to you. You must look upon them as alittle token of friendship. "

"I am going to tell my servants to close all the doors, for I am too gladto see you not to want to have you all to myself. "

A profound bow was the only reply I made to this flattering speech, and Isaw her tremble with joy when I told her that I had brought a lad oftwelve with me, whom I intended to place in the best school I could findthat he might have a good education. 

"I will send him myself to Viar, where my nephews are. What is his name?Where is he? I know well what this boy is, I long to see him. Why didyou not alight from your journey at my house?"

Her questions and replies followed one another in rapid succession. Ishould have found it impossible to get in a word edgeways, even if I hadwanted to, but I was very glad to let her expend her enthusiasm, and tookgood care not to interrupt her. On the first opportunity, I told her thatI should have the pleasure of presenting the young gentleman to her theday after tomorrow, as on the morrow I had an engagement at Versailles. 

"Does the dear lad speak French? While I am arranging for his going toschool you must really let him come and live with me. "

"We will discuss that question on the day after tomorrow, madam. "

"Oh, how I wish the day after to-morrow was here!"

On leaving Madame d'Urfe I went to my lottery office and found everythingin perfect order. I then went to the Italian play, and found Silvia andher daughter in their dressing-room. 

"My dear friend, " said she when she saw me, "I know that you haveachieved a wonderful success in Holland, and I congratulate you. "

I gave her an agreeable surprise by saying that I had been working forher daughter, and Marion herself blushed, and lowered her eyes in a verysuggestive manner. "I will be with you at supper, " I added, "and then wecan talk at our ease. " On leaving them I went to the amphitheatre, andwhat was my surprise to see in one of the first boxes MadameX---- C---- V----, with all her family. My readers will be glad to heartheir history. 

Madame X---- C---- V----, by birth a Greek, was the widow of an Englishman, by whom she had six children, four of whom were girls. On his death-bedhe became a Catholic out of deference to the tears of his wife; but ashis children could not inherit his forty thousand pounds invested inEngland, without conforming to the Church of England, the family returnedto London, where the widow complied with all the obligations of the lawof England. What will people not do when their interests are at stake!though in a case like this there is no need to blame a person foryielding, to prejudices which had the sanction of the law. 

It was now the beginning of the year 1758, and five years before, when Iwas at Padua, I fell in love with the eldest daughter, but a few monthsafter, when we were at Venice, Madame X. C. V. Thought good to exclude mefrom her family circle. The insult which the mother put upon me wassoftened by the daughter, who wrote me a charming letter, which I love toread even now. I may as well confess that my grief was the easier to bearas my time was taken up by my fair nun, M---- M----, and my dearC---- C----. Nevertheless, Mdlle. X. C. V. , though only fifteen, was of aperfect beauty, and was all the more charming in that to her physicaladvantages she joined those of a cultured mind. 

Count Algarotti, the King of Prussia's chamberlain, gave her lessons, andseveral young nobles were among her suitors, her preference apparentlybeing given to the heir of the family of Memmo de St. Marcuola. He died ayear afterwards, while he was procurator. 

My surprise at seeing this family at such a time and place may beimagined. Mdlle. X. C. V. Saw me directly, and pointed me out to hermother, who made a sign to me with her fan to come to their box. 

She received me in the friendliest manner possible, telling me that wewere not at Venice now, and that she hoped I would often come and seethem at the "Hotel de Bretagne, " in the Rue St. Andre des Arts. I toldthem that I did not wish to recall any events which might have happenedat Venice, and her daughter having joined her entreaties to those of hermother, I promised to accept their invitation. 

Mdlle. X. C. V. Struck me as prettier than ever; and my love, aftersleeping for five years, awoke to fresh strength and vigour. They told methat they were going to pass six months at Paris before returning toVenice. In return I informed them that I intended making Paris my home, that I had just left Holland, that I was going to Versailles the nextday, so that I could not pay my respects to them till the day after. Ialso begged them to accept my services, in a manner which let them know Iwas a person of some importance. 

Mdlle. X. C. V. Said that she was aware that the results of my Dutchmission should render me dear to France, that she had always lived inhopes of seeing me once more, that my famous flight from The Leads haddelighted them; "for, " she added, "we have always been fond of you. "

"I fancy your mother has kept her fondness for me very much to herself, "I whispered to her. 

"We won't say anything about that, " said she in the same tone. "We learntall the circumstances of your wonderful flight from a letter of sixteenpages you wrote to M. Memmo. We trembled with joy and shuddered with fearas we read it. "

"How did you know I have been in Holland?"

"M. De la Popeliniere told us about it yesterday. "

M. De la Popeliniere, the fermier-general, whom I had known seven yearsago at Passi, came into the box just as his name was spoken. Aftercomplimenting me he said that if I could carry through the same operationfor the India Company my fortune would be made. 

"My advice to you is, " he said, "to get yourself naturalized before itbecomes generally known that you have made half a million of money. "

"Half a million! I only wish I had!"

"You must have made that at the lowest calculation. "

"On the contrary, I give you my assurance, that if my claim for brokerageis not allowed, the transaction will prove absolutely ruinous to me. "

"Ah! no doubt you are right to take that tone. Meanwhile, everyone wantsto make your acquaintance, for France is deeply indebted to you. You havecaused the funds to recover in a very marked degree. "

After the play was over I went to Silvia's, where I was received as if Ihad been the favourite child of the family; but on the other hand I gavethem certain proofs that I wished to be regarded in that light. I wasimpressed with the idea that to their unshaken friendship I owed all mygood luck, and I made the father, mother, the daughter, and the two sons, receive the presents I had got for them. The best was for the mother, whohanded it on to her daughter. It was a pair of diamond ear-rings of greatbeauty, for which I had given fifteen thousand francs. Three days after Isent her a box containing fine linen from Holland, and choice Mechlin andAlencon lace. Mario, who liked smoking, got a gold pipe; the father achoice gold and enamelled snuff-box, and I gave a repeater to the youngerson, of whom I was very fond. I shall have occasion later on to speak ofthis lad, whose natural qualities were far superior to his position inlife. But, you will ask, was I rich enough to make such presents? No, Iwas not, and I knew it perfectly well; but I gave these presents becauseI was afraid of not being able to do so if I waited. 

I set out for Versailles at day-break, and M. De Choiseul received me asbefore, his hair was being dressed, but for a moment he laid down hispen, which shewed that I had become a person of greater importance in hiseyes. After a slight but grateful compliment, he told me that if Ithought myself capable of negotiating a loan of a hundred millions tobear interest at four per cent. , he would do all in his power to help me. My answer was that I would think it over when I heard how much I was tohave for what I had done already. 

"But everybody says that you have made two hundred thousand florins byit. "

"That would not be so bad; half a million of francs would be a fairfoundation on which to build a fortune; but I can assure your excellencethat there is not a word of truth in the report. I defy anyone to proveit; and till some substantial proof is offered, I think I can lay claimto brokerage. "

"True, true. Go to the comptroller-general and state your views to him. "

M. De Boulogne stopped the occupation on which he was engaged to give mea most friendly greeting, but when I said that he owed me a hundredthousand florins he smiled sardonically. 

"I happen to know, " he said, "that you have bills of exchange to theamount of a hundred thousand crowns payable to yourself. "

"Certainly, but that money has no connection with my mission, as I canprove to you by referring you to M. D'Afri. I have in my head aninfallible project for increasing the revenue by twenty millions, in amanner which will cause no irritation. "

"You don't say so! Communicate your plan, and I promise to get you apension of a hundred thousand francs, and letters of nobility as well, ifyou like to become a Frenchman. "

"I will think it over. "

On leaving M. De Boulogne I went to the Palace, where a ballet was goingon before the Marquise de Pompadour. 

She bowed to me as soon as she saw me, and on my approaching her she toldme that I was an able financier, and that the "gentlemen below" could notappreciate my merits. She had not forgotten what I had said to her eightyears before in the theatre at Fontainebleau. I replied that all goodgifts were from above, whither, with her help, I hoped to attain. 

On my return to Paris I went to the "Hotel Bourbon" to inform my patronof the result of my journey. His advice to me was to continue to servethe Government well, as its good fortune would come to be mine. On mytelling him of my meeting with the X. C. V. 's, he said that M. De laPopeliniere was going to marry the elder daughter. 

When I got to my house my son was nowhere to be found. My landlady toldme that a great lady had come to call on my lord, and that she had takenhim away with her. Guessing that this was Madame d'Urfe, I went to bedwithout troubling myself any further. Early next morning my clerk broughtme a letter. It came from the old attorney, uncle to Gaetan's wife, whomI had helped to escape from the jealous fury of her brutal husband. Theattorney begged me to come and speak to him at the courts, or to make anappointment at some place where he could see me. I went to the courts andfound him there. 

"My niece, " he began, "found herself obliged to go into a convent; andfrom this vantage ground she is pleading against her husband, with theaid of a barrister, who will be responsible for the costs. However, towin our case, we require the evidence of yourself, Count Tiretta, andother servants who witnessed the scene at the inn. "

I did all I could, and four months afterwards Gaetan simplified mattersby a fraudulent bankruptcy, which obliged him to leave France: in duetime and place, I shall have something more to say about him. As for hiswife, who was young and pretty, she paid her counsel in love's money, andwas very happy with him, and may be happy still for all I know, but Ihave entirely lost sight of her. 

After my interview with the old attorney I went to Madame---- to seeTiretta, who was out. Madame was still in love with him, and he continuedto make a virtue of necessity. I left my address, and went to the "Hotelde Bretagne" to pay my first call on Madame X. C. V. The lady, though shewas not over fond of me, received me with great politeness. I possiblycut a better figure in her eyes when rich, and at Paris, then when wewere in Venice. We all know that diamonds have the strange power offascination, and that they form an excellent substitute for virtue!

Madame X. C. V. Had with her an old Greek named Zandiri, brother to M. DeBragadin's major-domo, who was just dead. I uttered some expressions ofsympathy, and the boor did not take the trouble to answer me, but I wasavenged for his foolish stiffness by the enthusiasm with which I waswelcomed by everyone else. The eldest girl, her sisters, and the twosons, almost overwhelmed me with friendliness. The eldest son was onlyfourteen, and was a young fellow of charming manners, but evidentlyextremely independent, and sighed for the time when he would be able todevote himself to a career of profligacy for which he was well fitted. Mdlle. X. C. V. Was both beautiful and charming in her manner, and hadreceived an excellent education of which, however, she made no parade. One could not stay in her presence without loving her, but she was noflirt, and I soon saw that she held out no vain hopes to those who hadthe misfortune not to please her. Without being rude she knew how to becold, and it was all the worse for those whom her coldness did not shewthat their quest was useless. 

The first hour I passed in her company chained me a captive to hertriumphant car. I told her as much, and she replied that she was glad tohave such a captive. She took the place in my heart where Esther hadreigned a week before, but I freely confess that Esther yielded onlybecause she was away. As to my attachment to Sylvia's daughter, it was ofsuch a nature as not to hinder me falling in love with any other womanwho chanced to take my fancy. In the libertine's heart love cannot existwithout substantial food, and women who have had some experience of theworld are well aware of this fact. The youthful Baletti was a beginner, and so knew nothing of these things. 

M. Farsetti, a Venetian of noble birth, a knight of Malta, a greatstudent of the occult sciences, and a good Latin versifier, came in atone o'clock. Dinner was just ready and Madame X. C. V. Begged him tostay. She asked me also to dine with them, but wishing to dine withMadame d'Urfe I refused the invitation for the nonce. 

M. Farsetti, who had known me very well at Venice, only noticed me by aside-glance, and without shewing any vexation I paid him back in the samecoin. He smiled at Mdlle. X. C. V. 's praise of my courage. She noticedhis expression, and as if to punish him for it went on to say that I hadnow the admiration of every Venetian, and that the French were anxious tohave the honour of calling me a fellow-citizen. M. Farsetti asked me ifmy post at the lottery paid well. I replied, coolly, "Oh, yes, well enough for me to pay my clerks' salaries. "

He understood the drift of my reply, and Mdlle. X. C. V. Smiled. 

I found my supposed son with Madame d'Urfe, or rather in that amiablevisionary's arms. She hastened to apologize for carrying him off, and Iturned it off with a jest, having no other course to take. 

"I made him sleep with me, " she said, "but I shall be obliged to deprivemyself of this privilege for the future, unless he promises to be morediscreet. "

I thought the idea a grand one, and the little fellow, in spite of hisblushes, begged her to say how he had offended. 

"We shall have the Comte de St. Germain, " said Madame d'Urfe, "to dinner. I know he amuses you, and I like you to enjoy yourself in my house. "

"For that, madam, your presence is all I need; nevertheless, I thank youfor considering me. "

In due course St. Germain arrived, and in his usual manner sat himselfdown, not to eat but to talk. With a face of imperturbable gravity hetold the most incredible stories, which one had to pretend to believe, ashe was always either the hero of the tale or an eye witness of the event. All the same, I could not help bursting into laughter when he told us ofsomething that happened as he was dining with the Fathers of the Councilof Trent. 

Madame d'Urfe wore on her neck a large magnet. She said that it would oneday happen that this magnet would attract the lightning, and that shewould consequently soar into the sun. I longed to tell her that when, shegot there she could be no higher up than on the earth, but I restrainedmyself; and the great charlatan hastened to say that there could be nodoubt about it, and that he, and he only, could increase the force of themagnet a thousand times. I said, dryly, that I would wager twentythousand crowns he would not so much as double its force, but Madamed'Urfe would not let us bet, and after dinner she told me in private thatI should have lost, as St. Germain was a magician. Of course I agreedwith her. 

A few days later, the magician set out for Chambord, where the king hadgiven him a suite of rooms and a hundred thousand francs, that he mightbe at liberty to work on the dyes which were to assure the superiority ofFrench materials over those of any other country. St. Germain had gotover the king by arranging a laboratory where he occasionally tried toamuse himself, though he knew little about chemistry, but the king wasthe victim of an almost universal weariness. To enjoy a harem recruitedfrom amongst the most ravishing beauties, and often from the ranks ofneophytes, with whom pleasure had its difficulties, one would have neededto be a god, and Louis XV. Was only a man after all. 

It was the famous marquise who had introduced the adept to the king inthe hope of his distracting the monarch's weariness, by giving him ataste for chemistry. Indeed Madame de Pompadour was under the impressionthat St. Germain had given her the water of perpetual youth, andtherefore felt obliged to make the chemist a good return. This wondrouswater, taken according to the charlatan's directions, could not indeedmake old age retire and give way to youth, but according to the marquiseit would preserve one in statu quo for several centuries. 

As a matter of fact, the water, or the giver of it, had worked wonders, if not on her body, at least on her mind; she assured the king that shewas not getting older. The king was as much deluded by this grandimpostor as she was, for one day he shewed the Duc des Deux-Ponts adiamond of the first water, weighing twelve carats, which he fancied hehad made himself. "I melted down, " said Louis XV. , "small diamondsweighing twenty-four carats, and obtained this one large one weighingtwelve. " Thus it came to pass that the infatuated monarch gave theimpostor the suite formerly occupied by Marshal Saxe. The Duc desDeux-Ponts told me this story with his own lips, one evening, when I wassupping with him and a Swede, the Comte de Levenhoop, at Metz. 

Before I left Madame d'Urfe, I told her that the lad might be he whoshould make her to be born again, but that she would spoil all if she didnot wait for him to attain the age of puberty. After what she had saidabout his misbehavior, the reader will guess what made me say this. Shesent him to board with Viar, gave him masters on everything, anddisguised him under the name of the Comte d'Aranda, although he was bornat Bayreuth, and though his mother never had anything to do with aSpaniard of that name. It was three or four months before I went to seehim, as I was afraid of being insulted on account of the name which thevisionary Madame d'Urfe had given him. 

One day Tiretta came to see me in a fine coach. He told me that hiselderly mistress wanted to become his wife, but that he would not hear ofit, though she offered to endow him with all her worldly goods. I toldhim that if he gave in he might pay his debts, return to Trevisa, andlive pleasantly there; but his destiny would not allow him to take myadvice. 

I had resolved on taking a country house, and fixed on one called "LittlePoland, " which pleased me better than all the others I had seen. It waswell furnished, and was a hundred paces distant from the Madeleine Gate. It was situated on slightly elevated ground near the royal park, behindthe Duc de Grammont's garden, and its owner had given it the name of"Pleasant Warsaw. " It had two gardens, one of which was on a level withthe first floor, three reception rooms, large stables, coach houses, baths, a good cellar, and a splendid kitchen. The master was called "TheButter King, " and always wrote himself down so; the name had been givento him by Louis XV. On the monarch's stopping at the house and liking thebutter. The "Butter King" let me his house for a hundred Louis per annum, and he gave me an excellent cook called "The Pearl, " a true blue-ribbonof the order of cooks, and to her he gave charge of all his furniture andthe plate I should want for a dinner of six persons, engaging to get meas much plate as I wanted at the hire of a sous an ounce. He alsopromised to let me have what wine I wanted, and said all he had was ofthe best, and, moreover, cheaper than I could get it at Paris, as he hadno gate-money to pay on it. 

Matters having been arranged on these terms, in the course of a week Igot a good coachman, two fine carriages, five horses, a groom, and twofootmen. Madame d'Urfe, who was my first guest, was delighted with my newabode, and as she imagined that I had done it all for her, I left her inthat flattering opinion. I never could believe in the morality ofsnatching from poor mortal man the delusions which make them happy. Ialso let her retain the notion that young d'Aranda, the count of her ownmaking, was a scion of the nobility, that he was born for a mysteriousoperation unknown to the rest of mankind, that I was only his caretaker(here I spoke the truth), and that he must die and yet not cease to live. All these whimsical ideas were the products of her brain, which was onlyoccupied with the impossible, and I thought the best thing I could do wasto agree with everything. If I had tried to undeceive her, she would haveaccused me of want of trust in her, for she was convinced that all herknowledge was revealed to her by her genius, who spoke to her only bynight. After she had dined with me I took her back to her house, full ofhappiness. 

Camille sent me a lottery ticket, which she had invested in at my office, and which proved to be a winning one, I think, for a thousand crowns orthereabouts. She asked me to come and sup with her, and bring the moneywith me. I accepted her invitation, and found her surrounded by all thegirls she knew and their lovers. After supper I was asked to go to theopera with them, but we had scarcely got there when I lost my party inthe crowd. I had no mask on, and I soon found myself attacked by a blackdomino, whom I knew to be a woman, and as she told me a hundred truthsabout myself in a falsetto voice, I was interested, and determined onfinding out who she was. At last I succeeded in persuading her to comewith me into a box, and as soon as we were in and I had taken off hermask I was astonished to find she was Mdlle. X. C. V. 

"I have come to the ball, " said she, "with one of my sisters, my elderbrother, and M. Farsetti. I left them to go into a box and change mydomino:

"They must feel very uneasy. "

"I dare say they do, but I am not going to take pity on them till the endof the ball. "

Finding myself alone with her, and certain of having her in my companyfor the rest of the night, I began to talk of our old love-making; and Itook care to say that I was more in love with her than ever. She listenedto me kindly, did not oppose my embraces, and by the few obstacles sheplaced in my way I judged that the happy moment was not far off. Nevertheless I felt that I must practice restraint that evening, and shelet me see that she was obliged to me. 

"I heard at Versailles, my dear mademoiselle, that you are going to marryM. De la Popeliniere. "

"So they say. My mother wishes me to do so, and the old financier fancieshe has got me in his talons already; but he makes a mistake, as I willnever consent to such a thing. "

"He is old, but he is very rich. "

"He is very rich and very generous, for he promises me a dowry of amillion if I become a widow without children; and if I had a son he wouldleave me all his property. "

"You wouldn't have much difficulty in complying with the secondalternative. "

"I shall never have anything to do with his money, for I should nevermake my life miserable by a marriage with a man whom I do not love, whileI do love another. "

"Another! Who is the fortunate mortal to whom you have given your heart'streasure?"

"I do not know if my loved one is fortunate. My lover is a Venetian, andmy mother knows of it; but she says that I should not be happy, that heis not worthy of me. "

"Your mother is a strange woman, always crossing your affections. "

"I cannot be angry with her. She may possibly be wrong, but she certainlyloves me. She would rather that I should marry M. Farsetti, who would bevery glad to have me, but I detest him. "

"Has he made a declaration in terms?"

"He has, and all the marks of contempt I have given him seem to have noeffect. "

"He clings hard to hope; but the truth is you have fascinated him. "

"Possibly, but I do not think him susceptible of any tender or generousfeeling. He is a visionary; surly, jealous, and envious in hisdisposition. When he heard me expressing myself about you in the manneryou deserve, he had the impudence to say to my mother before my face thatshe ought not to receive you. "

"He deserves that I should give him a lesson in manners, but there areother ways in which he may be punished. I shall be delighted to serve youin any way I can. "

"Alas! if I could only count on your friendship I should be happy. "

The sigh with which she uttered these words sent fire through my veins, and I told her that I was her devoted slave; that I had fifty thousandcrowns which were at her service, and that I would risk my life to winher favours. She replied that she was truly grateful to me, and as shethrew her arms about my neck our lips met, but I saw that she wasweeping, so I took care that the fire which her kisses raised should bekept within bounds. She begged me to come and see her often, promisingthat as often as she could manage it we should be alone. I could ask nomore, and after I had promised to come and dine with them on the morrow, we parted. 

I passed an hour in walking behind her, enjoying my new position ofintimate friend, and I then returned to my Little Poland. It was a shortdistance, for though I lived in the country I could get to any part ofParis in a quarter of an hour. I had a clever coachman, and capitalhorses not used to being spared. I got them from the royal stables, andas soon as I lost one I got another from the same place, having to paytwo hundred francs. This happened to me several times, for, to my mind, going fast is one of the greatest pleasures which Paris offers. 

Having accepted an invitation to dinner at the X. C. V. 's, I did not givemyself much time for sleep, and I went out on foot with a cloak on. Thesnow was falling in large flakes, and when I got to madame's I was aswhite as a sheet from head to foot. She gave me a hearty welcome, laughing, and saying that her daughter had been telling her how she hadpuzzled me, and that she was delighted to see me come to dinner withoutceremony. "But, " added she, "it's Friday today, and you will have tofast, though, after all, the fish is very good. Dinner is not ready yet. You had better go and see my daughter, who is still a-bed. "

As may be imagined, this invitation had not to be repeated, for a prettywoman looks better in bed than anywhere else. I found Mdlle. X. C. V. Sitting up in bed writing, but she stopped as soon as she saw me. 

"How is this, sweet lie-a-bed, not up yet?"

"Yes, I am staying in bed partly because I feel lazy, and partly becauseI am freer here. "

"I was afraid you were not quite well. "

"Nor am I. However, we will say no more about that now. I am just goingto take some soup, as those who foolishly establish the institution offasting were not polite enough to ask my opinion on the subject. It doesnot agree with my health, and I don't like it, so I am not going to getup even to sit at table, though I shall thus deprive myself of yoursociety. "

I naturally told her that in her absence dinner would have no savour; andI spoke the truth. 

As the presence of her sister did not disturb us, she took out of herpocket-book an epistle in verse which I had addressed to her when hermother had forbidden me the house. "This fatal letter, " said she, "whichyou called 'The Phoenix, ' has shaped my life and may prove the cause ofmy death. "

I had called it the Phoenix because, after bewailing my unhappy lot, Iproceeded to predict how she would afterwards give her heart to a mortalwhose qualities would make him deserve the name of Phoenix. A hundredlines were taken up in the description of these imaginary mental andmoral characteristics, and certainly the being who should have them allwould be right worthy of worship, for he would be rather a god than aman. 

"Alas!" said Mdlle. X. C. V. , "I fell in love with this imaginary being, and feeling certain that such an one must exist I set myself to look forhim. After six months I thought I had found him. I gave him my heart, Ireceived his, we loved each other fondly. But for the last four months wehave been separated, and during the whole time I have only had one letterfrom him. Yet I must not blame him, for I know he cannot help it. Such, is my sorry fate: I can neither hear from him nor write to him:"

This story was a confirmation of a theory of mine namely, that the mostimportant events in our lives proceed often from the most triflingcauses. My epistle was nothing better than a number of lines of poetrymore or less well written, and the being I had delineated was certainlynot to be found, as he surpassed by far all human perfections, but awoman's heart travels so quickly and so far! Mdlle. X. C. V. Took thething literally, and fell in love with a chimera of goodness, and thenwas fain to turn this into a real lover, not thinking of the vastdifference between the ideal and the real. For all that, when she thoughtthat she had found the original of my fancy portrait, she had nodifficulty in endowing him with all the good qualities I had pictured. Ofcourse Mdlle. X. C. V. Would have fallen in love if I had never writtenher a letter in verse, but she would have done so in a different manner, and probably with different results. 

As soon as dinner was served we were summoned to do justice to the choicefish which M. De la Popeliniere had provided. Madame X. C. V. Anarrowminded Greek, was naturally bigoted and superstitious. In the mindof a silly woman the idea of an alliance between the most opposite ofbeings, God and the Devil, seems quite natural. A priest had told herthat, since she had converted her husband, her salvation was secure, forthe Scriptures solemnly promised a soul for a soul to every one who wouldlead a heretic or a heathen within the fold of the church. And as MadameX. C. V. Had converted her husband, she felt no anxiety about the life ofthe world to come, as she had done all that was necessary. However, sheate fish on the days appointed; the reason being that she preferred it toflesh. 

Dinner over, I returned to the lady's bedside, and there stayed tillnearly nine o'clock, keeping my passions well under control all the time. I was foppish enough to think that her feelings were as lively as mine, and I did not care to shew myself less self-restrained than she, though Iknew then, as I know now, that this was a false line of argument. It isthe same with opportunity as with fortune; one must seize them when theycome to us, or else they go by, often to return no more. 

Not seeing Farsetti at the table, I suspected there had been a quarrel, and I asked my sweetheart about it; but she told me I was mistaken insupposing they had quarreled with him, and that the reason of his absencewas that he would never leave his house on a Friday. The deluded man hadhad his horoscope drawn, and learning by it that he would be assassinatedon a Friday he resolved always to shut himself up on that day. He waslaughed at, but persisted in the same course till he died four years agoat the age of seventy. He thought to prove by the success of hisprecautions that a man's destiny depends on his discretion, and on theprecautions he takes to avoid the misfortunes of which he has hadwarning. The line of argument holds good in all cases except when themisfortunes are predicted in a horoscope; for either the ills predictedare avoidable, in which case the horoscope is a useless piece of folly, or else the horoscope is the interpreter of destiny, in which case allthe precautions in the world are of no avail. The Chevalier Farsetti wastherefore a fool to imagine he had proved anything at all. He would haveproved a good deal for many people if he had gone out on a Friday, andhad chanced to have been assassinated. Picas de la Mirandola, whobelieved in astrology, says, "I have no doubt truly, 'Astra influunt, noncogunt. '" But would it have been a real proof of the truth of astrology, if Farsetti had been assassinated on a Friday? In my opinion, certainlynot. 

The Comte d'Eigreville had introduced me to his sister, the Comtesse duRemain, who had been wanting to make my acquaintance ever since she hadheard of my oracle. It was not long before I made friends with herhusband and her two daughters, the elder of whom, nicknamed "Cotenfau, "married M. De Polignac later on. Madame du Remain was handsome ratherthan pretty, but she won the love of all by her kindness, her frankcourtesy, and her eagerness to be of service to her friends. She had amagnificent figure, and would have awed the whole bench of judges if shehad pleaded before them. 

At her house I got to know Mesdames de Valbelle and de Rancerolles, thePrincess de Chimai, and many others who were then in the best society ofParis. Although Madame du Remain was not a proficient in the occultsciences, she had nevertheless consulted my oracle more frequently thanMadame d'Urfe. She was of the utmost service to me in connection with anunhappy circumstance of which I shall speak presently. 

The day after my long conversation with Mdlle. X. C. V. , my servant toldme that there was a young man waiting who wanted to give me a letter withhis own hands. I had him in, and on my asking him from whom the lettercame, he replied that I should find all particulars in the letter, andthat he had orders to wait for an answer. The epistle ran as follows:

"I am writing this at two o'clock in the morning. I am weary and in needof rest, but a burden on my soul deprives me of sleep. The secret I amabout to tell you will no longer be so grievous when I have confided inyou; I shall feel eased by placing it in your breast. I am with child, and my situation drives me to despair. I was obliged to write to youbecause I felt I could not say it. Give me a word in reply. "

My feelings on reading the above may be guessed. I was petrified withastonishment and could only write, "I will be with you at eleveno'clock. "

No one should say that he has passed through great misfortunes unlessthey have proved too great for his mind to bear. The confidence of Mdlle. X. C. V. Shewed me that she was in need of support. I congratulatedmyself on having the preference, and I vowed to do my best for her did itcost me my life. These were the thoughts of a lover, but for all that Icould not conceal from myself the imprudence of the step she had taken. In such cases as these there is always the choice between speaking orwriting, and the only feeling which can give the preference to writing isfalse shame, at bottom mere cowardice. If I had not been in love withher, I should have found it easier to have refused my aid in writing thanif she had spoken to me, but I loved her to distraction. 

"Yes, " said I to myself, "she can count on me. Her mishap makes her allthe dearer to me. "

And below this there was another voice, a voice which whispered to methat if I succeeded in saving her my reward was sure. I am well awarethat more than one grave moralist will fling stones at me for thisavowal, but my answer is that such men cannot be in love as I was. 

I was punctual to my appointment, and found the fair unfortunate at thedoor of the hotel. 

"You are going out, are you? Where are you going?"

"I am going to mass at the Church of the Augustinians. "

"Is this a saint's day?"

"No; but my mother makes me go every day. "

"I will come with you. "

"Yes do, give me your arm; we will go into the cloisters and talk there. "

Mdlle. X. C. V. Was accompanied by her maid, but she knew better than tobe in the way, so we left her in the cloisters. As soon as we were aloneshe said to me, "Have you read my letter?"

"Yes, of course; here it is, burn it yourself. "

"No, keep it, and do so with your own hands. "

"I see you trust in me, and I assure you I will not abuse your trust. "

"I am sure you will not. I am four months with child; I can doubt it nolonger, and the thought maddens me!"

"Comfort yourself, we will find some way to get over it. "

"Yes; I leave all to you. You must procure an abortion. "

"Never, dearest! that is a crime!"

"Alas! I know that well; but it is not a greater crime than suicide, andthere lies my choice: either to destroy the wretched witness of my shame, or to poison myself. For the latter alternative I have everything ready. You are my only friend, and it is for you to decide which it shall be. Speak to me! Are you angry that I have not gone to the Chevalier Farsettibefore you?"

She saw my astonishment, and stopped short, and tried to wipe away thetears which escaped from her eyes. My heart bled for her. 

"Laying the question of crime on one side, " said I, "abortion is out ofour power. If the means employed are not violent they are uncertain, andif they are violent they are dangerous to the mother. I will never riskbecoming your executioner; but reckon on me, I will not forsake you. Yourhonour is as dear to me as your life. Becalm, and henceforth think thatthe peril is mine, not yours. Make up your mind that I shall find someway of escape, and that there will be no need to cut short that life, topreserve which I would gladly die. And allow me to say that when I readyour note I felt glad, I could not help it, that at such an emergency youchose me before all others to be your helper. You will find that yourtrust was not given in vain, for no one loves you as well as I, and noone is so fain to help you. Later you shall begin to take the remedies Iwill get for you, but I warn you to be on your guard, for this is aserious matter--one of life and death. Possibly you have already toldsomebody about it--your maid or one of your sisters?"

"I have not told anybody but you, not even the author of my shame. Itremble when I think what my mother would do and say if she found out mysituation. I am afraid she will draw her conclusions from my shape. "

"So far there is nothing to be observed in that direction, the beauty ofthe outline still remains intact. "

"But every day increases its size, and for that reason we must be quickin what we do. You must find a surgeon who does not know my name and takeme to him to be bled. "

"I will not run the risk, it might lead to the discovery of the wholeaffair. I will bleed you myself; it is a simple operation. "

"How grateful I am to you! I feel as if you had already brought me fromdeath to life. What I should like you to do would be to take me to amidwife's. We can easily go without attracting any notice at the firstball at the opera. "

"Yes, sweetheart, but that step is not necessary, and it might lead toour betrayal. "

"No, no, in this great town there are midwives in every quarter, and weshould never be known; we might keep our masks on all the time. Do methis kindness. A midwife's opinion is certainly worth having. "

I could not refuse her request, but I made her agree to wait till thelast ball, as the crowd was always greater, and we had a better chance ofgoing out free from observation. I promised to be there in a black dominowith a white mask in the Venetian fashion, and a rose painted beside theleft eye. As soon as she saw me go out she was to follow me into acarriage. All this was carried out, but more of it anon. 

I returned with her, and dined with them without taking any notice ofFarsetti, who was also at the table, and had seen me come back from masswith her. We did not speak a word to one another; he did not like me andI despised him. 

I must here relate a grievous mistake of which I was guilty, and which Ihave not yet forgiven myself. 

I had promised to take Mdlle. X. C. V. To a midwife, but I certainlyought to have taken her to a respectable woman's, for all we wanted toknow was how a pregnant woman should regulate her diet and manner ofliving. But my evil genius took me by the Rue St. Louis, and there I sawthe Montigni entering her house with a pretty girl whom I did not know, and so out of curiosity I went in after them. After amusing myself there, with Mdlle. X. C. V. Running in my head all the time, I asked the womanto give me the address of a midwife, as I wanted to consult one. She toldme of a house in the Marais, where according to her dwelt the pearl ofmidwives, and began telling me some stories of her exploits, which allwent to prove that the woman was an infamous character. I took heraddress, however, and as I should have to go there by night, I went thenext day to see where the house was. 

Mdlle. X. C. V. Began to take the remedies which I brought her, whichought to have weakened and destroyed the result of love, but as she didnot experience any benefit, she was impatient to consult a midwife. Onthe night of the last ball she recognized me as we had agreed, andfollowed me out into the coach she saw me enter, and in less than aquarter of an hour we reached the house of shame. 

A woman of about fifty received us with great politeness, and asked whatshe could do. 

Mdlle. X. C. V. Told her that she believed herself pregnant, and that shedesired some means of concealing her misfortune. The wretch answered witha smile that she might as well tell her plainly that it would be easy toprocure abortion. "I will do your business, " said she, "for fifty Louis, half to be paid in advance on account of drugs, and the rest when it'sall over. I will trust in your honesty, and you will have to trust inmine. Give me the twenty-five Louis down, and come or send to-morrow forthe drugs, and instructions for using them. "

So saying she turned up her clothes without any ceremony, and as I, atMdlle. X. C. V. 's request, looked away, she felt her and pronounced, asshe let down her dress, that she was not beyond the fourth month. 

"If my drugs, " said she, "contrary to my expectation, do not do any good, we will try some other ways, and, in any case, if I do not succeed inobliging you I will return you your money. "

"I don't doubt it for a moment, " said I, "but would you tell me what arethose other ways!"

"I should tell the lady how to destroy the foetus. "

I might have told her that to kill the child meant giving a mortal woundto the mother, but I did not feel inclined to enter into a argument withthis vile creature. 

"If madame decides on taking your advice, " said I, "I will bring you themoney for drugs to-morrow. "

I gave her two Louis and left. Mdlle. X. C. V. Told me that she had nodoubt of the infamy of this woman, as she was sure it was impossible todestroy the offspring without the risk of killing the mother also. "Myonly trust, " said she, "is in you. " I encouraged her in this idea, dissuading her from any criminal attempts, and assured her over and overagain that she should not find her trust in me misplaced. All at once shecomplained of feeling cold, and asked if we had not time to warmourselves in Little Poland, saying that she longed to see my prettyhouse. I was surprised and delighted with the idea. The night was toodark for her to see the exterior charms of my abode, she would have tosatisfy herself with the inside, and leave the rest to her imagination. Ithought my hour had come. I made the coach stop and we got down andwalked some way, and then took another at the corner of the Rue de laFerannerie. I promised the coachman six francs beyond his fare, and in aquarter of an hour he put us down at my door. 

I rang with the touch of the master, the Pearl opened the door, and toldme that there was nobody within, as I very well knew, but it was herhabit to do so. 

"Quick!" said I, "light us a fire, and bring some glasses and a bottle ofchampagne. "

"Would you like an omelette?"

"Very well. "

"Oh, I should like an omelette so much!" said Mdlle. X. C. V. She wasravishing, and her laughing air seemed to promise me a moment of bliss. Isat down before the blazing fire and made her sit on my knee, coveringher with kisses which she gave me back as lovingly. I had almost won whatI wanted when she asked me in a sweet voice to stop. I obeyed, thinkingit would please her, feeling sure that she only delayed my victory tomake it more complete, and that she would surrender after the champagne. I saw love, kindness, trust, and gratitude shining in her face, and Ishould have been sorry for her to think that I claimed her as a merereward. No, I wanted her love, and nothing but her love. 

At last we got to our last glass of champagne, we rose from the table, and sentimentally but with gentle force I laid her on a couch and heldher amorously in my arms. But instead of giving herself up to my embracesshe resisted them, at first by those prayers which usually make loversmore enterprising, then by serious remonstrances, and at last by force. This was too much, the mere idea of using violence has always shocked me, and I am still of opinion that the only pleasure in the amorous embracesprings from perfect union and agreement. I pleaded my cause in everyway, I painted myself as the lover flattered, deceived, despised! At lastI told her that I had had a cruel awakening, and I saw that the shaftwent home. I fell on my knees and begged her to forgive me. "Alas!" saidshe, in a voice full of sadness, "I am no longer mistress of my heart, and have far greater cause for grief than you. " The tears flowed fastdown her cheeks, her head rested on my shoulder, and our lips met; butfor all that the piece was over. The idea of renewing the attack nevercame into my head, and if it had I should have scornfully rejected it. After a long silence, of which we both stood in need, she to conquer hershame, and I to repress my anger, we put on our masks and returned to theopera. On our way she dared to tell me that she should be obliged todecline my friendship if she had to pay for it so dearly. 

"The emotions of love, " I replied, "should yield to those of honour, andyour honour as well as mine require us to continue friends. What I wouldhave done for love I will now do for devoted friendship, and for thefuture I will die rather than make another attempt to gain those favoursof which I thought you deemed me worthy. "

We separated at the opera, and the vast crowd made me lose sight of herin an instant. Next day she told me that she had danced all night. Shepossibly hoped to find in that exercise the cure which no medicine seemedlikely to give her. 

I returned to my house in a bad humour, trying in vain to justify arefusal which seemed humiliating and almost incredible. My good senseshewed me, in spite of all sophisms, that I had been grievously insulted. I recollected the witty saying of Populia, who was never unfaithful toher husband except when she was with child; "Non tollo vectorem, " saidshe, "nisi navi plena. "

I felt certain that I was not loved, and the thought grieved me; and Iconsidered that it would be unworthy of me to love one whom I could nolonger hope to possess. I resolved to avenge myself by leaving her to herfate, feeling that I could not allow myself to be duped as I had been. 

The night brought wisdom with it, and when I awoke in the morning my mindwas calm and I was still in love. I determined to act generously by theunfortunate girl. Without my aid she would be ruined; my course, then, would be to continue my services and to shew myself indifferent to herfavours. The part was no easy one, but I played it right well, and atlast my reward came of itself. 

CHAPTER VII

I Continue My Relations With Mdlle. X. C. V. --Vain Attempts to ProcureAbortion--The Aroph--She Flies From Home and Takes Refuge in a Convent

The difficulties I encountered only served to increase my love for mycharming Englishwoman. I went to see her every morning, and as myinterest in her condition was genuine, she could have no suspicion that Iwas acting a part, or attribute my care of her to anything but the mostdelicate feelings. For her part she seemed well pleased in the alterationof my behaviour, though her satisfaction may very probably have beenassumed. I understood women well enough to know that though she did notlove me she was probably annoyed at seeing my new character sit upon meso easily. 

One morning in the midst of an unimportant and disconnected conversation, she complimented me upon my strength of mind in subduing my passion, adding, with a smile, that my desire could not have pricked me verysharply, seeing that I had cured myself so well in the course of a week. I quietly replied that I owed my cure not to the weakness of my passionbut to my self-respect. 

"I know my own character, " I said, "and without undue presumption, Ithink I may say that I am worthy of a woman's love. Naturally, after yourconvincing me that you think differently, I feel humiliated andindignant. Do you know what effect such feelings have on the heart?"

"Alas!" said she, "I know too well. Their effect is to inspire one withcontempt for her who gave rise to them. "

"That is going too far, at least in my case. My indignation was merelysucceeded by a renewed confidence in myself, and a determination to berevenged. "

"To be revenged! In what way?"

"I wish to compel you to esteem me, by proving to you that I am lord ofmyself, and can pass by with indifference what I once so ardentlydesired. I do not know whether I have succeeded yet, but I may say that Ican now contemplate your charms without desiring to possess them. "

"You are making a mistake, for I never ceased to esteem you, and Iesteemed you as much a week ago as I do to-day. Nor for a moment I didthink you capable of leaving me to my fate as a punishment for havingrefused to give way to your transports, and I am glad that I read yourcharacter rightly. "

We went on to speak of the opiate I made her take, and as she saw nochange in her condition she wanted me to increase the dose--a request Itook care not to grant, as I knew that more than half a drachm might killher. I also forbade her to bleed herself again, as she might do herself aserious injury without gaining anything by it. Her maid, of whom she hadbeen obliged to make a confidante, had had her bled by a student, herlover. I told Mdlle. X. C. V. That if she wanted these people to keep hercounsel she must be liberal with them, and she replied that she had nomoney. I offered her money and she accepted fifty louis, assuring me thatshe would repay me that sum which she needed for her brother Richard. Ihad not as much money about me, but I sent her the same day a packet oftwelve hundred francs with a note in which I begged her to have recourseto me in all her necessities. Her brother got the money, and thoughthimself authorized to apply to me for aid in a much more importantmatter. 

He was a young man and a profligate, and had got into a house ofill-fame, from which he came out in sorry plight. He complained bitterlythat M. Farsetti had refused to lend him four louis, and he asked me tospeak to his mother that she might pay for his cure. I consented, butwhen his mother heard what was the matter with him, she said it would bemuch better to leave him as he was, as this was the third time he hadbeen in this condition, and that to have him cured was a waste of money, as no sooner was he well than he began his dissipated life afresh. Shewas quite right, for I had him cured at my expense by an able surgeon, and he was in the same way a month after. This young man seemed intendedby nature for shameful excesses, for at the age of fourteen he was anaccomplished profligate. 

His sister was now six months with child, and as her figure grew great sodid her despair. She resolved not to leave her bed, and it grieved me tosee her thus cast down. Thinking me perfectly cured of my passion forher, she treated me purely as a friend, making me touch her all over toconvince me that she dare not shew herself any longer. I played in shortthe part of a midwife, but with what a struggle! I had to pretend to becalm and unconcerned when I was consumed with passion. She spoke ofkilling herself in a manner that made me shudder, as I saw that she hadreflected on what she was saying. I was in a difficult position whenfortune came to my assistance in a strange and amusing manner. 

One day, as I was dining with Madame d'Urfe, I asked her if she knew ofany way by which a girl, who had allowed her lover to go too far, mightbe protected from shame. "I know of an infallible method, " she replied, "the aroph of Paracelsus to wit, and it is easy of application. Do youwish to know more about it?" she added; and without waiting for me toanswer she brought a manuscript, and put it in my hands. This powerfulemmenagogue was a kind of unguent composed of several drugs, such assaffron, myrrh, etc. , compounded with virgin honey. To obtain thenecessary result one had to employ a cylindrical machine covered withextremely soft skin, thick enough to fill the opening of the vagina, andlong enough to reach the opening of the reservoir or case containing thefoetus. The end of this apparatus was to be well anointed with aroph, andas it only acted at a moment of uterine excitement it was necessary toapply it with the same movement as that of coition. The dose had to berepeated five or six times a day for a whole week. 

This nostrum, and the manner of administering it, struck me in solaughable a light that I could not keep my countenance. I laughed withall my heart, but for all that I spent the next two hours in reading thedreams of Paracelsus, in which Madame d'Urfe put more trust than in thetruths of the Gospel; I afterwards referred to Boerhaave, who speaks ofthe aroph in more reasonable terms. 

Seeing, as I have remarked, the charming X. C. V. Several hours a daywithout any kind of constraint, feeling in love with her all the time, and always restraining my feelings, it is no wonder if the hidden firethreatened at every moment to leap up from the ashes of its concealment. Her image pursued me unceasingly, of her I always thought, and every daymade it more evident that I should know rest no more till I succeeded inextinguishing my passion by obtaining possession of all her charms. 

As I was thinking of her by myself I resolved to tell her of mydiscovery, hoping she would need my help in the introduction of thecylinder. I went to see her at ten o'clock, and found her, as usual, inbed; she was weeping because the opiate I gave her did not take effect. Ithought the time a good one for introducing the aroph of Paracelsus, which I assured her was an infallible means of attaining the end shedesired; but whilst I was singing the praises of this application theidea came into my head to say that, to be absolutely certain, it wasnecessary for the aroph to be mingled with semen which had not lost itsnatural heat. 

"This mixture, " said I, "moistening several times a day the opening ofthe womb, weakens it to such a degree that the foetus is expelled by itsown weight:"

To these details I added lengthy arguments to persuade her of theefficacy of this cure, and then, seeing that she was absorbed in thought, I said that as her lover was away she would want a sure friend to live inthe same house with her, and give her the dose according to thedirections of Paracelsus. 

All at once she burst into a peal of laughter, and asked me if I had beenjesting all the time. 

I thought the game was up. The remedy was an absurd one, on the face ofit; and if her common sense told her as much it would also make her guessmy motive. But what limits are there to the credulity of a woman in hercondition?

"If you wish, " said I, persuasively, "I will give you the manuscriptwhere all that I have said is set down plainly. I will also shew you whatBoerhaeve thinks about it. "

I saw that these words convinced her; they had acted on her as if bymagic, and I went on while the iron was hot. 

"The aroph, " said I, "is the most powerful agent for bringing onmenstruation. "

"And that is incompatible with the state I am now in; so the aroph shouldprocure me a secret deliverance. Do you know its composition?"

"Certainly; it is quite a simple preparation composed of certainingredients which are well known to me, and which have to be made into apaste with butter or virgin honey. But this composition must touch theorifice of the uterus at a moment of extreme excitement. "

"But in that case it seems to me that the person who gives the dose mustbe in love. "

"Certainly, unless he is a mere animal requiring only physicalincentives. "

She was silent for some time, for though she was quick-witted enough, awoman's natural modesty and her own frankness, prevented her fromguessing at my artifice. I, too, astonished at my success in making herbelieve this fable, remained silent. 

At last, breaking the silence, she said, sadly, "The method seems to me an excellent one, but I do not think I ought tomake use of it. "

Then she asked me if the aroph took much time to make. 

"Two hours at most, " I answered, "if I succeed in procuring Englishsaffron, which Paracelsus prefers to the Oriental saffron. "

At that moment her mother and the Chevalier Farsetti came in, and aftersome talk of no consequence she asked me to stay to dinner. I was goingto decline, when Mdlle. X. C. V. Said she would sit at table, on which Iaccepted; and we all left the room to give her time to dress. She was notlong in dressing, and when she appeared her figure seemed to me quitenymph-like. I was astonished, and could scarcely believe my eyes, and Iwas on the point of thinking that I had been imposed on, for I could notimagine how she could manage to conceal the fulness I had felt with myown hands. 

M. Farsetti sat by her, and I by the mother. Mdlle. X. C. V. , whose headwas full of the aroph, asked her neighbour, who gave himself out for agreat chemist, if he knew it. 

"I fancy I know it better than anyone, " answered Farsetti, in aself-satisfied manner. 

"What is it good for?"

"That is too vague a question. "

"What does the word mean?"

"It is an Arabic word, of which I do not know the meaning; but no doubtParacelsus would tell us. "

"The word, " said I, "is neither Arabic nor Hebrew, nor, indeed, of anylanguage at all. It is a contraction which conceals two other words. "

"Can you tell us what they are?" said the chevalier. 

"Certainly; aro comes from aroma, and ph is the initial ofphilosophorum:"

"Did you get that out of Paracelsus?" said Farsetti, evidently annoyed. 

"No, sir; I saw it in Boerhaave. "

"That's good, " said he, sarcastically; "Boerhaave says nothing of thesort, but I like a man who quotes readily. "

"Laugh, sir, if you like, " said I, proudly, "but here is the test of whatI say; accept the wager if you dare. I don't quote falsely, like personswho talk of words being Arabic. "

So saying I flung a purse of gold on the table, but Farsetti, who was byno means sure of what he was saying, answered disdainfully that he neverbetted. 

However, Mdlle. X. C. V. , enjoying his confusion, told him that was thebest way never to lose, and began to joke him on his Arabic derivation. But, for my part, I replaced my purse in my pocket, and on some triflingpretext went out and sent my servant to Madame d'Urfe's to get meBoerhaave. 

On my return to the room I sat down again at table, and joined gaily inthe conversation till the return of my messenger with the book. I openedit, and as I had been reading it the evening before I soon found theplace I wanted, and giving it to him begged him to satisfy himself that Ihad quoted not readily but exactly. Instead of taking the book, he got upand went out without saying a word. 

"He has gone away in a rage, " said the mother; "and I would wageranything that he will not come back again. "

"I wager he will, " said the daughter, "he will honour us with hisagreeable company before to-morrow's sun has set. "

She was right. From that day Farsetti became my determined enemy, and letno opportunity slip of convincing me of his hatred. 

After dinner we all went to Passy to be present at a concert given by M. De la Popeliniere, who made us stay to supper. I found there Silvia andher charming daughter, who pouted at me and not without cause, as I hadneglected her. The famous adept, St. Germain, enlivened the table withhis wild tirades so finely delivered. I have never seen a moreintellectual or amusing charlatan than he. 

Next day I shut myself up to answer a host of questions that Esther hadsent me. I took care to answer all those bearing on business matters asobscurely as possible, not only for the credit of the oracle, but alsofor fear of misleading the father and making him lose money. The worthyman was the most honest of Dutch millionaires, but he might easily make alarge hole in his fortune, if he did not absolutely ruin himself, byputting an implicit trust in my infallibility. As for Esther, I confessthat she was now no more to me than a pleasant memory. 

In spite of my pretence of indifference, my whole heart was given toMdlle. X. C. V. , and I dreaded the moment when she would be no longerable to hide her condition from her family. I was sorry for having spokenabout the aroph, as three days had gone by without her mentioning it, andI could not very well reopen the question myself. I was afraid that shesuspected my motives, and that the esteem she professed for me had beenreplaced by a much less friendly sentiment. I felt that her scorn wouldbe too much for me to bear. So humiliated was I that I could not visither, and I doubt if I should have seen her again if she had notintervened. She wrote me a note, in which she said I was her only friend, and that the only mark of friendship she wanted was that I should comeand see her every day, if it were but for a moment. I hasted to take hermy reply in my own person, and promised not to neglect her, assuring herthat at all hazards she might rely on me. I flattered myself that shewould mention the aroph, but she did not do so. I concluded that, afterthinking it over, she had resolved to think no more about it. 

"Would you like me, " I said, "to invite your mother and the rest of youto dine with me?"

"I shall be delighted, " she replied. "It will be a forbidden pleasure tome before long. "

I gave them a dinner both sumptuous and delicate. I had spared no expenseto have everything of the best. I had asked Silvia, her charmingdaughter, an Italian musician named Magali, with whom a sister of Mdlle. X. C. V. 's was taken, and the famous bass La Garde. Mdlle. X. C. V. Wasin the highest spirits all the time. Sallies of wit, jests, good storiesand enjoyment, were the soul of the banquet. We did not separate tillmidnight, and before leaving Mdlle. X. C. V. Found a moment to whisper tome to come and see her early next morning, as she wanted to speak to meon matters of importance. 

It will be guessed that I accepted the invitation. I waited on her beforeeight o'clock. She was very melancholy, and told me that she was indespair, that la Popeliniere pressed on the marriage, and that her motherpersecuted her. 

"She tells me that I must sign the contract, and that the dressmaker willsoon be coming to take my measure for my wedding dress. To that I cannotconsent, for a dressmaker would certainly see my situation. I will dierather than confide in my mother, or marry before I am delivered. "

"There is always time enough to talk about dying, " said I, "when allother means have failed. I think you could easily get rid of laPopeliniere, who is a man of honour. Tell him how you are situated, andhe will act without compromising you, as his own interest is sufficientlyinvolved to make him keep the secret. "

"But should I be much better off then? And how about my mother?"

"Your mother? Oh! I will make her listen to reason. "

"You know not what she is like. The honour of the family would oblige herto get me out of the way, but before that she would make me suffertorments to which death is preferable by far. But why have you said nomore about the aroph? Is it not all a jest? It would be a very cruelone. "

"On the contrary, I believe it to be infallible, though I have never beena witness of its effects; but what good is it for me to speak to you?You can guess that a delicacy of feeling has made me keep silence. Confide in your lover, who is at Venice; write him a letter, and I willtake care that it is given into his hands, in five or six days, by a suremessenger. If he is not well off I will give you whatever money may beneeded for him to come without delay, and save your honour and life bygiving you the aroph. "

"This idea is a good one and the offer generous on your part, but it isnot feasible, as you would see if you knew more about my circumstances. Do not think any more of my lover; but supposing I made up my mind toreceive the aroph from another, tell me how it could be done. Even if mylover were in Paris, how could he spend an entire week with me, as hewould have to? And how could he give me the dose five or six times a dayfor a week? You see yourself that this remedy is out of the question. "

"So you would give yourself to another, if you thought that would saveyour honour?"

"Certainly, if I were sure that the thing would be kept secret. But whereshall I find such a person? Do you think he would be easy to find, orthat I can go and look for him?"

I did not know what to make of this speech; for she knew I loved her, andI did not see why she should put herself to the trouble of going far whenwhat she wanted was to her hand. I was inclined to think that she wantedme to ask her to make choice of myself as the administrator of theremedy, either to spare her modesty, or to have the merit of yielding tomy love and thus obliging me to be grateful; but I might be wrong, and Idid not care to expose myself to the humiliation of a refusal. On theother hand I could hardly think she wanted to insult me. Not knowing whatto say or which way to turn, and wanting to draw an explanation from her, I sighed profoundly, took up my hat, and made as if I were going, exclaiming, "Cruel girl, my lot is more wretched than yours. "

She raised herself in the bed and begged me with tears in her eyes toremain, and asked me how I could call myself more wretched than her. Pretending to be annoyed and yet full of love for her, I told her thatthe contempt in which she held me had affected me deeply, since in hernecessity she preferred the offices of one who was unknown to her ratherthan make use of me. 

"You are cruel and unjust, " she said, weeping. "I see, for my part, thatyou love me no longer since you wish to take advantage of my cruelnecessity to gain a triumph over me. This is an act of revenge not worthyof a man of feeling. "

Her tears softened me, and I fell on my knees before her. 

"Since you know, dearest, that I worship you, how can you think mecapable of revenging myself on you? Do you think that I can bear to hearyou say that since your lover cannot help you you do not know where tolook for help?"

"But after refusing you my favours, could I ask this office of you withany decency? Have I not good reason to be afraid that as I refused totake pity on your love so you would refuse to take pity on my necessity?"

"Do you think that a passionate lover ceases to love on account of arefusal which may be dictated by virtue? Let me tell you all I think. Iconfess I once thought you did not love me, but now I am sure of thecontrary; and that your heart would have led you to satisfy my love, evenif you had not been thus situated. I may add that you no doubt feel vexedat my having any doubts of your love. "

"You have interpreted my feelings admirably. But how we are to betogether with the necessary freedom from observation remains to be seen. "

"Do not be afraid. Now I am sure of your consent, it will not be longbefore I contrive some plan. In the meanwhile I will go and make thearoph. "

I had resolved that if ever I succeeded in persuading Mdlle. X. C. V. Tomake use of my specific I would use nothing but honey, so the compositionof the aroph would not be a very complicated process. But if one pointwas then plain and simple, another remained to be solved, and itssolution gave me some difficulty. I should have to pass several nights incontinual toils. I feared I had promised more than I could perform, and Ishould not be able to make any abatement without hazarding, not thesuccess of the aroph, but the bliss I had taken such pains to win. Again, as her younger sister slept in the same room with her and close to her, the operation could not be performed there. At last chance--a divinitywhich often helps lovers--came to my aid. 

I was obliged to climb up to the fourth floor and met the scullion on myway, who guessed where I was going, and begged me not to go any fartheras the place was taken. 

"But, " said I, "you have just come out of it. "

"Yes, but I only went in and came out again. "

"Then I will wait till the coast is clear. "

"For goodness' sake, sir, do not wait!"

"Ah, you rascal! I see what is going on. Well I will say nothing aboutit, but I must see her. "

"She won't come out, for she heard your steps and shut herself in. "

"She knows me, does she?"

"Yes, and you know her. "

"All right, get along with you! I won't say anything about it. "

He went down, and the idea immediately struck me that the adventure mightbe useful to me. I went up to the top, and through a chink I sawMadelaine, Mdlle. X. C. V. 's maid. I reassured her, and promised to keepthe secret, whereon she opened the door, and after I had given her alouis, fled in some confusion. Soon after, I came down, and the scullionwho was waiting for me on the landing begged me to make Madelaine givehim half the louis. 

"I will give you one all to yourself, " said I, "if you will tell me thestory"--an offer which pleased the rogue well enough. He told me the taleof his loves, and said he always spent the night with her in the garret, but that for three days they had been deprived of their pleasures, asmadam had locked the door and taken away the key. I made him shew me theplace, and looking through the keyhole I saw that there was plenty ofroom for a mattress. I gave the scullion a Louis, and went away to ripenmy plans. 

It seemed to me that there was no reason why the mistress should notsleep in the garret as well as the maid. I got a picklock and severalskeleton keys, I put in a tin box several doses of the aroph-that is, some honey mixed with pounded stag's horn to make it thick enough, andthe next morning I went to the "Hotel de Bretagne, " and immediately triedmy picklock. I could have done without it, as the first skeleton key Itried opened the wornout lock. 

Proud of my idea, I went down to see Mdlle. X. C. V. , and in a few wordstold her the plan. 

"But, " said she, "I should have to go through Madelaine's room to get tothe garret. "

"In that case, dearest, we must win the girl over. "

"Tell her my secret?"

"Just so. "

"Oh, I couldn't!"

"I will see to it; the golden key opens all doors. "

The girl consented to all I asked her, but the scullion troubled me, forif he found us out he might be dangerous. I thought, however, that Imight trust to Madelaine, who was a girl of wit, to look after him. 

Before going I told the girl that I wanted to discuss some importantmatters with her, and I told her to meet me in the cloisters of theAugustinian Church. She came at the appointed time and I explained to herthe whole plan in all its details. She soon understood me, and aftertelling me that she would take care to put her own bed in the new kind ofboudoir, she added that, to be quite safe, we must make sure of thescullion. 

"He is a sharp lad, " said Madelaine, "and I think I can answer for him. However, you may leave that to me. "

I gave her the key and six louis, bidding her inform her mistress of whatwe had agreed upon, and get the garret ready to receive us. She went awayquite merry. A maid who is in love is never so happy as when she can makeher mistress protect her intrigues. 

Next morning the scullion called on me at my house. The first thing Itold him was to take care not to betray himself to my servants, and neverto come and see me except in a case of necessity. He promised discretion, and assured me of his devotion to my service. He gave me the key of thegarret and told me that he had got another. I admired his forethought, and gave him a present of six louis, which had more effect on him thanthe finest words. 

Next morning I only saw Mdlle. X. C. V. For a moment to warn her that Ishould be at the appointed place at ten that evening. I went there earlywithout being seen by anybody. I was in a cloak, and carried in my pocketthe aroph, flint and steel, and a candle. I found a good bed, pillows, and a thick coverlet--a very useful provision, as the nights were cold, and we should require some sleep in the intervals of the operation. 

At eleven a slight noise made my heart begin to beat--always a good sign. I went out, and found my mistress by feeling for her, and reassured herby a tender kiss. I brought her in, barricaded the door, and took care tocover up the keyhole to baffle the curious, and, if the worse happened, to avoid a surprise. 

On my lighting the candle she seemed uneasy, and said that the lightmight discover us if anybody came up to the fourth floor. 

"That's not likely, " I said; "and besides, we can't do without it, forhow am I to give you the aroph in the dark?"

"Very good, " she replied, "we can put it out afterwards. "

Without staying for those preliminary dallyings which are so sweet whenone is at ease, we undressed ourselves, and began with all seriousness toplay our part, which we did to perfection. We looked like a medicalstudent about to perform an operation, and she like a patient, with thisdifference that it was the patient who arranged the dressing. When shewas ready--that is, when she had placed the aroph as neatly as askull-cap fits a parson--she put herself in the proper position for thepreparation to mix with the semen. 

The most laughable part of it all was that we were both as serious as twodoctors of divinity. 

When the introduction of the aroph was perfect the timid lady put out thecandle, but a few minutes after it had to be lighted again. I told herpolitely that I was delighted to begin again, and the voice in which Ipaid her this compliment made us both burst into laughter. 

I didn't take so short a time over my second operation as my first, andmy sweetheart, who had been a little put out, was now quite at her ease. 

Her modesty had now been replaced by confidence, and as she was lookingat the aroph fitted in its place, she shewed me with her pretty fingervery evident signs of her co-operation in the work. Then with anaffectionate air, she asked me if I would not like to rest, as we hadstill a good deal to do before our work was at an end. 

"You see, " said I, "that I do not need rest, and I think we had betterset to again. "

No doubt she found my reason a good one, for, without saying anything, she put herself ready to begin again, and afterwards we took a good longsleep. When I woke up, feeling as fresh as ever, I asked her to tryanother operation; and after carrying this through successfully, Idetermined to be guided by her and take care of myself, for we had toreserve our energies for the following nights. So, about four o'clock inthe morning she left me, and softly made her way to her room, and atdaybreak I left the hotel under the protection of the scullion, who tookme by a private door I did not know of. 

About noon, after taking an aromatic bath, I went to call on Mdlle. X. C. V. , whom I found sitting up in bed as usual, elegantly attired, and witha happy smile on her lips. She spoke at such length on her gratitude, andthanked me so often, that, believing myself, and with good cause, to beher debtor, I began to get impatient. 

"Is it possible, " I said, "that you do not see how degrading your thanksare to me? They prove that you do not love me, or that if you love me, you think my love less strong than yours. "

Our conversation then took a tender turn, and we were about to seal ourmutual ardours without troubling about the aroph, when prudence bade usbeware. It would not have been safe, and we had plenty of time before us. We contented ourselves with a tender embrace till the night should come. 

My situation was a peculiar one, for though I was in love with thischarming girl I did not feel in the least ashamed of having deceived her, especially as what I did could have no effect, the place being taken. Itwas my self-esteem which made me congratulate myself on the sharppractice which had procured me such pleasures. She told me that she wassorry she had denied me when I had asked her before, and said that shefelt now that I had good reason to suspect the reality of her love. I didmy best to reassure her, and indeed all suspicions on my part would havebeen but idle thoughts, as I had succeeded beyond all expectation. However, there is one point upon which I congratulate myself to thisday--namely, that during those nightly toils of mine, which did so littletowards the object of her desires, I succeeded in inspiring her with sucha feeling of resignation that she promised, of her own accord, not todespair any more, but to trust in and be guided by me. She often told meduring our nocturnal conversations that she was happy and would continueto be so, even though the aroph had no effect. Not that she had ceased tobelieve in it, for she continued the application of the harmlesspreparation till our last assaults, in which we wanted in those sweetcombats to exhaust all the gifts of pleasure. 

"Sweetheart, " said she, just before we parted finally, "it seems to methat what we have been about is much more likely to create than todestroy, and if the aperture had not been hermetically closed we shoulddoubtless have given the little prisoner a companion. "

A doctor of the Sorbonne could not have reasoned better. 

Three or four days afterwards I found her thoughtful but quiet. She toldme that she had lost all hope of getting rid of her burden before theproper time. All the while, however, her mother persecuted her, and shewould have to choose in a few days between making a declaration as to herstate and signing the marriage contract. She would accept neither ofthese alternatives, and had decided on escaping from her home, and askedme to help her in doing so. 

I had determined to help her, but I desired to save my reputation, for itmight have been troublesome if it had been absolutely known that I hadcarried her off or furnished her with the means to escape. And as for anyother alternative, neither of us had any idea of matrimony. 

I left her and went to the Tuileries, where a sacred concert was beinggiven. The piece was a motet composed by Moudonville, the words by theAbbe de Voisenon, whom I had furnished with the idea, "The Israelites onMount Horeb. "

As I was getting out of my carriage, I saw Madame du Remain descendingalone from hers. I ran up to her, and received a hearty welcome. "I amdelighted, " said she, "to find you here, it is quite a piece of luck. Iam going to hear this novel composition, and have two reserved seats. Will you do me the honour of accepting one?"

Although I had my ticket in my pocket I could not refuse so honourable anoffer, so, giving her my arm, we walked up to two of the best places inthe house. 

At Paris no talking is allowed during the performance of sacred music, especially when the piece is heard for the first time; so Madame duRemain could draw no conclusions from my silence throughout theperformance, but she guessed that something was the matter from thetroubled and absent expression of my face, which was by no means naturalto me. 

"M. Casanova, " said she, "be good enough to give me your company for anhour. I want to ask you-two or three questions which can only be solvedby your cabala. I hope you will oblige me, as I am, very anxious to knowthe answers, but we must be quick as I have an engagement to sup inParis. "

It may be imagined that I did not wait to be asked twice, and as soon aswe got to her house I went to work on the questions, and solved them allin less than half an hour. 

When I had finished, "M. Casanova;" said she, in the kindest mannerpossible, "what is the matter with you? You are not in your usual stateof equanimity, and if I am not mistaken you are dreading some dire event. Or perhaps you are on the eve of taking some important resolution? I amnot inquisitive, but if I can be of any service to you at Court, make useof me, and be sure that I will do my best. If necessary, I will go toVersailles to-morrow morning. I know all the ministers. Confide in meyour troubles, if I cannot lighten them I can at least share them, and besure I will keep your counsel. "

Her words seemed to me a voice from heaven, a warning from my good geniusto open my heart to this lady, who had almost read my thoughts, and hadso plainly expressed her interest in my welfare. 

After gazing at her for some seconds without speaking, but with a mannerthat shewed her how grateful I was, "Yes madam, " I said, "I am indeedcritically situated, may be on the serge of ruin, but your kindness hascalmed my soul and made me once more acquainted with hope. You shall hearhow I am placed. I am going to trust you with a secret of the mostdelicate description, but I can rely on your being as discreet as you aregood. And if after hearing my story you deign to give me your advice, Ipromise to follow it and never to divulge its author. "

After this beginning, which gained her close attention, I told her allthe circumstances of the case, neither concealing the young lady's namenor any of the circumstances which made it my duty to watch over herwelfare. All the same I said nothing about the aroph or the share I hadtaken in its exhibition. The incident appeared to me too farcical for aserious drama, but I confessed that I had procured the girl drugs in thehope of relieving her of her burden. 

After this weighty communication I stopped, and Madame du Rumain remainedsilent, as if lost in thought, for nearly a quarter of an hour. At lastshe rose, saying, "I am expected at Madame de la Marque's, and I must go, as I am to meetthe Bishop of Montrouge, to whom I want to speak, but I hope I shalleventually be able to help you. Come here the day after tomorrow, youwill find me alone; above all, do nothing before you see me. Farewell. "

I left her full of hope, and resolved to follow her advice and hers onlyin the troublesome affair in which I was involved. 

The Bishop of Montrouge whom she was going to address on an importantmatter, the nature of which was well known to me, was the Abbe deVoisenon, who was thus named because he often went there. Montrouge is anestate near Paris, belonging to the Duc de la Valiere. 

I saw Mdlle. X. C. V. The following day, and contented myself withtelling her that in a couple of days I hope to give her some good news. Iwas pleased with her manner, which was full of resignation and trust inmy endeavours. 

The day after, I went to Madame du Rumain's punctually at eight. Theporter told me that I should find the doctor with my lady, but I wentupstairs all the same, and as soon as the doctor saw me he took hisleave. His name was Herrenschwand, and all the ladies in Paris ran afterhim. Poor Poinsinet put him in a little one-act play called Le Cercle, which, though of very ordinary merit, was a great success. 

"My dear sir, " said Madame du Rumain, as soon as we were alone, "I havesucceeded in my endeavours on your behalf, and it is now for you to keepsecret my share in the matter. After I had pondered over the case ofconscience you submitted to me, I went to the convent of C---where theabbess is a friend of mine, and I entrusted her with the secret, relyingon her discretion. We agreed that she should receive the young lady inher convent, and give her a good lay-sister to nurse her through herconfinement. Now you will not deny, " said she, with a smile, "that thecloisters are of some use. Your young friend must go by herself to theconvent with a letter for the abbess, which I will give her, and whichshe must deliver to the porter. She will then be admitted and lodged in asuitable chamber. She will receive no visitors nor any letters that havenot passed through my hands. The abbess will bring her answers to me, andI will pass them on to you. You must see that her only correspondent mustbe yourself, and you must receive news of her welfare only through me. Onyour hand in writing to her you must leave the address to be filled in byme. I had to tell the abbess the lady's name, but not yours as she didnot require it. 

"Tell your young friend all about our plans, and when she is ready comeand tell me, and I will give you the letter to the abbess. Tell her tobring nothing but what is strictly necessary, above all no diamonds ortrinkets of any value. You may assure her that the abbess will befriendly, will come and see her every now and then, will give her properbooks--in a word, that she will be well looked after. Warn her not toconfide in the laysister who will attend on her. I have no doubt she isan excellent woman, but she is a nun, and the secret might leak out. After she is safely delivered, she must go to confession and perform herEaster duties, and the abbess will give her a certificate of goodbehaviour; and she can then return to her mother, who will be too happyto see her to say anything more about the marriage, which, of course, sheought to give as her reason of her leaving home. "

After many expressions of my gratitude to her, and of my admiration ofher plan, I begged her to give me the letter on the spot, as there was notime to be lost. She was good enough to go at once to her desk, where shewrote as follows:

"My dear abbess--The young lady who will give you this letter is the sameof whom we have spoken. She wishes to spend three of four months underyour protection, to recover her peace of mind, to perform her devotions, and to make sure that when she returns to her mother nothing more will besaid about the marriage, which is partly the cause of her temporaryseparation from her family. "

After reading it to me, she put it into my hands unsealed that Mdlle. X. C. V. Might be able to read it. The abbess in question was a princess, and her convent was consequently a place above all suspicion. As Madamedu Rumain gave me the letter, I felt such an impulse of gratitude that Ifell on my knees before her. This generous woman was useful to me onanother occasion, of which I shall speak later on. 

After leaving Madame du Rumain I went straight to the "Hotel deBretagne, " where I saw Mdlle. X. C. V. , who had only time to tell me thatshe was engaged for the rest of the day, but that she would come to thegarret at eleven o'clock that night, and that then we could talk mattersover. I was overjoyed at this arrangement, as I foresaw that after thiswould come the awakening from a happy dream, and that I should be alonewith her no more. 

Before leaving the hotel I gave the word to Madelaine, who in turn gotthe scullion to have everything in readiness. 

I kept the appointment, and had not long to wait for my mistress. Aftermaking her read the letter written by Madame du Rumain (whose name Iwithheld from her without her taking offence thereat) I put out thecandle, and without troubling about the aroph, we set ourselves to thepleasant task of proving that we truly loved each other. 

In the morning, before we separated, I gave her all the instructions Ihad received from Madame du Rumain; and we agreed that she should leavethe house at eight o'clock with such things as she absolutely required, that she should take a coach to the Place Maubert, then send it away, andtake another to the Place Antoine, and again, farther on, a third coach, in which she was to go to the convent named. I begged her not to forgetto burn all the letters she had received from me, and to write to me fromthe convent as often as she could, to seal her letters but to leave theaddress blank. She promised to carry out my instructions, and I then madeher accept a packet of two hundred louis, of which she might chance to bein need. She wept, more for my situation than her own, but I consoled herby saying that I had plenty of money and powerful patrons. 

"I will set out, " said she, "the day after to-morrow, at the hour agreedon. " And thereupon, I having promised to come to the house the day afterher departure, as if I knew nothing about it, and to let her know whatpassed, we embraced each other tenderly, and I left her. 

I was troubled in thinking about her fate. She had wit and courage, butwhen experience is wanting wit often leads men to commit acts of greatfolly. 

The day after the morrow I took a coach, and posted myself in a corner ofthe street by which she had to pass. I saw her come, get out of thecoach, pay the coachman, go down a narrow street, and a few minutes afterreappear again, veiled and hooded, carrying a small parcel in her hand. She then took another conveyance which went off in the direction we hadagreed upon. 

The day following being Low Sunday, I felt that I must present myself atthe "Hotel de Bretagne, " for as I went there every day before thedaughter's flight I could not stop going there without strengthening anysuspicions which might be entertained about me. But it was a painfultask. I had to appear at my ease and cheerful in a place where I wasquite sure all would be sadness and confusion. I must say that it was anaffair requiring higher powers of impudence than fall to the lot of mostmen. 

I chose a time when all the family would be together at table, and Iwalked straight into the dining-room. I entered with my usual cheerfulmanner, and sat down by madame, a little behind her, pretending not tosee her surprise, which, however, was plainly to be seen, her whole facebeing flushed with rage and astonishment. I had not been long in the roombefore I asked where her daughter was. She turned round, looked methrough and through, and said not a word. 

"Is she ill?" said I. 

"I know nothing about her. "

This remark, which was pronounced in a dry manner, put me at my ease, asI now felt at liberty to look concerned. I sat there for a quarter of anhour, playing the part of grave and astonished silence, and then, rising, I asked if I could do anything, for which all my reward was a coldexpression of thanks. I then left the room and went to Mdlle. X. C. V. 'schamber as if I had thought she was there, but found only Madelaine. Iasked her with a meaning look where her mistress was. She replied bybegging me to tell her, if I knew. 

"Has she gone by herself?"

"I know nothing at all about it, sir, but they say you know all. I beg ofyou to leave me. "

Pretending to be in the greatest astonishment, I slowly walked away andtook a coach, glad to have accomplished this painful duty. After thereception I had met with I could without affectation pose as offended, and visit the family no more, for whether I were guilty or innocent, Madame X. C. V. Must see that her manner had been plain enough for me toknow what it meant. 

I was looking out of my window at an early hour two or three daysafterwards, when a coach stopped before my door, and Madame X C V-, escorted by M. Farsetti got out. I made haste to meet them on the stair, and welcomed them, saying I was glad they had done me the honour to comeand take breakfast with me, pretending not to know of any other reason. Iasked them to sit down before the fire, and enquired after the lady'shealth; but without noticing my question she said that she had not cometo take breakfast, but to have some serious conversation. 

"Madam, " said I, "I am your humble servant; but first of all pray beseated. "

She sat down, while Farsetti continued standing. I did not press him, butturning towards the lady begged her to command me. 

"I am come here, " she said, "to ask you to give me my daughter if she bein your power, or to tell me where she is. "

"Your daughter, madam? I know nothing about her! Do you think me capableof a crime?"

"I do not accuse you of abducting her; I have not come here to reproachyou nor to utter threats, I have only come to ask you to shew yourself myfriend. Help me to get my daughter again this very day; you will give memy life. I am certain that you know all. You were her only confidant andher only friend; you passed hours with her every day; she must have toldyou of her secret. Pity a bereaved mother! So far no one knows of thefacts; give her back to me and all shall be forgotten, and her honoursaved. "

"Madam, I feel for you acutely, but I repeat that I know nothing of yourdaughter. "

The poor woman, whose grief touched me, fell at my feet and burst intotears. I was going to lift her from the ground, when Farsetti told her, in a voice full of indignation, that she should blush to humble herselfin such a manner before a man of my description. I drew myself up, andlooking at him scornfully said, "You insolent scoundrel! What do you mean by talking of me like that?"

"Everybody is certain that you know all about it. "

"Then they are impudent fools, like you. Get out of my house this instantand wait for me, I will be with you in a quarter of an hour. "

So saying, I took the poor chevalier by the shoulders, and giving himsundry shakes I turned him out of the room. He came back and called tothe lady to come, too, but she rose and tried to quiet me. 

"You ought to be more considerate towards a lover, " said she, "for hewould marry my daughter now, even after what she has done. "

"I am aware of the fact, madam, and I have no doubt that his courtshipwas one of the chief reasons which made your daughter resolve to leaveher home, for she hated him even more than she hated thefermier-general. "

"She has behaved very badly, but I promise not to say anything more aboutmarrying her. But I am sure you know all about it, as you gave her fiftylouis, without which she could not have done anything. "

"Nay, not so. "

"Do not deny it, sir; here is the evidence--a small piece of your letterto her. "

She gave me a scrap of the letter I had sent the daughter, with the fiftylouis for her brother. It contained the following lines, "I hope that these wretched louis will convince you that I am ready tosacrifice everything, my life if need be, to assure you of my affection. "

"I am far from disavowing this evidence of my esteem for your daughter, but to justify myself I am obliged to tell you a fact which I should haveotherwise kept secret--namely, that I furnished your daughter with thissum to enable her to pay your son's debts, for which he thanked me in aletter which I can shew you. "

"My son?"

"Your son, madam. "

"I will make you an ample atonement for my suspicions. "

Before I had time to make any objection, she ran down to fetch Farsetti, who was waiting in the courtyard, and made him come up and hear what Ihad just told her. 

"That's not a likely tale, " said the insolent fellow. 

I looked at him contemptuously, and told him he was not worth convincing, but that I would beg the lady to ask her son and see whether I told thetruth. 

"I assure you, " I added, "that I always urged your daughter to marry M. De la Popeliniere. "

"How can you have the face to say that, " said Farsetti, "when you talk inthe letter of your affection?"

"I do not deny it, " said I. "I loved her, and I was proud of my affectionfor her. This affection, of whatever sort it may have been (and that isnot this gentleman's business), was the ordinary topic of conversationbetween us. If she had told me that she was going to leave her home, Ishould either have dissuaded her or gone with her, for I loved her as Ido at this moment; but I would never have given her money to go alone. "

"My dear Casanova, " said the mother, "if you will help me to find her Ishall believe in your innocence. "

"I shall be delighted to aid you, and I promise to commence the questto-day. "

"As soon as you have any news, come and tell me. "

"You may trust me to do so, " said I, and we parted. 

I had to play my part carefully; especially it was essential that Ishould behave in public in a manner consistent with my professions. Accordingly, the next day I went to M. Chaban, first commissary ofpolice, requesting him to institute enquiries respecting the flight ofMdlle. X. C. V. I was sure that in this way the real part I had taken inthe matter would be the better concealed; but the commissary, who had thetrue spirit of his profession, and had liked me when he first saw me sixyears before, began to laugh when he heard what I wanted him to do. 

"Do you really want the police to discover, " said he, "where the prettyEnglishwoman is to be found?"

"Certainly. "

It then struck me that he was trying to make me talk and to catch metripping, and I had no doubt of it when I met Farsetti going in as I wascoming out. 

Next day I went to acquaint Madame X. C. V. With the steps I had taken, though as yet my efforts had not been crowned with success. 

"I have been more fortunate than you, " said she, "and if you will comewith me to the place where my daughter has gone, and will join me inpersuading her to return, all will be well. "

"Certainly, " said I, "I shall be most happy to accompany you. "

Taking me at my word, she put on her cloak, and leaning on my arm walkedalong till we came to a coach. She then gave me a slip of paper, beggingme to tell the coachman to drive us to the address thereon. 

I was on thorns, and my heart beat fast, for I thought I should have toread out the address of the convent. I do not know what I should havedone if my fears had been well grounded, but I should certainly not havegone to the convent. At last I read what was written; it was "PlaceMaubert, " and I grew calm once more. 

I told the coachman to drive us to the Place Maubert. We set off, and ina short time stopped at the opening of an obscure back street before adirty-looking house, which did not give one a high idea of the characterof its occupants. I gave Madame X. C. V. My arm, and she had thesatisfaction of looking into every room in the five floors of the house, but what she sought for was not there, and I expected to see heroverwhelmed with grief. I was mistaken, however. She looked distressedbut satisfied, and her eyes seemed to ask pardon of me. She had found outfrom the coachman, who had taken her daughter on the first stage of herjourney, that she had alighted in front of the house in question, and hadgone down the back street. She told me that the scullion had confessedthat he had taken me letters twice from his young mistress, and thatMadelaine said all the time that she was sure her mistress and I were inlove with each other. They played their parts well. 

As soon as I had seen Madame X. C. V. Safely home, I went to Madame duRumain to tell her what had happened; and I then wrote to my fairrecluse, telling her what had gone on in the world since herdisappearance. 

Three or four days after this date, Madame du Rumain gave me the firstletter I received from Mdlle. X. C. V. She spoke in it of the quiet lifeshe was leading, and her gratitude to me, praised the abbess and thelay-sister, and gave me the titles of the books they lent her, which sheliked reading. She also informed me what money she had spent, and saidshe was happy in everything, almost in being forbidden to leave her room. 

I was delighted with her letter, but much more with the abbess's epistleto Madame du Rumain. She was evidently fond of the girl, and could notsay too much in her praise, saying how sweet-tempered, clever, andlady-like she was; winding up by assuring her friend that she went to seeher every day. 

I was charmed to see the pleasure this letter afforded Madame duRumain--pleasure which was increased by the perusal of the letter I hadreceived. The only persons who were displeased were the poor mother, thefrightful Farsetti, and the old fermier, whose misfortune was talkedabout in the clubs, the Palais-Royal, and the coffee-houses. Everybodyput me down for some share in the business, but I laughed at theirgossip, believing that I was quite safe. 

All the same, la Popeliniere took the adventure philosophically and madea one-act play out of it, which he had acted at his little theatre inParis. Three months afterwards he got married to a very pretty girl, thedaughter of a Bordeaux alderman. He died in the course of two years, leaving his widow pregnant with a son, who came into the world six monthsafter the father's death. The unworthy heir to the rich man had the faceto accuse the widow of adultery, and got the child declared illegitimateto the eternal shame of the court which gave this iniquitous judgment andto the grief of every honest Frenchman. The iniquitous nature of thejudgment was afterwards more clearly demonstrated--putting aside the factthat nothing could be said against the mother's character--by the samecourt having the face to declare a child born eleven months after thefather's death legitimate. 

I continued for ten days to call upon Madame X. C. V. , but finding myselfcoldly welcomed, decided to go there no more. 

CHAPTER VIII

Fresh Adventures--J. J. Rousseau--I set Up A Business--Castel--Bajac--ALawsuit is Commenced Against Me--M. De Sartine

Mdlle. X. C. V. Had now been in the convent for a month, and her affairhad ceased to be a common topic of conversation. I thought I should hearno more of it, but I was mistaken. I continued, however, to amuse myself, and my pleasure in spending freely quite prevented me from thinking aboutthe future. The Abbe de Bernis, whom I went to see regularly once a week, told me one day that the comptroller-general often enquired how I wasgetting on. "You are wrong, " said the abbe, "to neglect him. " He advisedme to say no more about my claims, but to communicate to him the means Ihad spoken of for increasing the revenues of the state. I laid too greatstore by the advice of the man who had made my fortune not to follow it. I went to the comptroller, and trusting in his probity I explained myscheme to him. This was to pass a law by which every estate, except thatleft by father to son, should furnish the treasury with one year'sincome; every deed of gift formally drawn up being subject to the sameprovision. It seemed to me that the law could not give offence to anyone;the heir had only to imagine that he had inherited a year later than wasactually the case. The minister was of the same opinion as myself, toldme that there would not be the slightest difficulty involved, and assuredme that my fortune was made. In a week afterwards his place was taken byM. De Silhouette, and when I called on the new minister he told me coldlythat when my scheme became law he would tell me. It became law two yearsafterwards, and when, as the originator of the scheme, I attempted to getmy just reward, they laughed in my face. 

Shortly after, the Pope died, and he was succeeded by the VenetianRezzonico, who created my patron, the Abby de Bernis, a cardinal. However, he had to go into exile by order of the king two days after hisgracious majesty had presented him with the red cap: so good a thing itis to be the friend of kings!

The disgrace of my delightful abbe left me without a patron, but I hadplenty of money, and so was enabled to bear this misfortune withresignation. 

For having undone all the work of Cardinal Richelieu, for having changedthe old enmity between France and Austria into friendship, for deliveringItaly from the horrors of war which befell her whenever these countrieshad a bone to pick, although he was the first cardinal made by a pope whohad had plenty of opportunities for discovering his character, merelybecause, on being asked, he had given it as his opinion that the Princede Soubise was not a fit person to command the French armies, this greatecclesiastic was driven into exile. The moment the Pompadour heard ofthis opinion of his, she decreed his banishment--a sentence which wasunpopular with all classes of society; but they consoled themselves withepigrams, and the new cardinal was soon forgotten. Such is the characterof the French people; it cares neither for its own misfortunes nor forthose of others, if only it can extract laughter from them. 

In my time epigrammatists and poetasters who assailed ministers or eventhe king's mistresses were sent to the Bastille, but the wits stillpersisted in being amusing, and there were some who considered a jestincomplete that was not followed by a prosecution. A man whose name Ihave forgotten--a great lover of notoriety--appropriated the followingverses by the younger Crebellon and went to the Bastille rather thandisown them. 

 "All the world's upside down! Jupiter has donned the gown--the King. Venus mounts the council stair--the Pompadour. Plutus trifles with the fair--M. De Boulogne. Mercury in mail is drest--Marechal de Richelieu. Mighty Mars has turned a priest--the Duc de Clermont, abbe of St. Germain-des-pres. "

Crebillon, who was not the sort of man to conceal his writings, told theDuc de Choiseul that he had written some verses exactly like these, butthat it was possible the prisoner had been inspired with precisely thesame ideas. This jest was applauded, and the author of "The Sofa" was letalone. 

Cardinal de Bernis passed ten years in exile, 'procul negotiis', but hewas not happy, as he told me himself when I knew him in Rome fifteenyears afterwards. It is said that it is better to be a minister than aking--an opinion which seems ridiculous when it is analyzed. Thequestion is, which is the better, independence or its contrary. The axiommay possibly be verified in a despotic government under an absurd, weak, or careless king who serves as a mere mask for his master the minister;but in all other cases it is an absurdity. 

Cardinal de Bernis was never recalled; there is no instance of Louis XV. Having ever recalled a minister whom he had disgraced; but on the deathof Rezzonico he had to go to Rome to be present at the conclave, andthere he remained as French ambassador. 

About this time Madame d'Urfe conceived a wish to make the acquaintanceof J. J. Rousseau, and we went to call upon him at Montmorenci, on thepretext of giving him music to copy--an occupation in which he was veryskilled. He was paid twice the sum given to any other copyist, but heguaranteed that the work should be faultlessly done. At that period ofhis life copying music was the great writer's sole means of subsistence. 

We found him to be a man of a simple and modest demeanour, who talkedwell, but who was not otherwise distinguished either intellectually orphysically. We did not think him what would be called a good-natured man, and as he was far from having the manners of good society Madame d'Urfedid not hesitate to pronounce him vulgar. We saw the woman with whom helived, and of whom we had heard, but she scarcely looked at us. On ourway home we amused ourselves by talking about Rousseau's eccentrichabits. 

I will here note down the visit of the Prince of Conti (father of thegentleman who is now known as the Comte de la March) to Rousseau. 

The prince--a good-natured man-went by himself to Montmorenci, on purposeto spend a day in conversation with the philosopher, who was even thenfamous. He found him in the park, accosted him, and said that he had cometo dine with him and to talk without restraint. 

"Your highness will fare but badly, " said Rousseau: "however, I will tellthem to lay another knife and fork. "

The philosopher gave his instructions, and came out and rejoined theprince, with whom he walked up and down for two or three hours. When itwas dinner-time he took the prince into his dining-room, where the tablewas laid for three. 

"Who is going to dine with us?" said the prince. "I thought we were to bealone. "

"The third party, " said Rousseau, "is my other self--a being who isneither my wife, nor my mistress, nor my servant-maid, nor my mother, normy daughter, but yet personates all these characters at once. "

"I daresay, my dear fellow, I daresay; but as I came to dine with youalone, I will not dine with your--other self, but will leave you with allthe rest of you to keep your company. "

So saying the prince bade him farewell and went out. Rousseau did not tryto keep him. 

About this time I witnessed the failure of a play called 'Aristides'Daughter', written by the ingenious Madame de Graffini, who died ofvexation five days after her play was damned. The Abbe de Voisenon washorrified, as he had advised the lady to produce it, and was thought tohave had some hand in its composition, as well as in that of the 'LettresPeruviennes' and 'Cenie'. By a curious coincidence, just about the samedate, Rezzonico's mother died of joy because her son had become pope. Grief and joy kill many more women than men, which proves that if womenhave mere feeling than men they have also less strength. 

When Madame d'Urfe thought that my adopted son was comfortably settled inViar's house, she made me go with her and pay him a visit. I found himlodged like a prince, well dressed, made much of, and almost looked upto. I was astonished, for this was more than I had bargained for. Madamed'Urfe had given him masters of all sorts, and a pretty little pony forhim to learn riding on. He was styled M. Le Comte d'Aranda. A girl ofsixteen, Viar's daughter, a fine-looking young woman, was appointed tolook after him, and she was quite proud to call herself my lord'sgoverness. She assured Madame d'Urfe that she took special care of him;that as soon as he woke she brought him his breakfast in bed; that shethen dressed him, and did not leave his side the whole day. Madame d'Urfeapproved of everything, told the girl to take even greater care of thecount, and promised that she should not go unrewarded. As for the younggentleman, he was evidently quite happy, as he told me himself again andagain, but I suspected a mystery somewhere, and determined that I wouldgo and see him by myself another time and solve it. 

On our journey home I told Madame d'Urfe how grateful I was for all hergoodness to the boy, and that I approved of all the arrangements that hadbeen made with the exception of the name Aranda, "which, " said I, "maysome day prove a thorn in his side. " She answered that the lad had saidenough to convince her that he had a right to bear that name. "I had, "she said, "in my desk a seal with the arms of the house of Aranda, andhappening to take it up I shewed it him as we shew trinkets to childrento amuse them, but as soon as he saw it he burst out, "'How came you to have my arms?'

"Your arms!" I answered. "I got this seal from the Comte d'Aranda; howcan you prove that you are a scion of that race?"

"'Do not ask me, madam; my birth is a secret I can reveal to no one. '"

The imposition and above all the impudence of the young knave astoundedme. I should not have thought him capable of it, and a week after I wentto see him by myself to get at the bottom of all this mystery. 

I found my young count with Viar, who, judging by the awe the childshewed of me, must have thought he belonged to me. He was unsparing inhis praises of his pupil, saying that he played the flute capitally, danced and fenced admirably, rode well, and wrote a good hand. He shewedme the pens he had cut himself with three, five, and even nine points, and begged to be examined on heraldry, which, as the master observed, wasso necessary a science for a young nobleman. 

The young gentleman then commenced in the jargon of heraldry to blazonhis own pretended arms, and I felt much inclined to burst into laughter, partly because I did not understand a word he said, and partly because heseemed to think the matter as important as would a country squire withhis thirty-two quarters. However, I was delighted to see his dexterity inpenmanship, which was undoubtedly very great, and I expressed mysatisfaction to Viar, who soon left us to ourselves. We proceeded intothe garden. 

"Will you kindly inform me, " I said, "how you can be so foolish as tocall yourself the Comte d'Aranda?"

He replied, with the utmost calmness, "I know it is foolish, but leave memy title; it is of service to me here and gains me respect. "

"It is an imposition I cannot wink at, as it may be fraught with seriousresults, and may do harm to both of us. I should not have thought that atyour age you would be capable of such a knavish trick. I know you did itout of stupidity, but after a certain limit stupidity becomes criminal;and I cannot see how I am to remedy your fault without disgracing you inthe eyes of Madame d'Urfe. "

I kept on scolding him till he burst into tears, saying, "I had rather the shame of being sent back to my mother than the shame ofconfessing to Madame d'Urfe that I had imposed on her; and I could notbear to stay here if I had to give up my name. "

Seeing that I could do nothing with him, unless, indeed, I sent him tosome place far removed from Paris under his proper name, I told him totake comfort as I would try and do the best I could for both of us. 

"And now tell me--and take care to tell the truth--what sort of feelingsdoes Viar's daughter entertain for you?"

"I think, papa, that this is a case in which the reserve commended byyourself, as well as by mother, would be appropriate. "

"Yes, that sort of answer tells me a good deal, but I think you arerather too knowing for your age. And you may as well observe that whenyou are called upon for a confession, reserve is out of place, and it's aconfession I require from you. "

"Well, papa, Viar's daughter is very fond of me, and she shews her lovein all sorts of ways. "

"And do you love her?"

"Oh, yes!"

"Is she much with you in the morning?"

"She is with me the whole day. "

"She is present when you go to bed?"

"Yes, she helps me to undress. "

"Nothing else?"

"I do not care to tell you. "

I was astonished at the measured way in which he answered me, and as Ihad heard enough to guess that the boy and girl were very good friendsindeed, I contented myself with warning him to take care of his health, and with this I left him. 

Some time after, my thoughts were occupied with a business speculationwhich all my calculations assured me would be extremely profitable. Theplan was to produce on silks, by means of printing, the exquisite designswhich are produced at Lyons by the tedious process of weaving, and thusto give customers excellent value at much lower prices. I had therequisite knowledge of chemistry, and enough capital to make the thing asuccess. I obtained the assistance of a man with the necessary technicalskill and knowledge, intending to make him my manager. 

I told my plan to the Prince de Conti, who encouraged me to persevere, promising me his patronage, and all the privileges I could wish for. Thatdecided me to begin. 

I rented a very large house near the Temple for a thousand crowns perannum. The house contained a spacious hall, in which I meant to put myworkmen; another hall which was to be the shop; numerous rooms for myworkpeople to live in; and a nice room for myself in case I cared to liveon the premises. 

I made the scheme into a company with thirty shares, of which I gave fiveto my designer, keeping the remaining twenty-five to distribute to thosewho were inclined to join the company. I gave one to a doctor who, ongiving surety, became the storekeeper, and came to live in the house withhis whole family; and I engaged four servants, a waiting-maid, and aporter. I had to give another share to an accountant, who furnished mewith two clerks, who also took up their abode in the house. Thecarpenters, blacksmiths, and painters worked hard from morning to night, and in less than three weeks the place was ready. I told the manager toengage twenty girls to paint, who were to be paid every Saturday. Istocked the warehouse with three hundred pieces of sarcenet and camlet ofdifferent shades and colours to receive the designs, and I paid foreverything in ready money. 

I had made an approximate calculation with my manager that I should haveto spend three hundred thousand francs, and that would not break me. Ifthe worst happened I could fall back on my shares, which produced a goodincome, but I hoped I should not be compelled to do so, as I wanted tohave an income of two hundred thousand francs a year. 

All the while I did not conceal from myself that the speculation might bemy ruin, if custom did not come in, but on looking at my beautifulmaterials these fears were dispelled, especially as I heard everybodysaying that I sold them much too cheap. 

To set up the business I spent in the course of a month about sixtythousand francs, and my weekly expenses amounted to twelve hundredfrancs. 

As for Madame d'Urfe she laughed every time she saw me, for she was quitecertain that this business was only meant to put the curious off thescent and to preserve my incognito: so persuaded was she of myomnipotence. 

The sight of twenty girls, all more or less pretty, the eldest of whomwas not twenty-five, far from making me tremble as it ought, delightedme. I fancied myself in the midst of a seraglio, and I amused myself bywatching their meek and modest looks as they did their work under thedirection of the foreman. The best paid did not get more than twenty-foursous a day, and all of them had excellent reputations, for they had beenselected at her own request by the manager's wife, a devout woman of ripeage, whom I hoped to find obliging if the fancy seized me to test herchoice. Manon Baletti did not share my satisfaction in them. She trembledto see me the owner of a harem, well knowing that sooner or later thebarque of my virtue would run on the rocks. She scolded me well aboutthese girls, though I assured her that none of them slept in the house. 

This business increased my own ideas of my importance; partly from thethought that I was on the high road to fortune, and partly because Ifurnished so many people with the means of subsistence. Alas! I was toofortunate; and my evil genius soon crossed my career. 

It was now three months since Mdlle. X. C. V. Had gone into the convent, and the time of her delivery drew near. We wrote to each other twice aweek, and I considered the matter happily settled; M. De la Popelinierehad married, and when Mdlle. X. C. V. Returned to her mother there wouldbe nothing more to be said But just at this period, when my happinessseemed assured, the hidden fire leapt forth and threatened to consume me;how, the reader will see. 

One day after leaving Madame d'Urfe's I went to walk in the Tuileries. Ihad taken a couple of turns in the chief walk when I saw that an oldwoman, accompanied by a man dressed in black, was looking at me closelyand communicating her observations to her companion. There was nothingvery astonishing in this in a public place, and I continued my walk, andon turning again saw the same couple still watching me. In my turn Ilooked at them, and remembered seeing the man in a gaming-house, where hewas known by the name of Castel-Bajac. On scrutinizing the features ofthe hag, I at last succeeded in recollecting who she was; she was thewoman to whom I had taken Mdlle. X. C. V. I felt certain that she hadrecognized me, but not troubling myself about the matter I left thegardens to walk elsewhere. The day after next, just as I was going to getinto my carriage, a man of evil aspect gave me a paper and asked me toread it. I opened it, but finding it covered with an illegible scrawl Igave it him back, telling him to read it himself. He did so, and I foundmyself summoned to appear before the commissary of police to answer tothe plea which the midwife (whose name I forget) brought against me. 

Although I could guess what the charge would be, and was certain that themidwife could furnish no proofs of her accusation, I went to an attorneyI knew and told him to appear for me. I instructed him that I did notknow any midwife in Paris whatsoever. The attorney waited on thecommissary, and on the day after brought me a copy of the pleas. 

The midwife said that I came to her one night, accompanied by a younglady about five months with child, and that, holding a pistol in one handand a packet of fifty Louis in the other, I made her promise to procureabortion. We both of us (so she said) had masks on, thus shewing that wehad been at the opera ball. Fear, said she, had prevented her from flatlyrefusing to grant my request; but she had enough presence of mind to saythat the necessary drugs were not ready, that she would have all in orderby the next night; whereupon we left, promising to return. In the beliefthat we would not fail to keep the appointment, she went in to M. Castel-Bajac to ask him to hide in the next room that she might beprotected from my fury, and that he might be a witness of what I said, but she had not seen me again. She added that she would have giveninformation the day after the event if she had known who I was, but sinceM. Castel-Bajac had told her my name on her recognizing me in theTuileries, she had thought it her bounden duty to deliver me to the lawthat she might be compensated for the violence I had used to her. Andthis document was signed by the said Castel-Bajac as a witness. 

"This is an evident case of libel, " said my attorney, "at least, if shecan't prove the truth of her allegations. My advice to you is to take thematter before the criminal lieutenant, who will be able to give you thesatisfaction you require. "

I authorized him to do what he thought advisable, and three or four daysafter he told me that the lieutenant wished to speak to me in private, and would expect me the same day at three o'clock in the afternoon. 

As will be expected, I was punctual to the appointment. I found themagistrate to be a polite and good-hearted gentleman. He was, in fact, the well-known M. De Sartine, who was the chief of police two yearslater. His office of criminal lieutenant was saleable, and M. De Sartinesold it when he was appointed head of the police. 

As soon as I had made my bow, he asked me to sit down by him, andaddressed me as follows:

"I have asked you to call upon me in the interests of both of us, as inyour position our interests are inseparable. If you are innocent of thecharge which has been brought against you, you are quite right to appealto me; but before proceedings begin, you should tell me the whole truth. I am ready to forget my position as judge, and to give you my help, butyou must see yourself that to prove the other side guilty of slander, youmust prove yourself innocent. What I want from you is an informal andstrictly confidential declaration, for the case against you is a seriousone, and of such a kind as to require all your efforts to wipe off thisblot upon your honour. Your enemies will not respect your delicacy offeeling. They will press you so hard that you will either be obliged tosubmit to a shameful sentence, or to wound your feelings of honour inproving your innocence. You see I am confiding in you, for in certaincases honour seems so precious a thing to me that I am ready to defend itwith all the power of the law. Pay me back, then, in the same coin, trustin me entirely, tell me the whole story without any reserves, and you mayrely upon my good offices. All will be well if you are innocent, for Ishall not be the less a judge because I am your friend; but if you areguilty I am sorry for you, for I warn you that I shall be just. "

After doing my best to express my gratitude to him, I said that myposition did not oblige me to make any reservations on account of honour, and that I had, consequently, no informal statement to make him. 

"The midwife, " I added, "is absolutely unknown to me. She is most likelyan abandoned woman, who with her worthy companion wants to cheat me of mymoney. "

"I should be delighted to think so, " he answered, "but admitting thefact, see how chance favours her, and makes it a most difficult thing foryou to prove your innocence. 

"The young lady disappeared three months ago. She was known to be yourintimate friend, you called upon her at all hours; you spent aconsiderable time with her the day before she disappeared, and no oneknows what has become of her; but everyone's suspicions point at you, andpaid spies are continually dogging your steps. The midwife sent me arequisition yesterday by her counsel, Vauversin. She says that thepregnant lady you brought to her house is the same whom Madame X. C. V. Is searching for. She also says that you both wore black dominoes, andthe police have ascertained that you were both at the ball in blackdominoes on the same night as that on which the midwife says you came toher house; you are also known to have left the ball-room together. Allthis, it is true, does not constitute full proof of your guilt, but itmakes one tremble for your innocence. "

"What cause have I to tremble?"

"What cause! Why a false witness, easily enough hired for a little money, might swear with impunity that he saw you come from the opera together;and a coachman in the same way might swear he had taken you to themidwife's. In that case I should be compelled to order your arrest andexamination, with a view to ascertain the name of the person whom youtook with you. Do you realize that you are accused of procuring abortion;that three months have gone by without the lady's retreat having beendiscovered; that she is said to be dead. Do you realize, in short, what avery serious charge murder is?"

"Certainly; but if I die innocent, you will have condemned me wrongly, and will be more to be pitied than I. "

"Yes, yes, but that wouldn't make your case any better. You may be sure, however, that I will not condemn an innocent man; but I am afraid thatyou will be a long time in prison before you succeed in proving yourinnocence. To be brief, you see that in twenty-four hours the case looksvery bad, and in the course of a week it might look very much worse. Myinterest was aroused in your favour by the evident absurdity of theaccusations, but it is the other circumstances about the case which makeit a serious one for you. I can partly understand the circumstances, andthe feelings of love and honour which bid you be silent. I have spoken toyou, and I hope you will have no reserves with me. I will spare you allthe unpleasant circumstances which threaten you, believing, as I do, thatyou are innocent. Tell me all, and be sure that the lady's honour willnot suffer; but if, on the other hand, you are unfortunately guilty ofthe crimes laid to your charge, I advise you to be prudent, and to takesteps which it is not my business to suggest. I warn you that in three orfour days I shall cite you to the bar of the court, and that you willthen find in me only the judge--just, certainly, but severe andimpartial. "

I was petrified; for these words shewed me my danger in all itsnakedness. I saw how I should esteem this worthy man's good offices, andsaid to him in quite another tone, that innocent as I was, I saw that mybest course was to throw myself on his kindness respecting Mdlle. X. C. V. , who had committed no crime, but would lose her reputation by thisunhappy business. 

"I know where she is, " I added, "and I may tell you that she would neverhave left her mother if she had not endeavoured to force her into amarriage she abhorred. "

"Well, but the man is now married; let her return to her mother's house, and you will be safe, unless the midwife persists in maintaining that youincited her to procure abortion. "

"There is no abortion in the matter; but other reasons prevent herreturning to her family. I can tell you no more without obtaining theconsent of another party. If I succeed in doing so I shall be able tothrow the desired light on the question. Be kind enough to give me asecond hearing on the day after to-morrow. "

"I understand. I shall be delighted to hear what you have to say. I thankand congratulate you. Farewell!"

I was on the brink of the precipice, but I was determined to leave thekingdom rather than betray the honour of my poor dear sweetheart. If ithad been possible, I would gladly have put an end to the case with money;but it was too late. I was sure that Farsetti had the chief hand in allthis trouble, that he was continually on my track, and that he paid thespies mentioned by M. De Sartine. He it was who had set Vauversin, thebarrister, after me, and I had no doubt that he would do all in his powerto ruin me. 

I felt that my only course was to tell the whole story to M. De Sartine, but to do that I required Madame du Rumain's permission. 

CHAPTER IX

My Examination I Give the Clerk Three Hundred Louis--The Midwife andCartel-Bajac Imprisoned--Mdlle. X. C. V. Is Brought to Bed of a Son andObliges Her Mother to Make Me Amends--The Suit Against Me IsQuashed--Mdlle. X. C. V. Goes With Her Mother to Brussels and From Thenceto Venice, Where She Becomes a Great Lady--My Work-girls--Madame Baret--IAm Robbed, Put in Prison, and Set at Liberty Again--I Go toHolland--Helvetius' "Esprit"--Piccolomini

The day after my interview with M. De Sartine I waited on Madame duRumain at an early hour. Considering the urgency of the case I took theliberty of rousing her from her slumbers, and as soon as she was ready toreceive me I told her all. 

"There can be no hesitation in the matter, " said this delightful woman. "We must make a confidant of M. De Sartine, and I will speak to himmyself to-day without fail. "

Forthwith she went to her desk and wrote to the criminal lieutenantasking him to see her at three o'clock in the afternoon. In less than anhour the servant returned with a note in which he said he would expecther. We agreed that I should come again in the evening, when she wouldtell me the result of her interview. 

I went to the house at five o'clock, and had only a few minutes to wait. 

"I have concealed nothing, " said she; "he knows that she is on the eve ofher confinement, and that you are not the father, which speaks highly foryour generosity. I told him that as soon as the confinement was over, andthe young lady had recovered her health, she would return to her mother, though she would make no confession, and that the child should be welllooked after. You have now nothing to fear, and can calm yourself; but asthe case must go on you will be cited before the court the day afterto-morrow. I advise you to see the clerk of the court on some pretext orother, and to make him accept a sum of money. "

I was summoned to appear, and I appeared. I saw M. De Sartine, 'sedentempro tribunali'. At the end of the sitting he told me that he was obligedto remand me, and that during my remand I must not leave Paris or getmarried, as all my civil rights were in suspense pending the decision. Ipromised to follow his commands. 

I acknowledged in my examination that I was at the ball in a black dominoon the night named in my accusation, but I denied everything else. As forMdlle. X. C. V. , I said that neither I nor anyone of her family had anysuspicion that she was with child. 

Recollecting that I was an alien, and that this circumstance might makeVauversin call for my arrest, on the plea that I might fly the kingdom, Ithought the moment opportune for making interest with the clerk of thecourt, and I accordingly paid him a visit. After telling him of my fears, I slipped into his hand a packet of three hundred louis, for which I didnot ask for a receipt, saying that they were to defray expenses if I weremulcted in costs. He advised me to require the midwife to give bail forher appearance, and I told my attorney to do so; but, four days after, the following incident took place:

I was walking in the Temple Gardens, when I was accosted by a Savoyard, who gave me a note in which I was informed that somebody in an alley, fifty paces off, wanted to speak to me. "Either a love affair or achallenge, " I said to myself, "let's see. " I stopped my carriage, whichwas following me, and went to the place. 

I cannot say how surprised I was to see the wretched Cartel-Bajacstanding before me. "I have only a word to say, " said he, when he saw me. "We will not be overheard here. The midwife is quite sure that you arethe man who brought a pregnant lady to her, but she is vexed that you areaccused of making away with her. Give her a hundred louis; she will thendeclare to the court that she has been mistaken, and your trouble will beended. You need not pay the money till she has made her declaration; wewill take your word for it. Come with me and talk it over with Vauversin. I am sure he will persuade you to do as I suggest. I know where to findhim, follow me at some distance. "

I had listened to him in silence, and I was delighted to see that therascals were betraying themselves. "Very good, " said I to the fellow, "you go on, and I will follow. " I went after him to the third floor of ahouse in the Rue aux Ours, where I found Vauversin the barrister. Nosooner had I arrived than he went to business without any prefatoryremarks. 

"The midwife, " he said, "will call on you with a witness apparently withthe intention of maintaining to your face that you are her man; but shewon't be able to recognize you. She will then proceed with the witness tothe court, and will declare that she has made a mistake, and the criminallieutenant will forthwith put an end to the proceedings. You will thus becertain of gaining your case against the lady's mother. "

I thought the plan well conceived, and said that they would find me atthe Temple any day up to noon. 

"But the midwife wants a hundred louis badly. "

"You mean that the worthy woman rates her perjury at that price. Well, never mind, I will pay the money, and you may trust to my word; but Ican't do so before she has taken oath to her mistake before the court. "

"Very good, but you must first give me twenty-five louis to reimburse mefor my costs and fees. "

"Certainly, if you will give me a formal receipt for the money. "

He hesitated at first, but after talking it over the money proved toostrong a bait, and he wrote out the receipt and I gave him thetwenty-five louis. He thanked me, and said that though Madame X. C. V. Was his client, he would let me know confidentially how best to put astop to the proceedings. I thanked him with as much gratitude as if I hadreally intended to make use of his services, and I left to write and tellM. De Sartine what had taken place. 

Three days afterwards I was told that a man and woman wanted to see me. Iwent down and asked the woman what she wanted. 

"I want to speak to M. Casanova. "

"I am he. "

"Then I have made a mistake, for which I hope you will forgive me. "

Her companion smiled, and they went off. 

The same day Madame du Rumain had a letter from the abbess telling herthat her young friend had given birth to a fine boy, who had been sentaway to a place where he would be well looked after. She stated that theyoung lady could not leave the convent for the next six weeks, at the endof which time she could return to her mother with a certificate whichwould protect her from all annoyance. 

Soon after the midwife was put in solitary confinement, Castel-Bajac wassent to The Bicetre, and Vauversin's name was struck off the rolls. Thesuit instituted against me by Madame X. C. V. Went on till her daughterreappeared, but I knew that I had nothing to fear. The girl returned toher mother about the end of August armed with a certificate from theabbess, who said she had been under her protection for four months, during which time she had never left the convent or seen any persons fromoutside. This was perfectly true, but the abbess added that her onlyreason for her going back to her family was that she had nothing more todread from the attentions of M. De la Popeliniere, and in this the abbesslied. 

Mdlle. X. C. V. Profited by the delight of her mother in seeing her againsafe and sound, and made her wait on M. De Sartine with the abbess'scertificate, stop all proceedings against me, and withdraw all thecharges she had made. Her daughter told her that if I liked I might claimdamages for libel, and that if she did not wish to injure her reputationshe would say nothing more about what had happened. 

The mother wrote me a letter of the most satisfactory character, which Ihad registered in court, thus putting an end to the prosecution. In myturn I wrote to congratulate her on the recovery of her daughter, but Inever set foot in her house again, to avoid any disagreeable scenes withFarsetti. 

Mdlle. X. C. V. Could not stay any longer in Paris, where her tale wasknown to everyone, and Farsetti took her to Brussels with her sisterMadelaine. Some time after, her mother followed her, and they then wenton to Venice, and there in three years' time she became a great lady. Fifteen years afterwards I saw her again, and she was a widow, happyenough apparently, and enjoying a great reputation on account of herrank, wit, and social qualities, but our connection was never renewed. 

In four years the reader will hear more of Castel-Bajac. Towards the endof the same year (1759), before I went to Holland, I spent severalhundred francs to obtain the release of the midwife. 

I lived like a prince, and men might have thought me happy, but I wasnot. The enormous expenses I incurred, my love of spending money, andmagnificent pleasures, warned me, in spite of myself, that there wererocks ahead. My business would have kept me going for a long time, ifcustom had not been paralyzed by the war; but as it was, I, likeeverybody else, experienced the effect of bad times. My warehousecontained four hundred pieces of stuffs with designs on them, but as Icould not hope to dispose of them before the peace, and as peace seemed along way off, I was threatened with ruin. 

With this fear I wrote to Esther to get her father to give me theremainder of my money, to send me a sharp clerk, and to join in myspeculation. M. D'O---- said that if I would set up in Holland he wouldbecome responsible for everything and give me half profits, but I likedParis too well to agree to so good an offer. I was sorry for itafterwards. 

I spent a good deal of money at my private house, but the chief expenseof my life, which was unknown to others but which was ruining me, wasincurred in connection with the girls who worked in my establishment. With my complexion and my pronounced liking for variety, a score ofgirls, nearly all of them pretty and seductive, as most Paris girls are, was a reef on which my virtue made shipwreck every day. Curiosity had agood deal to do with it, and they profited by my impatience to takepossession by selling their favours dearly. They all followed the exampleof the first favourite, and everyone claimed in turn an establishment, furniture, money, and jewels; and I knew too little of the value of moneyto care how much they asked. My fancy never lasted longer than a week, and often waned in three or four days, and the last comer always appearedthe most worthy of my attentions. 

As soon as I had made a new choice I saw no more of my old loves, but Icontinued to provide for them, and that with a good deal of money. Madamed'Urfe, who thought I was rich, gave me no trouble. I made her happy byusing my oracle to second the magical ceremonies of which she grew fonderevery day, although she never attained her aim. Manon Baletti, however, grieved me sorely by her jealousy and her well-founded reproaches. Shewould not understand--and I did not wonder at it--how I could put offmarrying her if I really loved her. She accused me of deceiving her. Hermother died of consumption in our arms. Silvia had won my truefriendship. I looked upon her as a most worthy woman, whose kindness ofheart and purity of life deserved the esteem of all. I stayed in thefamily for three days after her death, sincerely sympathizing with themin their affliction. 

A few days afterwards, my friend Tiretta lost his mistress through agrievous illness. Four days before her death, perceiving that she wasnear her end, she willed to consecrate to God that which man could haveno longer, and dismissed her lover with the gift of a valuable jewel anda purse of two hundred louis. Tiretta marched off and came and told methe sad news. I got him a lodging near the Temple, and a month after, approving his idea to try his fortune in India, I gave him a letter ofintroduction to M. D'O----, of Amsterdam; and in the course of a weekthis gentleman got him a post as clerk, and shipped him aboard one of thecompany's ships which was bound for Batavia. If he had behaved well hemight have become a rich man, but he got involved in some conspiracy andhad to fly, and afterwards experienced many vicissitudes of fortune. Iheard from one of his relations that he was in Bengal in 1788, in goodcircumstances, but unable to realize his property and so return to hisnative country. I do not know what became of him eventually. 

In the beginning of November an official belonging to the Duc d'Elbeuf'shousehold came to my establishment to buy a wedding dress for hisdaughter. I was dazzled with her beauty. She chose a fine satin, and herpretty face lighted up when she heard her father say he did not think itwas too much; but she looked quite piteous when she heard the clerk tellher father that he would have to buy the whole piece, as they could notcut it. I felt that I must give in, and to avoid making an exception inher favour I beat a hasty retreat into my private room. I wish I had goneout of the house, as I should have saved a good deal of money; but whatpleasure should I have also lost! In her despair the charming girl beggedthe manager to take her to me, and he dared not refuse to do so. She camein; two big tears falling down her cheeks and dimming the ardour of hergaze. 

"Oh, sir!" she began, "you are rich, do you buy the piece and let me haveenough for a dress, which will make me happy. "

I looked at her father and saw he wore an apologetic air, as ifdeprecating the boldness of his child. 

"I like your simplicity, " I said to her, "and since it will make youhappy, you shall have the dress. "

She ran up to me, threw her arms round my neck and kissed me, while herworthy father was dying with laughter. Her kisses put the last stroke tomy bewitchment. After he had paid for the dress, her father said, "I am going to get this little madcap married next Sunday; there will bea supper and a ball, and we shall be delighted if you will honour us withyour presence. My name is Gilbert. I am comptroller of the Duc d'Elbeuf'shousehold. "

I promised to be at the wedding, and the young lady gave a skip of joywhich made me think her prettier than ever. 

On Sunday I repaired to the house, but I could neither eat nor drink. Thefair Mdlle. Gilbert kept me in a kind of enchantment which lasted while Iwas in company with her friends, for whom I did not care. They were allofficials in noblemen's houses, with their wives and daughters, who allaped the manners of their betters in the most ridiculous way; nobody knewme and I was known to nobody, and I cut a sorry figure amongst them all, for in a company of this sort the wittiest man is the greatest fool. Everybody cracked his joke to the bride, she answered everybody, andpeople laughed at nothing. 

Her husband, a thin and melancholy man, with a rather foolish expression, was delighted at his wife's keeping everybody amused. Although I was inlove with her, I pitied rather than envied him. I guessed that he hadmarried for monetary considerations, and I knew pretty well what kind ofa head-dress his handsome, fiery wife would give her husband, who wasplain-featured, and seemed not to be aware of his wife's beauty. I wasseized with the desire of asking her some questions, and she gave me theopportunity by coming to sit next to me after a quadrille. She thanked meagain for my kindness, and said that the beautiful dress I had suppliedhad won her many compliments. 

"All the same, " I said, "I know you are longing to take it off. I knowwhat love is and how impatient it makes one. "

"It's very funny that everyone persists in thinking that I am in love, though I saw M. Baret for the first time only a week ago. Before then Iwas absolutely unconscious of his existence. "

"But why are you getting married in such a hurry without waiting till youknow him better?"

"Because my father does everything in a hurry. "

"I suppose your husband is a very rich man?"

"No, but he may become rich. We are going to open a shop for silkstockings at the corner of the Rue St. Honore and the Rue des Prouveres, and I hope that you will deal with us, as we would serve you with thebest. "

"I shall certainly do so--nay, I will be your first customer, if I haveto wait at the door. "

"You are kind! M. Baret, " said she to her husband, who was standing closeby, "this gentleman promises to be our first customer. "

"The gentleman is very good, " said the husband, "and I am sure he will besatisfied, as my stockings are genuine silk. "

Next Tuesday at day-break I began to dance attendance at the corner ofthe Rue des Prouveres, and waited there till the servant came out to takedown the shutters. I went in and the girl asked me my business. 

"I want to buy some stockings, " was my answer. 

"Master and mistress are still in bed, so you had better come later on. "

"No, I will wait here. Stop a minute, " said I, giving her six francs, "goand get me some coffee; I will drink it in the shop. "

"I might go and get you some coffee, but I am not so silly as to leaveyou in the shop by yourself. "

"You are afraid I might steal something!"

"Well, one does hear of such things being done, and I don't know you fromAdam. "

"Very good; but I shall stay here all the same. "

Before long Baret came down and scolded the poor girl for not having toldhim of my presence. "Go and tell my wife to come, " said he, as he beganopening packets of stockings for me to choose from. He kept stockings, vests, and silk drawers, and I turned one packet over after another, looking at them all and not fixing on anything till I saw his wife comingdown as fresh as a rose and as bright as a lily. She smiled at me in themost seductive manner, apologized for the disorder of her dress, andthanked me for keeping my word. 

"I never break my word, " I said, "especially when such a charming lady isconcerned!"

Madame Baret was seventeen, of a moderate height, and an exquisitefigure; without being classically beautiful, a Raphael could not wish todepict a more enticing face. Her eyes were large and brilliant. Herdrooping eyelids, which gave her so modest and yet so voluptuous anappearance, the ever-smiling mouth, her splendid teeth, the dazzlingwhiteness of her complexion, the pleasing air with which she listened towhat was being said, her silvery voice, the sweetness and sparklingvivacity of her manner, her lack of conceit, or rather herunconsciousness of the power of her charms-in fine, everything about thismasterpiece of nature made me wonder and admire; while she, by chance orvile monetary considerations, was in the power of Baret, who, pale andsickly, thought a good deal more of his stockings than of the treasuremarriage had given him--a treasure of which he was all unworthy, since hecould not see its beauty nor taste its sweetness. 

I chose stockings and vests to the amount of twenty-five louis, and Ipaid the price without trying to cheapen them. I saw the face of the fairshopwoman light up, and I augured well for my success, though I could notexpect to do much while the honeymoon lasted. I told the servant that Iwould give her six francs if she would bring the packet to my house, andso I left them. 

Next Sunday Baret came himself with my purchases. I gave him six francsto hand over to his servant, but he hinted that he was not too proud tokeep them himself. I was disgusted at this petty greed, and at hismeanness in depriving his maid of the six francs after having made a goodprofit in what he had sold me; but I wanted to stand well with him, and Iwas not sorry to find so simple a way of throwing dust into his eyes. Sowhile I resolved that the servant should not be a loser I gave thehusband a good reception that I might the better mould him to my purpose. I had breakfast brought to him, asking why he had not brought his wife. 

"She wanted me to take her, " said he, "but I was afraid you might beoffended. "

"Not at all, I should have been delighted. I think your wife a charmingwoman. "

"You are very kind to say so; but she's young, she's young. "

"I don't think that's any objection; and if she cares for the walk, bringher with you another time. " He said he should be very pleased to do so. 

When I passed by the shop in my carriage I blew kisses to her with myhand, but I did not stop as I did not want any more stockings. Indeed, Ishould have been bored with the crowd of fops with which the shop wasalways full. She began to be a topic of conversation in the town; thePalais Royal was full of her; and I was glad to hear that she kept toherself as if she had richer prey in view. That told me that no onepossessed her so far, and I hoped that I might be the prey myself; I wasquite willing to be captured. 

Some days after, she saw my carriage coming, and beckoned to me as Ipassed. I got out, and her husband with many apologies told me that hewanted me to be the first to see a new fashion in breeches he had justgot in. The breeches were parti-coloured, and no man of fashion would beseen without them. They were odd-looking things, but became a well-madeyoung man. As they had to fit exactly, I told him to measure me for sixpairs, offering to pay in advance. "We have them in all sizes, " said he, "go up to my wife's room and try some on. "

It was a good opportunity and I accepted, especially when I heard himtell his wife to go and help me. I went upstairs, she following, and Ibegan to undress, apologizing for doing so before her. 

"I will fancy I am your valet, " said she, "and I will help you. "

I did not make any difficulties, and after taking off my shoes I gave hermy breeches, taking care, however, to keep on my drawers, lest hermodesty should receive too severe a shock. This done she took a pair ofbreeches, drew them on me, took them off, and tried on others, and allthis without any impropriety on either side; for I had determined tobehave with discretion till the opportunity came to be indiscreet. Shedecided that four pairs fitted me admirably, and, not wishing tocontradict her, I gave her the sixteen louis she asked, and told her Ishould be delighted if she would bring them herself at any time when shewas at leisure. She came downstairs quite proud of her knowledge ofbusiness, and Baret said that next Sunday he and his wife would have thehonour of bringing me my purchase. 

"I shall be charmed, M. Baret, " said I, "especially if you will stay todinner. "

He answered that having an important engagement for two o'clock he couldonly accept on the condition that I would let him go at that time, and hewould return at about five to fetch his wife. I found the plan vastly tomy taste, but I knew how to conceal my joy; and I quietly said thatthough I should lose the pleasure of his society, he was free to go whenhe liked, especially as I had not to go out myself before six. 

I looked forward to the Sunday, and the tradesman and his wife did notfail me. As soon as they arrived, I told my servant to say "Not at home"for the rest of the day, and as I was impatient to know what would happenin the afternoon I had dinner served at an early hour. The dishes wereexquisite, and the wines delicious. The good man ate much and drankdeeply, indeed to such an extent that in common politeness I was obligedto remind him that he had an important appointment at two. His wits beingsharpened with champagne, the happy thought occurred to him to tell hiswife to go home by herself, if he were kept later than five; and Ihastened to add that I would take her home myself in my carriage. Hethanked me, and I soothed his uneasiness about being punctual to hisappointment by telling him that a coach was waiting, and that the farehad been paid. He went off, and I found myself alone with my jewel, whomI was certain of possessing till six o'clock. 

As soon as I heard the hall door shut on the kind husband, I said to hiswife, "You are to be congratulated on having such a kind husband; with a manlike that your happiness is assured. "

"It is easy to say happiness, but enjoying it is a different thing. Myhusband's health is so delicate that I can only consider myself as hisnurse; and then he contracted heavy debts to set up in business whichoblige us to observe the strictest economy. We came here on foot to savethe twenty-four sons. We could live on the profits of the business, ifthere were no debts, but as it is everything goes to pay the interest, and our sales are not large enough to cover everything. "

"But you have plenty of customers, for whenever I pass I see the shopfull of people. "

"These customers you see are idlers, crackers of bad jokes, andprofligates, who come and make my head ache with their jests. They havenot a penny to bless themselves with, and we dare not let them out of oursight for fear of their hands wandering. If we had cared to give themcredit, our shop would have been emptied long ago. I am rude to them, inthe hopes that they may leave me alone, but it's of no use. Theirimpudence is astonishing. When my husband is in I retreat to my room, buthe is often away, and then I am obliged to put up with them. And thescarcity of money prevents us from doing much business, but we areobliged to pay our workmen all the same. As far as I can see, we shall beobliged to dismiss them, as we shall soon have to meet several bills. Next Saturday we have got to pay six hundred francs, and we have only gottwo hundred. "

"I am surprised at your having all this worry in these early days of yourmarriage. I suppose your father knew about your husband's circumstances;how about your dowry?"

"My dowry of six thousand francs has served, most of it, to stock theshop and to pay our debts. We have goods which would pay our debts threetimes over; but in bad times capital sunk is capital dead. "

"I am sorry to hear all this, as if peace is not made your situation willbecome worse, for as you go on your needs will become greater. "

"Yes, for when my husband is better we may have children. "

"What! Do you mean to say his health prevents him from making you amother? I can't believe it. "

"I don't see how I can be a mother who am still a maid; not that I caremuch about the matter. "

"I shouldn't have believed it! How can a man not in the agony of deathfeel ill beside you? He must be dead. "

"Well, he is not exactly dead, but he doesn't shew many signs of life. "

This piece of wit made me laugh, and under cover of my applause Iembraced her without experiencing much resistance. The first kiss waslike an electric spark; it fired my imagination and I increased myattentions till she became as submissive as a lamb. 

"I will help you, dearest, to meet the bill on Saturday;" and so saying Idrew her gently into a closet where a soft divan formed a suitable altarfor the completion of an amorous sacrifice. 

I was enchanted to find her submissive to my caresses and myinquisitiveness, but she surprised me greatly when, as I placed myself inreadiness for the consummation of the act, and was already in the properposture between the two columns, she moved in such a way as to hinder myadvance. I thought at first that it was only one of those devicesintended to make the final victory more sweet by putting difficulties inthe way; but, finding that her resistance was genuine, I exclaimed, "How was I to expect a refusal like this at a moment when I thought I sawmy ardours reflected in your eyes?"

"Your eyes did not deceive you; but what would my husband say if he foundme otherwise than as God has made me?"

"He can't have left you untouched!"

"He really has done so. You can see for yourself if you like. Can I, then, give to you what appertains to the genius of the marriage-bed. "

"You are right, my angel; this fruit must be kept for a mouth unworthy totaste it. I pity and adore you. Come to my arms, abandon yourself to mylove, and fear nothing. The fruit shall not be damaged; I will but tastethe outer surface and leave no trace behind. "

We passed three hours in trifling together in a manner calculated toinflame our passions despite the libations which we now and again pouredforth. I was consoled by her swearing to be mine as soon as Baret hadgood grounds for thinking that she was his, and, after taking her on theBoulevards, I left her at her door, with a present of twenty-five Louis. 

I was in love with her as I had never been before, and I passed the shopthree or four times a day, going round and round, to the wrath of mycoachman, who got sick of telling me that I was ruining my horses. I washappy to see her watch for the moment that I passed, and waft me a kissby putting her pretty fingers to her mouth. 

We had agreed that she should not make me a sign to leave my coach tillher husband had forced a passage. At last this day, so ardently desiredand so long waited for, arrived. The sign was given, and I stopped thecoach and she came out and, standing on the step, told me to go and waitfor her at the church door of St. Germain l'Auxerrois. 

I was curious to know what the results would be, and had not been at theplace appointed more than a quarter of an hour when she came towards me, her head muffled in a hood. She got into the carriage and, saying thatshe wanted to make some purchases, begged me to take her to the shops. 

I had business of my own, and pressing business too, but who can refusethe Beloved Object anything? I told the coachman to drive to the PlaceDauphine, and I prepared to loosen my purse-strings, as I had a feelingshe was going to treat me as a friend. In point of fact she left fewshops unvisited, going from jewels to pretty trifles and toys ofdifferent kinds, and from these to dresses of the latest fashion, whichthey displayed before her, addressing her as princess, and saying thatthis would become her admirably. She looked at me, and said it must beconfessed that it was very pretty and that she would like it if it werenot so dear. I was a willing dupe, and assured her that if she liked itit could not be too dear, and that I would pay. 

While my sweetheart was thus choosing one trifle after another myill-luck brought about an incident which placed me in a fearful situationfour years afterwards. The chain of events is endless. 

I perceived at my left hand a pretty girl of twelve or thirteen, with anold and ugly woman who was disparaging a pair of ear-rings which the girlhad in her hands, and on which she had evidently set her heart: shelooked sad at not being able to buy them. I heard her say to the oldwoman that they would make her happy, but she snatched them from thegirl's hands and told her to, come away. 

"I can let you have a cheaper pair and almost as fine, " said theshopwoman, but the young lady said she did not; care about it, and wasgetting ready to go, making a profound reverence to my princess Baret. 

She, no doubt flattered by this sign of respect went up to her, calledher little queen, told her she was as fair as a May morning, and askedthe old woman her name, "She is Mdlle. De Boulainvilier, my niece. "

"How can you be so hard-hearted, " said I to the aunt, "as to refuse yourcharming niece a toy which would make her happy? Allow me to make her apresent of them. "

So saying I put the ear-rings in the girl's hands, while she blushed andlooked at her aunt as if to ask her permission. 

"You may have the ear-rings, " said she, "as this gentleman has been kindenough to give you such a present, and you should give him a kiss by wayof thanks. "

"The ear-rings, " said the shopwoman, "will be only three louis. "

Hereupon the affair took a comic turn; the old woman got into a rage andsaid, "How can you be such a cheat? You told me they were only two louis. "

"Nay, madam, I asked three. "

"That's a lie, and I shall not allow you to rob this gentleman. Niece, put those ear-rings down; let the shopwoman keep them. "

So far all was well enough; but the old aunt spoilt everything by sayingthat if I liked to give her niece the three louis she could get her apair twice as good at another shop. It was all the same to me, so Ismilingly put the three louis in front of the young lady, who still hadthe ear-rings in her hands. The shop-woman, who was on the look-out, pocketed the money, saying that the bargain was made, that the threelouis belonged to her and the ear-rings to the young lady. 

"You are a cheat, " cried out the enraged old woman. 

"And you are an old b----d, " answered the shop-woman, "I know you well. "A crowd began to gather in front of the shop, hearing the cries of thetwo harpies. Foreseeing a good deal of unpleasantness, I took the aunt bythe arm and led her gently away. The niece, who was quite content withthe ear-rings, and did not care whether they cost three louis or two, followed her. We shall hear of them again in due course. 

My dear Baret having made me waste a score of louis, which her poorhusband would have regretted much more than myself, we got into thecarriage again, and I took her to the church door from which we hadstarted. On the way she told me she was coming to stop a few days with meat Little Poland, and that it was her husband who would ask me for theinvitation. 

"When will he do that?"

"To-morrow, if you go by the shop. Come and buy some stockings; I shallhave a bad headache, and Baret will speak to you. "

It may be imagined that I took care to call the next day, and as I didnot see his wife in the shop I asked in a friendly way after her health. 

"She is ill in bed, " he replied; "she wants a little country air. "

"If you have not fixed for any place, I shall be happy to put you up atLittle Poland. "

He replied by a smile of delight. 

"I will go and urge her to come myself; in the meanwhile, M. Baret, willyou pack me up a dozen pairs of stockings?"

I went upstairs and found the invalid in bed, and laughing in spite ofher imaginary headache. "The business is done, " said I, "you will soonhear of it. " As I had said, the husband came upstairs with my stockingsand told her that I had been good enough to give her a room in my house. The crafty little creature thanked me, assuring her husband that thefresh air would soon cure her. 

"You shall be well looked after, " said I, "but you must excuse me if I donot keep you company--I have to attend to my business. M. Baret will beable to come and sleep with you every night, and start early enough inthe morning to be in time for the opening of his shop. "

After many compliments had been interchanged, Baret decided on having hissister stay in the house while his wife was away, and as I took leave Isaid that, I should give orders for their reception that very evening, incase I was out when they came. 

Next day I stayed out till after midnight, and the cook told me that thewedded couple had made a good supper and had gone to bed. I warned herthat I should be dining at home every day, and that I should not see mycompany. 

The following day I was up betimes, and on enquiring if the husband hadrisen I learnt that he had got up at day-break and would not be back tillsupper-time. The wife was still asleep. I thought with reason she was notasleep for me, and I went to pay her my first visit. In point of fact shewas awake, and I took a foretaste of greater joys by a thousand kisses, which she returned with interest. We jested at the expense of the worthyman who had trusted me with a jewel of which I was about to make suchgood use, and we congratulated each other on the prospect of a week'smutual pleasures. 

"Come, my dear, " said I, "get up and put on a few clothes and we willtake breakfast in my room. "

She did not make an elaborate toilette; a cotton dressing gown, a prettylace cap, a lawn kerchief, that was all, but how the simple dress waslighted by the roses of her cheeks! We were quick over our breakfast, wewere in a hurry, and when we had done I shut the door and we gaveourselves over to the enjoyment of our bliss. 

Surprised to find her in the same condition in which I had left her, Itold her I had hoped . . . But she, without giving me time to finish thephrase, said, "My jewel, Baret thinks, or pretends to think, that he has done his dutyas a husband; but he is no hand at the business, and I am disposed to putmyself in your hands, and then there will be no doubt of my condition. "

"We shall thus, my sweet, be doing him a service, and the service shallbe well done. "

As I said these words I was on the threshold of the temple, and I openedthe door in a manner that overthrew all obstacles. A little scream andthen several sighs announced the completion of the sacrifice, and, totell the truth, the altar of love was covered with the blood of thevictim. After the necessary ablutions the priest once more began hispious work, while the victim growing bolder so provoked his rage that itwas not till the fourth mactation that we rested and put off our joust toanother season. We swore a thousand times to love each other and toremain constant, and we may possibly have been sincere, as we were in ourecstasy of pleasure. 

We only separated to dress; then after taking a turn in the garden wedined together, sure that in a sumptuous repast, washed down by thechoicest wines, we should find strength to reanimate our desires and tolull them to sleep in bliss. 

At dessert, as I was pouring champagne into her glass, I asked her howwith such a fiery temperament she had managed to preserve her virtue?

"Cupid, " said I, "might have gathered the fruit that Hymen could nottaste. You are seventeen, and the pear has been ripe for two years atleast. "

"Very true, but I have never had a lover. "

"Never?"

"I have been courted, but to no effect. My heart was ever silent. Possibly my father thought otherwise when I begged him, a month ago, toget me married soon. "

"Very likely, but as you were not in love, why were you in such a hurry?"

"I knew that the Duc d'Elbeuf would soon be coming to town, and that ifhe found me still single he would oblige me to become the wife of a man Idetest, who would have me at any price. "

"Who is this man for whom you have such an aversion?"

"He is one of the duke's pets, a monster who sleeps with his master. "

"Really! I did not know the duke had such tastes. "

"Oh yes; he is eighty-four, and he thinks himself a woman; he says hemust have a husband. "

"That is very funny. And is this aspirant to your hand a handsome man?"

"I think him horrible; but everybody else thinks he is a fine man. "

The charming Baret spent a week with me, and each day we renewed thecombat in which we were always conquerors and always conquered. I haveseen few women as pretty and seductive, and none whose skin was moreexquisitely soft and fair. Her breath was aromatic, and this made herkisses most sweet. Her neck was exquisitely shaped, and the two globes, tipped with coral, were as hard as marble. The exquisite curves of herfigure would have defied the skill of the ablest painter. I experiencedan ineffable joy in contemplating her, and in the midst of my happiness Icalled myself unhappy because I could not satisfy all the desires whichher charms aroused in me. The frieze which crowned her columns wascomposed of links of pale gold of the utmost fineness, and my fingersstrove in vain to give them another direction to that which nature hadgiven them. She could easily have been taught those lively yet gracefulmovements which double the pleasure; nature had done her part in thatdirection, and I do not think a more expert mistress in the art of lovecould be found. 

Each of us looked forward to the day of her departure with equal grief, and our only consolation lay in the hope of meeting again, and often. Three days after she went away, I went to see her, more in love thanever, and I gave her two notes of five thousand francs apiece. Herhusband might have his suspicions, but he was too happy at being enabledto pay his debts and to keep his shop open to say anything unpleasant. Many husbands besides himself think themselves lucky to have suchproductive wives. 

In the beginning of November I sold shares for fifty thousand francs to aman named Gamier, living in the Rue du Mail, giving up to him a thirdpart of the materials in my warehouse, and accepting a manager chosen byhim and paid by the company. Three days after signing the deed I receivedthe money; but in the night the doctor, my warehouseman, emptied the tilland absconded. I have always thought that this robbery could not havebeen effected without the connivance of the painter. This loss was aserious blow to me, as my affairs were getting into an embroiledcondition; and, for a finishing touch to my misfortunes, Gamier had meserved with a summons to repay him the fifty thousand francs. My answerwas that I was not liable, that his manager had been appointed, theagreement and sale of the shares was valid, and that he being one of thecompany would have to share in the loss. As he persisted in his claim, Iwas advised to go to law, but Gamier declared the agreement null andvoid, accusing me in an indirect manner of having appropriated the moneywhich I had said was stolen. I would willingly have given him a goodthrashing, but he was an old man, and that course would not have mendedmatters, so I kept my temper. The merchant who had given surety for thedoctor was not to be found; he had become bankrupt. Garnier had all mystock seized, and sequestrated my horses, carriages, and all my privateproperty. 

While these troubles were harassing me, I dismissed all my work-girls, who had always been a great expense, and replaced them with workmen andsome of my servants. The painter still retained his position, which wasan assured one, as he always paid himself out of the sales. 

My attorney was an honest man--a rare bird amongst lawyers--but mycounsel, who kept telling me that the case would soon be decided, was arascal. While the decision was pending, Garnier served me with a writ topay the sum claimed. I took it to my counsel, who promised to appeal thesame day, which he did not do, while he appropriated to his own use themoney assigned by me for the costs of an action which, if there had beenjustice in France, I should certainly have gained. Two other summonseswere issued against me, and before I knew what was going on a warrant wasissued for my arrest. I was seized at eight o'clock in the morning, as Iwas driving along the Rue St. Denis. The sergeant of police sat besideme, a second got up beside the coachman, and a third stationed himself atthe back of the coach, and in this state we drove to Fort l'Eveque. 

As soon as the police had handed me over to the gaoler, he informed methat by payment of the fifty thousand francs, or by giving good bail, Imight instantly regain my freedom. 

"For the moment, " said I, "I can neither command money nor bail. "

"Very good, then you will stay in prison. "

The gaoler took me to a decent-looking room, and I told him I had onlybeen served with one writ. 

"Very likely, " answered he, "it often happens like that; but it is ratherdifficult to prove. "

"Bring me writing materials, and have a trusty messenger at my disposal. "

I wrote to my counsel, my attorney, to Madame d'Urfe, and to all myfriends, including my brother, who was just married. The attorney calledimmediately, but the barrister contented himself with writing to theeffect that as he had put in an appeal my seizure was illegal, and thatdamages might be recovered. He ended by begging me to give him a freehand, and to have patience for a few days. 

Manon Baletti sent her brother with her diamond earrings. Madame duRumain dispatched her barrister--a man of rare honesty--to me, and wrotea friendly note in which she said that if I wanted five hundred louis Ishould have them to-morrow. My brother neither wrote nor came to see me. As to dear Madame d'Urfe she sent to say that she would expect me atdinner. I thought she had gone mad, as I could not think she was makingfun of me. 

At eleven o'clock my room was full of people. Poor Baret had comeweeping, and offering me all his shop held. I was touched by the worthyman's kindness. At last I was told that a lady in a coach wanted to seeme. I waited, but nobody came. In my impatience I called the turnkey, whotold me that, after questioning the clerk of the prison, she had goneaway again. From the description I was given I had no difficulty inidentifying the lady with Madame d'Urfe. 

To find myself deprived of my liberty was a disagreeable shock to me. Ithought of The Leads, and though my present situation was not to becompared with that, I cursed my fate as I foresaw that my imprisonmentwould damage my reputation. I had thirty thousand francs in hard cash andjewels to more than double that amount, but I could not decide on makingsuch a sacrifice, in spite of the advice given by Madame du Rumain'sbarrister, who would have me got out of prison at any cost. 

"All you have to do, " said the barrister, "is to deposit half the sumdemanded which I will give to the clerk of the court, and in a short timeI can promise a decision in your favour and the restoration of yourmoney. "

We were discussing the matter, when the gaoler entered, and said, verypolitely, "Sir, you are a free man again, and a lady is waiting for you at the doorin her carriage. "

I called Le Duc, my man, and told him to go and see who the lady was. Hereturned with the information that it was Madame d'Urfe. I made my bow toeverybody, and after four very disagreeable hours of imprisonment, Ifound myself free again and sitting in a splendid coach. 

Madame d'Urfe received me with dignified kindness, and a judge who was inthe carriage apologized for his country, where strangers were exposed tosuch insults. I thanked Madame d'Urfe in a few words, telling her that Iwas glad to become her debtor, but that it was Garnier who benefited byher generosity. She replied with a pleasant smile that she was not sosure of that, and that we would talk it over at dinner. She wanted me togo and walk in the Tuileries and the Palais Royal, to convince peoplethat the report of my imprisonment had been false. I thought the adviceexcellent, and as I set out I promised to be with her at two o'clock. 

After skewing myself at the two principal walks of Paris, amusing myselfby the astonishment depicted on certain faces well known to me, I wentand returned the ear-rings to my dear Manon, who gave an astonished but ahappy cry when she saw me. I thanked her tenderly for the proof she hadgiven me of her attachment, and said that I had been arrested by a plotfor which I would make the plotters pay dear. After promising to spendthe evening with them I went to Madame d'Urfe's. 

This good lady, whose foible is well known to my readers, made me laughwhen she said that her genius had told her that I had got myself arrestedto be talked about, for reasons which were known only to myself. 

"As soon as I was informed of your arrest, " said she, "I went to the Fortl'Eveque, and on learning from the clerk what the affair was about, Ideposited bonds to bail you out. If you are not in a position to havejustice done you, Gamier will have to reckon with me before he takes themoney I have deposited. But your first step should be to commence acriminal prosecution against your counsel, who has not only failed to putin your appeal but has robbed and deceived you. "

I left her in the evening, assuring her that in a few days her bailshould be returned to her; and went to the French and Italian plays insuccession, taking care to render myself conspicuous that my reappearancemight be complete. Afterwards I went to sup with Manon Baletti, who wastoo happy to have had an opportunity of spewing her affection for me; andher joy was full when I told her that I was going to give up business, for she thought that my seraglio was the only obstacle to my marriagewith her. 

The next day was passed with Madame du Rumain. I felt that my obligationsto her were great, while she, in the goodness of her heart, was persuadedthat she could make no adequate return to me for the oracles with which Ifurnished her, and by following which she was safely guided through theperplexities of life. I cannot understand how she, whose wit was keen, and whose judgment on other subjects was of the soundest kind, could beliable to such folly. I was sorry when I reflected that I could notundeceive her, and glad when I reflected that to this deceit of mine thekindness she had shewn me was chiefly due. 

My imprisonment disgusted me with Paris, and made me conceive a hatred ofthe law, which I feel now. I found myself entangled in a double maze ofknavery--Garnier was my foe, and so was my own counsel. Every time I wentto plead, to spend my money amongst lawyers, and to waste the time bettergiven to pleasure, I felt as if I was going to execution. In thisperturbed kind of life, so contrary to my inclinations, I resolved to setto work in earnest to make my fortune, so that I might become independentand free to enjoy life according to my tastes. I decided in the firstplace that I would cut myself free of all that bound me to Paris, make asecond journey into Holland to replenish my purse and invest my money ina yearly income for two lives, and from thenceforth live free from care. The two lives were those of my wife and myself; my wife would be ManonBaletti, and when I told her my plans she would have thought themdelightful if I had begun by marrying her. 

The first thing I did was to give up Little Poland. I then drew thetwenty-four thousand francs which were my surety for keeping a lotteryoffice in the Rue St. Denis. Thus I got rid of my ridiculous office oflottery receiver, and after getting my clerk married I handed over theoffice to him; in short, I made his fortune. A friend of his wife's washis surety; such things often happen. 

I did not like to leave Madame d'Urfe involved in a troublesome suit withGamier, so I went to Versailles to see the Abbe de la Ville, a greatfriend of his, and begged him to induce Gamier to make a composition. 

The abbe saw that his friend was in the wrong, and so was all the morewilling to help me; and a few days afterwards he wrote to me to go andsee him, assuring me that I should find him inclined to arrange mattersin a friendly manner. 

Gamier was at Ruelle, where he had a house which cost him four hundredthousand francs--a fine estate for a man who had made his money as anarmy contractor during the last war. He was rich, but he was sounfortunate as to be still fond of women at the age of seventy, while hisimpotence debarred him from the proper enjoyment of their society. Ifound him in company with three young ladies, all of whom were pretty, and (as I heard afterwards) of good families; but they were poor, andtheir necessities forced them to submit to a disgusting intercourse withthe old profligate. I stayed to dinner and admired the propriety andmodesty of their behaviour in spite of the humiliation which accompaniespoverty. After dinner, Gamier went to sleep, and left me to entertainthese girls whom I would willingly have rescued from their unfortunatesituation if I had been able. After Gamier woke, we went into his studyto talk over our business. 

At first he maintained his claim tenaciously, and seemed unwilling toyield an inch; but when I told him that I was leaving Paris in a fewdays, he saw that as he could not keep me, Madame d'Urfe might take thesuit over and carry it on to infinity, and that he might lose it at last. That made him think it over, and he asked me to stay in his house for thenight. The next day, after breakfast, he said, --

"I have made up my mind: I will have twenty-five thousand francs, or keepthe matter before the courts till my dying day. "

I answered that he would find the sum in the hands of Madame d'Urfe'ssolicitor, and that he could receive it as soon as he had given replevyon the bail at the Fort l'Eveque. 

I could not persuade Madame d'Urfe that I had acted wisely in coming toan arrangement till I had told her that my genius had commanded me not toleave Paris before my affairs were settled, so that no one might be ableto accuse me of having gone away to avoid creditors whose claims I couldnot satisfy. 

Three or four days afterwards I went to take leave of M. De Choiseul, whopromised to instruct M. D'Afri to aid me in negotiating a loan at fiveper cent. Either with the States-General or a private company. 

"You can tell everyone, " said he, "that peace is certain to be made inthe course of the winter, and I will take care that you shall have whatis due to you on your return to France. "

M. De Choiseul deceived me, for he knew very well that peace would not bemade; but I had no definite project, and I repented of having given M. DeBoulogne my confidence, and also of having done anything for theGovernment, the reward of which was not immediate and certain. 

I sold my horses, my carriages, my furniture; I went bail for my brotherwho had contracted debts he was sure of paying, as he had severalpictures on the easel which he had been ordered to paint by some of hisrich and noble patrons. I took leave of Manon, whom I left in floods oftears, though I swore with the utmost sincerity to come back soon andmarry her. 

At last all my preparations were finished, and I left Paris with ahundred thousand francs in bills of exchange and jewels to the sameamount. I was alone in my post-chaise, Le Duc preceding me on horseback, which the rascal preferred to being shut up in a carriage. 

This Le Duc of mine was a Spaniard, aged eighteen, a sharp fellow, whom Ivalued highly, especially because he did my hair better than anyone else. I never refused him a pleasure which a little money would buy. Besideshim I had a good Swiss servant, who served as my courier. 

It was the 1st of December, 1759, and the air was frosty, but I wasfortified against the inclemency of the season. I was able to readcomfortably, and I took Helvetius's "Esprit, " which I had never had timeto read before. After perusing it I was equally astonished at thesensation it created and at the stupidity of the High Court whichcondemned it. Of course that exalted body was largely influenced by theking and the clergy, and between them all no effort was spared to ruinHelvetius, a good-hearted man with more wit than his book. I saw nothingnovel either in the historical part relating to the morals of nations (inwhich Helvetius dismisses us as triflers), or in the position thatmorality is dependent on the reason. All that he says has been said overand over again, and Blaise Pascal went much farther, but he wrote moreskilfully and better in every way than Helvetius, who, wishing to remainin France, was obliged to retract. He preferred a quiet life to hishonour and his philosophy. His wife had a nobler soul than he, as shewanted to sell all they had, and to take refuge in Holland rather thansubmit to the shame of a recantation. Perhaps Helvetius would havefollowed the noble advice of his wife if he had foreseen that thismonstrous recantation would make his book into a fraud; for he had toconfess that he had written without due reflection, that he was more injest than earnest, and that his arguments were mere sophisms. But manymen of keen intellects had not waited for him to recant before exposingthis wretched system of his. And admitting that whatever man does is donefor his own interest, does it follow that gratitude is a folly, andvirtue and vice identical? Are a villain and a man of honour to beweighed in the same balance? If such a dreadful system were not absurd, virtue would be mere hypocrisy; and if by any possibility it were true, it ought to be proscribed by general consent, since it would lead togeneral ruin and corruption. 

It might have been proved to Helvetius that the propositions that thefirst motive is always self-interest, and that we should always consultour own interest first, are fallacious. It is a strange thing that sovirtuous a man would not admit the existence of virtue. It is an amusingsuggestion that he only published his book out of modesty, but that wouldhave contradicted his own system. But if it were so, was it well done torender himself contemptible to escape the imputation of pride? Modestyis only a virtue when it is natural; if it is put on, or merely theresult of training, it is detestable. The great d'Alembert was the mosttruly modest man I have ever seen. 

When I got to Brussels, where I spent two days, I went to the "Hotel del'Imperatrice, " and chance sent Mdlle. X. C. V. And Farsetti in my way, but I pretended not to see them. From Brussels I went straight to theHague, and got out at the "Prince of Orange. " On my asking the host whosat down at his table, he told me his company consisted of generalofficers of the Hanoverian army, same English ladies, and a PrincePiccolomini and his wife; and this made me make up my mind to join thisillustrious assemblage. 

I was unknown to all, and keeping my eyes about me I gave my chiefattention to the observation of the supposed Italian princess, who waspretty enough, and more especially of her husband whom I seemed torecognize. In the course of conversation I heard some talk of thecelebrated St. Germain, and it seemed that he was stopping in the samehotel. 

I had returned to my room, and was thinking of going to bed, when PrincePiccolomini entered, and embraced me as an old friend. 

"A look in your face, " said he, "tells me that the recognition has beenmutual. I knew you directly in spite of the sixteen years that havepassed since we saw each other at Vicenza. To-morrow you can telleverybody that we are friends, and that though I am not a prince I amreally a count; here is my passport from the King of Naples, pray readit. "

During this rapid monologue I could not get in a single word, and onattentively scanning his features I could only recollect that I had seenhim before, but when or where or how I knew not. I opened the passportand read the name of Ruggero di Rocco, Count Piccolomini. That wasenough; I remembered an individual of that name who was a fencing-masterin Vicenza, and on looking at him again his aspect, though much changedleft no doubt as to the identity of the swordsman and the count. 

"I congratulate you, " said I, "on your change of employment, your newbusiness is doubtless much better than the old. "

"I taught fencing, " he replied, "to save myself from dying of hunger, formy father was so hard a man that he would not give me the wherewithal tolive, and I disguised my name so as not to disgrace it. On my father'sdeath I succeeded to the property, and at Rome I married the lady youhave seen. "

"You had good taste, for she's a pretty woman. "

"She is generally thought so, and it was a love match on my side. "

He ended by asking me to come and see him in his room the next day, afterdinner, telling me that I should find good company and a bank at faro, which he kept himself. He added, without ceremony, that if I liked wecould go half shares, and that I should find it profitable. I thankedhim, and promised to pay him a visit. 

I went abroad at an early hour next morning, and after having spent sometime with the Jew, Boaz, and having given a polite refusal to his offerof a bed, I went to pay my respects to M. D'Afri, who since the death ofthe Princess of Orange, the Regent of the Low Countries, was generallyknown as His Most Christian Majesty's ambassador. He gave me an excellentreception, but he said that if I had returned to Holland hoping to dobusiness on behalf of the Government I should waste my time, since theaction of the comptroller-general had lowered the credit of the nation, which was thought to be on the verge of bankruptcy. 

"This M. Silhouette, " said he, "has served the king very badly. It is allvery well to say that payments are only suspended for a year, but it isnot believed. "

He then asked me if I knew a certain Comte de St. Germain, who had latelyarrived at the Hague. 

"He has not called on me, " said the ambassador, "though he says he iscommissioned by the king to negotiate a loan of a hundred millions. WhenI am asked about him, I am obliged to say that I know nothing about him, for fear of compromising myself. Such a reply, as you can understand, isnot likely to increase his chance of success, but that is his fault andnot mine. Why has he not brought me a letter from the Duc de Choiseul orthe Marquise de Pompadour? I take him to be an impostor, but I shallknow something more about him in the course of ten days. "

I told him, in my turn, all I knew of this truly eccentric individual. Hewas not a little surprised to hear that the king had given him anapartment at Chambord, but when I told him that the count professed to beable to make diamonds he laughed and said that in that case he would nodoubt make the hundred millions. Just as I was leaving, M. D'Afri askedme to dine with him on the following day. 

On returning to the hotel I called on the Comte de St. Germain. 

"You have anticipated me, " said he, on seeing me enter, "I intended tohave called on you. I suppose, my dear Casanova, that you have come totry what you can do for our Court, but you will find your task adifficult one, as the Exchange is highly offended at the late doings ofthat fool Silhouette. All the same I hope I shall be able to get myhundred millions. I have passed my word to my friend, Louis XV. (I maycall him so), and I can't disappoint him; the business will be done inthe next three or four weeks. "

"I should think M. D'Afri might assist you. "

"I do not require his assistance. Probably I shall not even call uponhim, as he might say he helped me. No, I shall have all the trouble, andI mean to have all the glory, too. "

"I presume you will be going to Court, where the Duke of Brunswick may beof service to you?"

"Why should I go to Court? As for the Duke of Brunswick, I do not care toknow him. All I have got to do is to go to Amsterdam, where my credit issufficiently good for anything. I am fond of the King of France; there'snot a better man in the kingdom. "

"Well, come and dine at the high table, the company is of the best andwill please you. "

"You know I never eat; moreover, I never sit down at a table where I maymeet persons who are unknown to me. "

"Then, my lord, farewell; we shall see each other again at Amsterdam. "

I went down to the dining-roam, where, while dinner was being served, Iconversed with some officers. They asked me if I knew Prince Piccolomini, to which I answered that he was not a prince but a count, and that it wasmany years since I had seen him. 

When the count and his fair wife (who only spoke Italian) came down, Ishewed them some polite attentions, and we then sat down to dinner.