Volume II Part 57 (2/2)
”No, never, as she was afraid her titular lover ht hear of it You know that was the French ambassador”
”But she only saw hio to his house in secular dress whenever he wanted her I was told that by the ht her here”
”Have you had her several tih, but I can have her whenever I like for a hundred sequins”
”All that er five hundred sequins that you have been deceived”
”You shall have your answer in three days”
I was perfectly certain, I repeat, that the whole affair was a piece of knavery; but it was necessary to have it proved, and I shuddered when the thought caht be a true story
In this case I should have been freed froly persuaded of her innocence At all events, if I were to find her guilty (which was aned myself to lose five hundred sequins as the price of this horrible discovery and addition to uish--the worst, perhaps, of the torlishman had been the victiard for M---- M----'s honour co her; and such was my plan, and thus fortune favoured me Three or four days after, Mr Murray told the doctor that he wished to see reeted me thus:
”I have won; for a hundred sequins I can have the fair nun!
”Alas!” said I, ”there go my five hundred sequins”
”No, not five hundred, my dear fellow, for I should be ashamed to win so much of you, but the hundred she would cost me If I win, you shall pay for ”
”How is the problem to be solved?” ”My Mercury tells me that weat present to find out a way to convince both of us; for otherwise neither you nor I would feel coer, and if I really have M M my honour would not allow me to let her suspect that I had betrayed the secret”
”No, that would be an unpardonable crime Hear my plan, which will satisfy us both; for after it has been carried out each of us will be sure that he has fairly won or fairly lost
”As soon as you have possessed yourself of the real or pretended nun, leave her on soreed upon We will then go together to the convent, and I will ask for M M
”Will seeing her and speaking to her convince you that the woman you have left at home is a er with the greatest willingness”
”I may say the same If, when I summon M M to the parlour, the lay-sister tells us she is ill or busy, ill go, and the wager will be yours; you will sup with the fair, and I will go elsewhere”
”So be it; but since all this will be at nighttime, it is possible that when you ask for her, the sister will tell you that no one can be seen at such an hour”
”Then I shall lose”
”You are quite sure, then, that if she be in the convent she will come down?”
”That's my business I repeat, if you don't speak to her, I shall hold myself to have lost a hundred sequins, or a thousand if you like”
”One can't speak plainer than that, my dear fellow, and I thank you beforehand”