Volume III Part 6 (2/2)
”My aunt has told ood fire, she has become liberal or rather lavish all of a sudden; look at the wax candles”
”That's a new thing, is it?”
”Oh, quite new”
As soon as ere seated in front of the fire I began to tell her the story, to which she listened with all the attention a young girl can give to such a ht it well to pass over some of the details, she could not properly understand what crime it was that Tiretta had coed to tell her the story in plain language, and to give esture, which h at the sa taken up the question of the reparation that was due to her aunt, I had so arrangedalone with her all the tian to cover her pretty face with kisses, and as I allowed myself no other liberties she received reatness of s
”Dearest,” she said, ”what you say puzzles s which I can't understand How could Tiretta succeed in co this crime with my aunt, which I think would only be possible with the consent of the party attacked, but quite impossible without it; and thiswas done it was done with her hearty good will”
”Very true, for if she did not like it she had only to change her position”
”Not so much as that; she need only have kept the door shut”
”There, sweetheart, you are wrong, for a properly-made man only asks you to keep still and he will overcome all obstacles Moreover, I don't expect that your aunt's door is so well shut as yours”
”I believe that I could defy all the Tirettas in the world
”There's another thing I don't understand, and that is how my blessed aunt caht have known that it would only et from a brute like that, who possibly thinks the affair a matter of no consequence I should think he would do the same to any woman who occupied the saht, for he told ”
”Your friend is a queer fellow, and if otherbut conte about the satisfaction she is thinking of, and which she possibly feels quite sure of attaining; but I think I can guess what it will be namely, a formal declaration of love; and I suppose he will expiate his cri her lover, and doubtless this will be their wedding night”
”The affair is getting a I can't believe it My dear aunt is too anxious about her salvation; and how do you i man can ever fall in love with her, or play the part with such a face as hers before his eyes Have you ever seen a countenance as disgusting as my aunt's? Her skin is covered with pimples, her eyes distil hue anyspark of twenty-five; one is always ready for an assault at that age; not like me who only feelto be the lawful possessor”
”You will find me the most affectionate of wives, and I feel quite sure that I shall have your heart in such good keeping that I shall never be afraid of losing it”
We had talked thus pleasantly for an hour, and Tiretta was still with the aunt I thought things pointed towards a reconciliation, and judged theserious I toldto eat
”I can only give you,” said she, ”some bread and cheese, a slice of ham, and so theer”
She soon laid the table for two, and put on it all the food she had The cheese was Roquefort, and the ham had been covered with jelly About ten persons with reasonable appetites should have been able to sup on what there was; but (how I know not) the whole disappeared, and also two bottles of Chaleamed with pleasure: truly Chambertin and Roquefort are excellent thinks to restore an old love and to ripen a young one
”Don't you want to knohat your aunt has been doing the last two hours with M Sixti, perhaps; but there is a small hole in the wall, and I will look and see I can only see the two candles, and the wicks are an inch long”
”Didn't I say so? Give o to bed But let me look at it first:”
She made me come into her little rooe crucifix
”Your bed is too small for you, dear heart”