Volume III Part 21 (1/2)

I said, ”that you give me a plain meal, and one bottle of chambertin only, for you are not too well off”

”I know that, but ”

This reply hter; and in spite of her vexation the ed to follow my example The poor woman, hardened by the life she led, took the child's sih dia

Therese told , as the son of the Rotterdaomaster furnished her with it, and that he would sup with us the next day if I would allow hihted to see hihter, of who to be entrusted with her, but I saould be no good trying to get possession of her, as the e This is a cohters, and Therese was an adventuress in the widest acceptation of the teret clothes for ratitude, and her eyes filled with tears, ca to kissfor one man to kiss another's hand, and that for the future he was to shew his gratitude by e , Therese tookI knehat she was thinking of; but all that was over long ago; I could think of no one but Esther

The next day I found the burgo fellow of twenty or twenty-one, but totally devoid of ulated his behaviour inas an to snub hi at the poorness of the dishes, and praising the hich he had supplied, he went out leaving us to finish our dessert by ourselves I left ain before I went away The Princesse de Galitzin, a Cantimir by birth, had asked me to dinner, and this made me lose another day

Next day I heard froe on Boaz for twelve thousand francs She said that she had bought her shares for sixty thousand, that she did not wish toof them, and that she hoped I would accept the overplus as my broker's fee

She worded her offer with too much courtesy for me to refuse it The remainder of the letter was devoted to the wildest fancies She said that her genius had revealed to her that I should bring back to Paris a boy born of the Mystical Marriage, and she hoped I would take pity on her It was a strange coincidence, and seemed likely to attach the wohed when I though how she would be impressed by Therese's son, as certainly not born of the Mystical Marriage

Boaz paid me my twelve thousand francs in ducats, and Ithe moneys in ducats, and he doubtlessa co old was at a low rate, and nobody would take ducats

After having an excellent dinner with the Princesse de Galitzin, I put on oaht back hi he was sure of his stroke I thanked hiaan to lay against hi for three hours and losing all the time, he stopped play and came to condole with me on my heavy loss

It is impossible to describe his amazed expression when I shewed him a handful of ducats, and assured hiainst hih at hi e Soon after I left the billiard-roo tofor A winehis adventures she expected hihter on my knee and lavishedtheain in the course of three weeks or a ht by myself, my sword under my arm, I was 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 your tongue”

I tried to quiet hi coh his was bared and directed againstto take ize to you”

”No apologies; look to yourself”

”Wait till to-morrow, you will be cooler then, but if you still wish it I will give you satisfaction in the midst of the billiard-rooht; I want to kill you”

As evidence of his determination, and to provoke me beyond recall, he struck me with the flat of his sword, the first and last time in my life in which I have received such and insult I drewhim to his senses I kept strictly on the defensive and endeavoured to make him leave off This conduct the Dutch in a h my necktie; a quarter of an inch farther in would have done er aded out and wounded hih for hiement

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

This was his ord; and, as he leapt on e, , I hit hi he had had enough, begged me to leave hilad to see froht I found Boaz still up, and on hearing what had taken place he advised h I assured hiave in to his advice, and as e was at the saddler's he lente, and to rejoin me at the ”Old Bible,” in Amsterdam I reached A

I was curious to hear if my duel had made any noise, but asabout it Fortunately forwhatever was known about it at Aone itha duellist is not a recommendation to financiers hom one is about to transact business of importance

The reader will not be surprised when I tell hi daughter Esther, for she it was on whom I waited It will be reood deal towards aug the roo Esther, dear?”

”An arithmetical problem”