Volume III Part 37 (1/2)
”She is Mdlle de Boulainvilier, my niece”
”How can you be so hard-hearted,” said I to the aunt, ”as to refuse your char niece a toy which would make her happy? AllowI put the ear-rings in the girl's hands, while she blushed and looked at her aunt as if to ask her pers,” said she, ”as this gentleive you such a present, and you should give his,” said the shopwoman, ”will be only three louis”
Hereupon the affair took a coe and said,
”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 gentles down; let the shopwoh; but the old aunt spoilt everything by saying that if I liked to give her niece the three louis she could get her a pair twice as good at another shop It was all the saly put the three louis in front of the young lady, who still had the ear-rings in her hands The shop-wo that the bargain was s to the young lady
”You are a cheat,” cried out the enraged old woman
”And you are an old b----d,” answered the shop-woather in front of the shop, hearing the cries of the two harpies Foreseeing a good deal of unpleasantness, I took the aunt by the arently away The niece, as quite content with the ear-rings, and did not care whether they cost three louis or two, followed her We shall hear of the made me waste a score of louis, which her poor husband would have regretted ain, and I took her to the church door fro to stop a few days with me at Little Poland, and that it was her husband ould ask me for the invitation
”When will he do that?”
”To-s; I shall have a bad headache, and Baret will speak to you”
It ined that I took care to call the next day, and as I did not 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 at Little Poland”
He replied by a se her to come myself; in the meanwhile, M Baret, will you pack s?”
I went upstairs and found the invalid in bed, and laughing in spite of her iinary headache ”The business is done,” said I, ”you will soon hear of it” As I had said, the husband caood enough to give her a room in my house
The crafty little creature thankedher husband that the fresh air would soon cure her
”You shall be well looked after,” said I, ”but you must excuse me if I do not keep you company--I have to attend to my business M Baret will be able to coh in theof his shop”
After ed, Baret decided on having his sister stay in the house while his ay, and as I took leave I said that, I should give orders for their reception that very evening, in case I was out when they caht, and the cook told one to bed I warned her that I should be dining at home every day, and that I should not seeday I was up beti if the husband had risen I learnt that he had got up at day-break and would not be back till supper-tiht with reason she was not asleep for me, and I went to pay her my first visit In point of fact she ake, and I took a foretaste of greater joys by a thousand kisses, which she returned with interest We jested at the expense of the worthy man who had trusted ood use, and we congratulated each other on the prospect of a week's et up and put on a few clothes and ill take breakfast in my room”
She did not own, a pretty lace cap, a lawn kerchief, that was all, but how the sihted by the roses of her cheeks! We were quick over our breakfast, ere in a hurry, and e had done I shut the door and we gave ourselves over to the enjoyment of our bliss
Surprised to find her in the same condition in which I had left her, I told her I had hopedbut she, without giving me time to finish the phrase, said,