Volume III Part 40 (1/2)

I had no sooner said this than a burst of laughter fro blockhead seeenius ain at dessert As usual the conversation went froan to talk about the Duke of Alberlishmen spoke in his favour, and said that if he had been alive there would have been no war between England and France; they were probably right, but even if the duke had lived war ht have broken out, as the two nations in question have never yet succeeded in understanding that it is for both their interests to live at peace together Another Englishman praised Lolotte, hiswoman at the duchess of Fulvi's, and that no one deserved better to become the Countess of Eronville The Count of Eronville, a lieutenant-general and a man of letters, had just married her

I had scarcely finished what I had to say when Master Blockhead said, with a laugh, that he knew Lolotte to be a good sort of girl, as he had slept with her at Paris I could restrain e consumed me I took upat the saot up, and stood with his back to the fire, but I could see by his sword-knot that he was a soldier

Everybody pretended not to hear anything of this, and the conversation went on for some time on indifferent subjects; and at last they all rose from their seats and left the room

My eneain after the play, and re on the chimney-piece I remained at table till the coether I got up and looked hi towards Sheveningue, sure that he would follow ot to some distance fro ot to the wood I stopped at a suitable place, and stood awaiting onist He was ten paces off when he drew his sword, and I had plenty of tiht did not last long, for as soon as he was near enough I gave him a thrust which has never failed me, and sent him back quicker than he caht breast, but as h the wound bled easily I lowered ; he said that we shouldthere, and that he would have his revenge I saw hiain five or six years afterwards at Warsaw, and then I did him a kindness I heard afterwards that his name was Varnier, but I do not knohether he was identical with the president of the National Convention under the infamous Robespierre

I did not return to the hotel till after the play, and I then heard that the Frencheon with him for an hour, had set out for Rotterdam with his friend We had a pleasant supper and talked cheerfully together without a word being said about the duel, with the exception that an English lady said, I forget in what connection, that adown to dinner at an hotel unless he felt inclined, if necessary, to fight The remark was very true at that time, when one had to draw the sword for an idle word, and to expose one's self to the consequences of a duel, or else be pointed at, even by the ladies, with the finger of scorn

I had nothingbefore day-break for Anized Sir James Walpole, who toldbefore, an hour after giving the countess into her husband's charge He said that he had got very tired of her, as he had nothing ave s were opened wide enough I got to Aht and took up hbourhood of Esther had awakened irl, and I was so impatient to see her that I could not sleep

I went out about ten o'clock and called on M d'O, elcomedalighted at his house When he heard that I had given up business he congratulatedremoved it into Holland, as I should have been ruined I did not tell him that I had nearly come to that in France, as I considered such a piece of inforns He complained bitterly of the bad faith of the French Government, which had involved him in considerable losses; and then he asked me to come and see Esther

I was too ireet her As soon as she saw ht, and threw herself in my arms, where I received her with fondness equal to her own I found her grown and improved; she looked lovely We had scarcely sat dohen she told me that she had become as skilled in the cabala as ives me a power over my father, and assures me that he will never marry hted that you extract the only good that can proceed frouide persons devoid of strength of will But your father ht you the secret?”

”Yes, he does; and he said, one day, that he would forgive ht have oes a little further than we did, ained it from you without any sacrifice, and that noas a true Pythoness without having to endure the torave were invented by yourself”

”But if that were so how could I have knohere the pocket-book was, or whether the shi+p was safe?”

”You saw the portfolio yourself and threhere it was discovered, and as for the vessel you spoke at random; but as you are an honest man, confess that you were afraid of the results I am never so bold as that, and when my father asks me questions of that kind, my replies are more obscure than a sibyl's I don't wish him to lose confidence in my oracle, nor do I wish him to be able to reproach me with a loss that would injure my own interests”

”If your mistake makes you happy I shall leave you in it You are really a woman of extraordinary talents--, you are quite unique”

”I don't want your compliments,” said she, in a rather vexed manner, ”I want a sincere avowal of the truth”

”I don't think I can go as far as that”

At these words, which I pronounced in a serious way, Esther went into a reverie, but I was not going to lose the superiority I had over her, and racked htso dinner was announced

There were four of us at table, and I concluded that the fourth of the party must be in love with Esther, as he kept his eyes on her the whole time He was her father's favourite clerk, and no doubt her father would have been glad if she had fallen in love with him, but I soon saw that she was not likely to do so Esther was silent all through dinner, and we did not one

”Is it possible,” said M d'O, ”for hter to obtain the answers of the oracle without your having taught her?”

”I always thought such a thing impossible till to-day,” I answered, ”but Esther has convinced me that I wasit ht me forbids me to impart it to another under pain of forfeiture

But as your daughter has taken no such oath, having acquired it herself, she may be for all I know at perfect liberty to communicate the secret to anyone”

Esther, as as keen as a razor, took care to say that the same oath that I had taken had been imposed on her by the oracle, and that she could not communicate the cabalistic secret to anyone without the per it herself

I read her inhts, and was rejoiced to see that her rateful to iven her a power over her father which a father's kindness could not have assured; but she perceived that what I had said about her oracular abilities had been dictated merely by politeness, and she waited till ere alone to make me confess as much

Her worthy father, who believed entirely in the infallibility of our oracles, had the curiosity to put the saree in the answer Esther was delighted with the idea, as she suspected that the one ansould flatly contradict the other, and M d'O having written his question on two sheets of paper gave them to us Esther went up to her own room for the operation, and I questioned the oracle on the table at which we had had dinner, in the presence of the father Esther was quick, as she came down before I had extracted from the pyramid the letters which were to compose my reply, but as I knehat to say as soon as I saw her father read the answer she gave hi what I had to do