Volume III Part 55 (2/2)

I took her boots away, and asked if I should lock the door

”No, ood fellow,” said she, in the voice of a syren, ”leave the key inside”

Le Duc took the char,--

”She has caught you”

”What?”

”I saw it all, sir, you played your part as well as any actor in Paris; and I aive you a louis to-morrow, but if you don't hand it over to h, you rascal; get me my supper as quickly as possible”

Such are the pleasures which old age no longer allows me to enjoy, except in my memory There are monsters who preach repentance, and philosophers who treat all pleasures as vanity Let them talk on

Repentance only befits cri

A happy dreaht with the fair lady; doubtless it was a delusion, but a delusion full of bliss What would I not give now for such drea at day-break I was at her door with her boots in my hand just as their coachman came to call them I asked them, as a matter of form, if they would have breakfast, and they replied ood a supper to have any appetite at such an early hour

I went out of the rooive them time to dress, but the door was half open, and I saw reflected in the glass the snohite bosoht When she had laced herself and put on her dress she called for her boots I asked if I should put therace, and as she had green velvet breeches, she seemed to consider herself as al one's self out about All the worst for hi concessions he receives His punishht he could have presurown old, and enjoy soh despising eto see her in the evening When I awoke I heard that the abbot of Einsiedel was at Zurich, and hness would dine with me in my room I told him that I wished to treat the abbot well, and that he must set the best dinner he could for us

At noon the worthy prelate was shewn up to ood reputation I had at Zurich, saying that this made him believe thatdistich,” he added, ”should now become your motto:

”Inveni portum Spes et fortuna valete; Nil mihi vobiscum est: ludite nuns alios”

”That is a translation of two verses from Euripides,” I answered; ”but, ed ratulate you,” said he, ”and I hope you will accomplish all your desires I may tell you confidentially that it is ood to one's neighbours, than in the convent, where a ood to hi like the hypocrite Guistiniani had described to ood and sensible man

We had a princely dinner, as my landlord had made each of the three courses a work of art The repast was enlivened by an interesting conversation, to which wit and hu After coffee I thanked the abbot with the greatest respect, and accoe, where the reverend father reiterated his offers of serving me, and thus, well pleased with one another, we parted

The presence and the conversation of this worthy priest had not for aobject hich they were occupied So soon as the abbot had gone, I went to the bridge to await the blessed angel, who seemed to have been sent fro me from the temptation to beco on the bridge I builtI had the pleasure of seeing my fair traveller once reatly surprised to see the towards myTheir curiosity shewed me that the lady had told them of the secret, and with er This was only natural, as I not only sawany further advances, but I felt that I could no longer play my part of waiter with any confidence In spite of hing-stock of her three plain companions If I had interested her in edso proof positive that she did not want the jest to go any further, or rather of her want of that spirit so necessary to ensure the success of an intrigue If the three co attractive about theht possibly have persevered and defied misfortune; but in the saliness depresses it Anticipating the melancholy which I foresaould result frotothat I should not be sorry to make up for it by a couple of hours of the society of some mercenary beauty

”I will take you to a house,” said he, ”where you will find what you want Go up to the second floor and you will be well received by an old woman, if you whisper my name to her I dare not accoet me into trouble with the police, who are ridiculously strict in these matters Indeed I advise you to take care that nobody sees you going in”

I followed the ex-Capuchin's advice and waited for the dusk of the evening I had a good reception, but the supper was poor, and the hours that I spent with two young girls of the working class were tedious

They were pretty enough, but my head was full of my perfidious charmer, and besides, despite their neatness and prettiness, they anting in that grace which adds so many charms to pleasure The liberality of my payment, to which they were not accustoet me all the best stuff in the town; but she warnedinto her house