Volume III Part 57 (1/2)

”I shall always remember,” he said, ”the kindness hich the Venetians treated entlemen who still remember me; theyfor M de Malipiero had told ency, and M de Bragadin had inforhetta

His excellency's fare was perfect, but in the pleasure of conversing I forgot that of eating I told all my anecdotes so racily that his features expressed the pleasure I was affording him, and e rose from the table he shook reeable a dinner since he had been at Soleure

”The recollection of allantries,” said the worthy oldagain”

He embracedood deal about Venice, praising the Govern that there was not a town in the world where a ood oil and foreign wines About five o'clock he asked e first to give ot out at a pretty country house where ices were served to us On our way back he said that he had a large party every evening, and that he hoped I would do him the honour to be present whenever it suitedme that he would do his best to amuse me I was impatient to take part in the assembly, as I felt certain I should see my charmer there It was a vain hope, however, for I saw several ladies, soly, some passable, but not one pretty

Cards were produced, and I soon foundlady of fair co woman well advanced in years, who seeh I was looed I played on, and I lost five or six hundred fish without opening my lips When it came to a profit and loss account, the plain woman told me I owed three louis

”Three louis,at two sous the fish You thought, perhaps, ere playing for farthings”

”On the contrary, I thought it was for francs, as I never play lower”

She did not answer this boast ofthe coame, I proceeded to scrutinize all the ladies present rapidly but keenly, but I could not see her for who, when I happened to notice two ladies ere looking at nized them directly They were two ofon at Zurich I hurried off, pretending not to recognize theentleman in the aoing to call on o out till I had the honour of receiving histhat which lay next to my heart However, he spared ave M de Chavigni the best reception I could, and after we had discussed the weather he told me, with a smile, that he had theme to credit him when he said that he did not believe it for a moment

”Proceed, my lord”

”Two ladies who saw you at one, that I should do well to be on uard, as you were the waiter in an inn at Zurich where they had stayed They added that they had seen the other waiter by the Aar, and that in all probability you had run away froether; God alone knohy! They said, furthermore, that you slipped away from my house yesterday as soon as you saw them I told therace the Duc de Choiseul I should have been convinced that they were mistaken, and that they should dine with you to-day, if they would accept uised yourself as a waiter in the hopes of winning some favours from them, but they rejected the hypothesis as absurd, and said that you could carve a capon and change a plate dexterously enough, but were only a co that with my permission they would compliment you on your skill to-day

”'Do so, by all hly a me whether there be any foundation of truth in the whole story?”

”Certainly, my lord, I will tell you all without reserve, but in confidence, as this ridiculous report may injure the honour of one who is dear to me, and whom I would not injure for the world”

”It is true, then? I am quite interested to hear all about it”

”It is true to a certain extent; I hope you don't take me for the real waiter at the 'Sword'”

”Certainly not, but I supposed you played the part of waiter?”

”Exactly Did they tell you that they were four in coot it! Pretty Madame was one of the party That explains the riddle; now I understand everything But you were quite right in saying that discretion was needful; she has a perfectly blameless reputation”

”Ah! I did not know that What happened was quite innocent, but itas to become prejudicial to the honour of a lady whose beauty struck me with admiration”

I told hi that I had only co in my suit

”If that prove an impossibility,” said I, ”I shall leave Soleure in three or four days; but I will first turn the three ugly coht have had sense enough to guess that the waiter's apron was only a disguise They can only pretend to be ignorant of the fact in the hope of getting so their friend, as ill advised to let theo too fast and re days