Volume III Part 87 (1/2)
”I did ave her a child If I had been so unfortunate I should have carried her off to Rome, where we should have fallen at the feet of the Holy Father, ould have absolved her from her vows, and my dear M---- M---- would now be my wife”
”Good heavens M---- M---- is my name”
This circumstance, which was really astill more wonderful, and astonished me as much as it did her
Chance is a curious and fickle elereatest influence on our lives
After a brief silence I told her all that had taken place between the fair Venetian and myself I painted our amorous combats in a lively and naturalpicture before my eyes, and I could follow on her features the various emotions aroused by my recital When I had finished she said,
”But is your M---- M---- really so likefrom my pocket-book the portrait in which M---- M---- was dressed as a nun, I gave it to her, saying,
”Judge for yourself”
”She really is; it ht pass for my portrait It is my dress and ood fortune
Thanks be to God that you do not love lad to call hty Providence, all Thy least ways are wonderful, and we are at best poor, weak, ignorant mortals”
The worthy country-woman came up and have us a still better supper than on the previous night The invalid only ate soup, but she pro
I spent an hour with her after supper, and I convinced her bythat I only loved her as a daughter Of her own accord she shewed ained its usual condition I assured myself of the fact by my sense of touch, to which shethat I could be moved by such a trifle All the kisses which I lavished on her lips and eyes she put down to the friendshi+p for her She said, s, that she thanked God she was not fair like her sister, and I smiled myself at her si for long, and I had to be extre the upper hand, I gave her a farewell kiss and went away When I got hoave me a note from Madame Zeroli, who said she would expectto breakfast with the marquis's ain and again the face of the new M---- M---- Next day, as soon as I got to the fountain, Madaht to have lost in playing on thirteen cards at once, as it was not true that one card won four tireed with the rest, had said that he would not let ain
”I have only one objection to make to that--naain he could only preventfor it”
”His mistress swears she will make you play in the usual way”
I sot back to the inn I played a game of quinze with the marquis, and lost fifty louis; afterwards I let myself be persuaded to hold a bank I put down five hundred louis, and defied fortune Desarmoises was my croupier, and I warned the company that every card must have the stake placed on it, and that I should rise at half-past seven I was seated between two ladies I put the five hundred louis on the board, and I got change from the inn-keeper to the amount of a hundred crowns, to a happened All the cards before me were loose packs, and I called for new ones The inn-keeper said he had sent to Chaer would be back soon
”In the meanwhile,” said he, ”you can use the cards on the table, which are as good as new”
”I want theood as new I haveas to be invincible In the h I a”
nobody dared say a word, and I rose, after replacing my money in my cash-box The Marquis de Prie took the bank, and played splendidly I stood beside Madaave er as to be back soon did not return till ht, and I thanked my stars for the escape I had had, for in such a place, full of professional gamesters, there are people whose eyes are considerably sharper than a lynx's I put the money back in my room, and proceeded on my usual way
I found my fair nun in bed, and asked her,
”How do you feel to-day, hter, that name is so sweet to ht clasp you in hter, do not fear anything, but open your arms to me”