Volume IV Part 63 (1/2)
”You do knowstreet she shewed me her face What was non, the statue of the Fountain of Vaucluse I was very glad to meet her
In my curiosity I followed her into the house, to a room on the first floor, where she welcory with her, and despised her advances, no doubt, because I had Mimi, and wished to keep all my love for her However, I took three louis out ofher to tell me her history
”Stuart,” she said, ”was only my keeper; my real name is Ranson, and I ae after hted to hear that you are more prosperous now, but it non was both preposterous and absurd But the subject is not worth discussing Good day, madam”
I then returned to my hotel to write an account of what I had seen to the Marquis Grie, and were two days passing through the Ardennes This is one of the strangest tracts in Europe: a vast forest, the traditions of which furnished Ariosto with soes
There is no town in the forest, and though one is obliged to cross it to pass from one country to another, hardly any of the necessaries of life are to be found in it
The enquirer will seek in vain for vices or virtues, or manners of any kind The inhabitants are devoid of correct ideas, but have wild notions of their own on the power of h to be a doctor to enjoy the reputation of an astrologer and a wizard
Nevertheless the Ardennes have a large population, as I was assured that there were twelve hundred churches in the forest The people are good-hearted and even pleasant, especially the young girls; but as a general rule the fair sex is by no means fair in those quarters In this vast district watered by the Meuse is the town of Bouillon--a regular hole, but in my time it was the freest place in Europe The Duke of Bouillon was so jealous of his rights that he preferred the exercise of his prerogatives to all the honours he ht have enjoyed at the Court of France We stayed a day at Metz, but did not call on anyone; and in three days we reached Colraces I had completely won Her family, in extrehter with great affection
Mi that I would co the hter happy, I adored the secret paths and ways of Divine Providence
On the following day ent to Sulzbach, where the Baron of Schauave us a elcome I should have been sadly boared in this dull place if it had not been for ga herself in need of coraces, and, consequently, her own The wretched girl, seeing how easily I had defeated her projects, and to what a pass of hued her part, and was now subain the favour she had coht the day hen she saw that Madahter stayed at Colmar But what she had more at heart than either my friendshi+p or Madame d'Urfe's was the jewel-casket; but she dared not ask for it, and her hopes of seeing it again were growing dih she succeeded in giving s to relax my severity, and she continued to sleep with her mother
A week after our arrival at Sulzbach I left Mada, and I went to Colood fortune But I was disappointed, as themarried
A rich hteen years before, seeing her aand still pretty, felt his early fla advocate found Mie Thethe results of oodtheir consent I was entertained in the family, and supped in thethat I should only annoy the ladies and tirefor some chance favour if I stayed, I bade the I found there a charamesters who had come to drink the waters, and several ladies, to who chapter
CHAPTER XVI
I Send The Corticelli to Turin--Helen is Initiated Into The Mysteries of Love I Go to Lyons--My Arrival at Turin
One of the ladies, Madame Saxe, was intended by nature to win the devotion of a ; and if she had not had a jealous officer in her train who never let her go out of his sight, and seemed to threaten anyone who aspired to please, she would probably have had plenty of admirers This officer was fond of piquet, but the lady was always obliged to sit close beside him, which she seemed to do with pleasure
In the afternoon I played with hi so for five or six days After that I could stand it no longer, as when he had won ten or twelve louis he invariably rose and leftood share of wit and knowledge of the world
We had not played together for two days, when one afternoon he asked if I would like to take e
”No, I think not,” said I, ”for we don't play on the same principle I play for amusement's sake and you play to win money”
”What do you mean? Your words are offensive”
”I didn't mean them to be offensive, but as a matter of fact, each time we have played you have risen after a quarter of an hour”