Volume IV Part 77 (2/2)
”My dear count,” I replied, ”I have enough fine Turin chocolate to go all round Does the countess like it?”
”Very much, but she won't take it unless it is made by her woman”
”Here are six pounds:about payment I shall take it back”
”I am sure she will accept it, and thank you too Shall I have your carriage housed?”
”I shall be extreet uide for whom you can answer”
”It shall be done”
The count was going out when the priest, who had supped with us the night before, came in to make his bow He was a man of forty-one of the tribe of domestic chaplains who are so co the accounts of the house, live with itsthis priest saidchurch, for the rest of the day he either occupied himself with the cares of the house, or was the lady's obedient servant
As soon as We were alone he begged me to say that he had paid me the three hundred Milanese crowns for the sarcenet, if the countess asked , ”this sort of thing is not exactly proper in a man of your sacred profession How can you advise me to tell a lie? No, sir; if the countess asks me any such impertinent question, I shall tell her the truth”
”I am sure she will ask you, and if you answer like that I shall suffer for it”
”Well, sir, if you are in the wrong you deserve to suffer”
”But as it happens, I should be blao and tell her it's a present; and if she won't have that, tell her I am in no hurry to be paid”
”I see, sir, that you don't know the lady or the way in which this house is ed I will speak to her husband”
In a quarter of an hour the count told me that he owed me a lot of money, which he hoped to pay back in the course of Lent, and that I must add the sarcenet to the account I embraced him and said that he would have to keep the account himself, as I never noted down any of the moneys that I was only too happy to lend to my friends
”If your wife asks me whether I have received the money, be sure I will answer in the affirrateful tears, while I felt indebted to hi hi, the countess being invisible, I watched st the some handsome women's cloaks, and a rich red dress deeply triinally intended for the luckless Corticelli I should no doubt have given it to Agatha, if I had continued to live with her, and I should have made a mistake, as such a dress was only fit for a lady of rank
At one o'clock I received another visit fro to introduce me to their best friend This was the Marquis Triuizi, a htly, and with all theto have the honour of my acquaintance, he also came to enjoy the fire, ”for,” said he, ”there's only one fireplace in the house and that's in your room”
As all the chairs were covered, the marquis drew the countess on to his knee and made her sit there like a baby; but she blushed, and escaped frohed heartily at her confusion, and she said,--
”Is it possible that a man of your years has not yet learnt to respect a woht it would be very disrespectful to continue sitting while you were standing”
While Clair the clothes off the chairs, the marquis noticed the mantles and the beautiful dress, and askeda lady