Volume IV Part 93 (2/2)
”I will surrender Does that satisfy you?”
”Certainly, but I shall exert all th to abate yours”
”Do so; I shall like it”
”And will you help me to succeed?”
”Perhaps”
”Ah, dear marchioness; you need only speak toyou full of ardour”
On leaving this char conversationalist I went to the theatre and then to the faro-table, where I saw thebefore This night he was very unlucky He had lost two thousand sequins, and in the course of the next hour his losses had doubled Canano thren his cards and rose, saying, ”That will do” The masquer left the table He was a Genoese named Spinola
”The bank is prosperous,” I remarked to Canano
”Yes,” he replied, ”but it is not always so Pierrot was very lucky the other night”
”You did not recognize me in the least?”
”No, I was so firar was you You knoho he is?”
”I haven't an idea I never saw him before that day” In this last particular I did not lie
”It is said that they are Venetians, and that they went to Berga about the I supped with the countess, her husband, and Triulzi
They were of the same opinion as Canano Triulzi said that I had let the cat out of the bag by giving the beggars handfuls of sequins
”That is a mistake,” I answered ”When the luck is in my favour I never refuse anyone who asks me for money, for I have a superstition that I should lose if I did I had won thirty pounds weight of gold, and I could afford to let fools talk”
The next day I got the lottery ticket and took it to the marchioness
I felt madly in love with her because I knew she was in love with , and I spent two hours in their co their conversation ient I left them with the conviction that if the cousin, and not Mdlle Q----, had been thrown in my way, I should have fallen in love with her in just the saer at Milan than at any other town, it was noing to a close There were three more balls I played every day, and every day I lost two or three hundred sequins My prudence caused even more surprise than my bad fortune I went every day to the fair cousins and made love, but I was still at the saible The fair h for me It is true that so far I had not dared to ask her to ht die for want of food, and three days before the ball I asked her if she, her two friends, the marquis, and the lieutenant, would come and sup with me
”My brother,” she said, ”will call on you to-ood omen The next day the lieutenant cas at the lottery, and as ht to see the two nu marquis, as his sister had forbidden me, but I foresaw that this event would be favourable to my suit
”The Marquis of F----,” said the worthy ambassador, ”asks you to supper in your own rooive us a surprise, and would be obliged if you would lend hiuises made, and to ensure secrecy he wants you to let have the sa-maid”
”With pleasure; tell theto his pleasure”
”Get the girl to come there at three o'clock to-day, and let the pastry-cook know that the marquis has full powers to do what he likes in the place”