Volume V Part 9 (2/2)

The day after my arrival I called on Madain her favour Mada hihter ith her, and that she hoped to obtain his pardon and to return to his house, where she would soon become the bride of a rich Genoese, ished to receive her froain the lost sheep, said he would come in two days and take her to her aunt, who had a house at St Louis, two leagues froht then quietly await the arrival of her future husband, and avoid all occasion of scandal My niece was surprised that her father had not yet received a letter fro man, and I could see that she was anxious about it; but I comforted her and assured her that I would not leave Marseilles till I had danced at her wedding

I left her to go to Marcoline, whoed to press to my heart

I found her in an ecstasy of joy, and she said that if she could understand what her maid said her happiness would be complete I saw that her situation was a painful one, especially as she was a woman, but for the present I saay out of the difficulty; I should have to get an Italian-speaking servant, and this would have been a troublesome task She ith joy when I told her that my niece desired to be remembered to her, and that in a day she would be on her father's hearth Marcoline had found out that she was not my real niece when she found her in my arms

The choice supper which the old ood memory for my favorite tastes, made me think of Rosalie

Marcoline heard reat interest, and said that it seeirls happy, provided I found theht,” said I; ”and it is certain that I have irl”

”God will reward you,the trouble!”

Though the wit and beauty of Marcoline had charmed me, her appetite charmed me still more; the reader knows that I have always liked women who eat heartily And in Marseilles they make an excellent dish of a common fohich is often so insipid

Those who like oil will get on capitally in Provence, for it is used in everything, and it must be confessed that if used in moderation itin bed I had not enjoyed the Venetian vices for nearly eight years, and Marcoline was a beauty before whohed atlet such a treasure slip out of his hands, though I quite forgave hi in love with her I myself could not take her about, and as I wanted her to be aed my kind old landlord to send her to the play every day, and to prepare a good supper every evening I got her soure, and this attention redoubled her affection for me

The next day, which was the second occasion on which I had visited her, she told h she could not understand the dialogues; and the day after she astonishedthat my brother had intruded his that if she had been at Venice she would have boxed his ears

”I am afraid,” she added, ”that the rascal has followedme”

”Don't be afraid,” I answered, ”I will see what I can do”

When I got to the hotel I entered the abbe's roo lint and various surgical instruments

”What's all this? Are you ill?”

”Yes, I have got so which will teach me to be wiser for the future”

”It's rather late for this kind of thing at sixty”

”Better late than never”

”You are an old fool You stink of mercury”

”I shall not leave my room”

”This will harreatest of adepts, and consequently above such weaknesses”

”damn the marchioness! Let me be”