Volume V Part 16 (2/2)
Irene shared Marcoline's desires, for when it was settled that they should sleep together they see thene
Rinaldi and his wife did not leave us till they were quite drunk When we had got rid of them, Irene told us how a Frenchman had fallen in love with her at Genoa, and had persuaded her father to go to Nice where high play was going on, but ed to sell what she had to pay the inn-keeper Her lover had assured her that he wouldto hio there; but the persons ed the non, there had to be another sale of goods
”When we got here the luck was no better, and the poor young man, whom my father reproached bitterly, would have killed hiave ot four louis for it, and sent me the ticket with a very tender letter, in which he assured me that he would find some money at Lyons, and that he would then return and take us to Bordeaux, where we are to find treasures In themore to sell the landlord threatens to turn us out naked”
”And what does your father mean to do?”
”I don't know He says Providence will take care of us”
”What does your mother say?”
”Oh! she was as quiet as usual”
”How about yourself?”
”Alas! I have to bear a thousanding them to this dreadful pass”
”Were you really in love with him?”
”Yes, really”
”Then you must be very unhappy”
”Yes, very; but not on account of et over that in time, but because of that which will happen to-morrow”
”Can't you make any conquests at the table-d'hote?”
”Sos to me, but as they all kno poor we are they are afraid to come to our room”
”And yet in spite of all you keep cheerful; you don't look sad like ood spirits” Irene's tale was like the fair Stuard's story over again, and Marcoline, though she had taken rather too ne, was deeplyher that I would not forsake her, and that in the ht
”Co off her clothes she helped Irene to undress I had no wish to fight, against two, and said that I wanted to rest The fair Venetian burst out laughing and said,--
”Go to bed and leave us alone”
I did so, and a the two Bacchantes; but Irene, who had evidently never engaged in such a combat before, was not nearly so adroit as Marcoline
Before long Marcoline brought Irene in her arms to my bedside, and told me to kiss her
”Leave ot into your head, and you don't knohat you are doing”