Volume V Part 57 (2/2)

After an hour's consideration I decided on sending her back her trunk, and then I went ho my servants I was not at ho over s, and at last my reason told me that the fault was mine; I despised myself I was on the brink of suicide, but happily I escaped that fate

I was just going out when Goudar cao in with hi me that the Charpillon had co herself, he advised me to abandon all clai a false accusation against land, and especially London will not need to be informed as to the nature of this accusation, which is so easily brought in England; it will suffice to say that through it Sodoed me to mediate,” said Goudar, ”and if you will leave her alone, she will do you no har, and telling him that he could assure the ainst her, but that I should like to know if she had the courage to receive this assurance froe,” said he, ”but I pity you; for you are going into their nets again, and will end in utter ruin”

I fancied they would be ashamed to see hing, and said the mother expressed a hope that I should always be the friend of the fa th to play the , and spent an hour without uttering a syllable The Charpillon sat opposite to me, with eyes lowered to a piece of embroidery, while from time to time she pretended to wipe away a tear as she let es I had worked on her cheek

I saw her every day and always in silence till the fatalthese mad visits the poison of desire was so instilled into ht have despoiled le favour

When she was once more as beautiful as ever I felt as if I ht a lass and a splendid breakfast service in Dresden china, and sent them to her with an amorous epistle which ant or the most cowardly of men She wrote in answer that she would expect ive ratitude

This letter sent ht I resolved to surrender to her keeping the two bills of exchange which Boloave me power to send her mother and aunts to prison

Full of the happiness that awaited me, and enchanted withShe received hted to see the pier-glass over the mantel, and the china displayed on a little table After a hundred words of love and tenderness she asked ht I was overwhelmed with joy After a delicate little supper I took out the bills of exchange, and after telling her their history gave the myself on her mother and aunts I made her promise that she would never part with them, and she said she would never do so, and with enerosity she locked theive her some marks of my passion, and I found her kind; but when I would have plucked the fruit, she clasped an to weep bitterly

I made an effort, and asked her if she would be the sahed, and after a moment's pause, replied, ”Yes”

For a quarter of an hour I remained silent and motionless, as if petrified At last I rose with apparent coolness, and tookto spend the night with me?”

”No”

”But we shall see each other to-ht”

I left that infernal abode, and went home to bed

CHAPTER XIII

The End of the Story Stranger Than the Beginning

At eight o'clock the nextJarbe told me that the Charpillon wanted to see me, and that she had sent away her chairmen

”Tell her that I can't see her”

But I had hardly spoken when she came in, and Jarbe went out I addressed her with the utive e I had placed in her hands the night before