Volume VI Part 30 (1/2)

I determined to make some money out of her if I could

She called for cards, and asked ame of chance, but of so complicated a nature that the best player alins In a quarter of an hour I found that I was the better player, but she had such luck that at the end of the game I had lost twenty pistoles, which I paid on the spot She took the e

We had supper, and then we committed all the wantonness she wished and I was capable of perfore of miracles was past

The next day I called to see her earlier in the evening We played again; and she lost, and went on losing evening after evening, till I had won a matter of two or three hundred doubloons, no unwelcome addition to my somewhat depleted purse

The spy recovered fro, but his presence no longer interfered with my pleasure since Nina had ceased to prostitute herself to hi herself tohim to write to the Comte de Ricla whatever he liked

The count wrote her a letter which she gave me to read The poor love-sick viceroy inforht safely return to Barcelona, as the bishop had received an order froard her as merely au actress, whose stay in his diocese would only be temporary; she would thus be allowed to live there in peace so long as she abstained fro cause for scandal She told me that whilst she was at Barcelona I could only see her after ten o'clock at night, when the count always left her She assured me that I should run no risk whatever

Possibly I should not have stayed at Barcelona at all if Nina had not told me that she would always be ready to lend me as much money as I wanted

She asked me to leave Valentia a day before her, and to await her at Tarragona I did so, and spent a very pleasant day in that tohich abounds in re to her instructions, and took care that she should have a separate bedroo begging ht so as to reach Barcelona by day-time She told me to put up at the ”Santa Maria,” and not to call till I had heard froiven ed at Barcelona My landlord was a Sho told me in confidence that he had received instructions to treat me well, and that I had only to ask for what I wanted

We shall see soon as the result of all this

CHAPTER VIII

My Imprudence--Passano--I Am Imprisoned--My Departure from Barcelona--Madame Castelbajac at Montpellier--Nih my Swiss landlord seemed an honest and trustworthy kind ofthat Nina had acted very i h the viceroy reeablein his love affairs Nina herself had told me that he was ardent, jealous, and suspicious But the mischief was done, and there was no help for it

When I got up ht me a valet de place, for whose character he said he could answer, and he then sent up an excellent dinner I had slept till three o'clock in the afternoon

After dinner I suet me a servant He answered in the affir my commands at the door; it had been taken by the week

”I am astonished to hear it, for no one but myself can say what I can afford or not”

”Sir, everything is paid for”

”Paid for! I will not have it!”

”You can settle that with her, but I shall certainly take no payers ahead, but as I have never cared to cherish forbodings I dismissed the idea

I had a letter of introduction frouel de Cevallos, and another froo de la Secada I took o came to see uel introduced me to the Comte de Ricla, Viceroy of Catalonia, and the lover of Nina