Volume VI Part 49 (2/2)
”No He is a hly kind and honest person
He aiting for his consumptive wife to die to marry me”
”Poor man! Have you presented him with a child?”
”No I am sure God did not mean me for him, for the count has conquered me completely”
”Everyone who”
”Now you have heard everything, and I alad I told you, for I am sure you are my friend”
”I will be a better friend to you, dear Betty, in the future than in the past You will need my services, and I promise not to abandon you
I love you, as I have said; but so long as you continue to love the Frenchman I shall only ask you to consider me as your friend”
”I accept your pro froe”
”I escaped on horseback, but my trunk, which is full of linen and other effects, will be at Rome two days after us I sent it off the day before my escape, and the ood-bye to your trunk!”
”Why, you foresee nothing but misfortune!”
”Well, dear Betty, I only wish h you escaped on horseback I think you should have brought a cloak and a carpet bag with some linen”
”All that is in the sht”
We reached Viterbo at seven o'clock, and found the count very cheerful
In accordance with the plot I had laid against the count, I began by shewingthe fortunate lover, praising his heroic behaviour in leaving her to me, and so forth
The silly fellow proceeded to back ant adn to his character, and maintained that the true lover would accustom himself to see his mistress inspire desires in otherdissertation on this the till after supper to co the ar prejudices At dessert he enlarged on the duty of reciprocity between lovers
”Thus,” he reht to procure me the enjoyment of fanny, if she has reason to think I have taken a fancy to her; and per contra, as I adore Betty, if I found that she loved you I should procure her the pleasure of sleeping with you”
Betty listened to all this nonsense in silent astonishment
”I confess, , your syste about the return of the Golden Age; but I am afraid it would prove absurd in practice No doubt you are a e, but I am sure you would never let your mistress be enjoyed by another er that amount that you will not allow me to sleep with your wife”
”Ha! ha! You are mistaken in me, I assure you I'll bet fifty sequins that I will remain in the room a calm spectator of your exploits My dear Betty, we o to bed with hi”