Volume VI Part 93 (1/2)

”Try if you like,” I said, ”to persuade me to drink some Scopolo or Muscat I meant to have taken some, but your taunt has turned me to steel I mean to prove that when I -ood-hearted man often lets hiood-hearted girl refrains fro a man for his weakness for her”

I called the et me so enthusiastically,--

”I aood-hearted of men as well as the firmest”

Mardocheus, who could not hed, and see

In the afternoon I went out to a cafe in spite of the dreadful weather

I thought over Leah and her designs, feeling certain that she would pay me another nocturnal visit and renew the assault in force I resolved to weaken myself with some common woman, if I could find one at all supportable

A Greek who had takenplace a few days before, conducted me to another where he introduced ht I fled in terror

I felt angry that in a town like Ancona a et his money's worth for his money, and went home, supped by myself, and locked the door after me

The precaution, however, was useless

A few minutes after I had shut the door, Leah knocked on the pretext that I had forgotten to give her the chocolate

I opened the door and gave it her, and she begged me not to lock myself in, as she wanted to have an important and final interview

”You can tell me nohat you want to say”

”No, it will take some time, and I should not like to co to be afraid of; you are lord of yourself

You can go to bed in peace”

”I have certainly nothing to be afraid of, and to prove it to you I will leave the door open”

I felt more than ever certain of victory, and resolved not to blow out the candles, as ht be interpreted into a confession of fear Besides, the light would render hts I went to bed

At eleven o'clock a slight noise told me that my hour had coht petticoat She locked my door softly, and when I cried, ”Well; what do you ith me?” she let her chemise and petticoat drop, and lay down beside me in a state of nature

I was too much astonished to repulse her

Leah was sure of victory, and without a word she threw herself uponme of all my faculties except one

I utilised a shortthat I was a presumptuous fool, and that Leah was a woe of human nature