I had felt interested in the young Frenchwoman when she was hiding under the bed-clothes:  she had taken my fancy the moment she had shewn her features, and still more when I had seen her dressed.  She completed her conquest at the dinner-table by the display of a wit which I greatly admired.  It is rare in Italy, and seems to belong generally to the daughters of France.  I did not think it would be very difficult to win her love, and I resolved on trying.  Putting my self-esteem on one side, I fancied I would suit her much better than the old Hungarian, a very pleasant man for his age, but who, after all, carried his sixty years on his face, while my twenty-three were blooming on my countenance.  It seemed to me that the captain himself would not raise any great objection, for he seemed one of those men who, treating love as a matter of pure fancy, accept all circumstances easily, and give way good-naturedly to all the freaks of fortune.  By becoming the travelling companion of this ill-matched couple, I should probably succeed in my aims.  I never dreamed of experiencing a refusal at their hands, my company would certainly be agreeable to them, as they could not exchange a single word by themselves.

With this idea I asked the captain, as we reached our inn, whether he intended to proceed to Parma by the public coach or otherwise.

“As I have no carriage of my own,” he answered, “we shall have to take the coach.”

“I have a very comfortable carriage, and I offer you the two back seats if you have no objection to my society.”

“That is a piece of good fortune.  Be kind enough to propose it to Henriette.”

“Will you, madam, grant me the favour of accompanying you to Parma?”

“I should be delighted, for we could have some conversation, but take care, sir, your task will not be an easy one, you will often find yourself obliged to translate for both of us.”

“I shall do so with great pleasure; I am only sorry that the journey is not longer.  We can arrange everything at supper-time; allow me to leave you now as I have some business to settle.”

My business was in reference to a carriage, for the one I had boasted of existed only in my imagination.  I went to the most fashionable coffee-house, and, as good luck would have it, heard that there was a travelling carriage for sale, which no one would buy because it was too expensive.  Two hundred sequins were asked for it, although it had but two seats and a bracket-stool for a third person.  It was just what I wanted.  I called at the place where it would be seen.  I found a very fine English carriage which could not have cost less than two hundred guineas.  Its noble proprietor was then at supper, so I sent him my name, requesting him not to dispose of his carriage until the next morning, and I went back to the hotel well pleased with my discovery.  At supper I arranged with the captain that we would not leave Cesena till after dinner on the following day, and