Seeing that her stockings were too short to fasten the garter above the knee, she told me that she would in future use longer ones, and I immediately offered her those that I had purchased.  Full of gratitude she sat on my knees, and in the effusion of her satisfaction she bestowed upon me all the kisses that she would have given to her father if he had made her such a present.  I returned her kisses, forcibly keeping down the violence of my feelings.  I only told her that one of her kisses was worth a kingdom.  My charming C——­ C——­ took off her shoes and stockings, and put on one of the pairs I had given her, which went halfway up her thigh.  The more innocent I found her to be, the less I could make up my mind to possess myself of that ravishing prey.

We returned to the garden, and after walking about until the evening we went to the opera, taking care to keep on our masks, because, the theatre being small, we might easily have been recognized, and my lovely friend was certain that her father would not allow her to come out again, if he found out that she had gone to the opera.

We were rather surprised not to see her brother.  On our left we had the Marquis of Montalegre, the Spanish ambassador, with his acknowledged mistress, Mdlle.  Bola, and in the box on our right a man and a woman who had not taken off their masks.  Those two persons kept their eyes constantly fixed upon us, but my young friend did not remark it as her back was turned towards them.  During the ballet, C——­ C——­ having left the libretto of the opera on the ledge of the box, the man with the mask stretched forth his hand and took it.  That proved to me that we were known to him, and I said so to my companion, who turned round and recognized her brother.  The lady who was with him could be no other than Madame C——.  As P——­ C——­ knew the number of our box, he had taken the next one; he could not have done so without some intention, and I foresaw that he meant to make his sister have supper with that woman.  I was much annoyed, but I could not prevent it without breaking off with him, altogether, and I was in love.

After the second ballet, he came into our box with his lady, and after the usual exchange of compliments the acquaintance was made, and we had to accept supper at his casino.  As soon as the two ladies had thrown off their masks, they embraced one another, and the mistress of P——­ C——­ overwhelmed my young friend with compliments and attentions.  At table she affected to treat her with extreme affability, and C——­ C——­ not having any experience of the world behaved towards her with the greatest respect.  I could, however, see that C——­, in spite of all her art, could hardly hide the vexation she felt at the sight of the superior beauty which I had preferred to her own charms.  P——­ C——­, who was of an extravagant gaiety, launched forth in stupid jokes at which his mistress alone laughed; in my anger, I shrugged my shoulders, and his sister, not understanding his jests, took no notice of them.  Altogether our ‘partie caree’ was not formed of congenial spirits, and was rather a dull affair.