might be is often accepted in the place of what is in reality; sometimes it proves very fortunate.  At all events the news did a great deal of good to my friend, who is now much better.  She has had an excellent night, and the hope of seeing you at the casino has restored all her beauty.  She has read this letter three or four times, and has smothered me with kisses.  I long to give her the letter which you are going to write to her.  The messenger will wait for it.  Perhaps I shall see you again at the casino, and in a better temper, I hope.  Adieu.”

It did not require much argument to conquer me.  When I had finished the letter, I was at once the admirer of C——­ C——­ and the ardent lover of M——­ M——.  But, alas! although the fever had left me, I was crippled.  Certain that Laura would come again early the next morning, I could not refrain from writing to both of them a short letter, it is true, but long enough to assure them that reason had again taken possession of my poor brain.  I wrote to C——­ C——­ that she had done right in telling her friend my name, the more so that, as I did not attend their church any longer, I had no reason to make a mystery of it.  In everything else I freely acknowledged myself in the wrong, and I promised her that I would atone by giving M—–­M——­ the strongest possible proofs of my repentance as soon as I could go again to her casino.

This is the letter that I wrote to my adorable nun: 

“I gave C——­ C——­ the key of your casino, to be returned to you, my own charming friend, because I believed myself trifled with and despised, of malice aforethought, by the woman I worship.  In my error I thought myself unworthy of presenting myself before your eyes, and, in spite of love, horror made me shudder.  Such was the effect produced upon me by an act which would have appeared to me admirable, if my self-love had not blinded me and upset my reason.  But, dearest, to admire it it would have been necessary for my mind to be as noble as yours, and I have proved how far it is from being so.  I am inferior to you in all things, except in passionate love, and I will prove it to you at our next meeting, when I will beg on my knees a generous pardon.  Believe me, beloved creature, if I wish ardently to recover my health, it is only to have it in my power to prove by my love a thousand times increased, how ashamed I am of my errors.  My painful lumbago has alone prevented me from answering your short note yesterday, to express to you my regrets, and the love which has been enhanced in me by your generosity, alas! so badly rewarded.  I can assure you that in the lagunes, with death staring me in the face, I regretted no one but you, nothing but having outraged you.  But in the fearful danger then threatening me I only saw a punishment from Heaven.  If I had not cruelly sent back to you the key of the casino, I should most likely have returned there, and should have avoided the sorrow as well as the