it, differing in that respect from Don Antonio of Naples, who set such store by my pedigree, and treated me with such politeness on that account.  Nevertheless, he bade me make use of him in anything relating to business if I did anything in that way.  I thought his daughter pretty, but neither her charms nor her wit made any impression on me.  My thoughts were taken up with Esther, and I talked so much about her at dinner that at last my cousin declared that she did not consider her pretty.  Oh, you women! beauty is the only unpardonable offence in your eyes.  Mdlle.  Casanova was Esther’s friend, and yet she could not bear to hear her praised.

On my seeing M. d’O——­ again after dinner, he told me that if I cared to take fifteen per cent. on my shares, he would take them from me and save broker’s expenses.  I thought the offer a good one, and I accepted it, taking a bill of exchange on Tourton & Baur.  At the rate of exchange at Hamburg I found I should have seventy-two thousand francs, although at five per cent.  I had only expected sixty-nine thousand.  This transaction won me high favour with Madame d’Urfe, who, perhaps, had not expected me to be so honest.

In the evening I went with M. Pels to Zaandam, in a boat placed on a sleigh and impelled by a sail.  It was an extraordinary, but at the same time an amusing and agreeable, mode of travelling.  The wind was strong, and we did fifteen miles an hour; we seemed to pass through the air as swiftly as an arrow.  A safer and more convenient method of travelling cannot be imagined; it would be an ideal way of journeying round the world if there were such a thing as a frozen sea all round.  The wind, however, must be behind, as one cannot sail on a side wind, there being no rudder.  I was pleased and astonished at the skill of our two sailors in lowering sail exactly at the proper time; for the sleigh ran a good way, from the impetus it had already received, and we stopped just at the bank of the river, whereas if the sail had been lowered a moment later the sleigh might have been broken to pieces.  We had some excellent perch for dinner, but the strength of the wind prevented us from walking about.  I went there again, but as Zaandam is well known as the haunt of the millionaire merchants who retire and enjoy life there in their own way, I will say no more about it.  We returned in a fine sleigh drawn by two horses, belonging to M. Pels, and he kept me to supper.  This worthy man, whose face bore witness to his entire honesty, told me that as I was now the friend of M. d’O——­ and himself, I should have nothing whatever to do with the Jews, but should address myself to them alone.  I was pleased with this proposal, which made a good many of my difficulties disappear, and the reader will see the results of this course.

Next day snow fell in large flakes, and I went early to M. d’O——­’s, where I found Esther in the highest of spirits.  She gave me a warm welcome, and began to rally me on having spent the whole night with Madame Trenti.