At the end of a fortnight she sent me a note in which she told me that she would sleep by herself on the night following.  It was a ferial day, and I therefore went to the church at eleven in the morning after making an enormous breakfast.  I hid myself as before, and the beadle locked me in without making any discovery.

I had a wait of ten hours, and the reflection that I should have to spend the time partly in the church and partly on the dark and rat-haunted staircase, without being able to take a pinch of snuff for fear of being obliged to blow my nose, did not tend to enliven the prospect; however, the hope of the great reward made it easy to be borne.  But at one o’clock I heard a slight noise, and looking up saw a hand appear through the grated window, and a paper drop on the floor of the church.  I ran to pick it up, while my heart beat fast, for my first idea was that some obstacle had occurred which would compel me to pass the night on a bench in the church.  I opened it, and what was my joy to read as follows: 

“The door is open, and you will be more comfortable on the staircase, where you will find a light, a little dinner, and some books, than in the church.  The seat is not very easy, but I have done my best to remedy the discomfort with a, cushion.  Trust me, the time will seem as long to me as to you, but be patient.  I have told the general that I do not feel very well, and shall not go out to-day.  May God keep you from coughing, especially during the night, for on the least noise we should be undone.”

What stratagems are inspired by love!  I opened the door directly, and found a nicely-laid meal, dainty viands, delicious wine, coffee, a chafing dish, lemons, spirits of wine, sugar, and rum to make some punch if I liked.  With these comforts and some books, I could wait well enough; but I was astonished at the dexterity of my charming mistress in doing all this without the knowledge of anybody in the house.

I spent three hours in reading, and three more in eating, and making coffee and punch, and then I went to sleep.  At ten o’clock my darling came and awoke me.  This second night was delicious, but not so much so as the former, as we could not see each other, and the violence of our ecstatic combats was restrained by the vicinity of the good husband.  We slept part of the time, and early in the morning I had to make good my retreat.  Thus ended my amour with this lady.  The general went to Westphalia, and she was soon to go into the country.  I thus made my preparations for leaving Cologne, promising to come and see her the year following, which promise however I was precluded, as the reader will see, from keeping.  I took leave of my acquaintance and set out, regretted by all.

The stay of two months and a half which I made in Cologne did not diminish my monetary resources, although I lost whenever I was persuaded to play.  However, my winnings at Bonn made up all deficiencies, and my banker, M. Franck, complained that I had not made any use of him.  However, I was obliged to be prudent so that those persons who spied into my actions might find nothing reprehensible.