I accepted the invitation with pleasure, as I was sure of seeing some good company.  I was not undeceived; there were some charming women and several agreeable men.  Amongst others, I noticed the woman in man’s dress I had seen at the theatre.  I watched her at dinner, and I was the more convinced that she was a woman.  Nevertheless, everybody addressed her as a man, and she played the part to admiration.  I, however, being in search of amusement, and not caring to seem as if I were taken in, began to talk to her in a stream of gallantry as one talks to a woman, and I contrived to let her know that if I were not sure of her sex I had very strong suspicions.  She pretended not to understand me, and everyone laughed at my feigned expression of offence.

After dinner, while we were taking coffee, the pretended gentleman shewed a canon who was present a portrait on one of her rings.  It represented a young lady who was in the company, and was an excellent likeness—­an easy enough matter, as she was very ugly.  My conviction was not disturbed, but when I saw the imposter kissing the young lady’s hand with mingled affection and respect, I ceased jesting on the question of her sex.  M. Carli took me aside for a moment, and told me that in spite of his effeminate appearance this individual was a man, and was shortly going to marry the young lady whose hand he had just kissed.

“It may be so,” said I, “but I can’t believe it all the same.”

However, the pair were married during the carnival, and the husband obtained a rich dowry with his wife.  The poor girl died of ’grief in the course of a year, but did not say a word till she was on her death-bed.  Her foolish parents, ashamed of having been deceived so grossly, dared not say anything, and got the female swindler out of the way; she had taken good care, however, to lay a firm hold on the dowry.  The story became known, and gave the good folk of Augsburg much amusement, while I became renowned for my sagacity in piercing the disguise.

I continued to enjoy the society of my two servants and of the fair Alsation, who cost me a hundred louis.  At the end of a week my agreement with Bassi came to an end, leaving him with some money in his pocket.  He continued to give performances, returning to the usual prices and suppressing the free gallery.  He did very fair business.

I left Augsburg towards the middle of December.

I was vexed on account of Gertrude, who believed herself with child, but could not make up her mind to accompany me to France.  Her father would have been pleased for me to take her; he had no hopes of getting her a husband, and would have been glad enough to get rid of her by my making her my mistress.

We shall hear more of her in the course of five or six years, as also of my excellent cook, Anna Midel, to whom I gave a present of four hundred florins.  She married shortly afterwards, and when I visited the town again I found her unhappy.