I had waited for five or six days when an unfortunate incident obliged me to take a hasty departure.  I am loth to write what follows, for it was all my own fault that I was nearly losing my life and my honour.  I pity those simpletons who blame fortune and not themselves for their misfortunes.

I was walking in the Tuileries at ten o’clock in the morning, when I was unlucky enough to meet the Dangenancour and another girl.  This Dangenancour was a dancer at the opera-house, whom I had desired to meet previously to my last departure from Paris.  I congratulated myself on the lucky chance which threw her in my way, and accosted her, and had not much trouble in inducing her to dine with me at Choisi.

We walked towards the Pont-Royal, where we took a coach.  After dinner had been ordered we were taking a turn in the garden, when I saw a carriage stop and two adventurers whom I knew getting out of it, with two girls, friends of the ones I had with me.  The wretched landlady, who was standing at the door, said that if we liked to sit down together she could give us an excellent dinner, and I said nothing, or rather I assented to the yes of my two nymphs.  The dinner was excellent, and after the bill was paid, and we were on the point of returning to Paris, I noticed that a ring, which I had taken off to shew to one of the adventurers named Santis, was still missing.  It was an exceedingly pretty miniature, and the diamond setting had cost me twenty-five Louis.  I politely begged Santis to return me the ring, and he replied with the utmost coolness that he had done so already.

“If you had returned it,” said I, “it would be on my finger, and you see that it is not.”

He persisted in his assertion; the girls said nothing, but Santis’s friend, a Portuguese, named Xavier, dared to tell me that he had seen the ring returned.

“You’re a liar,” I exclaimed; and without more ado I took hold of Santis by the collar, and swore I would rot let him go till he returned me my ring.  The Portuguese rose to come to his friend’s rescue, while I stepped back and drew my sword, repeating my determination not to let them go.  The landlady came on the scene and began to shriek, and Santis asked me to give him a few words apart.  I thought in all good faith that he was ashamed to restore the ring before company, but that he would give it me as soon as we were alone.  I sheathed my sword, and told him to come with me.  Xavier got into the carriage with the four girls, and they all went back to Paris.

Santis followed me to the back of the inn, and then assuming a pleasant smile he told me that he had put the ring into his friend’s pocket for a joke, but that I should have it back at Paris.

“That’s an idle tale,” I exclaimed, “your friend said that he saw you return it, and now he has escaped me.  Do you think that I am green enough to be taken in by this sort of thing?  You’re a couple of robbers.”