I wished them good night, and retired in some confusion.  I pondered over Clementine’s strange resistance, which could only mean that I had not inspired her with sufficient love.  I resolved on overcoming her by an almost infallible method.  I would procure her pleasures that were new to her without sparing expense.  I could think of nothing better than to take the whole family to Milan, and to give them a sumptuous banquet at my pastry-cook’s.  “I will take them there,” I said to myself, “without saying a word about our destination till we are on our way, for if I were to name Milan the count might feel bound to tell his Spanish countess, that she might have an opportunity of making the acquaintance of her sisters-in-law, and this would vex me to the last degree.”  The party would be a great treat to the sisters, who had never been in Milan, and I resolved to make the expedition as splendid as I possibly could.

When I awoke the next morning I wrote to Zenobia to buy three dresses of the finest Lyons silk for three young ladies of rank.  I sent the necessary measurements, and instructions as to the trimming.  The Countess Ambrose’s dress was to be white satin with a rich border of Valenciennes lace.  I also wrote to M. Greppi, asking him to pay for Zenobia’s purchases.  I told her to take the three dresses to my private lodgings, and lay them upon the bed, and give the landlord a note I enclosed.  This note ordered him to provide a banquet for eight persons, without sparing expense.  On the day and hour appointed, Zengbia was to be at the pastrycook’s ready to wait on the three ladies.  I sent the letter by Clairmont, who returned before dinner, bearing a note from Zenobia assuring me that all my wishes should be carried out.  After dessert I broached my plan to the countess, telling her that I wanted to give a party like the one at Lodi, but on two conditions:  the first, that no one was to know our destination till we were in the carriages, and the second, that after dinner we should return to St. Angelo.

Out of politeness the countess looked at her husband before accepting the invitation, but he cried out, without ceremony, that he was ready to go if I took the whole family.

“Very good,” said I, “we will start at eight o’clock to-morrow, and nobody need be at any trouble, the carriages are ordered.”

I felt obliged to include the canon, because he was a great courtier of the countess, and also because he lost money to me every day, and thus it was he, in fact, who was going to pay for the expedition.  That evening he lost three hundred sequins, and was obliged to ask me to give him three day’s grace to pay the money.  I replied by assuring him that all I had was at his service.

When the company broke up I offered my hand to Hebe, and escorted her and her sister to their room.  We had begun to read Fontenelle’s “Plurality of Worlds,” and I had thought we should finish it that night; but Clementine said that as she had to get up early, she would want to get to sleep early also.