I was getting bored, and Desarmoises, who had all his meals with me, did not know what to do.  At last he advised me to make the acquaintance of a certain Madame R——­, a Frenchwoman, and well known in Turin as a milliner and dressmaker.  She had six or eight girls working for her in a room adjoining her shop.  Desarmoises thought that if I got in there I might possibly be able to find one to my taste.  As my purse was well furnished I thought I should not have much difficulty, so I called on Madame R——.  I was agreeably surprised to find Leah there, bargaining for a quantity of articles, all of which she pronounced to be too dear.  She told me kindly but reproachfully that she had thought I must be ill.

“I have been very busy,” I said; and felt all my old ardour revive.  She asked me to come to a Jewish wedding, where there would be a good many people and several pretty girls.  I knew that ceremonies of this kind are very amusing, and I promised to be present.  She proceeded with her bargaining, but the price was still too high and she left the shop.  Madame R——­ was going to put back all the trifles in their places, but I said,—­

“I will take the lot myself.”

She smiled, and I drew out my purse and paid the money.

“Where do you live, sir?” said she; “and when shall I send you your purchases?”

“You may bring them to-morrow yourself, and do me the honour of breakfasting with me.”

“I can never leave the shop, sir.”  In spite of her thirty-five years, Madame R——­ was still what would be called a tasty morsel, and she had taken my fancy.

“I want some dark lace,” said I.

“Then kindly follow me, sir.”

I was delighted when I entered the room to see a lot of young work-girls, all charming, hard at work, and scarcely daring to look at me.  Madame R——­ opened several cupboards, and showed me some magnificent lace.  I was distracted by the sight of so many delicious nymphs, and I told her that I wanted the lace for two ‘baoutes’ in the Venetian style.  She knew what I meant.  The lace cost me upwards of a hundred sequins.  Madame R——­ told two of her girls to bring me the lace the next day, together with the goods which Leah had thought too dear.  They meekly replied,—­

“Yes, mother.”

They rose and kissed the mother’s hand, which I thought a ridiculous ceremony; however, it gave me an opportunity of examining them, and I thought them delicious.  We went back to the shop, and sitting down by the counter I enlarged on the beauty of the girls, adding, though not with strict truth, that I vastly preferred their mistress.  She thanked me for the compliment and told me plainly that she had a lover, and soon after named him.  He was the Comte de St. Giles, an infirm and elderly man, and by no means a model lover.  I thought Madame R——­ was jesting, but next day I ascertained that she was speaking the truth.  Well, everyone to his taste, and I suspect that she was more in love with the count’s purse than his person.  I had met him at the “Exchange” coffeehouse.