“How?”

“Do you think that after enjoying you she would care to enjoy me?  I should lose too heavily by the comparison.”

“Give me your hand.”

“No.”

“Stay, one moment.”

“I don’t want to see anything.”

“Not a little bit?”

“Nothing at all.”

“Are you angry with me, then?”

“Not at all.  If you have been pleased I am glad, and if you have filled her with desires she will love me all the better.”

“How pleasant it would be, sweetheart, if we could all three of us be together alone and at liberty!”

“Yes; but it is impossible.”

“Are you sure that no inquisitive eye is looking upon us?”

“Quite sure.”

“The height of that fatal grill has deprived me of the sight of many charms.”

“Why didn’t you go to the other parlour it is much lower there.”

“Let us go there, then.”

“Not to-day; I should not be able to give any reason for the change.”

“I will come again to-morrow, and start for Lyons in the evening.”

The little boarder came back, and I stood up facing her.  I had a number of beautiful seals and trinkets hanging from my watch-chain, and I had not had the time to put myself in a state of perfect decency again.

She noticed it, and by way of pretext she asked if she might look at them.

“As long as you like; you may look at them and touch them as well.”

M——­ M——­ foresaw what would happen and left the room, saying that she would soon be back.  I had intended to deprive the young boarder of all interest in my seals by shewing her a curiosity of another kind.  She did not conceal her pleasure in satisfying her inquisitiveness on an object which was quite new to her, and which she was able to examine minutely for the first time in her life.  But soon an effusion changed her curiosity into surprise, and I did not interrupt her in her delighted gaze.

I saw M——­ M——­ coming back slowly, and I lowered my shirt again, and sat down.  My watch and chains were still on the ledge of the grating, and M——­ M——­ asked her young friend if the trinkets had pleased her.

“Yes,” she replied, but in a dreamy and melancholy voice.  She had learnt so much in the course of less than two hours that she had plenty to think over.  I spent the rest of the day in telling M——­ M——­ the adventures I had encountered since I had left her; but as I had not time to finish my tale I promised to return the next day at the same time.

The little girl, who had been listening to me all the time, though I appeared to be only addressing her friend, said that she longed to know the end of my adventure with the Duke of Matelone’s mistress.

I supped with the fair Desarmoises, and after giving her sundry proofs of my affection till midnight, and telling her that I only stopped on for her sake, I went to bed.