“Sir, you forget yourself.”

“No, madam, I do not, for you might have feigned not to have observed such an innocent theft.”

“Feigning is tiresome.”

“Was such petty larceny a very great crime?”

“No crime, but it was an indication of feelings which you have no right to entertain for me.”

“Feelings which you are at liberty not to return, madam, but which hatred or pride can alone forbid my heart to experience.  If you had a heart you would not be the victim of either of those two fearful passions, but you have only head, and it must be a very wicked head, judging by the care it takes to heap humiliation upon me.  You have surprised my secret, madam, you may use it as you think proper, but in the meantime I have learned to know you thoroughly.  That knowledge will prove more useful than your discovery, for perhaps it will help me to become wiser.”

After this violent tirade I left her, and as she did not call me back retired to my room.  In the hope that sleep would bring calm, I undressed and went to bed.  In such moments a lover hates the object of his love, and his heart distils only contempt and hatred.  I could not go to sleep, and when I was sent for at supper-time I answered that I was ill.  The night passed off without my eyes being visited by sleep, and feeling weak and low I thought I would wait to see what ailed me, and refused to have my dinner, sending word that I was still very unwell.  Towards evening I felt my heart leap for joy when I heard my beautiful lady-love enter my room.  Anxiety, want of food and sleep, gave me truly the appearance of being ill, and I was delighted that it should be so.  I sent her away very soon, by telling her with perfect indifference that it was nothing but a bad headache, to which I was subject, and that repose and diet would effect a speedy cure.

But at eleven o’clock she came back with her friend, M. D---- R-----, and
coming to my bed she said, affectionately,

“What ails you, my poor Casanova?”

“A very bad headache, madam, which will be cured to-morrow.”

“Why should you wait until to-morrow?  You must get better at once.  I have ordered a basin of broth and two new-laid eggs for you.”

“Nothing, madam; complete abstinence can alone cure me.”

“He is right,” said M. D---- R-----, “I know those attacks.”

I shook my head slightly.  M. D——­ R——­ having just then turned round to examine an engraving, she took my hand, saying that she would like me to drink some broth, and I felt that she was giving me a small parcel.  She went to look at the engraving with M. D---- R-----.

I opened the parcel, but feeling that it contained hair, I hurriedly concealed it under the bed-clothes:  at the same moment the blood rushed to my head with such violence that it actually frightened me.  I begged for some water, she came to me, with M. D---- R-----, and then were both frightened to see me so red, when they had seen me pale and weak only one minute before.