We were rather surprised not to see her brother.  On our left we had the Marquis of Montalegre, the Spanish ambassador, with his acknowledged mistress, Mdlle.  Bola, and in the box on our right a man and a woman who had not taken off their masks.  Those two persons kept their eyes constantly fixed upon us, but my young friend did not remark it as her back was turned towards them.  During the ballet, C——­ C——­ having left the libretto of the opera on the ledge of the box, the man with the mask stretched forth his hand and took it.  That proved to me that we were known to him, and I said so to my companion, who turned round and recognized her brother.  The lady who was with him could be no other than Madame C——.  As P——­ C——­ knew the number of our box, he had taken the next one; he could not have done so without some intention, and I foresaw that he meant to make his sister have supper with that woman.  I was much annoyed, but I could not prevent it without breaking off with him, altogether, and I was in love.

After the second ballet, he came into our box with his lady, and after the usual exchange of compliments the acquaintance was made, and we had to accept supper at his casino.  As soon as the two ladies had thrown off their masks, they embraced one another, and the mistress of P——­ C——­ overwhelmed my young friend with compliments and attentions.  At table she affected to treat her with extreme affability, and C——­ C——­ not having any experience of the world behaved towards her with the greatest respect.  I could, however, see that C——­, in spite of all her art, could hardly hide the vexation she felt at the sight of the superior beauty which I had preferred to her own charms.  P——­ C——­, who was of an extravagant gaiety, launched forth in stupid jokes at which his mistress alone laughed; in my anger, I shrugged my shoulders, and his sister, not understanding his jests, took no notice of them.  Altogether our ‘partie caree’ was not formed of congenial spirits, and was rather a dull affair.

As the dessert was placed on the table, P——­ C——­, somewhat excited by the wine he had drunk, kissed his lady-love, and challenged me to follow his example with his sister.  I told him that I loved Mdlle.  C——­ C——­ truly, and that I would not take such liberties with her until I should have acquired a legal right to her favours.  P——­ C——­ began to scoff at what I had said, but C——­ stopped him.  Grateful for that mark of propriety, I took out of my pocket the twelve pairs of gloves which I had bought in the morning, and after I had begged her acceptance of half a dozen pairs I gave the other six to my young friend.  P——­ C——­ rose from the table with a sneer, dragging along with him his mistress, who had likewise drunk rather freely, and he threw himself on a sofa with her.  The scene taking a lewd turn, I placed myself in such a manner as to hide them from the view of my young friend, whom I led into the recess of a window.  But I