“Has she a lover?”

“She is said to have lovers in every town, but instead of enriching her they make her poorer.  She always wears black, not only because she is a widow, but also on account of a great grief she is reported to have gone through.  She will soon be coming round.”  I took out my purse; and counted out twelve ducats, which I wrapped in paper; my heart beating all the while in a ridiculous manner, for I had really nothing to be excited about.

When Therese was going along the seats in front of me, I glanced at her for an instant, and I saw that she looked surprised.  I turned my head to speak to Esther, and when she was directly in front of me I put my little packet on the plate without looking at her, and she passed on.  A little girl, four or five years old, followed her, and when she got to the end of the bench she came back to kiss my hand.  I could not help recognizing in her a facsimile of myself, but I concealed my emotion.  The child stood still, and gazed at me fixedly, to my no small confusion.  “Would you like some sweets, my dear?” said I, giving her my box, which I should have been glad to turn into gold.  The little girl took it smilingly, made me a curtsy, and went on.

“Does it strike you, M. Casanova,” said Esther, with a laugh, “that you and that little girl are as like each other as two peas?”

“Yes, indeed,” added Mdlle.  Casanova, “there is a striking likeness.”

“These resemblances are often the work of chance.”

“Just so,” said Esther, with a wicked smile, “but you admit a likeness, don’t you?”

“I confess I was struck with it, though of course I cannot judge so well as you.”

After the concert M. d’O——­ arrived, and giving back his daughter to his care I betook myself to my lodging.  I was just sitting down to a dish of oysters, before going to bed, when Therese made her appearance, holding her child by the hand.  Although I had not expected her to visit me that evening, I was nevertheless not much surprised to see her.  I, of course, rose to greet her, when all at once she fell fainting on the sofa, though whether the fainting fit was real or assumed I cannot say.  Thinking that she might be really ill I played my part properly, and brought her to herself by sprinkling her with cold water and putting my vinaigrette to her nose.  As soon as she came to herself she began to gaze at me without saying a word.  At last, tired of her silence, I asked her if she would take any supper; and on her replying in the affirmative, I rang the bell and ordered a good supper for three, which kept us at the table till seven o’clock in the morning, talking over our various fortunes and misfortunes.  She was already acquainted with most of my recent adventures, but I knew nothing at all about hers, and she entertained me with a recital of them for five or six hours.