to lend me your cloak, and walk my horse about a little, until I return; but, above all, do not go far from this place:  you see that I use you freely like a friend; but you know it is upon condition that you may take the same liberty with me.’  I took his cloak, without waiting for his answer, and he took my horse by the bridle, and followed me with his eye; but he gained no intelligence by this; for, after having pretended to go into a house opposite to him, I slipped under the piazzas to Mademoiselle de l’Orme’s, where the door was opened as soon as I knocked.  I was so much muffled up in Brissac’s cloak that I was taken for him:  the door was immediately shut, not the least question asked me; and having none to ask myself I went straight to the lady’s chamber.  I found her upon a couch in the most agreeable and genteelest deshabille imaginable:  she never in her life looked so handsome, nor was so greatly surprised; and, seeing her speechless and confounded:  ‘What is the matter, my fair one?’ said I, ’methinks this is a headache very elegantly set off; but your headache, to all appearance, is now gone?’ ‘Not in the least,’ said she, ’I can scarce support it, and you will oblige me in going away that I may go to bed.’  ’As for your going to bed, to that I have not the least objection,’ said I, ’but as for my going away, that cannot be, my little princess:  the Chevalier de Grammont is no fool; a woman does not dress herself with so much care for nothing.’  ‘You will find, however,’ said she, ’that it is for nothing; for you may depend upon it that you shall be no gainer by it.’  ‘What!’ said I, ‘after having made me an appointment!’ ‘Well,’ replied she hastily, ’though I had made you fifty, it still depends upon me, whether I chose to keep them or not, and you must submit if I do not.’  ’This might do very well,’ said I, ‘if it was not to give it to another.’  Mademoiselle de l’Orme, as haughty as a woman of the greatest virtue, and as passionate as one who has the least, was irritated at a suspicion which gave her more concern than confusion; and seeing that she was beginning to put herself in a passion:  ‘Madam,’ said I, ’pray do not talk in so high a strain; I know what perplexes you:  you are afraid lest Brissac should meet me here; but you may make yourself easy on that account:  I met him not far from this place, and God knows that I have so managed the affair as to prevent his visiting you soon.’  Having spoken these words in a tone somewhat tragical, she appeared concerned at first, and, looking upon me with surprise:  ’What do you mean about the Duke de Brissac?’ said she.  ‘I mean,’ replied I, ’that he is at the end of the street, walking my horse about; but, if you will not believe me, send one of your own servants thither, or look at his cloak which I left in your ante-chamber.’  Upon this she burst into a fit of laughter, in the midst of her astonishment, and, throwing her arms around my neck, ’My dear Chevalier,’ said she, ’I can hold out no longer; you are too amiable and too eccentric not to be pardoned.’  I then told her the whole story:  she was ready to die with laughing; and, parting very good friends, she assured me my rival might exercise horses as long as he pleased, but that he should not set his foot within her doors that night.