re really going from your Naqui? You would cry, like the booby
that you are!"

"After all, if I go, will you follow?" he asked.

"Tell me first whether this journey of yours is a bad joke or not."

"Yes, seriously, I am going."

"Well, then, seriously, I shall stay. A pleasant journey to you, my boy!
I will wait till you come back. I would sooner take leave of life than
take leave of my dear, cozy Paris----"

"Will you not come to Italy, to Naples, and lead a pleasant life
there--a delicious, luxurious life, with this stout old fogy of yours,
who puffs and blows like a seal?"

"No."

"Ungrateful girl!"

"Ungrateful?" she cried, rising to her feet. "I might leave this house
this moment and take nothing out of it but myself. I shall have given
you all the treasures a young girl can give, and something that not
every drop in your veins and mine can ever give me back. If, by any
means whatever, by selling my hopes of eternity, for instance, I could
recover my past self, body and soul (for I have, perhaps, redeemed
my soul), and be pure as a lily for my lover, I would not hesitate a
moment! What sort of devotion has rewarded mine? You have housed and fed
me, just as you give a dog food and a kennel because he is a protection
to the house, and he may take kicks when we are out of humor, and lick
our hands as soon as we are pleased to call him. And which of us two
will have been the more generous?"

"Oh! dear child, do you not see that I am joking?" returned Castanier.
"I am going on a short journey; I shall not be away for very long. But
come with me to the Gymnase; I shall start just before midnight, after I
have had time to say good-bye to you."

"Poor pet! so you are really going, are you?" she said. She put her arms
round his neck, and drew down his head against her bodice.

"You are smothering me!" cried Castanier, with his face buried in
Aquilina's breast. That damsel turned to say in Jenny's ear, "Go to
Leon, and tell him not to come till one o'clock. If you do not find
him, and he comes here during the leave-taking, keep him in your
room.--Well," she went on, setting free Castanier, and giving a tweak
to the tip of his nose, "never mind, handsomest of seals that you are. I
will go to the theatre with you this evening? But all in good time; let
us have dinner! There is a nice little dinner for you--just what you
like."

"It is very hard to part from such a woman as you!" exclaimed Castanier.

"Very wel