well unless she had been already tried in a
hundred battles. When we rejoined the company I was asked if I were ill,
while nobody noticed the slightest alteration in her.

When we got back to London I excused myself under the plea of a bad
headache, and returned home.

The adventure had made a terrible impression on me, and I saw that if I
did not avoid all intercourse with this girl I should be brought to ruin.
There was something about her I could not resist. I therefore resolved to
see her no more, but feeling ashamed of my weakness in giving her the
bills of exchange I wrote her mother a note requesting her to make her
daughter return them, or else I should be compelled to take harsh
measures.

In the afternoon I received the following reply:

"Sir,--I am exceedingly surprised at your addressing yourself to me about
the bills you handed to my daughter. She tells me she will give you them
back in person when you shew more discretion, and have learnt to respect
her."

This impudent letter so enraged me that I forgot my vow of the morning. I
put two pistols in my pocket and proceeded to the wretched woman's abode
to compel her to return me my bills if she did not wish to be soundly
caned.

I only took the pistols to overawe the two male rascals who supped with
them every evening. I was furious when I arrived, but I passed by the
door when I saw a handsome young hairdresser, who did the Charpillon's
hair every Saturday evening, going into the house.

I did not want a stranger to be present at the scene I meant to make, so
I waited at the corner of the street for the hairdresser to go. After I
had waited half an hour Rostaing and Couman, the two supports of the
house, came out and went away, much to my delight. I waited on; eleven
struck, and the handsome barber had not yet gone. A little before
midnight a servant came out with a lamp, I suppose to look for something
that had fallen out of the window. I approached noiselessly, stepped in
and opened the parlour-door, which was close to the street, and saw . . .
the Charpillon and the barber stretched on the sofa and doing the beast
with two backs, as Shakespeare calls it.

When the slut saw me she gave a shriek and unhorsed her gallant, whom I
caned soundly until he escaped in the confusion consequent on the
servants, mother, and aunts all rushing into the room. While this was
going on the Charpillon, half-naked, remained crouched behind the sofa,
trembling les