pretended
to wipe away a tear as she let me see the ravages I had worked on her
cheek.

I saw her every day and always in silence till the fatal mark had
disappeared, but during these mad visits the poison of desire was so
instilled into my veins that if she had known my state of mind she might
have despoiled me of all I possessed for a single favour.

When she was once more as beautiful as ever I felt as if I must die if I
did not hold her in my arms again, and I bought a magnificent pier-glass
and a splendid breakfast service in Dresden china, and sent them to her
with an amorous epistle which must have made her think me either the most
extravagant or the most cowardly of men. She wrote in answer that she
would expect me to sup with her in her room, that she might give me the
tenderest proofs of her gratitude.

This letter sent me completely mad with joy, and in a paroxysm of delight
I resolved to surrender to her keeping the two bills of exchange which
Bolomee had given me, and which gave me power to send her mother and
aunts to prison.

Full of the happiness that awaited me, and enchanted with my own idiotic
heroism, I went to her in the evening. She received me in the parlour
with her mother, and I was delighted to see the pier-glass over the
mantel, and the china displayed on a little table. After a hundred words
of love and tenderness she asked me to come up to her room, and her
mother wished us good night. I was overwhelmed with joy. After a delicate
little supper I took out the bills of exchange, and after telling her
their history gave them up to her, to shew that I had no intention of
avenging myself on her mother and aunts. I made her promise that she
would never part with them, and she said she would never do so, and with
many expressions of gratitude and wonder at my generosity she locked them
up with great care.

Then I thought it was time to give her some marks of my passion, and I
found her kind; but when I would have plucked the fruit, she clasped me
to her arms, crossed her legs, and began to weep bitterly.

I made an effort, and asked her if she would be the same when we were in
bed. She sighed, and after a moment's pause, replied, "Yes."

For a quarter of an hour I remained silent and motionless, as if
petrified. At last I rose with apparent coolness, and took my cloak and
sword.

"What!" said she, "are you not going to spend the night with me?"

"No."

"But we shall see each other to-m