riendship, compliance, and gratitude, perhaps, were then
the only contributors to our pleasures; the most essential--love--was
never present. In spite of that, my lover is like you; his wit is lively,
very much the same as yours, and, as far as his features are concerned,
he is very handsome; yet it is not you. I believe him more wealthy than
you, although this casino almost convinces me that I am mistaken, but
what does love care for riches? Do not imagine that I consider you
endowed with less merit than he, because you confess yourself incapable
of his heroism in allowing me to enjoy another love. Quite the contrary;
I know that you would not love me as you do, if you told me that you
could be as indulgent as he is for one of my caprices."

"Will he be curious to hear the particulars of this night?"

"Most likely he will think that he will please me by asking what has
taken place, and I will tell him everything, except such particulars as
might humiliate him."

After the supper, which she found excellent, she made some punch, and she
was a very good hand at it. But I felt my impatience growing stronger
every moment, and I said,

"Recollect that we have only seven hours before us, and that we should be
very foolish to waste them in this room."

"You reason better than Socrates," she answered, "and your eloquence has
convinced me. Come!"

She led me to the elegant dressing-room, and I offered her the fine
night-cap which I had bought for her, asking her at the same time to
dress her hair like a woman. She took it with great pleasure, and begged
me to go and undress myself in the drawing-room, promising to call me as
soon as she was in bed.

I had not long to wait: when pleasure is waiting for us, we all go
quickly to work. I fell into her arms, intoxicated with love and
happiness, and during seven hours I gave her the most positive proofs of
my ardour and of the feelings I entertained for her. It is true that she
taught me nothing new, materially speaking, but a great deal in sighs, in
ecstasies, in enjoyments which can have their full development only in a
sensitive soul in the sweetest of all moments. I varied our pleasures in
a thousand different ways, and I astonished her by making her feel that
she was susceptible of greater enjoyment than she had any idea of. At
last the fatal alarum was heard: we had to stop our amorous transports;
but before she left my arms she raised her eyes towards heaven as if to
th