that with
much toil. Nevertheless, feeling sure of success, I told my pretty nun of
the plan, and never was news received with so much pleasure. We set our
watches together, and fixed our meeting for the Friday following.

On the day appointed, an hour before sunset, I betook myself to St.
Francis de la Vigne, where I kept my boat, and having set it in order and
dressed myself as a boatman, I got upon the poop and held a straight
course for the little door, which opened the moment I arrived.
M---- M---- came out wrapped in a cloak, and someone shutting the door
after her she got on board my frail bark, and in a quarter of an hour we
were at the casino. M---- M---- made haste to go in, but I stayed to belay
my boat with a lock and chain against thieves, who pass the night
pleasantly by stealing whatever they can lay hands on.

Though I had rowed easily enough, I was in a bath of perspiration, which,
however, by no means hindered my charming mistress from falling on my
neck; the pleasure of meeting seemed to challenge her love, and, proud of
what I had done, I enjoyed her transports.

Not dreaming that I should have any occasion for a change of linen, I had
brought none with me, but she soon found a cure for this defect; for
after having undressed me she dried me lovingly, gave me one of her
smocks, and I found myself dressed to admiration.

We had been too long deprived of our amorous pleasures to think of taking
supper before we had offered a plenteous sacrifice to love. We spent two
hours in the sweetest of intoxications, our bliss seeming more acute than
at our first meeting. In spite of the fire which consumed me, in spite of
the ardour of my mistress, I was sufficiently master of myself to
disappoint her at the critical moment, for the picture which our friend
had drawn was always before my eyes. M---- M----, joyous and wanton,
having me for the first time in the character of boatman, augmented our
delights by her amorous caprices, but it was useless for her to try to
add fuel to my flame, since I loved her better than myself.

The night was short, for she was obliged to return at three in the
morning, and it struck one as we sat down to table. As the climax of ill
luck a storm came on whilst we were at supper. Our hair stood on end; our
only hope was founded in the nature of these squalls, which seldom last
more than an hour. We were in hopes, also, that it would not leave behind
it too strong a wind, as is som