mission,
which was given freely.

"M. le Noir," added the fair Lambertini, "will drop in after dinner, and
I am dying to introduce Count 'Sixtimes' to him."

After dinner she kept on speaking of the mighty deeds of my countryman,
and began to stir him up, while he, no doubt, pleased to have a witness
to his exploits, reduced her to silence. I confess that I witnessed the
scene without excitement, but as I could not help seeing the athletic
person of the count, I concluded that he might fare well everywhere with
the ladies.

About three o'clock two elderly women arrived, to whom the Lambertini
eagerly introduced Count "Six-times." In great astonishment they enquired
the origin of his title, and the heroine of the story having whispered it
to them, my friend became an object of interest.

"I can't believe it," said one of these ladies, ogling the count, while
his face seemed to say,

"Would you like to try?"

Shortly after, a coach stopped at the door, and a fat woman of
middle-aged appearance and a very pretty girl were ushered in; after them
came a pale man in a black suit and a long wig. After greeting them in a
manner which implied intimacy, the Pope's niece introduced her cousin
Count "Six-strokes". The elderly woman seemed to be astonished at such a
name, but the Lambertini gave no explanation. Nevertheless, people seemed
to think it rather curious that a man who did not know a word of French
should be living in Paris, and that in spite of his ignorance he
continued to jabber away in an easy manner, though nobody could
understand what he was talking about.

After some foolish conversation, the Pope's niece proposed a game at Loo.
She asked me to play but on my refusing did not make a point of it, but
she insisted on her cousin being her partner.

"He knows nothing about cards," said she; "but that's no matter, he will
learn, and I will undertake to instruct him."

As the girl, by whose beauty I was struck, did not understand the game, I
offered her a seat by the fire, asking her to grant me the honour of
keeping her company, whereupon the elderly woman who had brought her
began to laugh, and said I should have some difficulty in getting her
niece to talk about anything, adding, in a polite manner, that she hoped
I would be lenient with her as she had only just left a convent. I
assured her that I should have no difficulty in amusing myself with one
so amiable, and the game having begun I took up my positi