charming girl, and I was so impatient to see
her that I could not sleep.

I went out about ten o'clock and called on M. d'O, who welcomed me in the
friendliest manner and reproached me for not having alighted at his
house. When he heard that I had given up business he congratulated me on
not having removed it into Holland, as I should have been ruined. I did
not tell him that I had nearly come to that in France, as I considered
such a piece of information would not assist my designs. He complained
bitterly of the bad faith of the French Government, which had involved
him in considerable losses; and then he asked me to come and see Esther.

I was too impatient to embrace her to stay to be asked twice; I ran to
greet her. As soon as she saw me she gave a cry of surprise and delight,
and threw herself in my arms, where I received her with fondness equal to
her own. I found her grown and improved; she looked lovely. We had
scarcely sat down when she told me that she had become as skilled in the
cabala as myself.

"It makes my life happy," said she, "for it gives me a power over my
father, and assures me that he will never marry me to anyone but the man
of my choice."

"I am delighted that you extract the only good that can proceed from this
idle science, namely, the power to guide persons devoid of strength of
will. But your father must think that I taught you the secret?"

"Yes, he does; and he said, one day, that he would forgive me any
sacrifices I might have made to obtain this precious secret from you."

"He goes a little further than we did, my dearest Esther."

"Yes, and I told him that I had gained it from you without any sacrifice,
and that now I was a true Pythoness without having to endure the torments
of the tripod; and I am sure that the replies you gave were invented by
yourself."

"But if that were so how could I have known where the pocket-book was, or
whether the ship was safe?"

"You saw the portfolio yourself and threw it where it was discovered, and
as for the vessel you spoke at random; but as you are an honest man,
confess that you were afraid of the results. I am never so bold as that,
and when my father asks me questions of that kind, my replies are more
obscure than a sibyl's. I don't wish him to lose confidence in my oracle,
nor do I wish him to be able to reproach me with a loss that would injure
my own interests."

"If your mistake makes you happy I shall leave you in it. You are reall