ence. His advice was to neglect no means of getting out of
the difficulty, to sacrifice all my property, diamonds, and jewellery,
and thus to obtain a release from my enemies. The Binetti, like a wise
woman, disliked this counsel, and I relished it still less, but she had
to perform her commission.

I had jewellery and lace to the value of more than a hundred thousand
francs, but I could not resolve to make the sacrifice. I did not know
which way to turn or where to go, and while I was in this state of mind
my barrister came in. He spoke as follows:

"Sir, all my endeavors on your behalf have been unsuccessful. There is a
party against you which seems to have support in some high quarter, and
which silences the voice of justice. It is my duty to warn you that
unless you find some way of arranging matters with these rascals you are
a ruined man. The judgment given by the police magistrate, a rascal like
the rest of them, is of a summary character, for as a stranger you will
not be allowed to have recourse to the delays of the law. You would
require bail to do that. They have managed to procure witnesses who swear
that you are a professional gamester, that it was you who seduced the
three officers into the house of your countryman Peccini, that it is not
true that your wine was drugged that you did not lose your watches nor
your snuff-box, for, they say, these articles will be found in your mails
when your goods are sold. For that you will only have to wait till
to-morrow or the day after, and do not think that I am deceiving you in
any particular, or you will be sorry for it. They will come here and
empty your mails, boxes, and pockets, a list will be made, and they will
be sold by auction the same day. If the sum realized is greater than the
debt the surplus will go in costs, and you may depend upon it that a very
small sum will be returned to you; but if, on the other hand, the sum is
not sufficient to pay everything, including the debt, costs, expenses of
the auction, etc., you will be enrolled as a common soldier in the forces
of His Most Serene Highness. I heard it said to the officer, who is your
greatest creditor, that the four Louis enlistment money would be taken
into account, and that the duke would be glad to get hold of such a fine
man."

The barrister left me without my noticing him. I was so petrified by what
he had said. I was in such a state of collapse that in less than an hour
all the liquids in my bo