ards, which came as readily to his
hands as if they had been placed there on purpose, and seating himself
beside his wife, whom he made into the table, he began to deal.

I could not draw back, and as my thoughts were distracted I kept on
losing till they came to tell me dinner was ready.

"I have no time to dress," said the lady, "so I will have my dinner in
bed, if you gentlemen will keep me company."

How could I refuse? The husband went out to order the dinner, and
feeling myself authorized by the loss of twenty Louis, I told the hussy
that if she would not give me a plain promise to make me happy that
afternoon I should go away when I had had my dinner.

"Breakfast with me to-morrow morning. We shall be alone."

After receiving from her certain earnests of her promise, I promised to
stay on.

We dined by her bedside, and I told Le Duc that I should not be going
till the afternoon of the next day, which made the husband and wife
radiant. When we had done, the lady said she would like to get up; and I
went out, promising to return and play piquet with her. I proceeded to
reline my purse, and I met Desarmoises, who said,

"I have found out the secret; they gave her coachman two Louis to
substitute a sick horse for his own."

"It's a matter of give and take," said I; "I am in love with the
chevalier's wife, and I am putting off my departure till I have got all I
want out of her."

"I am afraid you will have to pay pretty dearly for your pleasure.
However, I will do what I can for your interests."

I thanked him smilingly, and returned to the lady, whom I left at eight
o'clock under pretext of a violent headache, after having lost ten louis
to her. I reminded her of her promise for next morning at nine o'clock,
and I left her in the midst of the company.

It was a fine moonlight night as I walked towards the peasant's house,
where I was to see my dear M---- M---- once more. I was impatient to see
what the visit, on which the rest of my life might depend, would bring
forth.

I had taken the precaution to provide myself with a pair of pistols, and
my sword hung at my side, for I was not wholly devoid of suspicion in
this place, where there were so many adventurers; but at twenty paces
from the cottage I saw the woman coming towards me. She told me that the
nun could not come down, so I must be content to enter through the
window, by means of a ladder which she had placed there for the purpose.
I drew near,