t Anneci."

"You should write to the princess."

"I dare not."

"I will see her myself, and I will see M. de Coudert. In fine, I will
move heaven and earth, I will even go to the bishop, to obtain an
extension of your leave; for it is out of the question for you to return
to the convent in your present situation. You must decide, for I can do
nothing without your consent. Will you trust in me? If so, I will bring
you a man's clothes to-morrow and take you to Italy with me, and while I
live I swear I will care for you."

For reply, I only heard long-drawn sobs, which distressed me beyond
words, for I felt acutely the situation of this poor creature whom Heaven
had made to be a mother, and whom the cruelty of her parents had
condemned to be a useless nun.

Not knowing what else to say, I took her hand and promised to return the
next day and hear her decision, for it was absolutely necessary that she
should decide on some plan. I went away by the ladder, and gave a second
louis to the worthy woman, telling her that I should be with her on the
morrow at the same hour, but that I should like to be able to enter by
the door. I begged her to give the lay-sister a stronger dose of opium,
so that there should be no fear of her awaking while I talked with the
young nun.

I went to bed glad at heart that I had been wrong in thinking that the
nun was M---- M----. Nevertheless the great likeness between them made me
wish to see her nearer at hand, and I was sure that she would not refuse
me the privilege of looking at her the next day. I smiled at the thought
of the ardent kisses I had given her, but I felt that I could not leave
her to her fate. I was glad to find that I did not need any sensual
motive to urge me to a good deed, for as soon as I found that it was not
M---- M---- who had received those tender kisses I felt ashamed of having
given them. I had not even given her a friendly kiss when I left her.

In the morning Desarmoises came and told me that all the company, not
seeing me at supper, had been puzzling itself to find out what had become
of me. Madame Zeroli had spoken enthusiastically about me, and had taken
the jests of the two other ladies in good part, boasting that she could
keep me at Aix as long as she remained there herself. The fact was that I
was not amorous but curious where she was concerned, and I should have
been sorry to have left the place without obtaining complete possession
of her, for once a