l, sir. I have fallen myself, and I should be cruel and unjust
if I were to take offence at anything you may tell me, for you cannot
have done anything with her that Coudert did not do to me."

"I did much more and much less, for I never gave her a child. If I had
been so unfortunate I should have carried her off to Rome, where we
should have fallen at the feet of the Holy Father, who would have
absolved her from her vows, and my dear M---- M---- would now be my wife."

"Good heavens M---- M---- is my name."

This circumstance, which was really a mere coincidence, rendered our
meeting still more wonderful, and astonished me as much as it did her.
Chance is a curious and fickle element, but it often has the greatest
influence on our lives.

After a brief silence I told her all that had taken place between the
fair Venetian and myself. I painted our amorous combats in a lively and
natural manner, for, besides my recollections, I had her living picture
before my eyes, and I could follow on her features the various emotions
aroused by my recital. When I had finished she said,

"But is your M---- M---- really so like me, that you mistook me for her?"

Drawing from my pocket-book the portrait in which M---- M---- was dressed
as a nun, I gave it to her, saying,

"Judge for yourself."

"She really is; it might pass for my portrait. It is my dress and my
face; it is wonderful. To this likeness I owe all my good fortune. Thanks
be to God that you do not love me as you loved her, whom I am glad to
call my sister. There are indeed two M---- M---- s. Mighty Providence, all
Thy least ways are wonderful, and we are at best poor, weak, ignorant
mortals."

The worthy country-woman came up and have us a still better supper than
on the previous night. The invalid only ate soup, but she promised to do
better by the following evening.

I spent an hour with her after supper, and I convinced her by my reserve
that she had made a mistake in thinking that I only loved her as a
daughter. Of her own accord she shewed me that her breast had regained
its usual condition. I assured myself of the fact by my sense of touch,
to which she made no opposition, not thinking that I could be moved by
such a trifle. All the kisses which I lavished on her lips and eyes she
put down to the friendship for her. She said, smiling, that she thanked
God she was not fair like her sister, and I smiled myself at her
simplicity.

But I could not keep up thi