When we had nearly finished dinner
Mdlle. Roman passed a compliment on my three fair waiting-maids, and this
giving me occasion to speak of their talents I got up and brought the
gloves I had purchased from them. Mdlle. Roman praised the quality of the
material and the work. I took the opportunity, and begged leave of the
aunt to give her and her niece a dozen pair apiece. I obtained this
favour, and I then gave Madame Morin the horoscope. Her husband read it,
and though an unbeliever he was forced to admire, as all the deductions
were taken naturally from the position of the heavenly bodies at the
instant of his daughter's birth. We spent a couple of hours in talking
about astrology, and the same time in playing at quadrille, and then we
took a walk in the garden, where I was politely left to enjoy the society
of the fair Roman.

Our dialogue, or rather my monologue, turned solely on the profound
impression she had made on me, on the passion she had inspired, on her
beauty, her goodness, the purity of my intentions, and on my need of
love, lest I should go down to the grave the most hapless of men.

"Sir," said she, at last, "if my destiny points to marriage I do not deny
that I should be happy to find a husband like you."

I was emboldened by this frank declaration, and seizing her hand I
covered it with fiery kisses, saying passionately that I hoped she would
not let me languish long. She turned her head to look for her aunt. It
was getting dark, and she seemed to be afraid of something happening to
her. She drew me gently with her, and on rejoining the other guests we
returned to the dining-room, where I made a small bank at faro for their
amusement. Madame Morin gave her daughter and niece, whose pockets were
empty, some money, and Valenglard directed their play so well that when
we left off to go to supper I had the pleasure of seeing that each of the
three ladies had won two or three louis.

We sat at table till midnight. A cold wind from the Alps stopped my plan
of proposing a short turn in the garden. Madame Morin overwhelmed me with
thanks for my entertainment, and I gave each of my lady-visitors a
respectful kiss.

I heard singing in the kitchen, and on going in I found Le Duc in a high
state of excitement and very drunk. As soon as he saw me he tried to
rise, but he lost his centre of gravity, and fell right under the kitchen
table. He was carried away to bed.

I thought this accident favourable to my