my former state, and I soon felt in a condition to
renew my sacrifices to the deity for whom I had suffered so much.

I fell in love with the cook and Gertrude, who were both young and
pretty. I imparted my love to both of them at once, for I had foreseen
that if I attacked them separately I should conquer neither. Besides, I
felt that I had not much time to lose, as I had promised to sup with
Madame, d'Urfe on the first night of the year 1761 in a suite of rooms
she had furnished for me in the Rue de Bac. She had adorned the rooms
with superb tapestry made for Rene of Savoy, on which were depicted all
the operations of the Great Work. She wrote to me that she had heard that
Santis had recovered from the wound I had given him, and had been
committed to the Bicetre for fraud.

Gertrude and Anna Midel occupied my leisure moments agreeably enough
during the rest of my stay at Augsburg, but they did not make me neglect
society. I spent my evenings in a very agreeable manner with Count Max de
Lamberg, who occupied the position of field-marshal to the prince-bishop.
His wife had all the attractions which collect good company together. At
this house I made the acquaintance of the Baron von Selentin, a captain
in the Prussian service, who was recruiting for the King of Prussia at
Augsburg. I was particularly drawn to the Count Lamberg by his taste for
literature. He was an extremely learned man, and has published some
excellent works. I kept up a correspondence with him till his death, by
his own fault, in 1792, four years from the time of my writing. I say by
his fault, but I should have said by the fault of his doctors, who
treated him mercurially for a disease which was not venereal; and this
treatment not only killed him but took away his good name.

His widow is still alive, and lives in Bavaria, loved by her friends and
her daughters, who all made excellent marriages.

At this time a miserable company of Italian actors made their appearance
in Augsburg, and I got them permission to play in a small and wretched
theatre. As this was the occasion of an incident which diverted me, the
hero, I shall impart it to my readers in the hope of its amusing them
also.

CHAPTER XIV

The Actors--Bassi--The Girl From Strasburg The Female Count-
-My Return to Paris I Go to Metz--Pretty Raton--The
Pretended Countess Lascaris

A woman, ugly enough, but lively like all Italians, called on me, and
asked me to inte