n these bills were presented I was
in England, and being badly off I had to have them protested. Five years
later, when I was at Barcelona, M. de Grimaldi was urged by a traitor to
have me imprisoned, but he knew enough of me to be sure that if I did not
meet the bills it was from sheer inability to do so. He even wrote me a
very polite letter, in which he gave the name of my enemy, assuring me
that he would never take any steps to compel me to pay the money. This
enemy was Possano, who was also at Barcelona, though I was not aware of
his presence. I will speak of the circumstance in due time, but I cannot
help remarking that all who aided me in my pranks with Madame d'Urfe
proved traitors, with the exception of a Venetian girl, whose
acquaintance the reader will make in the following chapter.

In spite of my losses I enjoyed myself, and had plenty of money, for
after all I had only lost what I had won at biribi. Rosalie often dined
with us, either alone or with her husband, and I supped regularly at her
home with my niece, whose love affair seemed quite promising. I
congratulated her upon the circumstance, but she persisted in her
determination to take refuge from the world in a cloister. Women often do
the most idiotic things out of sheer obstinacy; possibly they deceive
even themselves, and act in good faith; but unfortunately, when the veil
falls from before their eyes, they see but the profound abyss into which
their folly had plunged them.

In the meanwhile, my niece had become so friendly and familiar that she
would often come and sit on my bed in the morning when Annette was still
in my arms. Her presence increased my ardour, and I quenched the fires on
the blonde which the brunette was kindling. My niece seemed to enjoy the
sight, and I could see that her senses were being pleasantly tortured.
Annette was short-sighted, and so did not perceive my distractions, while
my fair niece caressed me slightly, knowing that it would add to my
pleasures. When she thought I was exhausted she told Annette to get up
and leave me alone with her, as she wanted to tell me something. She then
began to jest and toy, and though her dress was extremely disordered she
seemed to think that her charms would exercise no power over me. She was
quite mistaken, but I was careful not to undeceive her for fear of losing
her confidence. I watched the game carefully, and noting how little by
little her familiarity increased, I felt sure that