would take care
that he should be well paid.

I then began my talk with the abbe, telling him that he must get ready to
leave Marseilles the next day, and that I would pay for his journey to
Paris; but that if he did not like to do so, I should leave him to his
fate, and in three days he would be expelled from Marseilles. The coward
began to weep and said he would go to Paris.

"You must start for Lyons to-morrow, but you will first write me out an I
O U for twelve louis."

"Why?"

"Because I say so. If you do so I will give you twelve louis and tear up
the document before your face."

"I have no choice in the matter."

"You are right."

When he had written the I O U, I went to take a place in the diligence
for him, and the next morning I went with the advocate to withdraw the
arrest and to take back the twelve louis, which I gave to my brother in
the diligence, with a letter to M. Bono, whom I warned not to give him
any money, and to send him on to Paris by the same diligence. I then tore
up his note of hand, and wished him a pleasant journey.

Thus I got rid of this foolish fellow, whom I saw again in Paris in a
month's time.

The day I had my brother arrested and before I went to dine with Madame
d'Urfe I had an interview with Possano in the hope of discovering the
reason of his ill humour.

"The reason is," said he, "that I am sure you are going to lay hands on
twenty or thirty thousand crowns in gold and diamonds, which the
marchioness meant me to have."

"That may be, but it is not for you to know anything about it. I may tell
you that it rests entirely with me to prevent your getting anything. If
you think you can succeed go to the marchioness and make your complaints
to her. I will do nothing to prevent you."

"Then you think I am going to help you in your imposture for nothing; you
are very much mistaken. I want a thousand louis, and I will have it,
too."

"Then get somebody to give it you," said I; and I turned my back on him.

I went up to the marchioness and told her that dinner was ready, and that
we should dine alone, as I had been obliged to send the abbe away.

"He was an idiot; but how about Querilinthos?"

"After dinner Paralis will tell us all about him. I have strong
suspicions that there is something to be cleared up."

"So have I. The man seems changed. Where is he?"

"He is in bed, ill of a disease which I dare not so much as name to you."

"That is a very extraordinary c