doubtless, is the reader who may be censuring my conduct. This charming
girl, who still, after all these years, dwells in my old heart, asked me
to take her back to the inn, as she wanted to pack up her trunks. We left
directly, after having promised to come to dinner on the following day.

I wept bitterly when I got to my room. I told Clairmont to see that the
carriage was in good order, and then, hastily undressing, I flung myself
on the bed in my dressing-gown, and wept as if some blessing was being
taken from me against my will. Marcoline, who was much more sensible, did
what she could to console me, but I liked to torment myself, and her
words did but increase my despair.

"Reflect," said she, "that it is not I who am leaving you, but you who
are sending me away; that I long to spend the rest of my days with you,
and that you have only got to say a word to keep me."

I knew that she was right; but still a fatal fear which has always swayed
me, the fear of being bound to anyone, and the hypocrisy of a libertine
ever longing for change, both these feelings made me persist in my
resolution and my sadness.

About six o'clock MM. Morosini and Querini came into the courtyard and
looked at the carriage, which was being inspected by the wheelwright.
They spoke to Clairmont, and then came to see us.

"Good heavens!" said M. Querini, seeing the numerous boxes which she was
going to place on her carriage; and when he had heard that her carriage
was the one he had just looked at, he seemed surprised; it was indeed a
very good vehicle.

M. Morosini told Marcoline that if she liked to sell it when she got to
Venice he would give her a thousand Venetian ducats, or three thousand
francs for it.

"You might give her double that amount," said I, "for it is worth three
thousand ducats."

"We will arrange all that," said he; and Querini added,--

"It will be a considerable addition to the capital she proposes to
invest."

After some agreeable conversation I told M. Querini that I would give him
a bill of exchange for five thousand ducats, which, with the three or
four thousand ducats the sale of her jewellery would realize, and the
thousand for the carriage, would give her a capital of nine or ten
thousand ducats, the interest of which would bring her in a handsome
income.

Next morning I got M. Bono to give me a bill of exchange on M. Querini's
order, and at dinner-time Marcoline handed it over to her new protector,
w