six days afterwards, I met the little hussy at Vauxhall in
company with Goudar. I avoided her at first, but she came up to me
reproaching me for my rudeness. I replied coolly enough, but affecting
not to notice my manner, she asked me to come into an arbour with her and
take a cup of tea.

"No, thank you," I replied, "I prefer supper."

"Then I will take some too, and you will give it me, won't you, just to
shew that you bear no malice?"

I ordered supper for four and we sat down together as if we had been
intimate friends.

Her charming conversation combined with her beauty gradually drew me
under her charm, and as the drink began to exercise its influence over
me, I proposed a turn in one of the dark walks, expressing a hope that I
should fare better than Lord Pembroke. She said gently, and with an
appearance of sincerity that deceived me, that she wanted to be mine, but
by day and on the condition that I would come and see her every day.

"I will do so, but first give me one little proof of your love."

"Most certainly not."

I got up to pay the bill, and then I left without a word, refusing to
take her home. I went home by myself and went to bed.

The first thought when I awoke was that I was glad she had not taken me
at my word; I felt very strongly that it was to my interest to break off
all connection between that creature and myself. I felt the strength of
her influence over me, and that my only way was to keep away from her, or
to renounce all pretension to the possession of her charms.

The latter plan seemed to me impossible, so I determined to adhere to the
first; but the wretched woman had resolved to defeat all my plans. The
manner in which she succeeded must have been the result of a council of
the whole society.

A few days after the Vauxhall supper Goudar called on me, and began by
congratulating me on my resolution not to visit the Ansperghers any more,
"for," said he, "the girl would have made you more and more in love with
her, and in the end she would have seduced you to beggary."

"You must think me a great fool. If I had found her kind I should have
been grateful, but without squandering all my money; and if she had been
cruel, instead of ridiculous, I might have given her what I have already
given her every day, without reducing myself to beggary."

"I congratulate you; it shews that you are well off. But have you made up
your mind not to see her again?"

"Certainly."

"Then you