hall not hear the sounds of
disapproval. But as yet the reader has not seen the last and I think the
most interesting scene of the first act.

I went for a walk in the Green Park and met Goudar. I was glad to see
him, as the rogue was useful to me.

"I have just been at the Charpillons," he began; "they were all in high
spirits. I tried in vain to turn the conversation on you, but not a word
would they utter."

"I despise them entirely," I rejoined, "I don't want to have anything
more to do with them."

He told me I was quite right, and advised me to persevere in my plan. I
made him dine with me, and then we went to see the well-known procuress,
Mrs. Wells, and saw the celebrated courtezan, Kitty Fisher, who was
waiting for the Duke of---- to take her to a ball. She was magnificently
dressed, and it is no exaggeration to say that she had on diamonds worth
five hundred thousand francs. Goudar told me that if I liked I might have
her then and there for ten guineas. I did not care to do so, however,
for, though charming, she could only speak English, and I liked to have
all my senses, including that of hearing, gratified. When she had gone,
Mrs. Wells told us that Kitty had eaten a bank-note for a thousand
guineas, on a slice of bread and butter, that very day. The note was a
present from Sir Akins, brother of the fair Mrs. Pitt. I do not know
whether the bank thanked Kitty for the present she had made it.

I spent an hour with a girl named Kennedy, a fair Irishwoman, who could
speak a sort of French, and behaved most extravagantly under the
influence of champagne; but the image of the Charpillon was still before
me, though I knew it not, and I could not enjoy anything. I went home
feeling sad and ill pleased with myself. Common sense told me to drive
all thoughts of that wretched woman out of my head, but something I
called honour bade me not leave her the triumph of having won the two
bills of exchange from me for nothing, and made me determine to get them
back by fair means or foul.

M. Malingan, at whose house I had made the acquaintance of this creature,
come and asked me to dinner. He had asked me to dine with him several
times before, and I had always refused, and now I would not accept until
I had heard what guests he had invited. The names were all strange to me,
so I agreed to come.

When I arrived I found two young ladies from Liege, in one of whom I got
interested directly. She introduced me to her husb