d for a Jew of
Pesaro, whom she had never seen, engaged all my attention. I remarked to
her that if she had not seen her future husband she could not be in love
with him, whereupon she replied in a serious voice that it was not
necessary to be in love before one married. The old woman praised the
girl for this sentiment, and said she had not been in love with her
husband till the first child was born.

I shall call the pretty Jewess Leah, as I have good reasons for not using
her real name.

While they were enjoying their meal I sat down beside her and tried to
make myself as agreeable as possible, but she would not even look at me.

My supper was excellent, and my bed very comfortable.

The next day my landlord told me that I could give my linen to the maid,
and that Leah could get it up for me.

I told him I had relished my supper, but that I should like the foie gras
every day as I had a dispensation.

"You shall have some to-morrow, but Leah is the only one of us who eats
it."

"Then Leah must take it with me, and you can tell her that I shall give
her some Cyprus wine which is perfectly pure."

I had no wine, but I went for it the same morning to the Venetian consul,
giving him M. Dandolo's letter.

The consul was a Venetian of the old leaven. He had heard my name, and
seemed delighted to make my acquaintance. He was a kind of clown without
the paint, fond of a joke, a regular gourmand, and a man of great
experience. He sold me some Scopolo and old Cyprus Muscat, but he began
to exclaim when he heard where I was lodging, and how I had come there.

"He is rich," he said, "but he is also a great usurer, and if you borrow
money of him he will make you repent it."

After informing the consul that I should not leave till the end of the
month, I went home to dinner, which proved excellent.

The next day I gave out my linen to the maid, and Leah came to ask me how
I liked my lace got up.

If Leah had examined me more closely she would have seen that the sight
of her magnificent breast, unprotected by any kerchief, had had a
remarkable effect on me.

I told her that I left it all to her, and that she could do what she
liked with the linen.

"Then it will all come under my hands if you are in no hurry to go."

"You can make me stay as long as you like," said I; but she seemed not to
hear this declaration.

"Everything is quite right," I continued, "except the chocolate; I like
it well frothed."

"Then