runk, and that I
would bring the rest aboard whenever he liked to go.

"I intend setting out an hour before dusk."

"I shall be ready."

When Mardocheus heard where I was going he begged me to take charge of a
small box and a letter he wanted to send to a friend.

"I shall be delighted to do you this small service."

At dinner Leah sat down with me and chattered as usual, without troubling
herself about my monosyllabic answers.

I supposed she wished me to credit her with calm confidence and
philosophy, while I looked upon it all as brazen impudence.

I hated and despised her. She had inflamed my passions, told me to my
face she did not love me, and seemed to claim my respect through it all.
Possibly she expected me to be grateful for her remark that she believed
me incapable of betraying her to her father.

As she drank my Scopolo she said there were several bottles left, as well
as some Muscat.

"I make you a present of it all," I replied, "it will prime you up for
your nocturnal orgies."

She smiled and said I had had a gratuitous sight of a spectacle which was
worth money, and that if I were not going so suddenly she would gladly
have given me another opportunity.

This piece of impudence made me want to break the wine bottle on her
head. She must have known what I was going to do from the way I took it
up, but she did not waver for a moment. This coolness of hers prevented
my committing a crime.

I contented myself with saying that she was the most impudent slut I had
ever met, and I poured the wine into my glass with a shaking hand, as if
that were the purpose for which I had taken up the bottle.

After this scene I got up and went into the next room; nevertheless, in
half an hour she came to take coffee with me.

This persistence of hers disgusted me, but I calmed myself by the
reflection that her conduct must be dictated by vengeance.

"I should like to help you to pack," said she.

"And I should like to be left alone," I replied; and taking her by the
arm I led her out of the room and locked the door after her.

We were both of us in the right. Leah had deceived and humiliated me, and
I had reason to detest her, while I had discovered her for a monster of
hypocrisy and immodesty, and this was good cause for her to dislike me.

Towards evening two sailors came after the rest of the luggage, and
thanking my hostess I told Leah to put up my linen, and to give it to her
father, who had taken t