of my mother, and as soon as she was in bed I was not longer in granting
what I desired as much as he. We went to the Greek's, ate and drank, and
our heated senses gained love's cause; we forgot our duty, and fancied
our misdemeanour a triumph.

"Afterwards we fell asleep, and when we awoke we saw our fault in the
clear, cold light of day. We parted sorrowful rather than rejoicing, and
the reception my mother gave me was like that you witnessed this morning.
I assured her that marriage would take away the shame of my sin, and with
this she took up a stick and would have done for me, if I had not taken
to my heels, more from instinct than from any idea of what I was doing.

"Once in the street I knew not where to turn, and taking refuge in a
church I stayed there like one in a dream till noon. Think of my
position. I was hungry, I had no refuge, nothing but the clothes I wore,
nothing that would get me a morsel of bread. A woman accosted me in the
street. I knew her and I also knew that she kept a servants' agency. I
asked her forthwith if she could get me a place.

"'I had enquiries about a maid this morning,' said she, 'but it is for a
gay woman, and you are pretty. You would have a good deal of difficulty
in remaining virtuous.'

"'I can keep off the infection,' I answered, 'and in the position I am in
I cannot pick and choose.'

"She thereupon took me to the lady, who was delighted to see me, and
still more delighted when I told her that I had never had anything to do
with a man. I have repented of this lie bitterly enough, for in the week
I spent at that profligate woman's house I have had to endure the most
humiliating insults that an honest girl ever suffered. No sooner did the
men who came to the house hear that I was a maid than they longed to
slake their brutal lust upon me, offering me gold if I would submit to
their caresses. I refused and was reviled, but that was not all. Five or
six times every day I was obliged to remain a witness of the disgusting
scenes enacted between my mistress and her customers, who, when I was
compelled to light them about the house at night, overwhelmed me with
insults, because I would not do them a disgusting service for a
twelve-sous piece. I could not bear this sort of life much longer, and I
was thinking of drowning myself. When you came you treated me so
ignominiously that my resolve to die was strengthened, but you were so
kind and polite as you went away that I fell i