r abilities had been dictated merely by politeness, and she waited
till we were alone to make me confess as much.

Her worthy father, who believed entirely in the infallibility of our
oracles, had the curiosity to put the same question to both of us, to see
if we should agree in the answer. Esther was delighted with the idea, as
she suspected that the one answer would flatly contradict the other, and
M. d'O having written his question on two sheets of paper gave them to
us. Esther went up to her own room for the operation, and I questioned
the oracle on the table at which we had had dinner, in the presence of
the father. Esther was quick, as she came down before I had extracted
from the pyramid the letters which were to compose my reply, but as I
knew what to say as soon as I saw her father read the answer she gave him
I was not long in finishing what I had to do.

M. d'O---- asked if he should try to get rid of the French securities he
held in spite of the loss he would incur by selling out.

Esther's oracle replied,

"You must sow plentifully before you reap. Pluck not up the vine before
the season of the vintage, for your vine is planted in a fruitful soil."

Mine ran as follows:--

"If you sell out you will repent, for there will be a new
comptroller-general, who will pay all claims before another year has
elapsed."

Esther's answer was conceived in the sibylline style, and I admired the
readiness of her wit; but mine went right to the point, and the worthy
man embraced us joyfully, and, taking his hat and stick, said that since
our replies agreed he would run the risk of losing three million francs
and make a profit of five or six hundred thousand in the course of the
year. His daughter began to recant, and would have warned him against the
danger, but he, who was as firm as a Mussulman, kissed her again, saying,

"The oracle is not wont to lie, and even if it does deceive me this time
it will only be a fourth part of my fortune that I shall lose."

When Esther and I were alone I began to compliment her, much to her
delight, on the cleverness of her answer, the elegance of her style, and
her boldness, for she could not be as well acquainted with French affairs
as I was.

"I am much obliged to you," said she, "for having confirmed my reply, but
confess that you lied to please me."

"I confess, since that will please you, and I will even tell you that you
have nothing more to learn."

"You are a cruel m