paid two hundred gold ducats for the lot, but on the condition that if
anybody came to know that I had bought them by any indiscretion of his he
should give me the money and take back the materials in whatever
condition they might be in. The agreement was written out and signed, and
I returned with the tailor, who carried the whole bundle to my rooms over
the pastrycook's.

When it was all spread out on the table I told the tailor that I would
blow out his brains if he told anybody about it, and then taking a
stiletto I proceeded to cut and slash the coats, vests, and trousers all
over, to the astonishment of the tailor, who thought I must be mad to
treat such beautiful clothes in this manner.

After this operation, which makes me laugh to this day when I remember
it, I took the scraps I had bought and said to the tailor,--

"Now, 'gossip, it is your turn; I want you to sew in these pieces into
the holes I have made, and I hope your tailoring genius will aid you to
produce some pretty contrasts. You see that you have got your work cut
out for you and no time to lose. I will see that your meals are properly
served in an adjoining chamber, but you must not leave the house till the
work is finished. I will go for your wife, who will help you, and you can
sleep together."

"For God's sake, sir! you don't want the ladies' dresses treated like the
coats and trousers?"

"Just the same."

"What a pity! it will make my wife cry."

"I will console her."

On my way to Zenobia's I bought five pairs of white silk stockings, men's
and women's gloves, two fine castor hats, two burlesque men's masks, and
three graceful-looking female masks. I also bought two pretty china
plates, and I carried them all to Zenobia's in a sedan-chair.

I found that charming woman engaged in her toilet. Her beautiful tresses
hung about her neck, and her full breast was concealed by no kerchief.
Such charms called for my homage, and to begin with I devoured her with
kisses. I spent half an hour with her, and my readers will guess that it
was well employed. I then helped her to finish her toilette, and we went
off in the sedan-chair.

We found the tailor engaged in picking out the scraps and cutting them to
fit the holes I had made. Zenobia looked on in a kind of stupor, and when
she saw me begin to slash the dresses she turned pale and made an
involuntary motion to stay my hand, for not knowing my intentions she
thought I must be beside myself.