he house belonged to him, and his pretty
wife, who was suckling a baby, begged me to come upstairs and see the
room. The street was a lonely one, and had a pleasing air of mystery
about it. I climbed to the third floor, but the rooms there were wretched
garrets of no use to me.

"The first floor," said the woman, "consists of a suite of four nice
rooms, but we only let them together."

"Let us go and see them. Good! they will do. What is the rent?"

"You must settle that with my husband."

"And can't I settle anything with you, my dear?"

So saying I gave her a kiss which she took very kindly, but she smelt of
nursing, which I detested, so I did not go any farther despite her
radiant beauty.

I made my bargain with the landlord, and paid a month's rent in advance
for which he gave me a receipt. It was agreed that I should come and go
as I pleased, and that he should provide me with food. I gave him a name
so common as to tell him nothing whatever about me, but he seemed to care
very little about that.

As I had agreed with Barbaro to visit the fair marchionesses, I dressed
carefully, and after a slight repast with the countess, who was pleasant
but did not quite please me, I met my fellow-countryman and we called on
the two cousins.

"I have come," said I, "to beg your pardons for having revealed to you
the secret of the snuff-box."

They blushed, and scolded Barbaro, thinking that he had betrayed them. On
examining them I found them far superior to Irene, my present flame, but
their manner, the respect they seemed to require, frightened me. I was
not at all disposed to dance attendance on them. Irene, on the contrary,
was an easy prey. I had only to do her parents a service, and she was in
my power; while the two cousins had their full share of aristocratic
pride, which debases the nobility to the level of the vilest of the
people, and only imposes upon fools, who after all are in the majority
everywhere. Further I was no longer at that brilliant age which fears
nothing, and I was afraid that my appearance would hardly overcome them.
It is true that Barbaro had made me hope that presents would be of some
use, but after what the Marquis Triulzi had said, I feared that Barbaro
had only spoken on supposition.

When the company was sufficiently numerous, the card-tables were brought
in. I sat down by Mdlle. Q----, and disposed myself to play for small
stakes. I was introduced by the aunt, the mistress of the ho