he reason is, that I like to be my own master. A mistress at my
coat-tails would be more troublesome than a wife; she would be an
obstacle to the numerous pleasant adventures I encounter at every town.
For example, if I had a mistress I should not be able to take the
charming Irene to the ball to-morrow."

"You speak like a wise man."

"Yes, though my wisdom is by no means of the austere kind."

In the evening I went to the opera, and should no doubt have gone to the
card-table if I had not seen Cesarino in the pit. I spent two delightful
hours with him. He opened his heart to me, and begged me to plead for him
with his sister to get her consent to his going to sea, for which he had
a great longing. He said that he might make a large fortune by a
judicious course of trading. After a temperate supper with my dear boy, I
went to bed. The next morning the fine young officer, the Marchioness of
Q----'s brother, came and asked me to give him a breakfast. He said he
had communicated my proposal to his sister, and that she had replied that
I must be making a fool of him, as it was not likely that a man who lived
as I did would be thinking of marrying.

"I did not tell you that I aspired to the honour of marrying her."

"No, and I did not say anything about marriage; but that's what the girls
are always aiming at."

"I must go and disabuse her of the notion."

"That's a good idea; principals are always the best in these affairs.
Come at two o'clock, I shall be dining there, and as I have got to speak
to her cousin you will be at liberty to say what you like."

This arrangement suited me exactly. I noticed that my future
brother-in-law admired a little gold case on my night-table, so I begged
him to accept it as a souvenir of our friendship. He embraced me, and put
it in his pocket, saying he would keep it till his dying day.

"You mean till the day when it advances your suit with a lady," said I.

I was sure of having a good supper with Irene, so I resolved to take no
dinner. As the count had gone to St. Angelo, fifteen miles from Milan,
the day before, I felt obliged to wait on the countess in her room, to
beg her to excuse my presence at dinner. She was very polite, and told me
by no means to trouble myself. I suspected that she was trying to impose
on me, but I wanted her to think she was doing so successfully. In my
character of dupe I told her that in Lent I would make amends for the
dissipation which prevented m