y point being thus gained, I acted, as I always do,
generously towards him. I said that, for security's sake, I should send
the emerald out of the country, but that I pledged my honour to restore
it to the Duchess, without any pecuniary consideration, on the day when
she should procure the sovereign's consent to my union with the Countess
Ida.

This will explain pretty clearly, I flatter myself, the game I was
playing; and, though some rigid moralist may object to its propriety, I
say that anything is fair in love, and that men so poor as myself can't
afford to be squeamish about their means of getting on in life. The
great and rich are welcomed, smiling, up the grand staircase of the
world; the poor but aspiring must clamber up the wall, or push and
struggle up the back stair, or, PARDI, crawl through any of the conduits
of the house, never mind how foul and narrow, that lead to the top. The
unambitious sluggard pretends that the eminence is not worth attaining,
declines altogether the struggle, and calls himself a philosopher. I say
he is a poor-spirited coward. What is life good for but for honour? and
that is so indispensable, that we should attain it anyhow.

The manner to be adopted for Magny's retreat was proposed by myself, and
was arranged so as to consult the feelings of delicacy of both parties.
I made Magny take the Countess Ida aside, and say to her, 'Madam, though
I have never declared myself your admirer, you and the Court have had
sufficient proof of my regard for you; and my demand would, I know, have
been backed by his Highness, your august guardian. I know the Duke's
gracious wish is, that my attentions should be received favourably; but,
as time has not appeared to alter your attachment elsewhere, and as I
have too much spirit to force a lady of your name and rank to be united
to me against your will, the best plan is, that I should make you, for
form's sake, a proposal UNauthorised by his Highness: that you should
reply, as I am sorry to think your heart dictates to you, in the
negative: on which I also will formally withdraw from my pursuit of
you, stating that, after a refusal, nothing, not even the Duke's desire,
should induce me to persist in my suit.'

The Countess Ida almost wept at hearing these words from Monsieur de
Magny, and tears came into her eyes, he said, as she took his hand for
the first time, and thanked him for the delicacy of the proposal. She
little knew that the Frenchman was