: it was supposed
that I had drowned myself; and as they had no further occasion for her
services, she was dismissed, and joined me at her father's cottage. I
remained there for more than a year, when I thought it advisable to
move, and come to Marseilles I where I obtained the situation of
housekeeper to this old gentleman, who has treated me more like a
daughter than a domestic. Now, Mr Francois, can you give so good an
account of yourself?"

"Not quite, Cerise; but I can honestly declare, that when I thought you
alive, I never forgot you; and believing you dead, I never ceased to
lament you, nor have I looked at a woman since. Our old friend below
can prove it, by my answer when he cautioned me against the charms of
his housekeeper."

I did not, your highness, tell the whole truth to Cerise; for I have
always considered it perfectly justifiable to retain facts which cannot
add to people's happiness. I declared that I left her because my life
would have been forfeited if I had remained, and I valued it only for
her sake. That I always intended to return; and when I quitted
Valencia, and had become a man of property, I immediately proceeded to
make inquiries, and heard the news of her death. Neither did I acquaint
her with the profession which I had followed; I merely stated that my
father was a man of eminence, and that he had died rich--for although
people of good family will sometimes bow to love, taking the risk of
high or low birth, they are always mortified when they discover that
their ticket in the lottery has turned up a blank.

Cerise was satisfied--we renewed our vows--and the old gentleman, who
declared that of all the secrets in his possession ours would be the
most dangerous to him if discovered, was not sorry to see us united, and
quit the house.

I obtained two thirds of my fortune from the claimant; and with it and
my wife repaired to Toulon.

For one year I enjoyed uninterrupted happiness. My wife was every thing
to me, and so far from leaving her in search of variety, I could not
bear to go out of the house unless she accompanied me: but we were
living much too fast, and at the end of the year I found one third of my
property had been spent. My affection would not permit me to reduce my
wife to beggary, and I determined to take some measures to secure the
means of future existence. Consulting her on the occasion, with many
tears Cerise acknowledged my prudence; and having divided the r