ally to see the poor poet in terror of experiencing the lust
of the flesh, for the profligate nobleman swore that if he made him lose
he would deliver him up to the brutal lust of all the abbes. He escaped,
probably through fear of the consequences.

The orgy came to an end when nobody had any further hopes of getting the
watch. The secret of the Lesbians was only employed, however, by the
abbes and the castrata. The girls, wishing to be able to despise those
who made use of it, refrained from doing so. I suspect they were actuated
by pride rather than shame, as they might possibly have employed it
without success.

This vile debauch disgusted me, and yet gave me a better knowledge of
myself. I could not help confessing that my life had been endangered, for
the only arm I had was my sword, but I should certainly have used it if
the earl had tried to treat me like the others, and as he had treated
poor Poinsinet. I never understood how it was that he respected me, for
he was quite drunk, and in a kind of Bacchic fury.

As I left, I promised to come and see him as often as he pleased, but I
promised myself never to set foot in his house again.

Next day, he came to see me in the afternoon, and asked me to walk with
him to the Villa Medici.

I complimented him on the immense wealth he had inherited to enable him
to live so splendidly, but he laughed and told me that he did not possess
fifty piastres, that his father had left nothing but debts, and that he
himself already owed three or four thousand crowns.

"I wonder people give you credit, then."

"They give me credit because everybody knows that I have drawn a bill of
exchange on Paris to the tune of two hundred thousand francs. But in four
or five days the bill will be returned protested, and I am only waiting
for that to happen to make my escape."

"If you are certain of its being protested, I advise you to make your
escape to-day; for as it is so large a sum it may be taken up before it
is due."

"No, I won't do that; I have one hope left. I have written to tell my
mother that I shall be undone if she does not furnish the banker, on whom
I have drawn the bill, with sufficient funds and if she does that, the
bill will be accepted. You know my mother is very fond of me."

"Yes, but I also know that she is far from rich."

"True, but M. de St. Aubin is rich enough, and between you and me I think
he is my father. Meanwhile, my creditors are almost as quiet as