me."

"Good! but what did she say of me?"

I gave her a report of the whole conversation I had had with my niece the
night before, and she was delighted."

"As you have not yet gone far with your niece, would you object if the
young man who shewed her so much attention yesterday were of the party
to-morrow?"

"Who is he? I should like to know him."

"M. N----, the only son of a rich merchant."

"Certainly, bring him with you."

When I got home I went to my niece, who was still in bed, and told her
that her fellow-countryman would dine with us to-morrow. I comforted her
with the assurance that M. Paretti would not tell her father that she was
in Genoa. She had been a good deal tormented with the idea that the
merchant would inform her father of all.

As I was going out to supper I told her that she could go and sup with
Rosalie, or take supper at home if she preferred it.

"You are too kind to me, my dear uncle. I will go to Rosalie's."

"Very good. Are you satisfied with Annette?"

"Oh! by the way, she told me that you spent last night with her, and that
you had been her lover and her sister's at the same time."

"It is true, but she is very indiscreet to say anything about it."

"We must forgive her, though. She told me that she only consented to
sleep with you on the assurance that I was really your niece. I am sure
she only made this confession out of vanity, and in the hope of gaining
my favour, which would be naturally bestowed on a woman you love."

"I wish you had the right to be jealous of her; and I swear that if she
does not comport herself with the utmost obedience to you in every
respect, I will send her packing, in despite of our relations. As for
you, you may not be able to love me, and I have no right to complain; but
I will not have you degrade yourself by becoming my submissive victim."

I was not sorry for my niece to know that I made use of Annette, but my
vanity was wounded at the way she took it. It was plain that she was not
at all in love with me, and that she was glad that there was a safeguard
in the person of her maid, and that thus we could be together without
danger, for she could not ignore the power of her charms.

We dined together, and augured well of the skill of the new cook. M.
Paretti had promised to get me a good man, and he presented himself just
as we were finishing dinner, and I made a present of him to my niece. We
went for a drive together, and I left my niece