ble attachment,--
Sir, your most devoted slave,
PEPIN CLOTHAIRE CHARLE HENRI LOOUIS BARNABE DE FUMIER."

This epistle was so equivocal, that the persons to whom it was addressed
did not know whether or not they ought to interpret the contents into a
challenge; when our hero observed, that the ambiguity of his expressions
plainly proved there was a door left open for accommodation; and proposed
that they should forthwith visit the writer at his own apartment. They
accordingly followed his advice, and found the abbe in his morning gown
and slippers, with three huge nightcaps on his head, and a crape hat-band
tied over the middle of his face, by way of bandage to his nose. He
received his visitors with the most ridiculous solemnity, being still a
stranger to the purport of their errand; but soon as the Westphalian
declared they were come in consequence of his billet, in order to ask
pardon for the undesigned offence they had given, his features retrieved
their natural vivacity, and he professed himself perfectly satisfied with
their polite acknowledgment. Then they condoled him upon the evil plight
of his nose, and seeing some marks upon his shirt, asked with seeming
concern, if he had lost any blood in the fray? To this interrogation he
replied, that he had still a sufficient quantity left for the occasions
of his friends; and that he should deem it his greatest glory to expend
the last drop of it in their service.

Matters being thus amicably adjusted, they prevailed upon him to unease
his nose, which retained no signs of the outrage he had suffered; and the
amusements of the day were concerted. It was in consequence of this
plan, that, after the comedy, they were entertained at the count's
lodgings, where quadrille was proposed by the abbe, as the most innocent
pastime, and the proposal was immediately embraced by all present, and by
none with more alacrity than by our adventurer, who, without putting
forth a moiety of his skill, went home with twenty louis clear gain.
Though, far from believing himself greatly superior to the rest of the
party, in the artifices of play, he justly suspected that they had
concealed their skill, with a view of stripping him on some other
occasion; for he could not suppose that persons of their figure and
character should be, in reality, such novices as they affected to appear.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

HE OVERLOOKS THE ADVANCES OF HIS FRIENDS, AND SMARTS SEVERELY