"Who knows? I may eventually do so."

I called on the Princess Santa Croce at three o'clock, and found her in
bed, with the cardinal reading to her.

The first question she asked was, why I had left the opera at the end of
the second act.

"Princess, I can tell you an interesting history of my six hours of
adventure, but you must give me a free hand, for some of the episodes
must be told strictly after nature."

"Is it anything in the style of Sister M---- M----?" asked the cardinal.

"Yes, my lord, something of the kind."

"Princess, will you be deaf?" said his eminence,

"Of course I will," she replied.

I then told my tale almost as I have written it. The slipping oysters and
the game of blind man's buff made the princess burst with laughing, in
spite of her deafness. She agreed with the cardinal that I had acted with
great discretion, and told me that I should be sure to succeed on the
next attempt.

"In three or four days," said the cardinal, "you will have the
dispensation, and then Emilie can marry whom she likes."

The next morning the Florentine came to see me at nine o'clock, and I
found him to answer to the marchioness's description; but I had a bone to
pick with him, and I was none the better pleased when he began asking me
about the young person in my box at the theatre; he wanted to know
whether she were married or engaged, if she had father, mother, or any
other relations.

I smiled sardonically, and begged to be excused giving him the required
information, as the young lady was masked when he saw her.

He blushed, and begged my pardon.

I thanked him for doing Margarita the honour of accepting a cup of coffee
from her hands, and begged him to take one with me, saying I would
breakfast with him next morning. He lived with Roland, opposite St.
Charles, where Madame Gabrieli, the famous singer, nicknamed la Coghetta,
lived.

As soon as the Florentine was gone, I went to St. Paul's in hot haste,
for I longed to see what reception I should have from the two vestals I
had initiated so well.

When they appeared I noticed a great change. Emilie had become gay, while
Armelline looked sad.

I told the former that she should have her dispensation in three days,
and her warrant for four hundred crowns in a week.

"At the same time," I added, "you shall have your grant of two hundred
crowns."

At this happy tidings she ran to tell the superioress of her good
fortune.

As soon as I was al