the circulation in commerce. He possesses a treasure which he does not
utilize, and of which there are so many who would make good use of it.

What sort of a mistress is that who is retained by force of reason?
What languor reigns in her society, what violence must one not employ
to say there is love when it has ceased to exist? It is seldom that
passion ceases in both parties at the same time, and then constancy is
a veritable tyrant; I compare it to the tyrant of antiquity who put
people to death by tying them to dead bodies. Constancy condemns us to
the same punishment. Discard such a baleful precedent to the liberty
of association.

Believe me, follow your tastes, for the court lady you mentioned; she
may weary you at times, it is true, but at least she will not degrade
you. If, as you say, she is as little intelligent as she is beautiful,
her reign will soon be over. Your place in her heart will soon be
vacant, and I do not doubt that another or even several other
gallantries will follow yours. Perhaps you will not wait for the end,
for I see by your letter that you are becoming a man of fashion. The
new system you have adopted makes it certain, nothing can be better
arranged. Never finish one affair without having commenced another;
never withdraw from the first except in proportion as the second one
progresses. Nothing can be better, but in spite of such wise
precautions, you may find yourself destitute of any, as, for example,
some event beyond the reach of human foresight may interfere with
these arrangements, may have for principle always to finish with all
the mistresses at once, before enabling you to find any one to keep
you busy during the interregnum. I feel free to confess, Marquis, that
such an arrangement is as prudent as can be imagined, and I do not
doubt that you will be well pleased with a plan so wisely conceived.
Adieu.

I do not know where I obtain the courage to write you such long and
foolish letters. I find a secret charm in entertaining you, which I
should suspect if I did not know my heart so well. I have been
reflecting that it is now without any affair, and I must henceforth be
on my guard against you, for you have very often thought proper to say
very tender things to me, and I might think proper to believe in their
sincerity.

L

Some Women Are Very Cunning

You may derive as much amusement out of it as you wish, Marquis, but I
shall continue to tell you that you are not