is what you would discover in any gallant
association you aspire to form with me. All I have said about women
and love, has not given you any information as to my line of conduct
on such an occasion. There is a vast difference between feeling and
thinking; between talking for one's own account and pleading the cause
of another. You would, therefore, find in me many singularities that
might strike you unfavorably. I do not feel as other women. You might
know them all without knowing Ninon, and believe me, the novelties you
would discover would not compensate you for the trouble you might take
to please me.

It is useless to exaggerate the value you put upon my conquest, that I
tell you plainly; you are expending too much on hope, I am not able to
respond. Remain where you are in a brilliant career. The court offers
you a thousand beautiful women, with whom you do not risk, as you
would with me, becoming weary of philosophy, of too much intelligence.

I do not disguise the fact, however, that I would have been glad to
see you to-day. My head was split all the afternoon over a dispute on
the ancients and moderns. I am still out of humor on the subject, and
feel tempted to agree with you that I am not so far along on the
decline of life as to confine myself to science, and especially to the
gentlemen of antiquity.

If you could only restrain yourself and pay me fewer compliments it is
not to be doubted that I would prefer to have you come and enliven my
serious occupations rather than any one else. But you are such an
unmanageable man, so wicked, that I am afraid to invite you to come
and sup with me to-morrow. I am mistaken, for it is now two hours
after midnight, and I recollect that my letter will not be handed you
before noon. So it is to-day I shall expect you. Have you any fault to
find? It is a formal rendezvous, to be sure, but let the fearlessness
in appointing it be a proof that I am not very much afraid of you, and
that I shall believe in as much of your soft talk as I deem proper.
You understand that it will not be I who can be imposed upon by that.
I know men so well----

LIV

A Shrewd But Not an Unusual Scheme

This is not the time, Marquis, to hide from you the true sentiments of
the Countess in your regard. However much I have been able to keep her
secret without betraying her friendship, and I have always done so, if
I conceal from you what I am going to communicate, you may one day
justly