Depart Switzerland | Page 7

She introduced me to seven children, of whom
she was the mother. Her eldest daughter, an ordinary-looking girl, was
twelve years old, but I should have taken her to be fourteen, and said so.
To convince me of her age the mother brought a book in which the year,
the month, the day, the hour, and even the minute of her birth were
entered. I was astonished at such minute accuracy, and asked if she had
had a horoscope drawn.
"No," said she, "I have never found anybody to do it."
"It is never too late," I replied, "and without doubt God has willed that
this pleasure should be reserved for me."
At this moment M. Morin came in, his wife introduced me, and after
the customary compliments had passed, she returned to the subject of
the horoscope. The barrister sensibly observed that if judicial astrology
was not wholly false, it was, nevertheless, a suspected science; that he
had been so foolish as once to devote a considerable portion of his time
to it, but that on recognizing the inability of man to deal with the future
he had abandoned astrology, contenting himself with the veritable
truths of astronomy. I saw with pleasure that I had to deal with a man
of sense and education, but Valenglard, who was a believer in astrology,
began an argument with him on the subject. During their discussion I
quietly copied out on my tablets the date of Mdlle. Morin's birth. But M.
Morin saw what I was about, and shook his head at me, with a smile. I

understood what he meant, but I did not allow that to disconcert me, as
I had made up my mind fully five minutes ago that I would play the
astrologer on this occasion.
At last the fair niece arrived. Her aunt introduced me to her as Mdlle.
Roman Coupier, her sister's daughter; and then, turning to her, she
informed her how ardently I had been longing to know her since I had
seen her at the concert.
She was then seventeen. Her satin skin by its dazzling whiteness
displayed to greater advantage her magnificent black hair. Her features
were perfectly regular, and her complexion had a slight tinge of red; her
fine eyes were at once sweet and sparkling, her eyebrows were well
arched, her mouth small, her teeth regular and as white as pearls, and
her lips, of an exquisite rosy hue, afforded a seat to the deities of grace
and modesty.
After some moments' conversation, M. Morin was obliged to go out on
business, and a game of quadrille was proposed, at which I was greatly
pitied for having lost a louis. I thought Mdlle. Roman discreet,
judicious, pleasant without being brilliant, and, still better, without any
pretensions. She was high-spirited, even-tempered, and had a natural
art which did not allow her to seem to understand too flattering a
compliment, or a joke which passed in any way the bounds of propriety.
She was neatly dressed, but had no ornaments, and nothing which
shewed wealth; neither ear-rings, rings, nor a watch. One might have
said that her beauty was her only adornment, the only ornament she
wore being a small gold cross hanging from her necklace of black
ribbon. Her breast was well shaped and not too large. Fashion and
custom made her shew half of it as innocently as she shewed her plump
white hand, or her cheeks, whereon the lily and the rose were wedded. I
looked at her features to see if I might hope at all; but I was completely
puzzled, and could come to no conclusion. She gave no sign which
made me hope, but on the other hand she did nothing to make me
despair. She was so natural and so reserved that my sagacity was
completely at fault. Nevertheless, a liberty which I took at supper gave
me a gleam of hope. Her napkin fell down, and in returning it to her I

pressed her thigh amorously, and could not detect the slightest
displeasure on her features. Content with so much I begged everybody
to come to dinner with me next day, telling Madame Morin that I
should not be going out, and that I was therefore delighted to put my
carriage at her service.
When I had taken Valenglard home, I went to my lodging building
castles in Spain as to the conquest of Mdlle. Roman.
I warned my landlord that we should be six at dinner and supper the
following day, and then I went to bed. As Le Duc was undressing me
he said,
"Sir, you are punishing me, but what makes me sorry you are punishing
yourself in depriving yourself of the services of those pretty girls."
"You are a rogue."
"I know it,