Depart Switzerland | Page 9

an artist more in need of restraint than encouragement.
Madame Morin was very polite to the three girls, whom she knew well,
and Le Duc stood behind her chair all the time, looking after her wants,
and dressed as richly as the king's chamberlain. When we had nearly
finished dinner Mdlle. Roman passed a compliment on my three fair
waiting-maids, and this giving me occasion to speak of their talents I
got up and brought the gloves I had purchased from them. Mdlle.
Roman praised the quality of the material and the work. I took the
opportunity, and begged leave of the aunt to give her and her niece a
dozen pair apiece. I obtained this favour, and I then gave Madame
Morin the horoscope. Her husband read it, and though an unbeliever he
was forced to admire, as all the deductions were taken naturally from
the position of the heavenly bodies at the instant of his daughter's birth.
We spent a couple of hours in talking about astrology, and the same

time in playing at quadrille, and then we took a walk in the garden,
where I was politely left to enjoy the society of the fair Roman.
Our dialogue, or rather my monologue, turned solely on the profound
impression she had made on me, on the passion she had inspired, on
her beauty, her goodness, the purity of my intentions, and on my need
of love, lest I should go down to the grave the most hapless of men.
"Sir," said she, at last, "if my destiny points to marriage I do not deny
that I should be happy to find a husband like you."
I was emboldened by this frank declaration, and seizing her hand I
covered it with fiery kisses, saying passionately that I hoped she would
not let me languish long. She turned her head to look for her aunt. It
was getting dark, and she seemed to be afraid of something happening
to her. She drew me gently with her, and on rejoining the other guests
we returned to the dining-room, where I made a small bank at faro for
their amusement. Madame Morin gave her daughter and niece, whose
pockets were empty, some money, and Valenglard directed their play
so well that when we left off to go to supper I had the pleasure of
seeing that each of the three ladies had won two or three louis.
We sat at table till midnight. A cold wind from the Alps stopped my
plan of proposing a short turn in the garden. Madame Morin
overwhelmed me with thanks for my entertainment, and I gave each of
my lady-visitors a respectful kiss.
I heard singing in the kitchen, and on going in I found Le Duc in a high
state of excitement and very drunk. As soon as he saw me he tried to
rise, but he lost his centre of gravity, and fell right under the kitchen
table. He was carried away to bed.
I thought this accident favourable to my desire of amusing myself, and
I might have succeeded if the three Graces had not all been there. Love
only laughs when two are present, and thus it is that the ancient
mythology tells no story of the loves of the Graces, who were always
together. I had not yet found an opportunity of getting my three maids
one after the other, and I dared not risk a general attack, which might

have lost me the confidence of each one. Rose, I saw, was openly
jealous of her cousin, as she kept a keen look-out after her movements.
I was not sorry, for jealousy leads to anger, and anger goes a long way.
When I was in bed I sent them away with a modest good night.
Next morning, Rose came in by herself to ask me for a cake of
chocolate, for, as she said, Le Duc was now ill in real earnest. She
brought me the box, and I gave her the chocolate, and in doing so I
took her hand and shewed her how well I loved her. She was offended,
drew back her hand sharply, and left the room. A moment after Manon
came in under the pretext of shewing me a piece of lace I had torn away
in my attempts of the day before, and of asking me if she should mend
it. I took her hand to kiss it, but she did not give me time, presenting
her lips, burning with desire. I took her hand again, and it was just on
the spot when the cousin came in. Manon held the piece of lace, and
seemed to be waiting for my answer. I told her absently that I should be
obliged if she would mend it when