Holland and Germany | Page 8

had to do.
M. d'O---- asked if he should try to get rid of the French securities he
held in spite of the loss he would incur by selling out.
Esther's oracle replied,
"You must sow plentifully before you reap. Pluck not up the vine
before the season of the vintage, for your vine is planted in a fruitful
soil."
Mine ran as follows:--
"If you sell out you will repent, for there will be a new
comptroller-general, who will pay all claims before another year has
elapsed."
Esther's answer was conceived in the sibylline style, and I admired the
readiness of her wit; but mine went right to the point, and the worthy
man embraced us joyfully, and, taking his hat and stick, said that since
our replies agreed he would run the risk of losing three million francs
and make a profit of five or six hundred thousand in the course of the
year. His daughter began to recant, and would have warned him against
the danger, but he, who was as firm as a Mussulman, kissed her again,
saying,
"The oracle is not wont to lie, and even if it does deceive me this time it
will only be a fourth part of my fortune that I shall lose."

When Esther and I were alone I began to compliment her, much to her
delight, on the cleverness of her answer, the elegance of her style, and
her boldness, for she could not be as well acquainted with French
affairs as I was.
"I am much obliged to you," said she, "for having confirmed my reply,
but confess that you lied to please me."
"I confess, since that will please you, and I will even tell you that you
have nothing more to learn."
"You are a cruel man! But how could you reply that there would be
another comptroller-general in a year's time, and run the risk of
compromising the oracle? I never dare to say things like that; I love the
oracle too well to expose it to shame and confusion."
"That shews that I do not invent the answers; but since the oracle has
pronounced it I am willing to bet that Silhouette will be dismissed."
"Your obstinacy drives me to despair, for I shall not rest till I know that
I am as much a master of the cabala as you are, and yet you will not
confess that you invent the answers yourself. For charity's sake do
something to convince me of the contrary."
"I will think it over."
I passed the whole day with this delightful girl, whose amiable
disposition and great wealth would have made me a happy man if it
were not for my master-passion, the love of independence, and my
aversion to make up my mind to live for the rest of my days in Holland.
In the course of my life I have often observed that the happiest hours
are often the heralds of misfortune. The very next day my evil genius
took me to the Ville de Lyon. This was the inn where Piccolomini and
his wife were staying, and I found them there in the midst of a horde of
cheats and sharpers, like themselves. As soon as the good people heard
my name they rushed forward, some to greet me, and others to have a
closer look at me, as if I were some strange wild beast. Amongst those

present were a Chevalier de Sabi, who wore the uniform of a Polish
major, and protested he had known me at Dresden; a Baron de Wiedan,
claiming Bohemia as his fatherland, who greeted me by saying that his
friend the Comte St. Germain had arrived at the Etoile d'Orient, and
had been enquiring after me; an attenuated-looking bravo who was
introduced to me as the Chevalier de la Perine, whom I recognized at
the first glance as the fellow called Talvis, who had robbed the
Prince-Bishop of Presburg, who had lent me a hundred Louis the same
day, and with whom I had fought a duel at Paris. Finally, there was an
Italian named Neri, who looked like a blacksmith minus his honesty,
and said that he remembered seeing me one evening at the casino. I
recollected having seen him at the place where I met the wretched
Lucie.
In the midst of this band of cut-purses I saw the so-called wife of the
pretended Chevalier de Sabi, a pretty woman from Saxony, who,
speaking Italian indifferently well, was paying her addresses to the
Countess Piccolomini.
I bit my lips with anger to find myself in such honourable company, but
putting a good face on a bad game I greeted everybody politely, and
then drawing a roll of a hundred Louis from my pocket I presented
them to