London to Berlin | Page 8

her acceptance to order all the
delicacies of the season, including a hare (a great delicacy in London),
champagne, choice liqueurs, larks, ortolans, truffles,
sweetmeats--everything, in fact, that money could buy, and I was not at
all surprised when the bill proved to amount to ten guineas. But I was
very much surprised when M. M---- F----, who had eaten like a Turk
and drunk like a Swiss, said calmly that it was too dear.
I begged him politely not to trouble himself about the cost; and by way
of proving that I did not share his opinion, I gave the waiter
half-a-guinea; the worthy man looked as if he wished that such
customers came more often. The Swiss, who had been pale and gloomy
enough a short while before; was rubicund and affable. Sara glanced at
me and squeezed my hand; I had conquered.
When the play was over, M---- F---- asked me if I would allow him to
call on me. I embraced him in reply. His servant came in, and said that
he could not find a coach; and I, feeling rather surprised that he had not
brought his carriage, offered him the use of mine, telling my man to get
me a sedan-chair.
"I accept your kind offer," said he, "on the condition that you allow me

to occupy the chair."
I consented to this arrangement, and took the mother and the two
daughters with me in the carriage.
On the way, Madame M---- F---- was very polite, gently blaming her
husband for the rudeness of which I had to complain. I said that I
would avenge myself by paying an assiduous court to him in the future;
but she pierced me to the heart by saying that they were on the point of
departing. "We wanted to go on the day after next," she said, "and
to-morrow we shall have to leave our present rooms to their new
occupants. A matter of business which my husband was not able to
conclude will oblige us to stay for another week, and to- morrow we
shall have the double task of moving and finding new apartments."
"Then you have not yet got new rooms?"
"No, but my husband says he is certain to find some to-morrow
morning."
"Furnished, I suppose, for as you intend to leave you will be selling,
your furniture."
"Yes, and we shall have to pay the expenses of carriage to the buyer."
On hearing that M. M---- F---- was sure of finding lodgings, I was
precluded from offering to accommodate them in my own house, as the
lady might think that I only made the offer because I was sure it would
not be accepted.
When we got to the door of their house we alighted, and the mother
begged me to come in. She and her husband slept on the second floor,
and the two girls on the third. Everything was upside down, and as
Madame M---- F---- had something to say to the landlady she asked me
to go up with her daughters. It was cold, and the room we entered had
no fire in it. The sister went into the room adjoining and I stayed with
Sara, and all of a sudden I clasped her to my breast, and feeling that her
desires were as ardent as mine I fell with her on to a sofa where we

mingled our beings in all the delights of voluptuous ardours. But this
happiness was short lived; scarcely was the work achieved when we
heard a footstep on the stair. It was the father.
If M---- F---- had had any eyes he must have found us out, for my face
bore the marks of agitation, the nature of which it was easy to divine.
We exchanged a few brief compliments; I shook his hand and
disappeared. I was in such a state of excitement when I got home that I
made up my mind to leave England and to follow Sara to Switzerland.
In the night I formed my plans, and resolved to offer the family my
house during the time they stayed in England, and if necessary to force
them to accept my offer.
In the morning I hastened to call on M---- F----, and found him on his
doorstep.
"I am going to try and get a couple of rooms," said he.
"They are already found," I replied. "My house is at your service, and
you must give me the preference. Let us come upstairs."
"Everybody is in bed."
"Never mind," said I, and we proceeded to go upstairs.
Madame M---- F---- apologized for being in bed. Her husband told her
that I wanted to let them some rooms, but I laughed and said I desired
they would accept my hospitality as that