Paris and Holland | Page 2

not expect to have the honour of
seeing you again today. Leave me for the present, as I have got some
work to do; and if you go out to walk, beware of bad company, and
whatever you do keep your own counsel. You are fond of gaming, I
suppose?"
"I hate it, as it has been the cause of half my troubles."
"And the other half, I'll wager, was caused by women."
"You have guessed aright--oh, those women!"
"Well, don't be angry with them, but make them pay for the ill they
have done you."
"I will, with the greatest pleasure, if I can."
"If you are not too particular in your goods, you will find Paris rich in
such commodities."
"What do you mean by particular? I would never be a prince's pathic."
"No, no, I was not thinking of that. I mean by 'particular' a man who
cannot be affectionate unless he is in love. The man who . . . ."
"I see what you mean, and I can lay no claim to such a character. Any
hag with golden eyes will always find me as affectionate as a Celadon."
"Well said! I shall soon be able to arrange matters for you."
"I hope you will."
"Are you going to the ambassador's?"
"Good God!--no! What should I do when I got there? Tell him my story?
He might make things unpleasant for me."

"Not without your going to see him, but I expect he is not concerning
himself with your case."
"That's all I ask him."
"Everybody, my dear count, is in mourning in Paris, so go to my tailor's
and get yourself a black suit. Tell him you come from me, and say you
want it by tomorrow. Good bye."
I went out soon after, and did not come back till midnight. I found the
box which Madame Manzoni had sent me in my room, and in it my
manuscripts and my beloved portraits, for I never pawned a snuff-box
without taking the portrait out.
Next day Tiretta made his appearance all in black, and thanked me for
his transformation.
"They are quick, you see, at Paris. It would have taken a week at
Trevisa."
"Trevisa, my dear fellow, is not Paris."
As I said this, the Abbe de la Coste was announced. I did not know the
name, but I gave orders for him to be admitted; and there presently
appeared the same little priest with whom I had dined at Versailles after
leaving the Abbe de la Ville.
After the customary greetings he began by complimenting me on the
success of my lottery, and then remarked that I had distributed tickets
for more than six thousand francs.
"Yes," I said, "and I have tickets left for several thousands more."
"Very good, then I will invest a thousand crowns in it."
"Whenever you please. If you call at my office you can choose the
numbers."
"No, I don't think I'll trouble to do so; give me any numbers just as they

come."
"Very good; here is the list you can choose from."
He chose numbers to the amount of three thousand francs, and then
asked me for a piece of paper to write an acknowledgment.
"Why so? I can't do business that way, as I only dispose of my tickets
for cash."
"But you may be certain that you will have the money to-morrow."
"I am quite sure I should, but you ought to be certain that you will have
the tickets to-morrow. They are registered at my office, and I can
dispose of them in no other manner."
"Give me some which are not registered."
"Impossible; I could not do it."
"Why not?"
"Because if they proved to be winning numbers I should have to pay
out of my own pocket an honour I do not desire."
"Well, I think you might run the risk."
"I think not, if I wish to remain an honest man, at all events."
The abbe, who saw he could get nothing out of me, turned to Tiretta,
and began to speak to him in bad Italian, and at last offered to introduce
him to Madame de Lambertini, the widow of one of the Pope's
nephews. Her name, her relationship to the Pope, and the abbe's
spontaneous offer, made me curious to know more, so I said that my
friend would accept his offer, and that I would have the honour to be of
the party; whereupon we set out.
We got down at the door of the supposed niece of the Holy Father in
the Rue Christine, and we proceeded to go upstairs. We saw a woman

who, despite her youthful air, was, I am sure, not a day under forty. She
was rather thin, had fine black eyes, a