Paris | Page 7

felicity.
Our dinner was delicious, and it proved a cheerful meal. I found out
that Henriette was dainty, and my old friend a lover of good wines. I
was both, and felt that I was a match for them. We tasted several
excellent wines which D'Andremont had recommended, and altogether
we had a very good dinner.
The young valet pleased me in consequence of the respectful manner in
which he served everyone, his mother as well as his masters. His sister
and the other seamstress had dined apart.
We were enjoying our dessert when the hosier was announced,
accompanied by another woman and a milliner who could speak French.
The other woman had brought patterns of all sorts of dresses. I let
Henriette order caps, head-dresses, etc., as she pleased, but I would
interfere in the dress department although I complied with the excellent
taste of my charming friend. I made her choose four dresses, and I was
indeed grateful for her ready acceptance of them, for my own happiness
was increased in proportion to the pleasure I gave her and the influence
I was obtaining over her heart.
Thus did we spend the first day, and we could certainly not have
accomplished more.
In the evening, as we were alone at supper, I fancied that her lovely

face looked sad. I told her so.
"My darling," she answered, with a voice which went to my heart, "you
are spending a great deal of money on me, and if you do so in the hope
of my loving you more dearly I must tell you it is money lost, for I do
not love you now more than I did yesterday, but I do love you with my
whole heart. All you may do that is not strictly necessary pleases me
only because I see more and more how worthy you are of me, but it is
not needed to make me feel all the deep love which you deserve."
"I believe you, dearest, and my happiness is indeed great if you feel
that your love for me cannot be increased. But learn also, delight of my
heart, that I have done it all only to try to love you even more than I do,
if possible. I wish to see you beautiful and brilliant in the attire of your
sex, and if there is one drop of bitterness in the fragrant cup of my
felicity, it is a regret at not being able to surround you with the halo
which you deserve. Can I be otherwise than delighted, my love, if you
are pleased?"
"You cannot for one moment doubt my being pleased, and as you have
called me your wife you are right in one way, but if you are not very
rich I leave it to you to judge how deeply I ought to reproach myself."
"Ah, my beloved angel! let me, I beg of you, believe myself wealthy,
and be quite certain that you cannot possibly be the cause of my ruin.
You were born only for my happiness. All I wish is that you may never
leave me. Tell me whether I can entertain such a hope."
"I wish it myself, dearest, but who can be sure of the future? Are you
free? Are you dependent on anyone?"
"I am free in the broadest meaning of that word, I am dependent on no
one but you, and I love to be so."
"I congratulate you, and I am very glad of it, for no one can tear you
from my arms, but, alas! you know that I cannot say the same as you. I
am certain that some persons are, even now, seeking for me, and they
will not find it very difficult to secure me if they ever discover where I

am. Alas! I feel how miserable I should be if they ever succeeded in
dragging me away from you!"
"You make me tremble. Are you afraid of such a dreadful misfortune
here?"
"No, unless I should happen to be seen by someone knowing me."
"Are any such persons likely to be here at present?"
"I think not."
"Then do not let our love take alarm, I trust your fears will never be
verified. Only, my darling one, you must be as cheerful as you were in
Cesena."
"I shall be more truly so now, dear friend. In Cesena I was miserable;
while now I am happy. Do not be afraid of my being sad, for I am of a
naturally cheerful disposition."
"I suppose that in Cesena you were afraid of being caught by the officer
whom you had left in Rome?"
"Not at all; that officer was my father-in-law, and I am quite certain
that he never tried to ascertain where I had gone.