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the prompter."
The prompter was dismissed, but the three actresses began to complain.
"If we knew our parts as well as the 'pater noster' we should be certain
to come to a dead stop if the prompter isn't in his box."

"Very good," said I to the actress, who was to play Lindane, "I will
occupy the box myself, but I shall see your drawers."
"You would have some difficulty in doing that," said the first actor,
"she doesn't wear any."
"So much the better."
"You know nothing about it," said the actress.
These remarks put us all in high spirits, and the ministers of Thalia
ended by promising that they would dispense with a prompter. I was
pleased with the way the piece was read, and they said they would be
letter-perfect in three days. But something happened.
On the day fixed for the rehearsal they came without the Lindane and
Murray. They were not well, but Rossi said they would not fail us
eventually. I took the part of Murray, and asked Rosalie to be the
Lindane.
"I don't read Italian well enough," she whispered, "and I don't wish to
have the actors laughing at me; but Veronique could do it."
"Ask if she will read the part."
However, Veronique said that she could repeat it by heart.
"All the better," said I to her, laughing internally, as I thought of
Soleure, for I saw that I should thus be obliged to make love to the girl
to whom I had not spoken for the fortnight she had been with us. I had
not even had a good look at her face. I was so afraid of Rosalie (whom
I loved better every day) taking fright.
What I had feared happened. When I took Veronique's hand, and said,
"Si, bella Lindana, debbe adorarvi!" everybody clapped, because I gave
the words their proper expression; but glancing at Rosalie I saw a
shadow on her face, and I was angry at not having controlled myself
better. Nevertheless, I could not help feeling amazed at the way

Veronique played the part. When I told her that I adored her she
blushed up to her eyes; she could not have played the love-sick girl
better.
We fixed a day for the dress-rehearsal at the theatre, and the company
announced the first night a week in advance to excite public curiosity.
The bills ran:
"We shall give Voltaire's Ecossaise, translated by an anonymous author:
no prompter will be present."
I cannot give the reader any idea of the trouble I had to quiet Rosalie.
She refused to be comforted; wept incessantly, and touched my heart
by gentle reproaches.
"You love Veronique," said she, "and you only translated that piece to
have an opportunity of declaring your love."
I succeeded in convincing her that she wronged me, and at last after I
had lavished caresses on her she suffered herself to be calmed. Next
morning she begged pardon for her jealousy, and to cure it insisted on
my speaking constantly to Veronique. Her heroism went farther. She
got up before me and sent me my coffee by Veronique, who was as
astonished as I was.
At heart Rosalie was a great creature, capable of noble resolves, but
like all women she gave way to sudden emotions. From that day she
gave me no more signs of jealousy, and treated her maid with more
kindness than ever. Veronique was an intelligent and well- mannered
girl, and if my heart had not been already occupied she would have
reigned there.
The first night of the play I took Rosalie to a box, and she would have
Veronique with her. M. de Grimaldi did not leave her for a moment.
The play was praised to the skies; the large theatre was full of the best
people in Genoa. The actors surpassed themselves, though they had no
prompter, and were loudly applauded. The piece ran five nights and
was performed to full houses. Rossi, hoping perhaps that I would make

him a present of another play, asked my leave to give my lady a superb
pelisse of lynx-fur, which pleased her immensely.
I would have done anything to spare my sweetheart the least anxiety,
and yet from my want of thought I contrived to vex her. I should never
have forgiven myself if Providence had not ordained that I should be
the cause of her final happiness.
"I have reason to suspect," she said one day, "that I am with child, and I
am enchanted at the thought of giving you a dear pledge of my love."
"If it comes at such a time it will be mine, and I assure you I shall love
it dearly."
"And if it comes two or three weeks sooner you will not be sure