The False Nun | Page 5

with us.

"That would be running too great a risk," answered the cunning nun,
"but if you approve of it," she added, looking at me, "I can make you
sup with her at my casino, for we sleep in the same room."
That offer surprised me much, but it was not the moment to shew it, so
I replied:
"It is impossible, madam, to add anything to the pleasure of your
society, yet I confess I should be pleased if you could contrive to do us
that great favour:"
"Well, I will think of it."
"But," observed the ambassador, "if I am to be one of the party, I think
it would be right to apprize the young lady of it."
"It is not necessary, for I will write to her to agree to whatever madam
may propose to her. I will do so to-morrow."
I begged the ambassador to prepare himself with a good stock of
indulgence for a girl of fifteen who had no experience of the world. In
the course of the evening I related the history of O-Morphi, which
greatly amused him. He entreated me to let him see her portrait. He
informed me that she was still an inmate of the 'Parc-aux-cerfs', where
she continued to be the delight of Louis XV., to whom she had given a
child. My guests left me after midnight, highly pleased, and I remained
alone.
The next morning, faithful to the promise I had made to my beautiful
nun, I wrote to C---- C---- without informing her that there would be a
fourth person at the projected supper, and having given my note to
Laura I repaired to Muran, where I found the following letter from
M---- M----:
"I could not sleep soundly, my love, if I did not ease my conscience of
an unpleasant weight. Perhaps you did not approve of the 'partie carree'
with our young friend, and you may not have objected out of mere
politeness. Tell me the truth, dearest, for, should you not look forward

to that meeting with pleasure, I can contrive to undo it without
implicating you in any way; trust me for that. If, however, you have no
objection to the party, it will take place as agreed. Believe me, I love
your soul more than your heart--I mean than your person. Adieu."
Her fear was very natural, but out of shamefacedness I did not like to
retract. M---- M---- knew me well, and as a skilful tactician she
attacked my weak side.
Here is my answer:
"I expected your letter, my best beloved, and you cannot doubt it,
because, as you know me thoroughly, you must be aware that I know
you as well. Yes, I know your mind, and I know what idea you must
entertain of mine, because I have exposed to you all my weakness and
irritability by my sophisms. I do penance for it, dearest, when I think
that having raised your suspicions your tenderness for me must have
been weakened. Forget my visions, I beg, and be quite certain that for
the future my soul will be in unison with yours. The supper must take
place, it will be a pleasure for me, but let me confess that in accepting it
I have shewn myself more grateful than polite. C---- C---- is a novice,
and I am not sorry to give her an opportunity of seeing the world. In
what school could she learn better than yours? Therefore I recommend
her to you, and you will please me much by continuing to shew your
care and friendship towards her, and by increasing, if possible, the sum
of your goodness. I fear that you may entice her to take the veil, and if
she did I would never console myself. Your friend has quite captivated
me; he is a superior man, and truly charming."
Thus did I wittingly deprive myself of the power of drawing back, but I
was able to realize the full force of the situation. I had no difficulty in
guessing that the ambassador was in love with C---- C----, and that he
had confessed as much to M---- M----, who, not being in a position to
object to it, was compelled to shew herself compliant, and to assist him
in everything that could render his passion successful. She could
certainly not do anything without my consent, and she had evidently
considered the affair too delicate to venture upon proposing the party
point-blank to me. They had, no doubt, put their heads together, so that

by bringing the conversation on that subject I should find myself
compelled, for the sake of politeness and perhaps of my inward feelings,
to fall into the snare. The ambassador, whose profession it was to carry
on intrigues skilfully, had succeeded