I followed the ex-Capuchin’s advice and waited for the dusk of the evening.  I had a good reception, but the supper was poor, and the hours that I spent with two young girls of the working class were tedious.  They were pretty enough, but my head was full of my perfidious charmer, and besides, despite their neatness and prettiness, they were wanting in that grace which adds so many charms to pleasure.  The liberality of my payment, to which they were not accustomed, captivated the old woman, who said she would get me all the best stuff in the town; but she warned me to take care that nobody saw me going into her house.

When I got back Le Duc told me that I had been wise to slip away, as my masquerade had become generally known, and the whole house, including the landlord, had been eagerly waiting to see me play the part of waiter.  “I took your place,” he added.  “The lady who has taken your fancy is Madame——­, and I must confess she is vastly fine.”

“Did she ask where the other waiter was?”

“No, but the other ladies asked what had become of you several times.”

“And Madame said nothing?”

“She didn’t open her mouth, but looked sad and seemed to care for nothing, till I said you were away because you were ill.”

“That was stupid of you.  Why did you say that?”

“I had to say something.”

“True.  Did you untie her shoe?”

“No; she did not want me to do so.”

“Good.  Who told you her name?”

“Her coachman.  She is just married to a man older than herself.”

I went to bed, but could only think of the indiscretion and sadness of my fair lady.  I could not reconcile the two traits in her character.  Next day, knowing that she would be starting early, I posted myself at the window to see her get into the carriage, but I took care to arrange the curtain in such a way that I could not be seen.  Madame was the last to get in, and pretending that she wanted to see if it rained, she took off her bonnet and lifted her head.  Drawing the curtain with one hand, and taking off my cap with the other, I wafted her a kiss with the tips of my fingers.  In her turn she bowed graciously, returning my kiss with a good-natured smile.

CHAPTER XIV

I Leave Zurich—­Comic Adventure at Baden—­Soleure—­M.  De Chavigni—­M. and
Madame * * * I Act in a Play—­I Counterfeit Sickness to Attain Happiness

M. Mote, my landlord, introduced his two sons to me.  He had brought them up like young princes.  In Switzerland, an inn-keeper is not always a man of no account.  There are many who are as much respected as people of far higher rank are in other countries.  But each country has its own manners.  My landlord did the honours of the table, and thought it no degradation to make his guests pay for the meal.  He was right; the only really degrading thing in the world is vice.