The day after Shrove Tuesday, going to the casino of Muran, I found there a letter from M——­ M——­, who gave me two pieces of bad news:  that C——­ C——­ had lost her mother, and that the poor girl was in despair; and that the lay-sister, whose rheum was cured, had returned to take her place.  Thus C——­ C——­ was deprived of her friend at a time when she would have given her consolation, of which she stood in great need.  C——­ C——­, it seemed, had gone to share the rooms of her aunt, who, being very fond of her, had obtained permission from the superior.  This circumstance would prevent the ambassador taking any more suppers with her, and I should have been delighted if chance had put this obstacle in his path a few days sooner.

All these misfortunes seemed of small account com pared with what I was afraid of, for C——­ C——­ might have to pay the price for her pleasures, and I so far regarded myself as the origin of her unhappiness as to feel bound never to abandon her, and this might have involved me in terrible complications.

M——­ M——­ asked me to sup with her and her lover on the following Monday.  I went and found them both sad—­he for the loss of his new mistress, and she because she had no longer a friend to make the seclusion of the convent pleasant.

About midnight M. de Bemis left us, saying in a melancholy manner that he feared he should be obliged to pass several months in Vienna on important diplomatic business.  Before parting we agreed to sup together every Friday.

When we were alone M——­ M——­ told me that the ambassador would be obliged to me if in the future I would come to the casino two hours later.  I understood that the good-natured and witty profligate had a very natural prejudice against indulging his amorous feelings except when he was certain of being alone.

M. de Bemis came to all our suppers till he left for Vienna, and always went away at midnight.  He no longer made use of his hiding-place, partly because we now only lay in the recess, and partly because, having had time to make love before my arrival, his desires were appeased.  M——­ M——­ always found me amorous.  My love, indeed, was even hotter than it had been, since, only seeing her once a week and remaining faithful to her, I had always an abundant harvest to gather in.  C——­ C——­’s letters which she brought to me softened me to tears, for she said that after the loss of her mother she could not count upon the friendship of any of her relations.  She called me her sole friend, her only protector, and in speaking of her grief in not being able to see me any more whilst she remained in the convent, she begged me to remain faithful to her dear friend.