to
desires. The girls lavished their thanks on me, while I endeavoured to
assure them of my gratitude; but they leapt for joy when they heard the
syndic asking me to come next day.

As he was taking me back to my inn I told him how great a pleasure he had
given me, and he said he had brought up the three jewels himself.

"You," he added, "are the only man besides myself they know. You shall
see them again, but I beg you will take care not to leave anything behind
you, for in this town of prejudices that would be a great misfortune for
them and for me."

"You are always moderate in your enjoyment, then?" I said to him.

"Unfortunately, that is no merit as far as I am concerned. I was born for
the service of love, and Venus has punished me for worshipping her when I
was too young."

After a good night's sleep I awoke in an active mood, and began to write
a letter to Voltaire in blank verse, which cost me four times the pains
that rhymed verses would have done. I sent it to him with the poem of
Theophile Falengue, but I made a mistake in doing so, as I might have
known he would not care for it; one cannot appreciate what one does not
understand. I then went to Mr. Fox, where I found the two Englishmen who
offered me my revenge. I lost a hundred Louis, and was glad to see them
set out for Lausanne.

The syndic had told me that the three young ladies belonged to
respectable families, but were not rich. I puzzled my head to think of
some useful present I might make them without offending them, and at last
I hit on a plan of the most ridiculous nature, as the reader will see. I
went to a jeweller and told him to make me three golden balls, each of
two ounces in weight.

At noon I went to M. de Voltaire's. He was not to be seen, but Madame
Denis consoled me for his absence. She had wit, learning without
pretension, taste, and a great hatred for the King of Prussia, whom she
called a villain. She asked about my beautiful housekeeper, and
congratulated me on having married her to a respectable man. Although I
feel now that she was quite right, I was far from thinking so then; the
impression was too fresh on my mind. Madame Denis begged me to tell her
how I had escaped from The Leads, but as the story was rather a long one
I promised to satisfy her another time.

M. de Voltaire did not dine with us; he appeared, however, at five
o'clock, holding a letter in his hand.

"Do you know," said he, "the Marquis Albergati Capac