ays hoping
that some grand lady, who saw him on the stage, would fall violently in
love with him, and shower all sorts of favours upon him. He was in the
habit of boasting that he had had many delightful adventures of the
kind, which Scapin persistently denied, declaring that to his certain
knowledge they had never taken place, save in the aspiring lover's own
vivid imagination. The exasperating valet, malicious as a monkey, took
the greatest delight in tormenting poor Leander, and never lost
an opportunity; so now, seeing him absorbed in self-admiration, he
immediately attacked him, and soon had made him furious. The quarrel
grew loud and violent, and Leander was heard declaring that he could
produce a large chest crammed full of love letters, written to him
by various high and titled ladies; whereupon everybody laughed
uproariously, while Serafina said to de Sigognac that she for one did
not admire their taste, and Isabelle silently looked her disgust. The
baron meantime was more and more charmed with this sweet, dainty young
girl, and though he was too shy to address any high-flown compliments to
her, according to the fashion of the day, his eyes spoke eloquently for
him. She was not at all displeased at his ardent glances, and smiled
radiantly and encouragingly upon him, thereby unconsciously making poor
Matamore, who was secretly enamoured of her, desperately unhappy,
though he well knew that his passion was an utterly hopeless one. A more
skilful and audacious lover would have pushed his advantage, but our
poor young hero had not learned courtly manners nor assurance in his
isolated chateau, and, though he lacked neither wit nor learning, it
must be confessed that at this moment he did appear lamentably stupid.

All the bottles having been scrupulously emptied, the pedant turned the
last one of the half dozen upside down, so that every drop might run
out; which significant action was noted and understood by Matamore, who
lost no time in bringing in a fresh supply from the chariot. The baron
began to feel the wine a little in his head, being entirely unaccustomed
to it, yet he could not resist drinking once again to the health of the
ladies. The pedant and the tyrant drank like old topers, who can
absorb any amount of liquor--be it wine, or something stronger--without
becoming actually intoxicated. Matamore was very abstemious, both in
eating and drinking, and could have lived like the impoverished
Spanish hidalgo,