t be able to resist much longer."

"I shall believe as much of that as I choose, but, by-the-by, have you
thought of any way of convincing me?"

"What do you want to be convinced about?"

"If it be true that there is in your cabala an intelligence distinct from
your own you ought to be able to find some way of proving it to me."

"That is a happy thought; I will think it over."

At that moment her father came in from the Exchange, and we sat dawn to
dinner.

We were at dessert when a police official brought me five hundred
florins, for which I gave him a receipt.

When he had gone I told my entertainers what had happened the evening
before and in the morning, and the fair Esther reproached me for
preferring such bad company to her. "By way of punishment," said she, "I
hope you will come with me to the theatre this evening, though they are
going to give a Dutch play, of which you will not understand a word."

"I shall be near you, and that is enough for me:"

In fact, I did not comprehend a word of the actors' gibberish, and was
terribly bored, as Esther preserved a solemn and serious silence the
whole time.

As we were coming from the theatre she told me all about the piece with
charming grace and wonderful memory; she seemed to wish to give me some
pleasure in return for the tedium to which she had condemned me. When we
got home we had supper, and that evening, Heaven be thanked! I heard
nothing more about the cabala. Before we parted, Esther and her father
made me promise to dine with them every day, and to let them know if
anything prevented my coming.

Next morning, about eight o'clock, while I was still dressing, I suddenly
saw Piccolomini standing before me, and as he had not sent in his name I
began to feel suspicious. I rang the bell for my faithful Spaniard, who
came in directly.

"I want to speak to you privately," said he, "tell that fellow to go
out."

"He can stay," I answered, "he does not know a word of Italian." Le Duc,
of course, knew Italian perfectly well.

"Yesterday, about noon," he began, "two men came into my room. They were
accompanied by the innkeeper, who served as interpreter. One of the men
asked me if I felt inclined to cash there and then a forged bill of
exchange, which I had given the night before, and which he held in his
hands. As I gave no reply, he told me that there was no time for
consideration or argument; I must say yes or no there and then, for such
were their i