clothes, and walk a short distance with me!"

His invitation pleased me as well as his pride had displeased me. I had
been thinking of a duel as a possible solution of the difficulty, but the
present course took all trouble out of my hands. I answered quietly and
politely that the honour of walking with him would be enough to make me
put off all other calls, and I asked him to be seated while I made haste
to dress myself.

I drew on my breeches, throwing the splendid pistols in my pockets on to
the bed, called up the barber, and in ten minutes was ready. I put on my
sword, and we went out.

We walked silently enough along two or three streets, passed through a
gate, up a court, till we got to a door where my guide stopped short. He
asked me to come in, and I found myself in a fine room full of people. I
did not think of going back, but behaved as if I had been in my own
house.

"Sir-my wife," said the governor; and turning to her without pausing,
"here is M. de Casanova, who has come to dinner with us."

"I am delighted to hear it, sir, as otherwise I should have had no chance
of forgiving you for waking me up the other night."

"I paid dearly for my fault, madam, but after the purgatory I had endured
I am sure you will allow me to be happy in this paradise."

She answered with a charming smile, and after asking me to sit beside her
she continued whatever conversation was possible in the midst of a game
at cards.

I found myself completely outwitted, but the thing was done so pleasantly
that all I could do was to put a good face on it--a feat which I found
sufficiently easy from the relief I felt at no longer being bound to send
a messenger to I did not know whom.

The governor well satisfied with his victory, got all at once into high
spirits, and began to talk about military matters, the Court, and on
general topics, often addressing me with that friendly ease which good
French society knows so well how to reconcile with the rules of
politeness; no one could have guessed that there had ever been the
slightest difference between us. He had made himself the hero of the
piece by the dexterous manner in which he had led up to the situation,
but I had a fair claim to the second place, for I had made an experienced
officer high in command give me the most flattering kind of satisfaction,
which bore witness to the esteem with which I had inspired him.

The dinner was served. The success of my part depended on the