evel by marrying a citizen barber. After a short consultation, they
agreed that she was sufficiently degraded to live. They contented
themselves with breaking open my cellar, that they might drink my
health, and departed. But, your highness, I had soon cause to repent of
my folly. Cerise was a charming woman, and an affectionate wife in
adversity, but prosperity was her ruin, as well as mine. She had
already had an affair with a Comte, who had lately been dismissed for a
handsome young abbe but we do not mind these little _egaremens_ in our
country, and I neither had leisure nor inclination to interfere with her
arrangements. Satisfied with her sincere friendship for me, I could
easily forgive a few trifling infidelities, and nothing had disturbed
the serenity or gaiety of our establishment until this unfortunate
_expose_ which I was obliged to make, and to prove the truth of in her
presence, viz. that I had been a barber. Her pride revolted at the idea
of having formed such a connection, her feelings towards me were changed
to those of the most deadly hatred; and although I had saved her life,
she ungratefully resolved to sacrifice mine. The little abbe's head had
been taken off several weeks before, and she now formed a liaison with
one of the jacobin associes, on condition that he would prove his
attachment, by denouncing me as an aristocrat.

Fortunately, I had notice given to me in sufficient time to make my
escape to Toulon. Leaving my wife, and, what was of more consequence,
the whole of my property in the hands of the jacobin, I joined the mob
and vowing vengeance upon all aristocrats, became one of the most
violent leaders of the _sans culottes_. Two months afterwards, when the
gates of Toulon had been opened to the army, and I was assisting at a
noyade, I had the pleasure of seeing my jacobin _locum tenens_, who had
been denounced in his turn, tied back to back to a female; it was my
adored Cerise. I had no time to speak to her, for they were hurried on
board of the vessel. It sank with them, and some hundreds more; and as
the beautiful auburn hair of my wife was borne up from her shoulders,
upon which it had been hanging loose, and floated a second or two on the
wave after her head had disappeared, I sighed at the remembrance of the
transitory enjoyment of competence and love which I had shared with my
charming Cerise.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

"A