g her stay at Aix she had seen
me five or six times at the fountain, but that I could not remember her
features as she had always worn her veil. I admired her wit as much as
her exquisite features. I thought she had grown prettier than ever, and
no doubt my looks told her as much. We spent an hour in talking about
Grenoble and her old friends, whom she gladly recalled to her memory, and
then she went to fetch a young girl who was boarding at the convent, whom
she liked and wanted to present to her aunt.

I seized the opportunity of telling Madame Morin that I was astonished at
the likeness, that her very voice was like that of my Venetian
M---- M----, and I begged her to obtain me the privilege of breakfasting
with her niece the next day, and of presenting her with a dozen pounds of
capital chocolate. I had brought it with me from Genoa.

"You must make her the present yourself," said Madame Morin, "for though
she's a nun she's a woman, and we women much prefer a present from a
man's than from a woman's hand."

M---- M---- returned with the superior of the convent, two other nuns, and
the young boarder, who came from Lyons, and was exquisitely beautiful. I
was obliged to talk to all the nuns, and Madame Morin told her niece that
I wanted her to try some excellent chocolate I had brought from Genoa,
but that I hoped her lay-sister would make it.

"Sir," said M---- M----, "kindly send me the chocolate, and to-morrow we
will breakfast together with these dear sisters."

As soon as I got back to my inn I sent the chocolate with a respectful
note, and I took supper in Madame Morin's room with her daughter and
Mdlle. Desarmoises, of whom I was feeling more and more amorous, but I
talked of M---- M---- all the time, and I could see that the aunt suspected
that the pretty nun was not altogether a stranger to me.

I breakfasted at the convent and I remember that the chocolate, the
biscuits, and the sweetmeats were served with a nicety which savoured
somewhat of the world. When we had finished breakfast I told
M---- M---- that she would not find it so easy to give me a dinner, with
twelve persons sitting down to table, but I added that half the company
could be in the convent and half in the parlour, separated from the
convent by a light grating.

"It's a sight I should like to see," said I, "if you will allow me to pay
all expenses."

"Certainly," replied M---- M----, and this dinner was fixed for the next
day.

M----