ject I asked him how much they were.

"They are from the arsenal at Venice," he replied, "and we can't sell
them under fifty pains a hundred."

"Very good, I will take a hundred, but you must open them here."

Armelline was horrified to think that I was going to pay five crowns for
her whim, and begged me to revoke the order; but she said nothing when I
told her that no pleasure of hers could be bought too dearly by me.

At this she took my hand and would have carried it to her lips, but I
took it away rather roughly, greatly to her mortification.

I was sitting in front of the fire between them, and I was sorry at
having grieved her.

"I beg pardon, Armelline," I said, "I only took my hand away because it
was not worthy of being carried to your fair lips."

In spite of this excuse she could not help two big tears coursing down
her blushing cheeks. I was greatly pained.

Armelline was a tender dove, not made to be roughly treated. If I did not
want her to hate me I felt that I must either not see her at all or treat
her more gently for the future.

Her tears convinced me that I had wounded her feelings terribly, and I
got up and went out to order some champagne.

When I came back I found that she had been weeping bitterly. I did not
know what to do; I begged her again and again to forgive me, and to be
gay once more, unless she wished to subject me to the severest of all
punishments.

Emilie backed me up, and on taking her hand and covering it with kisses,
I had the pleasure of seeing her smile once more.

The oysters were opened in our presence, and the astonishment depicted on
the girls' countenances would have amused me if my heart had been more at
ease. But I was desperate with love, and Armelline begged me vainly to be
as I was when we first met.

We sat down, and I taught my guests how to suck up the oysters, which
swam in their own liquid, and were very good.

Armelline swallowed half a dozen, and then observed to her friend that so
delicate a morsel must be a sin.

"Not on account of its delicacy," said Emilie, "but because at every
mouthful we swallow half a Paul."

"Half a Paul!" said Armelline, "and the Holy Father does not forbid such
a luxury? If this is not the sin of gluttony, I don't know what is. These
oysters are delightful; but I shall speak about the matter to my
director."

These simplicities of hers afforded me great mental pleasure, but I
wanted bodily pleasure as well.

We