o explain your words, but I wish I could turn them my
own way. I hope," says I, "and believe we are both as honest as we can
be in our circumstances." "Ay, ay," says he; "and honester than I doubt
I should have been if you had not been with me. I cannot say but if you
had not been here I should have wandered among the gay world here, in
Naples, and in Venice too, for 'tis not such a crime here as 'tis in
other places. But I protest," says he, "I have not touched a woman in
Italy but yourself; and more than that, I have not so much as had any
desire to it. So that, I say, you have kept me honest."

I was silent, and was glad that he interrupted me, or kept me from
speaking, with kissing me, for really I knew not what to say. I was once
going to say that if his lady, the princess, had been with him, she
would doubtless have had the same influence upon his virtue, with
infinitely more advantage to him; but I considered this might give him
offence; and, besides, such things might have been dangerous to the
circumstance I stood in, so it passed off. But I must confess I saw that
he was quite another man as to women than I understood he had always
been before, and it was a particular satisfaction to me that I was
thereby convinced that what he said was true, and that he was, as I may
say, all my own.

I was with child again in this journey, and lay in at Venice, but was
not so happy as before. I brought him another son, and a very fine boy
it was, but it lived not above two months; nor, after the first touches
of affection (which are usual, I believe, to all mothers) were over, was
I sorry the child did not live, the necessary difficulties attending it
in our travelling being considered.

After these several perambulations, my lord told me his business began
to close, and we would think of returning to France, which I was very
glad of, but principally on account of my treasure I had there, which,
as you have heard, was very considerable. It is true I had letters very
frequently from my maid Amy, with accounts that everything was very
safe, and that was very much to my satisfaction. However, as the
prince's negotiations were at an end, and he was obliged to return, I
was very glad to go; so we returned from Venice to Turin, and in the way
I saw the famous city of Milan. From Turin we went over the mountains
again, as before, and our coaches met us at Pont a Voisin, between
Chambery and Lyons; and so, by easy journeys, we arr