s, and
the gentleman readily perceived that she was a married woman.

She desired afterwards to return immediately to the place whence she had
come, but the gentleman said to her--

"I esteem greatly the undeserved favour that you have shown me, but I
shall esteem still more that which you may bestow at my request. So well
pleased am I by this your kindness, that I would fain learn whether I
may not look for more of the same sort, and, also, in what manner you
would have me act; for, knowing you not, I shall be powerless to woo."

"Have no concern," said the lady, "about that. You may rest assured that
every evening, before my mistress sups, I shall not fail to send for
you, and do you be in readiness on the terrace where you were just now.
I shall merely send you word to remember what you have promised, and in
this way you will know that I am waiting for you here in the gallery.
But if you hear talk of going to table, you may withdraw for that day
or else come into our mistress's apartment. Above all things, I pray
you will never seek to know me, if you would not forthwith bring our
friendship to an end."

So the lady and the gentleman went their several ways. And although
their love affair lasted for a great while, he could never learn who she
was. He pondered much upon the matter, wondering within himself who she
might be. He could not imagine that any woman in the world would fain be
unseen and unloved; and, having heard some foolish preacher say that no
one who had looked upon the face of the devil could ever love him, he
suspected that his mistress might be some evil spirit.

In this perplexity he resolved to try and find out who it was that
entertained him so well, and when next she sent for him he brought some
chalk, and, while embracing her, marked the back of her shoulder without
her knowledge. Then, as soon as she was gone, the gentleman went with
all speed to his mistress's apartment, and stood beside the door in
order to look from behind at the shoulders of those ladies that might go
in.

He saw Jambicque enter among the rest, but with so haughty a bearing
that he feared to look at her as keenly as at the others, and felt quite
sure that it could not have been she. Nevertheless, when her back
was turned, he perceived the chalk mark, whereat he was so greatly
astonished that he could hardly believe his eyes.

However, after considering both her figure, which was just such a one as
his hands had known