arture of the comedians, that I could
give rein to my feelings.

One morning Madame F---- sent, a messenger who, summoned me to her
presence. It was eleven o'clock; I immediately went to her, and enquired
what I could do for her service.

"I wanted to see you," she said, "to return the two hundred sequins which
you lent me so nobly. Here they are; be good enough to give me back my
note of hand."

"Your note of hand, madam, is no longer in my possession. I have
deposited it in a sealed envelope with the notary who, according to this
receipt of his, can return it only to you."

"Why did you not keep it yourself?"

"Because I was afraid of losing it, or of having it stolen. And in the
event of my death I did not want such a document to fall into any other
hands but yours."

"A great proof of your extreme delicacy, certainly, but I think you ought
to have reserved the right of taking it out of the notary's custody
yourself."

"I did not forsee the possibility of calling for it myself."

"Yet it was a very likely thing. Then I can send word to the notary to
transmit it to me?"

"Certainly, madam; you alone can claim it."

She sent to the notary, who brought the himself.

She tore the envelope open, and found only a piece of paper besmeared
with ink, quite illegible, except her own name, which had not been
touched.

"You have acted," she said, "most nobly; but you must agree with me that
I cannot be certain that this piece of paper is really my note of hand,
although I see my name on it."

"True, madam; and if you are not certain of it, I confess myself in the
wrong."

"I must be certain of it, and I am so; but you must grant that I could
not swear to it."

"Granted, madam."

During the following days it struck me that her manner towards me was
singularly altered. She never received me in her dishabille, and I had to
wait with great patience until her maid had entirely dressed her before
being admitted into her presence.

If I related any story, any adventure, she pretended not to understand,
and affected not to see the point of an anecdote or a jest; very often
she would purposely not look at me, and then I was sure to relate badly.
If M. D---- R---- laughed at something I had just said, she would ask what
he was laughing for, and when he had told her, she would say it was
insipid or dull. If one of her bracelets became unfastened, I offered to
fasten it again, but either she would not give me so much