“They are yours.”
“I thank you. My second favour is, that you will be good enough to take my portrait in exchange; you shall have it to-morrow.”
“I shall be delighted. It will be the most precious of all my jewels, but I wonder how you can ask me to take it as a favour, whereas you are doing me a favour I should never have dared to demand. How shall I make myself worthy of giving you my portrait?”
“Ah, dearest! it would be a dear possession, but God preserve me from having it at the convent!”
“I will get myself painted under the costume of St. Louis of Gonzaga, or St. Anthony of Padua.”
“I shall be damned eternally.”
“We will say no more about it.”
She had on a dimity corset, trimmed with red ribbon, and a cambric chemise. I was surprised, but politeness did not allow me to ask where they came from, so I contented myself with staring at them. She guessed my thoughts, and said, smilingly, that it was a present from the countrywoman.
“Seeing her fortune made, the worthy woman tries every possible way to convince her benefactor that she is grateful to him. Look at the bed; she was certainly thinking of you, and look at these fine materials. I confess I enjoy their softness extremely. I shall sleep better to-night if I am not plagued by those seductive dreams which tormented me last night.”
“Do you think that the bed and the fine linen will deliver you from the dreams you fear?”