expression of Madame F----'s face that she was pleased with me, although
somewhat surprised.

When we found ourselves again in her house she told me, in the presence
of M. D---- R-----, that the story I had related to the general was
certainly very pretty, although purely imaginary, that she was not angry
with me, because I had amused her, but that she could not help remarking
my obstinacy in refusing compliance with her wishes. Then, turning to M.
D---- R-----, she said,

"M. Casanova pretends that if he had given an account of his meeting with
Yusuf's wife without changing anything everybody would think that I
allowed him to entertain me with indecent stories. I want you to give
your opinion about it. Will you," she added, speaking to me, "be so good
as to relate immediately the adventure in the same words which you have
used when you told me of it?"

"Yes, madam, if you wish me to do so."

Stung to the quick by an indiscretion which, as I did not yet know women
thoroughly, seemed to me without example, I cast all fears of displeasing
to the winds, related the adventure with all the warmth of an impassioned
poet, and without disguising or attenuating in the least the desires
which the charms of the Greek beauty had inspired me with.

"Do you think," said M. D---- R---- to Madame F-----, "that he ought to
have related that adventure before all our friends as he has just related
it to us?"

"If it be wrong for him to tell it in public, it is also wrong to tell it