Everyone was curious to know the value of the bill of exchange, but I was
not polite enough to satisfy their curiosity. It was for eight thousand
Piedmontese francs, as I saw as soon as I was alone. The Englishmen had
brought me good luck, for when they had gone fortune declared for the
bank. I rose at eight o'clock, some ladies having won a few louis, all
the others were dried up. I had won more than a thousand louis, and I
gave twenty-five to Desarmoises, who jumped for joy. I locked up my
money, put my pistols in my pocket, and set out towards the
meeting-place.

The worthy peasant woman brought me in by the door, telling me that
everybody was asleep, and that she had not found it necessary to renew
the lay-sister's dose, as she was still asleep.

I was terrified. I went upstairs, and by the light of a single candle I
saw the wretched, veiled figure of the nun, extended upon a sack which
the peasant woman had placed along the wall instead of a sofa. The candle
which lighted this dreary place was fixed in a bottle.

"What have you decided on doing?" said I.

"I have decided on nothing, for an unforeseen incident has confounded us.
The lay-sister has been asleep for eighteen hours."

"She will die of convulsions or of an apoplectic fit to-night if you do
not call a doctor, who may possibly restore her to life with a dose of
castor oil."

"We have thought of that, but we did not dare to take that step for fear
of consequences; for whether he restores her or not, he will say that we