"What did they give you to come here?"

"Ten Savoy sols a day. But now I live like a princess, as you shall see
at supper, for though this worthy woman knows the money you gave her is
for herself she lavishes it on me."

"She knows, dear sister, that such is my intention, and here is some more
to go on with."

So saying I took another ten louis from my purse, and bade the
country-woman spare nothing for the invalid's comfort. I enjoyed the
worthy woman's happiness; she kissed my hands, and told me that I had
made her fortune, and that she could buy some cows now.

As soon as I was alone with the charming nun, whose face recalled to my
memory the happy hours I had passed with M---- M----, my imagination began
to kindle, and drawing close to her I began to talk of her seducer,
telling her I was surprised that he had not helped her in the cruel
position in which he had placed her. She replied that she was debarred
from accepting any money by her vow of poverty and obedience, and that
she had given up to the abbess what remained of the alms the bishop had
procured her.

"As to my state when I was so fortunate as to meet you, I think he cannot
have received my letter."

"Possibly, but is he a rich or handsome man?"

"He is rich but certainly not handsome. On the contrary, he is extremely
ugly, deformed, and over fifty."