"One word from you will gain me a hundred thousand crowns, and you shall
have half."

I turned my back on him, and saw him no more at Genoa.

When I got back to the inn I found M. de Grimaldi giving Rosalie a lesson
in Italian.

"She has given me an exquisite dinner," said he, "you must be very happy
with her."

In spite of his honest face, M. Grimaldi was in love with her, but I
thought I had nothing to fear. Before he went she invited him to come to
the rehearsal next day.

When the actors came I noticed amongst them a young man whose face I did
not know, and on my enquiring Rossi told me he was the prompter.

"I won't have any prompter; send him about his business."

"We can't get on without him."

"You'll have to; I will be the prompter."

The prompter was dismissed, but the three actresses began to complain.

"If we knew our parts as well as the 'pater noster' we should be certain
to come to a dead stop if the prompter isn't in his box."