nobleman would give me a distinguished reception. Besides, his nephew,
the Comte de Lastic, whom I knew well, was there with his regiment. For
these reasons I chose Metz as a meeting-place with the virgin Corticelli,
to whom this new part would certainly be a surprise. Madame d'Urfe gave
me the necessary introductions, and I left Paris on January 25th, 1762,
loaded with presents. I had a letter of credit to a large amount, but I
did not make use of it as my purse was abundantly replenished.

I took no servant, for after Costa's robbing me and Le Duc's cheating me
I felt as if I could not trust in anyone. I got to Metz in two days, and
put up at the "Roi Dagobert," an excellent inn, where I found the Comte
de Louvenhaupt, a Swede, whom I had met at the house of the Princess of
Anhalt-Zerbst, mother of the Empress of Russia. He asked me to sup with
him and the Duc de Deux Pants, who was travelling incognito to Paris to
visit Louis XV., whose constant friend he was.

The day after my arrival I took my letters to the governor, who told me I
must dine with him every day. M. de Lastic had left Metz, much to my
regret, as he would have contributed in no small degree to the pleasure
of my stay. The same day I wrote to the Corticelli, sending her fifty
louis, and telling her to come with her mother as soon as possible, and
to get someone who knew the way to accompany her. She could not leaves
Prague before the beginning of Lent, and to make sure of her coming I
promised that I would make her fortune.

In four or five days I knew my way about the town, but I did not frequent
polite assemblies, preferring to go to the theatre, where a comic opera
singer had captivated me. Her name was Raton, and she was only fifteen,
after the fashion of actresses who always subtract at least two or three
years from their age. However, this failing is common to women, and is a