carefully, and after a slight repast with the countess, who was pleasant
but did not quite please me, I met my fellow-countryman and we called on
the two cousins.

"I have come," said I, "to beg your pardons for having revealed to you
the secret of the snuff-box."

They blushed, and scolded Barbaro, thinking that he had betrayed them. On
examining them I found them far superior to Irene, my present flame, but
their manner, the respect they seemed to require, frightened me. I was
not at all disposed to dance attendance on them. Irene, on the contrary,
was an easy prey. I had only to do her parents a service, and she was in
my power; while the two cousins had their full share of aristocratic
pride, which debases the nobility to the level of the vilest of the
people, and only imposes upon fools, who after all are in the majority
everywhere. Further I was no longer at that brilliant age which fears
nothing, and I was afraid that my appearance would hardly overcome them.
It is true that Barbaro had made me hope that presents would be of some
use, but after what the Marquis Triulzi had said, I feared that Barbaro
had only spoken on supposition.

When the company was sufficiently numerous, the card-tables were brought
in. I sat down by Mdlle. Q----, and disposed myself to play for small
stakes. I was introduced by the aunt, the mistress of the house, to a
young gentleman in Austrian uniform who sat beside me.

My dear countryman played like a true sharper, much to my displeasure. My
fair neighbour, at the end of the game, which lasted four hours, found
herself the gainer of a few sequins, but the officer, who had played on
his word of honour, after losing all the money in his pockets, owed ten