"Yes, monsieur le comte; that is to say, she isn't exactly an Italian, although she wears the costume of a Milanese; she was born in Béarn, but it seems that she has lived in Milan many years. I give you my word that she is a dainty morsel, that little Miretta!" When he heard the name Miretta, the foreigner could not restrain a gesture of surprise; but he recovered himself instantly, walked back to the easy-chair he had just left, and resumed his seat, saying: "Really, monsieur le chevalier, you make me very curious; and if I were not afraid of being indiscreet in asking you how you made the acquaintance of this girl, who, you say, is so pretty, I should take great pleasure in hearing of it." "There is no indiscretion in your request, count; indeed, the affair took place in the presence of numerous witnesses and made quite a sensation this morning. I will stake my head that it will be the talk of the court and the whole city this evening. I will tell you all about it.--Go on, Popelinette; it needn't prevent you from sewing on my buttons." Thereupon the Gascon chevalier described what had taken place that morning in front of Master Hugonnet's house; and in his narrative, carried away doubtless by his interest in the pretty Milanese, Passedix embellished the truth with a number of episodes which he deemed likely to heighten the effect. For instance, he did not fail to say that on several occasions he had saved Cédrille from certain death by throwing himself in front of the swords that threatened him; in a word, it was due to his courage that the two travellers succeeded in escaping from the fury of those who surrounded them. The foreigner listened to the Gascon with the closest attention. When the latter had finished, the other looked fixedly at him and said: "Now, what do you expect to do, chevalier?" "What! By Venus! follow up the adventure, watch for the little one to come out, join her, declare my passion, soften her heart--a mere trifle! The rest will go of itself." "No doubt!" muttered Dame Cadichard; "if the girl is a good-for-nothing who listens to the first comer!" "Whom do you call a first comer, madame? do you dare to apply those words to Castor Pyrrhus de Passedix?--Sandioux! you are pricking me, Popelinette! do be careful!" "I mean to say, monsieur, that this girl does not know you; and if she is virtuous----" "Cadédis! all women are virtuous before they have sinned; and since the days of Eve, who allowed herself to be tempted by a serpent, how many women have stumbled---- Oh! this old woman is determined to spit me like a roasted hare!" "But in order to watch for this Italian," observed the Spaniard, "it is necessary first of all that you should know where she lives in Paris."