LIVE. I restore you to favour. BILLET FROM MONTMORENCI. Angelic girl! But how can I live without the means? My landlady threatens me with an arrest. Heloise lent money to St. Preux. BILLET FROM CHERUBINA. In enclosing to you half of all I have, I feel, alas! that I am but half as liberal of my purse as of my heart. BILLET FROM MONTMORENCI. I promise to pay Lady Cherubina de Willoughby, or order, on demand, the sum of twenty-five pounds sterling, value received. MONTMORENCI. In a few minutes after I had received this last billet, his lordship came in person to perfect the reconciliation. Never was so tender, so excruciating a scene. We then consulted about the masquerade; and he brought me down his dress for it. The Montero cap and tarnished regimentals (which he procured at the theatre) are admirable. Soon after his departure, a letter was brought to me by the maid; who said, that a tall man, wrapped in a dark cloak, put it into her hand, and then fled with great swiftness. Conceive my sensations on reading this note, written in an antiquated hand. _To Lady Cherubina de Willoughby. These, greeting. Most fayre Ladie An aunciente and loyall Vassall that erewhyles appertained unto yre ryhgte noble Auncestrie, in ye qualitie of Seneschal, hath, by chaunce, discovred yer place of hiding, and doth crave ye boon that you will not fayle to goe unto ye Masquerade at ye Pantheon; where, anon he will joyn you, and unravell divers mysterys touching your pedigree. Lette nonne disswaid you from to goe, and eke lette nonne, save a Matron, goe with you; els I dare not holde parle with you. Myne honoured Ladie, if you heede not this counsell, you will work yourselfe woefull ruth._ Judge if I can sleep a wink after such a mysterious communication. Excellent old man! I mean to make him my steward. Adieu. LETTER XX I believe I mentioned, in a former letter, that my bed-chamber was on the ground floor, and looking into the yard at the back of the house. Soon after I went to bed, last night, I heard a whispering and rustling outside of the window, and while I was awaiting with anxiety the result, sleep surprised me. I awoke earlier, as I thought, than usual, this morning; for not a ray penetrated my curtainless window. I then tried to compose myself to sleep again, but in vain; so there I lay turning and tumbling about, for eight or nine hours, at the very least. At last I became alarmed. What can be the matter? thought I. Is the sun quenched or eclipsed? or has the globe ceased rolling? or am I struck stone blind? In the midst of my conjectures, a sudden cry of fire! fire! reverberated through the house. I sprang out of bed, and huddled on me whatever cloaths came to hand. I then groped for my casket of jewels, and having secured it, rushed into the outer room, where my eyes were instantly dazzled by the sudden glare of light.