A rich merchant, who had been in love with the mother eighteen years before, seeing her a widow and still pretty, felt his early flames revive, and offered his hand and was accepted. A young advocate found Mimi to his taste, and asked her in marriage. The mother and daughter, fearing the results of my affection, and finding it would be a good match, lost no time in giving their consent. I was entertained in the family, and supped in the midst of a numerous and choice assemblage; but seeing that I should only annoy the ladies and tire myself in waiting for some chance favour if I stayed, I bade them adieu and returned to Sulzbach the next morning. I found there a charming girl from Strasburg, named Salzmann, three or four gamesters who had come to drink the waters, and several ladies, to whom I shall introduce the reader in the ensuing chapter. CHAPTER XVI I Send The Corticelli to Turin--Helen is Initiated Into The Mysteries of Love I Go to Lyons--My Arrival at Turin One of the ladies, Madame Saxe, was intended by nature to win the devotion of a man of feeling; and if she had not had a jealous officer in her train who never let her go out of his sight, and seemed to threaten anyone who aspired to please, she would probably have had plenty of admirers. This officer was fond of piquet, but the lady was always obliged to sit close beside him, which she seemed to do with pleasure. In the afternoon I played with him, and continued doing so for five or six days. After that I could stand it no longer, as when he had won ten or twelve louis he invariably rose and left me to myself. His name was d'Entragues; he was a fine-looking man, though somewhat thin, and had a good share of wit and knowledge of the world. We had not played together for two days, when one afternoon he asked if I would like to take my revenge. "No, I think not," said I, "for we don't play on the same principle. I play for amusement's sake and you play to win money." "What do you mean? Your words are offensive." "I didn't mean them to be offensive, but as a matter of fact, each time we have played you have risen after a quarter of an hour." "You ought to be obliged to me, as otherwise you would have lost heavily." "Possibly; but I don't think so." "I can prove it to you:" "I accept the offer, but the first to leave the table must forfeit fifty Louis." "I agree; but money down." "I never play on credit." I ordered a waiter to bring cards, and I went to fetch four or five rolls of a hundred Louis each. We began playing for five Louis the game, each player putting down the fifty Louis wagered. We began to play at three, and at nine o'clock d'Entragues said we might take some supper. "I am not hungry," I replied, "but you can go if you want me to put the hundred Louis in my pocket."