Page 360 of 2288

"And after what you said, just now! Well, the young men go in to

their comrade's; he was giving a farewell dinner. There they

certainly did drink a little too much, as one always does at

farewell dinners. And at dinner they inquire who lives at the top

in that house. No one knows; only their host's valet, in answer

to their inquiry whether any 'young ladies' are living on the top

floor, answered that there were a great many of them about there.

After dinner the two young men go into their host's study, and

write a letter to the unknown fair one. They compose an ardent

epistle, a declaration in fact, and they carry the letter

upstairs themselves, so as to elucidate whatever might appear not

perfectly intelligible in the letter."

"Why are you telling me these horrible stories? Well?"