第29章

TheducdelaVauguyonhastenedtocommunicatetomethishappy

stateofthings；andmyjoywassogreat，thatIembracedhim

withthesincerestwarmth，assuringhimthatIshouldalwayslook

uponhimasmybestfriend，andseektotestifymyregardatevery

opportunitythatfellinmywayofforwardinghisinterests。

Somedaysafterwardsthekingbroughtmeasplendidring，worth

thirty-sixthousandlivres。

“Youmustsendthisjeweltoyourgoodfriendtheduke，“saidhe。

“Idarenot，“repliedI。

“Ifearlestitshoulddrawforth

hisdispleasure。“

“No，no，“criedtheking，“’tisnotthefashionatcourttoconstrue

giftslikethisintoinsults，butIshouldwishthistrifletobe

presentedinanindirectmanner“；and，afterhavingconsidereda

moment，“Ihaveit，“exclaimedhe，“Ihavethoughtofaclever

expedient；letusputthisringuponthefingerofthatChinese

mandarinbeforeus，andgivethefigurewiththering，considering

itmerelyanappendagetoit。

Assuredlythemostdisinterested

mancannotrefusetoacceptachinafigure。“

Iextolledtheking’sideaasbeingamosthappyone；andhe

immediatelyfittedtheringuponthelittlefingerofthemandarin，

whichIcausedtobecarriedtotheducdelaVauguyonwiththe

followingbillet:——

“MONSIEURLEDUC，——Youhavebeenmybestfriend；

’tistoyourkindofficesthatIowetheconfirmation

ofmyhappiness；butIwouldsecurethecontinuance

ofyourvaluablefriendship，andforthatpurposeI

sendyoualittlemagicalfigure，which，placedin

yourcabinet，willcompelyourthoughtstooccupy

themselveswithmeinspiteofyourself。

Iam

superstitiousenoughtorelygreatlyuponthe

talismanicvirtueofthecharmedporcelain；andfurther，

Imusttellyou，thatIwasnotitspurchaserinthe

firstinstance，neitherdidIadornitforyour

acceptance。

Ishouldnothaveventuredtooffermore

thantheassuranceofmyeverlastingesteemandregard

foryouracceptance。

Thetriflesentcomesfroma

highersource；andtheaugusthandsodeartobothof

us，deignedtopresideoverthearrangement。

Should

therebeinitanythingatallrepugnanttoyour

feelings，Ibeseechyoubearmenoillwillforit；

fortruly，Imaysay，Ishouldneverhavesummoned

couragetodothatwhichhasjustbeendonebyhim

whomalluniteinlovingandesteeming。“

Thedukereplied，-

“Yourtalismaniswelcome；yetitsmagicpower，far

fromaugmentingthewarmthofmyfeelingstowards

you，wouldhavediminisheditonaccountofacertain

accessorywithwhichmyfriendshipcouldhavewell

dispensed:however，whatyousayonthesubjectcloses

mylips。

Igratefullyacknowledgethedailyfavors

bestoweduponmefromtheaugusthandofwhomyou

speak；andIreceivewiththedeepestrespect(mingled

withregret)thegraciouspresenthedeignstoconvey

tome