276 A TOUR ROUND MY GARDEN. 



During the week which followed, at jBrst all the Levasseiir 

 household was cold towards me: then fresh encroachments 

 were attempted, and as I made no opposition to them, things 

 resumed their former state; they went out every evening. 

 I was, however, determined not to expose myself a second time 

 to the humiliations of the past Friday. I reserved for that day 

 a few sous above the price of my admission to the theatre. 



I had a great mind to propose to them to stay at home 

 every day except Friday; but I thought it best to stick to 

 my evenings, because, from some cause or other, Magdeleine's 

 night for going to the theatre might be changed, and then if 

 I were compelled to remain by agreement, labours might be 

 required of me which would have prevented my writing my 

 dear letters, or scribbling some of the sixty thousand verses 

 which I addressed to Magdeleine, and of which she never 

 saw one. 



I seized an opportunity in the course of the morning, when 

 I met Madame Levaaseur in the garden, to tell her, that I 

 should not have the honour of di/ning with her on that day. 



She made me no answer, but called M. Levasseur. They 

 talked for a long time together ; for my part, I was in another 

 part of the garden, watching the boys at play; besides, I was 

 to see Magdeleine that evening : as to a Friday being lost, 

 the iU-humour of M. and Madame Levasseur was nothing in 

 comparison with the armed enemies, the infernal fires, the 

 fabulous monsters that I would have encountered and over- 

 come to render myself worthy of my happiness. 



The hour being come, I set out and wandered round the 

 theatre to find a place where I could dine for my few sous. 



At that time, my friend, I had a tolerably good appetite, 

 and from the door of every restaurant, or even poor eating- 

 house, there issued savoury odours of gibelottes or hoeuf cb-la- 

 mode, which attracted me involuntarily : then I thought of 

 the slender state of my finances, and I looked about for more 

 humble fare. 



At length 1 fixed upon a kind of large plot of ground, 

 planted with plum-trees, under which was spread a carpet of 

 turf. The plums were ripe : I asked for three sous' worth of 

 bread and twenty plums, made a delicious dinner, and then 

 went to the theatre. She was there ! 



