proposition；　confirmed　by　the　doctors　of　the　Holy　College　in
  controversy；　had　the　effect　of　opening　the　doors　of　the　palace　that
  same　evening。　The　young　cardinals；　the　foreign　envoys；　the　wealthy
  inhabitants；　and　the　principal　men　of　the　town　of　Rome　came；　crowded
  the　rooms；　and　held　a　joyous　festival；　the　common　people　made　grand
  illuminations；　and　thus　the　whole　population　celebrated　the　return　of
  the　Queen　of　Pleasure　to　her　occupation；　for　she　was　at　that　time　the
  presiding　deity　of　Love。　The　experts　in　all　the　arts　loved　her　much；
  because　she　spent　considerable　sums　of　money　improving　the　Church　in
  Rome；　which　contained　poor　Theodora's　tomb；　which　was　destroyed　during
  that　pillage　of　Rome　in　which　perished　the　traitorous　constable　of
  Bourbon；　for　this　holy　maiden　was　placed　therein　in　a　massive　coffin
  of　gold　and　silver；　which　the　cursed　soldiers　were　anxious　to　obtain。
  The　basilic　cost；　it　is　said；　more　than　the　pyramid　erected　by　the
  Lady　Rhodepa；　an　Egyptian　courtesan；　eighteen　hundred　years　before　the
  coming　of　our　divine　Saviour；　which　proves　the　antiquity　of　this
  pleasant　occupation；　the　extravagant　prices　which　the　wise　Egyptians
  paid　for　their　pleasures；　and　how　things　deteriorate；　seeing　that　now
  for　a　trifle　you　can　have　a　chemise　full　of　female　loveliness　in　the
  Rue　du　Petit…Heulen；　at　Paris。　Is　it　not　abomination？
  Never　had　Madame　Imperia　appeared　so　lovely　as　at　this　first　gala
  after　her　mourning。　All　the　princes；　cardinals；　and　others　declared
  that　she　was　worthy　the　homage　of　the　whole　world；　which　was　there
  represented　by　a　noble　from　every　known　land；　and　thus　was　it　amply
  demonstrated　that　beauty　was　in　every　place　queen　of　everything。
  The　envoy　of　the　King　of　France；　who　was　a　cadet　of　the　house　of　l'Ile
  Adam；　arrived　late；　although　he　had　never　yet　seen　Imperia；　and　was
  most　anxious　to　do　so。　He　was　a　handsome　young　knight；　much　in　favour
  with　his　sovereign；　in　whose　court　he　had　a　mistress；　whom　he　loved
  with　infinite　tenderness；　and　who　was　the　daughter　of　Monsieur　de
  Montmorency；　a　lord　whose　domains　bordered　upon　those　of　the　house　of
  l'Ile　Adam。　To　this　penniless　cadet　the　king　had　given　certain
  missions　to　the　duchy　of　Milan；　of　which　he　had　acquitted　himself　so
  well　that　he　was　sent　to　Rome　to　advance　the　negotiations　concerning
  which　historians　have　written　so　much　in　their　books。　Now　if　he　had
  nothing　of　his　own；　poor　little　l'Ile　Adam　relied　upon　so　good　a
  beginning。　He　was　slightly　built；　but　upright　as　a　column；　dark；　with
  black；　glistening　eyes；　and　a　man　not　easily　taken　in；　but　concealing
  his　finesse；　he　had　the　air　of　an　innocent　child；　which　made　him
  gentle　and　amiable　as　a　laughing　maiden。　Directly　this　gentleman
  joined　her　circle；　and　her　eyes　had　rested　upon　him；　Madame　Imperia
  felt　herself　bitten　by　a　strong　desire；　which　stretched　the　harp
  strings　of　her　nature；　and　produced　therefrom　a　sound　she　had　not
  heard　for　many　a　day。　She　was　seized　with　such　a　vertigo　of　true　love
  at　the　sight　of　this　freshness　of　youth；　that　but　for　her　imperial
  dignity　she　would　have　kissed　the　good　cheeks　which　shone　like　little
  apples。
  Now　take　note　of　this；　that　so　called　modest　women；　and　ladies　whose
  skirts　bear　their　armorial　bearings；　are　thoroughly　ignorant　of　the
  nature　of　man；　because　they　keep　to　one　alone；　like　the　Queen　of
  France　who　believed　all　men　had　ulcers　in　the　nose　because　the　king
  had；　but　a　great　courtesan；　like　Madame　Imperia；　knew　man　to　his　core；
  because　she　had　handled　a　great　many。　In　her　retreat；　everyone　came
  out　in　his　true　colours；　and　concealed　nothing；　thinking　to　himself
  that　he　would　not　be　long　with　her。　Having　often　deplored　this
  subjection；　sometimes　she　would　remark　that　she　suffered　from　pleasure
  more　than　she　suffered　from　pain。　There　was　the　dark　shadow　of　her
  life。　You　may　be　sure　that　a　lover　was　often　compelled　to　part　with　a
  nice　little　heap　of　crowns　in　order　to　pass　the　night　with　her；　and
  was　reduced　to　desperation　by　a　refusal。　Now　for　her　it　was　a　joyful
  thing　to　feel　a　youthful　desire；　like　that　she　had　for　the　little
  priest；　whose　story　commences　this　collection；　but　because　she　was
  older　than　in　those　merry　days；　love　was　more　fully　established　in
  her；　and　she　soon　perceived　that　it　was　of　a　fiery　nature　when　it
  began　to　make　itself　felt；　indeed；　she　suffered　in　her　skin　like　a　cat
  that　is　being　scorched；　and　so　much　so　that　she　had　an　intense　longing
  to　spring　upon　this　gentleman；　and　bear　him　in　triumph　to　her　nest；　as
  a　kite　does　its　prey；　but　with　great　difficulty　she　restrained
  herself。　When　he　came　and　bowed　to　her；　she　threw　back　her　head；　and
  assumed　a　most　dignified　attitude；　as　do　those　who　have　a　love
  infatuation　in　their　hearts。　The　gravity　of　her　demeanour　to　the　young
  ambassador　caused　many　to　think　that　she　had　work　in　store　for　him；
  equivocating　on　the　word；　after　the　custom　of　the　time。
  L'Ile　Adam；　knowing　himself　to　be　dearly　loved　by　his　mistress；
  troubled　himself　but　little　about　Madame　Imperia；　grave　or　gay；　and
  frisked　about　like　a　goat　let　loose。　The　courtesan；　terribly　annoyed
  at　this；　changed　her　tone；　from　being　sulky　became　gay　and　lively；
  came　to　him；　softened　her　voice；　sharpened　her　glance；　gracefully
  inclined　her　head；　rubbed　against　him　with　her　sleeve；　and　called　him
  Monsiegneur；　embraced　him　with　the　loving　words；　trifled　with　his
  hand；　and　finished　by　smiling　at　him　most　affably。　He；　not　imagining
  that　so　unprofitable　a　lover　would　suit　her；　for　he　was　as　poor　as　a
  church　mouse；　and　did　not　know　that　his　beauty　was　the　equal　in　her
  eyes　to　all　the　treasures　of　the　world；　was　not　taken　in　her　trap；　but
  continued　to　ride　the　high　horse　with　his　hand　on　his　hips。　This
  disdain　of　her　passion　irritated　Madame　to　the　heart；　which　by　this
  spark　was　set　in　flame。　If　you　doubt　this；　it　is　because　you　know
  nothing　of　the　profession　of　the　Madame　Imperia；　who　by　reason　of　it
  might　be　compared　to　a　chimney；　in　which　a　great　number　of　fires　have
  been　lighted；　which　had　filled　it　with　soot；　in　this　state　a　match　was
  sufficient　to　burn　everything　there；　where　a　hundred　fagots　has　smoked
  comfortably。　She　burned　within　from　top　to　toe　in　a　horrible　manner；
  and　could　not　be　extinguished　save　with　the　water　of　love。　The　cadet
  of　l'Ile　Adam　left　the　room　without　noticing　this　ardour。
  Madame；　disconsolate　at　his　departure；　lost　her　senses　from　her　head
  to　her　feet；　and　so　thoroughly　that　she　sent　a　messenger　to　him　on　the
  galleries；　begging　him　to　pass　the　night　with　her。　On　no　other
  occasion　of　her　life　had　she　had　this　cowardice；　either　for　king；
  pope；　or　emperor；　since　the　high　price　of　her　favours　came　from　the
  bondage　in　which　she　held　her　admirers；　whom　the　more　she　humbled　the
  more　she　raised　herself。　The　disdainful　hero　of　this　history　was
  informed　by　the　head　chamber…women；　who　was　a　clever　jade；　that　in　all
  probability　a　great　treat　awaited　him；　for　most　certainly　Madame　would
  regale　him　with　her　most　delicate　inventions　of　love。　L'Ile　Adam
  returned　to　the　salons；　delighted　at　this　lucky　chance。　Directly　the
  envoy　of　France　reappeared；　as　everyone　had　seen　Imperia　turn　pale　at
  his　departure；　the　general　joy　knew　no　bounds；　because　everyone　was
  delighted　to　see　her　return　to　her　old　life　of　love。　An　English
  cardinal；　who　had　drained　more　than　one　big…bellied　flagon；　and　wished
  to　taste　Imperia；　went　to　l'Ile　Adam　and　whispered　to　him；　〃Hold　her
  fast；　so　that　she　shall　never　again　escape　us。〃
  The　story　of　this　remark　was　told　to　the　pope　at　his　levee；　and　caused
  him　to　remark；　/Laetamini；　gentes；　quoniam　surrexit　Dominus/。　A
  quotation　which　the　old　cardinals　abominated　as　a　profanation　of
  sacred　texts。　Seeing　which；　the　pope　reprimanded　them　severely；　and
  took　occasion　to　lecture　them；　telling　them　that　if　they　were　good
  Christians　they　were　bad　politicians。　Indeed；　he　relied　upon　the　fair
  Imperia　to　reclaim　the　emperor；　and　with　this　idea　he　syringed　her
  well　with　flattery。
  The　lights　of　the　palace　being　extinguished；　the　golden　flagons　on　the
  floor；　and　the　servants　drunk　and　stretched　about　on　the　carpets；
  Madame　entered　her　bedchamber；　leading　by　the　hand　her　dear　lover…
  elect；　and　she　was　well　pleased；　and　has　since　confessed　that　so
  strongly　was　she　bitten　with　love；　she　could　hardly　restrain　herself
  from　rolling　at　his　feet　like　a　beast　of　the　field；　begging　him　to
  crush　her　beneath　him　if　he　could。　L'Ile　Adam　slipped　off　his
  garments；　and　tumbled　into　bed　as　if　he　were　in　his　own　house。　Seeing
  which；　Madame　hastened　her　preparations；　and　sprang　into　her　lover's
  arms　with　a　frenzy　that　astonished　her　women；　who　knew　her　to　be
  ordinarily　one　of　the　most　modest　of　women　on　these　occasions。　The
  astonishment　became　general　throughout　the　country；　for　the　pair
  remained　in　bed　for　nine　days；　eating；　drinking；　and　embracing　in　a
  marvellous　and　most　masterly　manner。　Madame　told　her　women　that　at
  last　she　had　placed　her