In the mean time, when my first six months' mourning
was over, I caused to be made me ten suits of clothes, very rich,
so that each suit came to a thousand sequins; and, when the year
was past, I began to wear them.
One day, as I was busy all alone about my private affairs, one
came to tell me that a lady desired to speak with me. I ordered
that she should be brought in: She was a person well stricken in
years; she saluted me by kissing the ground, and told me,
kneeling, Dear lady, pray excuse the freedom I take; the
confidence I have in your charity makes me thus bold: I must
acquaint your ladyship that I have a daughter, an orphan, who is
to be married this day; she and I are both strangers, and have no
acquaintances at all in this town: this puts me in a perplexity,
for we would have the numerous family with whom we are going to
ally ourselves to think we are not, altogether strangers, and
without credit: Therefore, most beautiful lady, if you would
vouchsafe to honour the wedding with your presence, we shall be
infinitely obliged to you; because the ladies of your country
will then know that we are not looked upon here as despicable
wretches, when they shall come to understand that a lady of your
quality did us that honour. But, alas! madam, if you refuse this
request, we shall be altogether disgraced, and dare not address
ourselves to any other.
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