The prince was to leave for San Stefano next day; and early in the
morning Cornélie sent him the following letter:
"My dear Prince,
"I have a favour to ask of you. Yesterday you were so good as to offer
me help. I thought then that I was in a position to decline your
kind offer. But I hope that you will not think me very changeable
if I come to you to-day with this request: lend me what you offered
yesterday to give me.
"Lend me two hundred lire. I hope to be able to repay you as soon as
possible. Of course it need not be a secret from Urania; but don't
let Duco know. I tried to sell my bracelets yesterday, but sold only
one and received very little for it. The goldsmith offered me far too
little, but I had to let him have one at forty lire, for I had not a
soldo left! And so I am writing to appeal to your friendship and to
ask you to put the two hundred lire in an envelope and let me come
and fetch it myself from the porter. Pray receive my sincere thanks
in advance.
"What a pleasant evening you gave us yesterday! A couple of hours'
cheerful talk like that, at a well-chosen dinner, does me good. However
happy I may be, our present position of financial anxiety sometimes
depresses me, though I keep up my spirits for Duco's sake. Money
worries interfere with his work and impair his energy. So I discuss
them with him as little as I can; and I particularly beg you not to
let him into our little secret.
"Once more, my best and most sincere thanks.
"Cornélie de Retz."
When she left the house that morning, she went straight to the
Palazzo Ruspoli:
"Has his excellency gone?"
The porter bowed respectively and confidentially:
"An hour ago, signora. His excellency left a letter and a parcel for
me to give you if you should call. Permit me to fetch them."
He went away and soon returned; he handed Cornélie the parcel and
the letter.
She walked down a side-street turning out of the Corso, opened the
envelope and found a few bank-*notes and this letter:
"Most honoured Lady,
"I am so glad that you have applied to me at last; and Urania also
will approve. I feel I am acting in accordance with her wishes when
I send you not two hundred but a thousand lire, with the most humble
request that you will accept it and keep it as long as you please. For
of course I dare not ask you to take it as a present. Nevertheless
I am making so bold as to send you a keepsake. When I read that you
were compelled to sell a bracelet, I hated the idea so that, without
stopping to think, I ran round to Marchesini's and, as best I could,
picked you out a bracelet which, at your feet, I entreat you to
accept. You must not refuse your friend this. Let my bracelet be a
secret from Urania as well as from Van der Staal.
"Once more receive my sincere thanks for deigning to apply to me
for aid and be assured that I attach the highest value to this mark
of favour.
"Your most humble servant,
"Virgilio di F. B."
Cornélie opened the parcel and found a velvet case containing a
bracelet in the Etruscan style: a narrow gold band set with pearls
and sapphires.