I at once said that I would be the man to do it; the ideas was a wild one, and a roar of laughter greeted my words.

Her father was known to be a stern and rigid man, and it was certain that he would not consent to give his daughter to a spendthrift young noble like myself.

When the laughter had subsided I repeated my intention gravely, and offered to wager large sums with all around the table that I would succeed.
"On the morrow I packed up a few of my belongings, put in my valise the dress of a wandering troubadour, and taking with me only a trusty servant, started for Dauphiny.

It would be tedious to tell you the means I resorted to to obtain the affections of the heiress.

I had been well instructed in music and could play on the lute, and knew by heart large numbers of ballads, and could myself, in case of necessity, string verses together with tolerable ease.