The young men then commanded their pages to retire, and Don Antonio,
opening the door of his room, found the lady seated on his bed, leaning
her cheek on her hand, and weeping piteously. Don Juan also having
approached the door, the splendour of the diamonds caught the eye of the
weeping lady, and she exclaimed, "Enter, my lord duke, enter! Why afford
me in such scanty measure the happiness of seeing you; enter at once, I
beseech you."

"Signora," replied Don Antonio, "there is no duke here who is declining
to see you."

"How, no duke!" she exclaimed. "He whom I have just seen is the Duke of
Ferrara; the rich decoration of his hat does not permit him to conceal
himself."

"Of a truth, Signora, he who wears the hat you speak of is no duke; and
if you please to undeceive yourself by seeing that person, you have but
to give your permission, and he shall enter."

"Let him do so," said the lady; "although, if he be not the duke, my
misfortune will be all the greater."

Don Juan had heard all this, and now finding that he was invited to
enter, he walked into the apartment with his hat in his hand; but he had
no sooner placed himself before the lady than she, seeing he was not the
person she had supposed, began to exclaim, in a troubled voice and with
broken words, "Ah! miserable creature that I am, tell me, Signor--tell
me at once, without keeping me in suspense, what do you know of him who
owned that sombrero? How is it that he no longer has it, and how did it