Don Juan and Don Antonio, who were listening to all this, could not
suffer the matter to go further, nor would they permit the exchange of
the infant's dress to trouble the poor lady any longer. They therefore
entered the room, and Don Juan said, "This infant and its wrappings are
yours, Signora;" and immediately he related from point to point how the
matter had happened. He told Cornelia that he was himself the person to
whom the waiting woman had given the child, and how he had brought it
home, with the orders he had given to the housekeeper respecting its
change of clothes, and his motives for doing so. He added that, from the
moment when she had spoken of her own infant, he had felt certain that
this was no other than her son; and if he had not told her so at once,
that was because he feared the effects of too much gladness, coming
immediately after the heavy grief which her trials had caused her.

The tears of joy then shed by Cornelia were many and long-continued;
infinite were the acknowledgments she offered to Heaven, innumerable the
kisses she lavished on her son, and profuse the thanks which she
offered from her heart to the two friends, whom she called her guardian
angels on earth, with other names, which gave abundant proof of her
gratitude. They soon afterwards left the lady with their housekeeper,
whom they enjoined to attend her well, and do her all the service
possible--having made known to the woman the position in which Cornelia
found herself, to the end that she might take all necessary precautions,
the nature of which, she, being a woman, would know much better than
they could do. They then went to rest for the little that remained of
the night, intending to enter Cornelia's apartment no more, unless
summoned by herself, or called thither by some pressing need.

The day having dawned, the housekeeper went to fetch a woman, who agreed
to nurse the infant in silence and secrecy. Some hours later the friends