"Oh, dear! what are you saying? The very name of wig is awful. But no,
you may be certain that I will find you lovely under all circumstances. I
only entreat you not to put on that cruel wig in my presence. Do I offend
you? Forgive me; I am very sorry to have mentioned that subject. Are you
sure that no one can see you leave the convent?"

"You will be sure of it yourself when you have gone round the island and
seen the small door on the shore. I have the key of a room opening on the
shore, and I have every confidence in the sister who serves me."

"And the gondola?"

"My lover himself answers for the fidelity of the gondoliers."

"What a man that lover is! I fancy he must be an old man."

"You are mistaken; if he were old, I should be ashamed. He is not forty,
and he has everything necessary to be loved--beauty, wit, sweet temper,
and noble behaviour."

"And he forgives your amorous caprices?"

"What do you mean by caprices? A year ago he obtained possession of me,
and before him I had never belonged to a man; you are the first who
inspired me with a fancy. When I confessed it to him he was rather
surprised, then he laughed, and read me a short lecture upon the risk I
was running in trusting a man who might prove indiscreet. He wanted me to
know at least who you were before going any further, but it was too late.
I answered for your discretion, and of course I made him laugh by my
being so positively the guarantee of a man whom I did not know."