convent. It was my duty to do her hair, and by degrees I fell in love
with her, and inspired her with a reciprocal passion. After having sworn
a thousand times to exist only for one another, we gave ourselves up to
the task of shewing each other marks of our affection, the result of
which was that the state of the young countess discovered all. An old and
devoted servant was the first to find out our connection and the
condition of my mistress, and she told her that she felt in duty bound to
tell her father, but my sweetheart succeeded in making her promise to be
silent, saying that in the course of the week she herself would tell him
through her confessor. She informed me of all this, and instead of going
to confession we prepared for flight. She had laid hands on a good sum of
money and some diamonds which had belonged to her mother, and we were to
set out for Milan to-night. But to-day the count called me after dinner,
and giving me a letter, he told me to start at once and to deliver it
with my own hand to the person to whom it was addressed at Venice. He
spoke to me so kindly and quietly that I had not the slightest suspicion
of the fate in store for me. I went to get my cloak, said good-bye to my
little wife, telling her that I should soon return. Seeing deeper below
the surface than I, and perchance having a presentiment of my misfortune,
she was sick at heart. I came here in hot haste, and took care to deliver
the fatal letter. They made me wait for an answer, and in the mean time I
went to an inn; but as I came out I was arrested and put in the
guard-room, where I was kept till they brought me here. I suppose, sir, I
might consider the young countess as my wife?"

"You make a mistake."

"But nature---- "

"Nature, when a man listens to her and nothing else, takes him from one