sturdy box on the ear.

The fellow went off, calling her strumpet, which only made her scream
with laughter; then, turning to the Spaniard, she told him to make out
his account directly.

The man did not want telling twice, and avenged himself for the abuse he
had received by the inordinate length of his bill.

She took up the account and placed her initials at the bottom without
deigning to look at the items, and said,--

"Go to Don Diego Valencia; he will pay you immediately."

As soon as we were alone the chocolate was served, and she sent a message
to the fellow whose ears she had boxed to come to breakfast directly.

"You needn't be surprised at my way of treating him," she said. "He's a
rascal whom Ricla has placed in my house to spy out my actions, and I
treat him as you have seen, so that he may have plenty of news to write
to his master."

I thought I must be dreaming; such a woman seemed to me beyond the limits
of the possible.

The poor wretch, who came from Bologna and was a musician by profession,
came and sat down with us without a word. His name was Molinari.

As soon as he had finished his breakfast he left the room, and Nina spent
an hour with me talking about Spain, Italy, and Portugal, where she had