“Your declarations encourage me to become, once more, a suitor; for I will confess that, in addition to the desire of doing you honor, I have come equally with the wish to urge your great influence in behalf of an earnest suit I have.”

“What now!  Our young charge, Donna Florinda, has inherited, with the fortunes of her family, its ancient habits of patronage and protection!  But we will not discourage the feeling, for it has a worthy origin, and, used with discretion, it fortifies the noble and powerful in their stations.”

“And may we not say,” mildly observed Donna Florinda, “that when the affluent and happy employ themselves with the cares of the less fortunate, they not only discharge a duty, but they cultivate a wholesome and useful state of mind?”

“Doubt it not.  Nothing can be more useful than to give to each class in society, a proper sense of its obligations, and a just sentiment of its duties.  These are opinions I greatly approve, and which I desire my ward may thoroughly understand.”

“She is happy in possessing instructors so able and so willing to teach all she should know,” rejoined Violetta.

“With this admission, may I ask the Signor Gradenigo to give ear to my petition?”

“Thy little requests are ever welcome.  I would merely observe, that generous and ardent temperaments sometimes regard a distant object so steadily, as to overlook others that are not only nearer, and perhaps of still more urgent importance, but more attainable.  In doing a benefit to one, we should be wary not to do injury to many.  The relative of some one of thy household may have thoughtlessly enlisted for the wars?”

“Should it be so, I trust the recruit will have the manhood not to quit his colors.”

“Thy nurse, who is one little likely to forget the service she did thy infancy, urges the claim of some kinsman to an employment in the customs?”

“I believe all of that family are long since placed,” said Violetta, laughing, “unless we might establish the good mother herself in some station of honor.  I have naught to ask in their behalf.”

“She who hath reared thee to this goodly and healthful beauty, would prefer a well-supported suit, but still is she better as she is, indolent, and, I fear, pampered by thy liberality.  Thy private purse is drained by demands on thy charity;—­or, perhaps, the waywardness of a female taste hath cost thee dear, of late?”

“Neither.  I have little need of gold, for one of my years cannot properly maintain the magnificence of her condition.  I come, guardian, with a far graver solicitation than any of these.”

“I hope none in thy favor have been indiscreet of speech!” exclaimed the Signor Gradenigo, casting a hasty and suspicious look at his ward.

“If any have been so thoughtless, let them abide the punishment of their fault.”

“I commend thy justice.  In this age of novel opinions, innovations of all descriptions cannot be too severely checked.  Were the senate to shut its ears to all the wild theories that are uttered by the unthinking and vain, their language would soon penetrate to the ill-regulated minds of the ignorant and idle.  Ask me, if thou wilt, for purses in scores, but do not move me to forgetfulness of the guilt of the disturber of the public peace!”