I began to trace my steps in the direction he had pointed out, and he was obliged to follow me.  As soon as we got to the inn, he went on in front, and after climbing three flights of stairs I entered a wretched den where I saw a tall young girl, a sweet brunette, who looked proud and not in the least confused.  As soon as I made my appearance she said, without any greeting,—­

“Are you the brother of this liar and monster who has deceived me so abominably?”

“Yes,” said I.  “I have the honour.”

“A fine honour, truly.  Well, have the kindness to send me back to Venice, for I won’t stop any longer with this rascal whom I listened to like the fool I was, who turned my head with his lying tales.  He was going to meet you at Milan, and you were to give us enough money to go to Geneva, and there we were to turn Protestants and get married.  He swore you were expecting him at Milan, but you were not there at all, and he contrived to get money in some way or another, and brought me here miserably enough.  I thank Heaven he has found you at last, for if he had not I should have started off by myself and begged my way.  I have not a single thing left; the wretch sold all I possessed at Bergamo and Verona.  I don’t know how I kept my senses through it all.  To hear him talk, the world was a paradise outside Venice, but I have found to my cost that there is no place like home.  I curse the hour when I first saw the miserable wretch.  He’s a beggarly knave; always whining.  He wanted to enjoy his rights as my husband when we got to Padua, but I am thankful to say I gave him nothing.  Here is the writing he gave me; take it, and do what you like with it.  But if you have any heart, send me back to Venice or I will tramp there on foot.”

I had listened to this long tirade without interrupting her.  She might have spoken at much greater length, so far as I was concerned; my astonishment took my breath away.  Her discourse had all the fire of eloquence, and was heightened by her expressive face and the flaming glances she shot from her eyes.

My brother, sitting down with his head between his hands, and obliged to listen in silence to this long catalogue of well-deserved reproaches, gave something of a comic element to the scene.  In spite of that, however, I was much touched by the sad aspects of the girl’s story.  I felt at once that I must take charge of her, and put an end to this ill-assorted match.  I imagined that I should not have much difficulty in sending her back to Venice, which she might never have quitted if it had not been for her trust in me, founded on the fallacious promises of her seducer.

The true Venetian character of the girl struck me even more than her beauty.  Her courage, frank indignation, and the nobility of her aspect made me resolve not to abandon her.  I could not doubt that she had told a true tale, as my brother continued to observe a guilty silence.

I watched her silently for some time, and, my mind being made up, said,—­