“What do they want your excellency to do?”

To allow long cloaks and low-crowned hats; you must know all about it.”

“I only arrived at Madrid yesterday evening.”

“Very good.  Don’t come here on Sunday, as my house is to be blown up.”

“I should like to see that, my lord, so I will be in your hall at noon.”

“I expect you will be in good company.”

I duly went, and never had I seen it so full.  The count was addressing the company, under the last poster threatening him with death, two very energetic lines were inscribed by the person who put up the poster, knowing that he was at the same time running his head into the noose: 

     Si me cogen, me horqueran,
     Pero no me cogeran.

   “If they catch me, they will hang me,
   So I shall not let them catch me.”

At dinner Donna Ignazia told me how glad she was to have me in the house, but she did not respond to all my amorous speeches after Philippe had left the room.  She blushed and sighed, and then being obliged to say something, begged me to forget everything that had passed between us.  I smiled, and said that I was sure she knew she was asking an impossibility.  I added that even if I could forget the past I would not do so.

I knew that she was neither false nor hypocritical, and felt sure that her behaviour proceeded from devotion; but I knew this could not last long.  I should have to conquer her by slow degrees.  I had had to do so with other devotees who had loved me less than she, nevertheless, they had capitulated.  I was therefore sure of Donna Ignazia.

After dinner she remained a quarter of an hour with me, but I refrained from any amorous attempts.

After my siesta I dressed, and went out without seeing her.  In the evening when she came in for her father, who had supped with me, I treated her with the greatest politeness without shewing any ill-humour.  The following day I behaved in the same manner.  At dinner she told me she had broken with her lover at the beginning of Lent, and begged me not to see him if he called on me.

On Whit Sunday I called on the Count of Aranda, and Don Diego, who was exquisitely dressed, dined with me.  I saw nothing of his daughter.  I asked after her, and Don Diego replied, with a smile, that she had shut herself up in her room to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost.  He pronounced these words in a manner and with a smile that he would not have dared to use if he had been speaking to a fellow-Spaniard.  He added that she would, no doubt, come down and sup with me, as he was going to sup with his brother.

“My dear Don Diego, don’t let there be any false compliments between us.  Before you go out, tell your daughter not to put herself out for me, and that I do not pretend to put my society in comparison with that of God.  Tell her to keep her room to-night, and she can sup with me another time.  I hope you will take my message to her.”