“She’s my sister,” said he.

I knew as much, but pretended to be astonished, and I went on playing.  Taking the opportunity I told him that I knew of no one who could let the marchioness know of my affection better than he.  I made him laugh, and as he thought I was jesting he only gave vague answers; but seeing that while I talked of my passion I forgot my card, he soon won the twenty sequins from me, and immediately paid them to Barbaro.  In the excess of his joy he embraced me as if I had given him the money; and when we parted he promised to give me some good news of his sister at our next meeting.

I had to go to supper with Therese, Greppi, and my son, but having some spare time before me I went to the opera-house.  The third act was going on, and I accordingly visited the cardroom, and there lost two hundred sequins at a single deal.  I left the room almost as if I was flying from an enemy.  Canano shook me by the hand, and told me he expected me and the marquis to dinner every day, and I promised we would come at the earliest opportunity.

I went to Therese’s, and found Greppi there before me.  Therese and Don Cesarino, whom I covered with kisses, came in a quarter of an hour afterwards.  The banker stared at him in speechless wonder.  He could not make out whether he was my son or my brother.  Seeing his amazement, Therese told him Cesarino was her brother.  This stupefied the worthy man still more.  At last he asked me if I had known Therese’s mother pretty well, and on my answering in the affirmative he seemed more at ease.

The meal was excellent, but all my attention went to my son.  He had all the advantages of a good disposition and an excellent education.  He had grown a great deal since I had seen him at Florence, and his mental powers had developed proportionately.  His presence made the party grave, but sweet.  The innocence of youth throws around it an ineffable charm; it demands respect and restraint.  An hour after midnight we left Therese, and I went to bed, well pleased with my day’s work, for the loss of two hundred sequins did not trouble me much.

When I got up I received a note from Irene, begging me to call on her.  Her father had given her permission to go to the next ball with me, and she had a domino, but she wanted to speak to me.  I wrote and told her I would see her in the course of the day.  I had written to tell the Marquis Triulzi that I was going to dine with Canano, and he replied that he would be there.

We found this skilled gamester in a fine house, richly furnished, and shewing traces on every side of the wealth and taste of its owner.  Canano introduced me to two handsome women, one of whom was his mistress, and to five or six marquises; for at Milan no noble who is not a marquis is thought anything of, just as in the same way they are all counts at Vicenza.  The dinner was magnificent and the conversation highly intellectual.  In a mirthful moment Canano said