“I promise it faithfully; I promise not to conceal anything from you; but be upright enough not to tell me anything that is not perfectly true, for I warn you that it would be useless.  If you tried any artifice in order to find me less worthy of you than I am in reality, you would only succeed in lowering yourself in my estimation.  I should be very sorry to see you guilty of any cunning towards me.  Have no more suspicion of me than I have of you; tell me the whole truth.”

“Here it is.  You suppose me wealthy, and I am not so; as soon as what there is now in my purse is spent I shall have nothing left.  You may fancy that I was born a patrician, but my social condition is really inferior to your own.  I have no lucrative talents, no profession, nothing to give me the assurance that I am able to earn my living.  I have neither relatives nor friends, nor claims upon anyone, and I have no serious plan or purpose before me.  All I possess is youth, health, courage, some intelligence, honour, honesty, and some tincture of letters.  My greatest treasure consists in being my own master, perfectly independent, and not afraid of misfortune.  With all that, I am naturally inclined to extravagance.  Lovely Therese, you have my portrait.  What is your answer?”

“In the first place, dearest, let me assure you that I believe every word you have just uttered, as I would believe in the Gospel; in the second, allow me to tell you that several times in Ancona I have judged you such as you have just described yourself, but far from being displeased at such a knowledge of your nature, I was only afraid of some illusion on my part, for I could hope to win you if you were what I thought you to be.  In one word, dear one, if it is true that you are poor and a very bad hand at economy, allow me to tell you that I feel delighted, because, if you love me, you will not refuse a present from me, or despise me for offering it.  The present consists of myself, such as I am, and with all my faculties.  I give myself to you without any condition, with no restriction; I am yours, I will take care of you.  For the future think only of your love for me, but love me exclusively.  From this moment I am no longer Bellino.  Let us go to Venice, where my talent will keep us both comfortably; if you wish to go anywhere else, let us go where you please.”

“I must go to Constantinople.”

“Then let us proceed to Constantinople.  If you are afraid to lose me through want of constancy, marry me, and your right over me will be strengthened by law.  I should not love you better than I do now, but I should be happy to be your wife.”

“It is my intention to marry you, and I am delighted that we agree in that respect.  The day after to-morrow, in Bologna, you shall be made my legal-wife before the altar of God; I swear it to you here in the presence of Love.  I want you to be mine, I want to be yours, I want us to be united by the most holy ties.”