“You know all now, sir; but I entreat you not to judge me too severely; I have been virtuous all through my life; one month ago I had never committed a fault which could call a blush upon my face, and the bitter tears which I shed every day will, I hope, wash out my crime in the eyes of God.  I have been carefully brought up, but love and the want of experience have thrown me into the abyss.  I am in your hands, and I feel certain that I shall have no cause to repent it.”

I needed all she had just told’ me to confirm me in the interest which I had felt in her from the first moment.  I told her unsparingly that Steffani had seduced and abandoned her of malice aforethought, and that she ought to think of him only to be revenged of his perfidy.  My words made her shudder, and she buried her beautiful face in her hands.

We reached the widow’s house.  I established her in a pretty, comfortable room, and ordered some supper for her, desiring the good landlady to skew her every attention and to let her want for nothing.  I then took an affectionate leave of her, promising to see her early in the morning.

On leaving this interesting but hapless girl, I proceeded to the house of Steffani.  I heard from one of his mother’s gondoliers that he had returned to Venice three days before, but that, twenty-four hours after his return, he had gone away again without any servant, and nobody knew his whereabouts, not even his mother.  The same evening, happening to be seated next to an abbe from Bologna at the theatre, I asked him several questions respecting the family of my unfortunate protegee.

The abbe being intimately acquainted with them, I gathered from him all the information I required, and, amongst other things, I heard that the young countess had a brother, then an officer in the papal service.

Very early the next morning I called upon her.  She was still asleep.  The widow told me that she had made a pretty good supper, but without speaking a single word, and that she had locked herself up in her room immediately afterwards.  As soon as she had opened her door, I entered her room, and, cutting short her apologies for having kept me waiting, I informed her of all I had heard.

Her features bore the stamp of deep sorrow, but she looked calmer, and her complexion was no longer pale.  She thought it unlikely that Steffani would have left for any other place but for C——.  Admitting the possibility that she might be right, I immediately offered to go to C——­ myself, and to return without loss of time to fetch her, in case Steffani should be there.  Without giving her time to answer I told her all the particulars I had learned concerning her honourable family, which caused her real satisfaction.

“I have no objection,” she said, “to your going to C——­, and I thank you for the generosity of your offer, but I beg you will postpone your journey.  I still hope that Steffani will return, and then I can take a decision.”