XVII

youwilltellmewhereyou'regoing.' 'Ah,no,thatisasecretbutIamwillingtodrinkherhealthwithyou.' 'Withoutaname?' 'Yes!' 'Tothenamelessone,thenandgoodluck!' Then,afteralittleconversation,hesaid,— 'IamgladyouhavesufferednomorefromGiuliadall'Aste.Iwasafraid—' 'Oh,thesethingspassoff.Itookyouradvice,andfoundthebestwaytoconsolemyselfwastofallinlovewithsomebodyelse.' Therewasalittleexcitementingoingtothismysteriousmeeting.IwonderedwhetheritwasatraparrangedbytheamiableErcoletogetmeinhispowerandridhimselfofmyunpleasantperson.Butfaintheartneverwonfairladyandevenifhesetonmewithtwoorthreeothers,Ishouldbeabletogiveareasonableaccountofmyself. Buttherehadbeennothingtofear.Onmywayhome,asthedaywasbreaking,Ismiledtomyselfatthematter-of-factwayinwhichawomanhadopenedthelittledoor,andshownmeintotheroomClaudiahadtoldmeof.Shewasevidentlywellusedtoherbusinessshedidnoteventakethetroubletolookintomyfacetoseewhowasthenewcomer.Iwonderedhowmanywell-cloakedgallantsshehadletinbythesamedoorIdidnotcareiftheywerehalfahundred.IdidnotsupposethebeautifulClaudiawasmorevirtuousthanmyself.SuddenlyitoccurredtomethatIhadrevengedmyselfonErcolePiacentiniatlastandthequaintthought,comingunexpectedly,mademestopdeadandburstintoashoutoflaughter.Thethoughtofthathang-dogvisage,andthebeautifulornamentsIhadgivenhim,wasenoughtomakeadeadmanmerry.Oh,itwasafairerrevengethananyIcouldhavedreamedof! But,besidesthat,IwasfilledwithagreatsenseofpleasurebecauseIwasatlastfree.IfeltthatifsomeslightchainstillboundmetoGiulianow,eventhatwasbrokenandIhadrecoveredmyliberty.Therewasnolovethistime.Therewasagreatdesireforthemagnificentsensualcreature,withthelipsdeepredandheavybutitleftmymindfree.IwasnowagainacompletemanandthistimeIhadnoNemesistofear.