thought of the voices and performers. I then took the liberty of stating my real opinion; and if I did not answer like a master of the art, I at least made it apparent that I was not altogether ignorant of music.

In about an hour the concert was interrupted by a magnificent collation by way of interlude. I took this opportunity to return to my divinity, to whom I now publicly paid the most marked attention, in preference to the other ladies present; and my rivals now no longer doubted that I was the favoured lover.

Whatever malice, however, they might on this account nourish against me, they none of them dared think of being revenged on me, which they were well convinced the duke would make them repent of. For my part I cared so little for their displeasure, that I thought of nothing but of completing the conquest of my charmer. And love seemed willing to furnish me with opportunity; for just at this moment, a musician passing close by us, I called to him, and asked if he knew the two or three new airs that had lately been so popular. at Rome.

"I received them only this day," answered he, "so that I have not yet had leisure to study them."

The ladies then asked me if I knew them. I replied in the affirmative; and no sooner did they signify that they should like to hear them, than, without waiting like a professional man to be further pressed, I began to hum them in a very faint voice, pretending that I did not wish all the company to hear me. No sooner had I begun, however, than I was surrounded by all the ladies and gentlemen near

VOL. II.

K

me. My notes were not so very inaudible but that they reached the duchess's ear, who, advancing towards me, requested particularly that I would give my voice full scope.

I must not forget one circumstance. Her Highness made signs to my widow, and some other ladies of rank near her, to join the party to partake of the pleasure she anticipated. They advanced towards her directly; and the duchess, either out of malice or goodness, placed them in such a manner that my mistress stared me full in the face. After which she whispered to me with a smile—

"You see I am willing to pay you in advance for the favour you are about to grant me.”

At these words I bowed most obsequiously, and lest she should continue thus to tantalise me, I hastened to begin my song.

Have a care, friend Guzman, you will here be ready to tell me, or you certainly are going to praise yourself again. I confess that I am on the point of so doing, and since I have told you all my bad qualities, it is but fair that I should be allowed to say what I can in my own praise. My voice then. was so much admired, that the saloon resounded with. applause. And this is not much to be wondered at A man who at Rome had passed for a good singer, was not very likely to fail at Florence. In short, I amused the assembly until the fête broke up, when the duke and duchess withdrew to their own apartments, and I rejoined my widow, who was evidently waiting only to take leave of me. I had

just time to say a few sweet words to her, which were repaid with usury, and to request permission to pay my respects to her at her own house. This is usual at Florence, and was most gracefully granted. The lady even appointed an hour herself, than which she could not have paid me a greater compliment.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

SEQUEL AND CONCLUSION OF THIS FINE Intrigue.

WHEN I returned home, I thought myself obliged to give my counsellor Sayavedra an account of my fortune that day; even to the minutest particulars. After having listened to me with the greatest attention, he said to me—

"Everything goes well, and I do not doubt but the lady will fall into our snares."

"Friend," said I, "a prudent man is always in doubt about the event. When I think of the excess of my good luck, when I consider all the advantages of it, and please my imagination that in the course of two days I have reached the very summit of my wishes, I fear that fortune has hitherto flattered my sanguine expectation but to spoil and confound my rash undertaking by some sad disaster."

"True it is," replied my confidant, “that the promises of hope are often fallacious, but yet sometimes they must be fulfilled."

I slept more soundly that night than the last, and as soon as I rose the next day I sent the present of sweetmeats I had received from the Grand Duke, except some fruits and a bottle of wine, to my beautiful brunette, thinking I could not make a better use of it. I added to it gloves, and all sorts of ribbons, which I had ordered Sayavedra to choose and buy for me. My present pleased the widow exceedingly, as well as the note I sent with it, and to which I was told she would in the evening give me an answer by word of mouth, at the lady's house, who expected to see me. Unluckily the hour appointed for that visit was nearly the same I had promised to be at Court to finish the lessons of the two dances which the duchess had begun to learn with me. To conciliate matters, I resolved to go somewhat sooner than I was expected to the princess's, in the hope of thus being able still to keep my appointment with the lady also. I was mistaken in my reckoning; Her Highness, who had a great desire to make herself perfect in these two dances, made me dance them so often with her, that it was not possible for me to take my leave of her for that happy assignation, the hour of which to my great sorrow was already passed, and caused within me the most expressive signs of impatience.

The duchess perceived it, notwithstanding all my endeavours to dissimulate.

"What is the matter?" said she; "there is something that makes you uneasy. I see what it is, your widow makes you think the rehearsal rather too long; is it not so?" I plainly confessed the truth, and owned the cause of my uneasiness, thinking by that she would let me go sooner, but she did not. On the contrary, she ordered me to remain with her; but, rather than lose my company, she sent for my lovely widow, ordering the messenger to make my excuses, and taking all the blame upon herself. Nothing could be more gracious; I returned Her Highness my thanks in the most grateful terms, and then recovering my usual gaiety, I repaid so much kindness by saying a thousand pleasant sallies, which made my conversation very agreeable to the princess. When the amiable brunette came, extremely pleased with the honour the Grand Duchess had done her, Her Highness told her that she had sent for her to make amends for the pleasure she had been deprived of while she detained me; then caressing the lady on my account, she said so many obliging and tender things in my favour, that it put me in confusion. We three then began a little ball, till the hour fixed for the great one, which no sooner arrived than we entered the ball-room, and as long as it lasted my mistress and I did nothing but exert ourselves to make our court to Her Highness, who was fond of seeing us dance together. From that very night our mutual love became public; every one looked upon us as a couple of happy lovers. My rivals alone thought otherwise.