in's gondola was waiting for me. As I was getting near
the Ponte del Paglia I saw the same masked woman attentively looking at
some wonderful monster shewn for a few pence. I went up to her; and asked
her why she had struck me with her fan.

"To punish you for not knowing me again after having saved my life." I
guessed that she was the person I had rescued the day before on the banks
of the Brenta, and after paying her some compliments I enquired whether
she intended to follow the Bucentoro.

"I should like it," she said, "if I had a safe gondola."

I offered her mine, which was one of the largest, and, after consulting a
masked person who accompanied her, she accepted. Before stepping in I
invited them to take off their masks, but they told me that they wished
to remain unknown. I then begged them to tell me if they belonged to the
suite of some ambassador, because in that case I should be compelled,
much to my regret, to withdraw my invitation; but they assured me that
they were both Venetians. The gondola belonging to a patrician, I might
have committed myself with the State Inquisitors-a thing which I wished
particularly to avoid. We were following the Bucentoro, and seated near
the lady I allowed myself a few slight liberties, but she foiled my
intentions by changing her seat. After the ceremony we returned to
Venice, and the officer who accompanied the lady told me that I would
oblige them by dining in their company at "The Savage." I accepted, for I
felt somewhat curious about the woman. What I had seen of her at the time
of her fall warranted my curiosity. The officer left me alone with her,
and went before us to order dinner.

As soon as I was alone with her, emboldened by the mask, I told her that
I was in love with her, that I had a box at the opera, which I placed
entirely at her disposal, and that, if she would only give me the hope
that I was not wasting my time and my attentions, I would remain her
humble servant during the carnival.

"If you mean to be cruel," I added, "pray say so candidly."

"I must ask you to tell me what sort of a woman you take me for?"

"For a very charming one, whether a princess or a maid of low degree.
Therefore, I hope that you will give me, this very day, some marks of
your kindness, or I must part with you immediately after dinner."

"You will do as you please; but I trust that after dinner you will have
changed your opinion and your language, for your way of speaking