by Ad. Lalauze_]

[What ensued justified Gozzi in believing that the lady whom he loved
was capable of misconducting herself, and that his friend was ready to
take advantage of her levity. While he was chewing the bitter root of
disillusionment, she provoked an outburst of jealousy which exposed the
situation.]

The ruthless woman came up to me with friendly demonstrations. One of
those blind impulses, which it is impossible to control, made me send
her reeling three steps backwards. She hung her head, confused with
chagrin. My friend looked on in astonishment. The blonde opened her eyes
and mouth as wide as she was able. I pulled myself together, ashamed
perhaps at having shown my anger; then, as though nothing had happened,
I began to complain of the host; "why did he not bring our supper? it
was getting late, and the ladies ought to be going home." I noticed that
my mistress shed some furtive tears. Just then the supper was served,
and we sat down to table. For me it was nothing better than the banquet
of Thyestes. Still I set myself to abusing the comedy, which I had not
heard, and the host, and the viands, swallowing a morsel now and then,
which tasted in my mouth like arsenic. My friend betrayed a certain
perplexity of mind; yet he consumed the food without aversion. My
mistress was gloomy, and scarcely raised a mouthful to her lips with
trembling fingers. The blonde fell too with a good appetite, and partook
of every dish. When the bill was paid, we conducted the ladies back to
their house, and wished them good-night.

No sooner were we alone together, than my friend turned to me and said:
"It is all your fault. You denied that you were intimate with that young
woman. Had you confessed the truth to your friend, he would have
respected your amour. It is your fault, and the loss is yours." "What I
told you, was the truth," I answered: "but permit me now to tell you
another truth. I am sure that she consented to join our company, relying
upon me, and on my guarantee--which I gave at your request--that we were
honourable men, to whom she could commit herself with safety. I cannot
regard it as honourable in a friend to wheedle his comrade into playing
the ignoble part which you have thrust upon me." "What twaddle!"
exclaimed he. "Between friends such things are not weighed in your
romantic scales. True friendship has nothing to do with passing
pleasures of this nature. You have far too sublime a conception of
femi