hat I have compelled the thief to refund this money,
together with the fifty sequins of which he had likewise cheated me."

"That may be, but I do not wish to believe you. I beg to inform you that
I am not simple enough to allow myself to be duped, and, what is worse,
cheated in such a manner."

Philosophy forbids a man to feel repentance for a good deed, but he must
certainly have a right to regret such a deed when it is malevolently
misconstrued, and turned against him as a reproach.

In the evening, after the performance, which was to be the last, I took
the bank according to my promise: I lost a few sequins, but was caressed
by everybody, and that is much more pleasant than winning, when we are
not labouring under the hard necessity of making money.

Count Spada, who had got quite fond of me, wanted me to accompany him to
Brisighetta, but I resisted his entreaties because I had firmly resolved
on going to Naples.

The next morning I was awoke by a terrible noise in the passage, almost
at the door of my room.

Getting out of my bed, I open my door to ascertain the cause of the
uproar. I see a troop of 'sbirri' at the door of a chamber, and in that
chamber, sitting up in bed, a fine-looking man who was making himself
hoarse by screaming in Latin against that rabble, the plague of Italy,
and against the inn-keeper who had been rascally enough to open the door.

I enquire of the inn-keeper what it all means.

"This gentleman," answers the scoundrel, "who, it appears, can only speak
Latin, is in bed with a girl, and the 'sbirri' of the bishop have been
sent to know whether she is truly his wife; all perfectly regular. If she
is his wife, he has only to convince them by shewing a certificate of
marriage, but if she is not, of course he must go to prison with her. Yet
it need not happen, for I undertake to arrange everything in a friendly
manner for a few sequins. I have only to exchange a few words with the
chief of the 'sbirri', and they will all go away. If you can speak Latin,
you had better go in, and make him listen to reason."

"Who has broken open the door of his room?"

"Nobody; I have opened it myself with the key, as is my duty."

"Yes, the duty of a highway robber, but not of an honest inn-keeper."

Such infamous dealing aroused my indignation, and I made up my mind to
interfere. I enter the room, although I had still my nightcap on, and
inform the gentleman of the cause of the disturbance. He answe