let us be lovers."

She had not finished this speech before my bliss was crowned. Our
transports were mutual, and we renewed them again and again during the
half hour in which we had no fear of an interruption. Her negligent
morning dress and my great coat were highly convenient under the
circumstances.

After we had satiated in part our amorous ardour we breathed again and
sat down. There was a short pause, and then she said,

"You must know that I am in love with my husband and determined not to
deceive him. What I have just done was a debt I had to pay to the
remembrance of my first love. I had to pay it to prove how much I love
you; but let us forget it now. You must be contented with the thought of
my great affection for you--of which you can have no doubt--and let me
still think that you love me; but henceforth do not let us be alone
together, as I should give way, and that would vex me. What makes you
look so sad?"

"I find you bound, while I am free. I thought we had met never to part
again; you had kindled the old fires. I am the same to you as I was at
Ancona. I have proved as much, and you can guess how sad I feel at your
decree that I am to enjoy you no more. I find that you are not only
married but in love with your husband. Alas! I have come too late, but if
I had not stayed at Genoa I should not have been more fortunate. You
shall know all in due time, and in the meanwhile I will be guided by you
in everything. I suppose your husband knows nothing of our connection,
and my best plan will be to be reserved, will it not?"

"Yes, dearest, for he knows nothing of my affairs, and I am glad to say
he shews no curiosity respecting them. Like everybody else, he knows I
made my fortune at Naples; I told him I went there when I was ten years
old. That was an innocent lie which hurts nobody; and in my position I
find that inconvenient truths have to give way to lies. I give myself out
as only twenty-four, how do you think I look?"

"You look as if you were telling the truth, though I know you must be
thirty-two."

"You mean thirty-one, for when I knew you I couldn't have been more than
fourteen."

"I thought you were fifteen at least."

"Well, I might admit that between ourselves; but tell me if I look more
than twenty-four."

"I swear to you you don't look as old, but at Naples . . . ."

"At Naples some people might be able to contradict me, but nobody would
mind them. But I am waiting for what ought