e remained at
Sorrento till he was nine, and then he was boarded with a worthy man, who
superintended his education and taught him music. From his earliest
childhood he has known me as his sister, and you cannot think how happy I
was when I saw him growing so like you. I have always considered him as a
sure pledge of our final union. I was ever thinking what would happen
when we met, for I knew that he would have the same influence over you as
he has over me. I was sure you would marry me and make him legitimate."

"And you have rendered all this, which would have made me happy, an
impossibility."

"The fates decided so; we will say no more about it. On the death of the
duke I left Naples, leaving Cesarino at the same boarding school, under
the protection of the Prince de la Riccia, who has always looked upon him
as a brother. Your son, though he does not know it, possesses the sum of
twenty thousand ducats, of which I receive the interest, but you may
imagine that I let him want for nothing. My only regret is that I cannot
tell him I am his mother, as I think he would love me still more if he
knew that he owed his being to me. You cannot think how glad I was to see
your surprise to-day, and how soon you got to love him."

"He is wonderfully like me."

"That delights me. People must think that you were my mother's lover. My
husband thinks that our friendship is due to the connection between you
and my mother. He told me yesterday that Cesarino might be my brother on
the mother's side, but not on my father's; as he had seen his father in
the theatre, but that he could not possibly be my father, too. If I have
children by Palesi all I have will go to them, but if not Cesarino will
be my heir. My property is well secured, even if the Prince de Riccia
were to die."

"Come," said she, drawing me in the direction of her bed-room. She opened
a large box which contained her jewels and diamonds, and shares to the
amount of fifty thousand ducats. Besides that she had a large amount of
plate, and her talents which assured her the first place in all the
Italian theatres.

"Do you know whether our dear Cesarino has been in love yet?" said I.

"I don't think so, but I fancy my pretty maid is in love with him. I
shall keep my eyes open."

"You mustn't be too strict."

"No, but it isn't a good thing for a young man to engage too soon in that
pleasure which makes one neglect everything else."

"Let me have him, I will teach