and
unveiling her charms one by one, to my delight, without the slightest
attempt at resistance on her part. All the time she kept her eyes fixed
on mine, as if to soothe her modesty; but when I beheld and felt all her
charms I was in an ecstasy. What a body; what beauties! Nowhere was there
the slightest imperfection. She was like Venus rising from the foam of
the sea. I carried her gently to the bed, and while she strove to hide
her alabaster breasts and the soft hair which marked the entrance to the
sanctuary, I undressed in haste, and consummated the sweetest of
sacrifices, without there being the slightest doubt in my mind of the
purity of the victim. In the first sacrifice no doubt the young priestess
felt some pain, but she assured me out of delicacy that she had not been
hurt, and at the second assault she shewed that she shared my flames. I
was going to immolate the victim for the third time when the clock struck
ten. She began to be restless, and hurriedly put on our clothes. I had to
go to Naples, but I assured her that the desire of embracing her once
more before her marriage would hasten my return to Rome. I promised to
take another hundred crowns to her confessor, advising her to spend the
money she had won in the lottery on her trousseau.

"I shall be at Monolo's to-night, dearest, and you must come, too; but we
must appear indifferent to each other, though our hearts be full of joy,
lest those malicious girls suspect our mutual understanding."

"It is all the more necessary to be cautious," she replied, "as I have
noticed that they suspect that we love each other."

Before we parted she thanked me for what I had done for her, and begged
me to believe that, her poverty notwithstanding, she had given herself
for love alone.

I was the last to leave the house, and I told my landlady that I should
be away for ten or twelve days. I then went to the confessor to give him
the hundred crowns I had promised my mistress. When the good old
Frenchman heard that I had made this fresh sacrifice that Mariuccia might
be able to spend her lottery winnings on her clothes, he told me that he
would call on the mother that very day and urge her to consent to her
daughter's marriage, and also learn where the young man lived. On my
return from Naples I heard that he had faithfully carried out his
promise.

I was sitting at table with Mengs when a chamberlain of the Holy Father
called. When he came in he asked M. Mengs if