d he, "on a house which is worth double."

Then turning to Leonilda, who was shedding happy tears, he said,--

"I am going to send for your mother, who will be delighted to sign the
settlement, and to make the acquaintance of your future husband."

The mother lived at the Marquis Galiani's, a day's journey from Naples.
The duke said he would send a carriage for her the next day, and that we
could all sup together the day after.

"The law business will be all done by then, and we shall be able to go to
the little church at Portici, and the priest will marry you. Then we will
take your mother to St. Agatha and dine with her, and you can go your way
with her maternal blessing."

This conclusion gave me an involuntary shudder, and Leonilda fell
fainting in the duke's arms. He called her dear child, cared for her
tenderly, and brought her to herself.

We all had to wipe our eyes, as we were all equally affected.

I considered myself as a married man and under obligation to alter my way
of living, and I stopped playing. I had won more than fifteen thousand
ducats, and this sum added to what I had before and Leonilda's dowry
should have sufficed for an honest livelihood.

Next day, as I was at supper with the duke and Leonilda, she said,--

"What will my mother say to-morrow evening, when she sees you?"

"She will say that you are silly to marry a stranger whom you have only
known for a week. Have you told her my name, my nation, my condition, and
my age?"

"I wrote to her as follows:

"'Dear mamma, come directly and sign my marriage contract with a
gentleman introduced to me by the duke, with whom I shall be leaving for
Rome on Monday next.'"

"My letter ran thus," said the duke,

"'Come without delay, and sign your daughter's marriage contract, and
give her your blessing. She has wisely chosen a husband old enough to be
her father; he is a friend of mine.'"

"That's not true," cried Leonilda, rushing to my arms, "she will think
you are really old, and I am sorry."

"Is your mother an elderly woman?"

"She's a charming Woman," said the duke, "full of wit, and not
thirty-eight yet."

"What has she got to do with Galiani?"

"She is an intimate friend of the marchioness's, and she lives with the
family but pays for her board."

Next morning, having some business with my banker to attend to, I told
the duke that I should not be able to see Leonilda till supper-time. I
went there at eight o'clock and I fou