es strong
enough when the time came.

A faint smile played about her lips.

"Try if you like," I said, "to persuade me to drink some Scopolo or
Muscat. I meant to have taken some, but your taunt has turned me to
steel. I mean to prove that when I make up my mind I never alter it."

"The strong-minded man never gives way," said Leah, "but the good-hearted
man often lets himself be overpersuaded."

"Quite so, and the good-hearted girl refrains from taunting a man for his
weakness for her."

I called the maid and told her to go to the Venetian consul's and get me
some more Scopolo and Muscat. Leah piqued me once more by saying
enthusiastically,--

"I am sure you are the most good-hearted of men as well as the firmest."
Mardocheus, who could not make out what we meant, ate, drank, and
laughed, and seemed pleased with everything.

In the afternoon I went out to a cafe in spite of the dreadful weather. I
thought over Leah and her designs, feeling certain that she would pay me
another nocturnal visit and renew the assault in force. I resolved to
weaken myself with some common woman, if I could find one at all
supportable.

A Greek who had taken me to a disgusting place a few days before,
conducted me to another where he introduced me to a painted horror of a
woman from whose very sight I fled in terror.

I felt angry that in a town like Ancona a man of some delicacy could not
get his money's worth for his money, and went home, supped by myself, and
locked the door after me.

The precaution, however, was useless.

A few minutes after I had shut the door, Leah knocked on the pretext that
I had forgotten to give her the chocolate.

I opened the door and gave it her, and she begged me not to lock myself
in, as she wanted to have an important and final interview.

"You can tell me now what you want to say."

"No, it will take some time, and I should not like to come till everyone
is asleep. You have nothing to be afraid of; you are lord of yourself.
You can go to bed in peace."

"I have certainly nothing to be afraid of, and to prove it to you I will
leave the door open."

I felt more than ever certain of victory, and resolved not to blow out
the candles, as my doing so might be interpreted into a confession of
fear. Besides, the light would render my triumph and her humiliation more
complete. With these thoughts I went to bed.

At eleven o'clock a slight noise told me that my hour had come. I saw
Leah enter