ms and threats. He thanked me for doing so, and promised to see to
it; but he advised me for the future to be on my guard and ready to
defend myself in case I was attacked before he could place my enemies in
a place where they could do me no harm.

I hastened home again, as I felt ill. An acid taste in my mouth skewed me
how all these shocks had upset me; but I knew what to do. I took a strong
glass of lemonade, which made me bring up a good deal of bile, and I then
felt much better.

Towards evening I went to see Esther, and found her looking serious and
rather vexed; but as soon as she saw how pale I was her face lighted up,
and she asked me, in a voice of tenderest interest, if I had been ill. I
told her I had been out of sorts, that I had taken some medicine, and
that I now felt better.

"You will see my appetite at supper," added I, to calm her fears, "I have
had nothing to eat since dinner yesterday."

This was really the truth, as I had only eaten a few oysters with the
Paduan girls.

She could scarcely contain her joy at my recovery, and bade me kiss her,
with which request I complied gladly, all unworthy though I felt of so
great a favour.

"I am going to tell you an important piece of news," said she, "and that
is that I am sure that you do not invent the answers to your oracle, or
at least that you only do so when you choose. The reply you procured me
was wonderful-nay, divine, for it told me of a secret unknown to all,
even to myself. You may imagine my surprise when I convinced myself, with
no little trouble of the truth of the answer.

"You possess a treasure, your oracle is infallible; but surely it can
never lie, and my oracle tells me that you love me. It makes me glad to
know that, for you are the man of my heart. But I want you to give me an
exemplary proof of your love, and if you do love me you will not hesitate
to do so. Stay, read the reply you got me; I am sure you do not know what
it says; then I will tell you how you can make me quite happy."

I pretended to read, and kissed the words which declared I loved her. "I
am delighted," said I, "that the oracle has convinced you so easily, but
I must be excused if I say that I believe you knew as much long ago." She
replied, blushing, that if it were possible to chew me the object in
question I should not wonder at her ignorance. Then, coming to the proof
of my love, she told me that she wanted me to communicate the secret to
her. "You love m