mount of pleasure she enjoyed. She then made extraordinary efforts
to persuade me that she was happy, and without overstepping the limits
where I had made up my mind to stop, we got out of the bath highly
pleased with each other.

As we were on the point of going to bed, she said to me,

"Would it injure the success of your operation if we were to sleep
together?"

"No, my dear girl; provided you are a virgin on the day of the great
incantation, it is all I require."

She threw herself in my arms, and we spent a delightful night, during
which I had full opportunity of admiring the strength of her constitution
as well as my own restraint, for I had sufficient control over myself not
to break through the last obstacle.

I passed a great part of the following night with Franzia and Capitani in
order to see with my own eyes the wonderful things which the worthy
peasant had mentioned to me. Standing in the yard, I heard distinctly
heavy blows struck under the ground at intervals of three or four
minutes. It was like the noise which would be made by a heavy pestle
falling in a large copper mortar. I took my pistols and placed myself
near the self-moving door of the cellar, holding a dark lantern in my
hand. I saw the door open slowly, and in about thirty seconds closing
with violence. I opened and closed it myself several times, and, unable
to discover any hidden physical cause for the phenomenon, I felt
satisfied that there was some unknown roguery at work, but I did not care
much to find it out.

We went upstairs again, and, placing myself on the balcony, I saw in the
yard several shadows moving about. They were evidently caused by the
heavy and damp atmosphere, and as to the pyramidal flames which I could
see hovering over the fields, it was a phenomenon well known to me. But I
allowed my two companions to remain persuaded that they were the spirits
keeping watch over the treasure.

That phenomenon is very common throughout southern Italy where the
country is often at night illuminated by those meteors which the people
believe to be devils, and ignorance has called night spirits, or
will-o'-the-wisps.

Dear reader, the next chapter will tell you how my magic undertaking
ended, and perhaps you will enjoy a good laugh at my expense, but you
need not be afraid of hurting my feelings.

CHAPTER XXII

The Incantation--A Terrible Storm--My Fright--Javotte's Virginity Is
Saved--I Give Up the Undertaking, and Sel