erved a just mean in what she let us
see and what she concealed, and thus set me in flames, though I was
already captivated by her face, her wit, and her charming manners. I cast
an indiscreet glance towards her beautiful breast, and thus added fuel to
the fire. I confess that I only obtained this satisfaction by a species
of larceny, but I could not have succeeded if she had not been well
disposed towards me. I pretended to have seen nothing.

While dressing she maintained with much ingenuity that a wise girl will
be much more chary of her favours towards a man she loves than towards a
man she does not love, because she would be afraid to lose the first,
whereas she does not care about the second.

"It will not be so with me, charming Leonilda," said I.

"You make a mistake, I am sure."

The pictures with which the closet where we breakfasted was adorned were
admirable more from the colouring and the design than from the amorous
combats they represented.

"They don't make any impression on me," said the duke, and he shewed us
that it was so.

Leonilda looked away, and I felt shocked, but concealed my feelings.

"I am in the same state as you," said I, "but I will not take the trouble
of convincing you."

"That can't be," said he; and passing his hand rapidly over me he assured
himself that it was so. "It's astonishing," he cried; "you must be as
impotent as I am."

"If I wanted to controvert that assertion one glance into Leonilda's eyes
would be enough."

"Look at him, dearest Leonilda, that I may be convinced."

Leonilda looked tenderly at me, and her glance produced the result I had
expected.

"Give me your hand," said I, to the poor duke, and he did so.

"I was in the wrong," he exclaimed, but when he endeavoured to bring the
surprising object to light I resisted. He persisted in his endeavours,
and I determined to play on him a trick. I took Leonilda's hand and
pressed my lips to it, and just as the duke thought he had triumphed I
besprinkled him, and went off into a roar of laughter. He laughed too,
and went to get a napkin.

The girl could see nothing of all this, as it went on under the table;
and while my burning lips rested on her hand, my eyes were fixed on hers
and our breath mingled. This close contact had enabled me to baptise the
duke, but when she took in the joke we made a group worthy of the pen of
Aretin.

It was a delightful breakfast, though we passed certain bounds which
decenc