speak thus to me, for
people would make sport of you. It is impossible for me to shut the door
of the theatre to you; but if you love me, or if you are wise, you will
come there no more. Listen to me, monsieur,' she continued in a grave
voice.

"'Oh, hush!' said the excited artist. 'Obstacles inflame the love in my
heart.'

"La Zambinella maintained a graceful and modest attitude; but she
held her peace, as if a terrible thought had suddenly revealed some
catastrophe. When it was time to return to Rome she entered a berlin
with four seats, bidding the sculptor, with a cruelly imperious air, to
return alone in the phaeton. On the road, Sarrasine determined to carry
off La Zambinella. He passed the whole day forming plans, each more
extravagant than the last. At nightfall, as he was going out to inquire
of somebody where his mistress lived, he met one of his fellow-artists
at the door.

"'My dear fellow,' he said, I am sent by our ambassador to invite you
to come to the embassy this evening. He gives a magnificent concert, and
when I tell you that La Zambinella will be there--'

"'Zambinella!' cried Sarrasine, thrown into delirium by that name; 'I am
mad with love of her.'

"'You are like everybody else,' replied his comrade.

"'But if you are friends of mine, you and Vien and Lauterbourg and
Allegrain, you will lend me your assistance for a _coup de main_, after
the entertainment, will you not?' asked Sarrasine.

"'There's no cardinal to be killed? no--?'

"'No, no!' said Sarrasine, 'I ask nothing of you that men of honor may
not do.'

"In a few moments the sculptor laid all his plans to assure the success
of his enterprise. He was one of the last to arrive at the ambassador's,
but he went thither in a traveling carriage drawn by four stout
horses and driven by one of the most skilful _vetturini_ in Rome. The
ambassador's palace was full of people; not without difficulty did
the sculptor, whom nobody knew, make his way to the salon where La
Zambinella was singing at that moment.

"'It must be in deference to all the cardinals, bishops, and _abbes_ who
are here,' said Sarrasine, 'that _she_ is dressed as a man, that _she_
has curly hair which _she_ wears in a bag, and that _she_ has a sword at
her side?'

"'She! what she?' rejoined the old nobleman whom Sarrasine addressed.

"'La Zambinella.'

"'La Zambinella!' echoed the Roman prince. 'Are you jesting? Whence have
you come? Did a woman ever appear in a