artaglia with whom I am now acting. Since then I have been attended by
continued success, which I cannot but ascribe to my virtuous resolve to
face poverty and distress rather than profit a moment longer by the
beneficence of an atheist.

All this I have related to show you how the poor ignorant girl you met
at Chivasso was able to acquire something of the arts and usages of good
company; but I will now pass on to the incident of my visit to Pianura.
Our manager, then, had engaged some time since to give a series of
performances at Pianura during the last carnival. The Bishop's nephew,
Don Serafino, who has a pronounced taste for the theatre, had been
instrumental in making the arrangement; but at the last moment he wrote
us that, owing to the influence of the Duke's confessor, the Bishop had
been obliged to prohibit the appearance of women on the stage of
Pianura. This was a cruel blow, as we had prepared a number of comedies
in which I was to act the leading part; and Don Serafino was equally
vexed, since he did me the honour of regarding me as the chief ornament
of the company. At length it was agreed that, to overcome the
difficulty, it should be given out that the celebrated Tartaglia of
Rimini would present himself at Pianura with his company of comedians,
among whom was the popular favourite, Mirandolino of Chioggia, twin
brother of the Signorina Miranda Malmocco, and trained by that actress
to play in all her principal parts.

This satisfied the scruples and interests of all concerned, and soon
afterward I made my first appearance in Pianura. My success was greater
than we had foreseen; for I threw myself into the part with such zest
that every one was taken in, and even Don Serafino required the most
categorical demonstration to convince him that I was not my own brother.
The illusion I produced was, however, not without its inconveniences;
for, among the ladies who thronged to see the young Mirandolino, were
several who desired a closer acquaintance with him; and one of these, as
it happened, was the Duke's mistress, the Countess Belverde. You will
see the embarrassment of my situation. If I failed to respond to her
advances, her influence was sufficient to drive us from the town at the
opening of a prosperous season; if I discovered my sex to her, she might
more cruelly avenge herself by throwing the whole company into prison,
to be dealt with by the Holy Office. Under these circumstances, I
decided to appea