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"You are not the man to tell me what I ought and what I ought not to do," I replied, "and after I have received her in my apartments you ought to moderate your expressions." Seeing that I stood on my dignity he laughed, and asked me if I had fallen in love with her in so short a time. Strasoldo here broke in by saying he was sure she had not slept with me.
I was vexed that I had no closet in my room, as I could not hide her from the waiter who would bring us coffee. We accordingly dispensed with breakfast, but I had to find out some way of feeding her. I thought I had plenty of time before me, but I was wrong. At ten o'clock I saw Strasoldo and his friend Pittoni coming into the inn.
At three o'clock the Venetian consul came, saying that Count Strasoldo had begged him to use his good offices with me to persuade me to deliver up the fair Leuzica. "You must speak to the girl herself," I replied; "she came here and stays here of her own free will." When the worthy man had heard the girl's story he went away, saying that we had the right on our side.
"Well; well, let them come; they will get nothing by it." I heard footsteps approaching, and went out, closing the door behind me, and begging them to excuse my not asking them in, as there was a contraband commodity in my room. "Only tell me that it is not my maid," said Strasoldo, in a pitiable voice. "We are sure she is here, as the sentinel at the gate saw her come in at ten o'clock."
Like the rest, I had seen and admired her, I had congratulated the count on the possession of such a treasure in her presence, but I had never addressed a word to her. Strasoldo had just been summoned to Vienna by Count Auersperg who liked him, and had promised to do what he could for him.
At three o'clock the Venetian consul came, saying that Count Strasoldo had begged him to use his good offices with me to persuade me to deliver up the fair Leuzica. "You must speak to the girl herself," I replied; "she came here and stays here of her own free will." When the worthy man had heard the girl's story he went away, saying that we had the right on our side.
Leuzica had been listening to our conversation, and when I opened the door she told me that I could let them in. As soon as Strasoldo appeared she asked him proudly if she was under any obligations to him, if she had stolen anything from him, and if she was not perfectly free to leave him when she liked.
Like the rest, I had seen and admired her, I had congratulated the count on the possession of such a treasure in her presence, but I had never addressed a word to her. Strasoldo had just been summoned to Vienna by Count Auersperg who liked him, and had promised to do what he could for him.
Everybody said I had acted properly, and even Pittoni confessed that in my place he would have done the same. Poor Strasoldo came to a bad end. He got into debt, committed peculation, and had to escape into Turkey and embrace Islam to avoid the penalty of death.
"Forgive me, sir, but I don't want to go with Strasoldo, and I thought you would protect me. Nobody will be able to guess where I am, and Strasoldo will be obliged to go by himself. You will not be so cruel as to drive me away?" "No, dearest." "I promise you I will go away to-morrow, for Strasoldo is going to leave at day-break." You are safe here, and nobody shall come in without your leave.
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