The page, who waited no answer, was departed: but _Sylvia_, who believed he attended, was in a thousand minds what to say or do: she blushed, as she read, and then looked pale with anger and disdain, and, but that she had already given her honour up, it would have been something more surprising: but she was used to questions of that nature, and therefore received this with so much the less concern; nevertheless, it was sufficient to fill her soul with a thousand agitations; but when she would be angry, the consideration of what she had writ to him, to encourage him to this boldness, stopped her rage: when she would take it ill, she considered his knowledge of her lost fame, and that took off a great part of her resentment on that side; and in midst of all she was raving for the knowledge of _Philander_’. secret. She rose from the bed, and walked about the room in much disorder, full of thought and no conclusion; she is ashamed to consult of this affair with _Antonet_, and knows not what to fix on: the only thing she was certain of, and which was fully and undisputably resolved in her soul, was never to consent to so false an action, never to buy the secret at so dear a rate; she abhors _Octavio_, whom she regards no more as that fine thing which before she thought him; and a thousand times she was about to write her despite and contempt, but still the dear secret stayed her hand, and she was fond of the torment: at last _Antonet_, who was afflicted to know the cause of this disorder, asked her lady if _Octavio_ would not come; ‘No,’ replied _Sylvia_, blushing at the name, ‘nor never shall the ungrateful man dare to behold my face any more.’ ‘Jesu,’ replied _Antonet_, ‘what has he done, madam, to deserve this severity?’ For he was a great benefactor to _Antonet_, and had already by his gifts and presents made her a fortune for a burgomaster. ‘He has,’ said _Sylvia_, ‘committed such an impudence as deserves death from my hand:’ this she spoke in rage, and walked away cross the chamber. ’.hy, madam,’ cried _Antonet_,’.oes he deny to give you the letter?’ ’.o,’ replied _Sylvia_, ‘but asks me such a price for it, as makes me hate myself, that am reduced by my ill conduct to addresses of that nature:’ ‘Heavens, madam, what can he ask you to afflict you so!’ ‘The presumptuous man,’ said she, (in rage) ‘has the impudence to ask what never man, but _Philander_, was ever possessed of----’ At this, _Antonet_ laughed--’Good lord, madam,’ said she, ‘and are you angry at such desires in men towards you? I believe you are the first lady in the world that was ever offended for being desirable: can any thing proclaim your beauty more, or your youth, or wit? Marry, madam, I wish I were worthy to be asked the question by all the fine dancing, dressing, song-making fops in town.’ ‘And you would yield,’ replied _Sylvia_. ‘Not so neither,’ replied _Antonet_, ‘but I would spark myself, and value myself the more upon it.’ ‘Oh,’ said _Sylvia_, ‘she