"Poor angel!" he cried at last, "did you deserve to be the companion and victim of such a knave as I am? What did you do to God before you were born, unfortunate child, that he should throw you into the arms of a villain who is killing you with shame and despair? Poor Juliette! poor Juliette!" And in his turn he shed a torrent of tears. "Very well," I said; "I came to hear your justification or my sentence. You are guilty, I forgive you and I go." "Never say that again!" he cried vehemently. "Strike that word out of our interviews forever. When you intend to leave me, make your escape adroitly, so that I cannot prevent you; but so long as a drop of blood is left in my veins, I will not consent to it. You are my wife, you are my wife, you belong to me and I love you. I can kill you with grief, but I cannot let you go." "I will accept the grief and death," I said, "if you tell me that you still love me." "Yes, I love you, I love you!" he cried, with his usual transports. "I love no one but you, and I never shall be able to love any other!" "Wretch! you lie," I said to him. "You have been paying court to the Princess Zagarolo." "True, but I detest her." "What!" I cried, in utter amazement. "Why do you follow her then? What shameful secrets are hidden beneath all these riddles? Chalm tried to persuade me that a vile ambition bound you to that woman; that she was old--that she paid you. Ah! what things you make me say!" "Do not believe these calumnies," said Leoni, "the princess is young and beautiful; I am in love with her." "Very well," I said, with a profound sigh, "I would rather have you unfaithful than dishonored. Love her, love her dearly, for she is rich and you are poor! If you love her dearly, wealth and poverty will be mere words between you. I loved you so, and, although I had nothing to live on but what you gave me, I did not blush on that account; now, I should debase myself and I should be unendurable to you. So let me go. Your obstinacy in keeping me here, just to kill me by torture, is both foolish and cruel." "That is true," said Leoni, gloomily. "Go! I am a villain to try to prevent you." He left the room with an air of desperation. I threw myself on my knees, I prayed to heaven to give me strength, I invoked the memory of my mother, and I rose to make once more my brief preparations for departure. When my portmanteau was locked, I ordered post-horses for the same evening, and threw myself on the bed to wait. I was so overdone by fatigue and so prostrated by despair, that I felt, as I fell asleep, something resembling the peace of the grave. After an hour's sleep, I was aroused by Leoni's passionate kisses.