Volume IV Part 40 (1/2)

The day after, we settled the particulars of our e in a conversation which lasted for two hours

”Leonilda,” began the duke, ”has a mother, who lives at a short distance froiven her for life, in return for an estate belonging to her husband; but Leonilda does not depend on her She gave her up to iven her an annuity of five hundred ducats, which she will bring to you, with all her diaave her up to ood husband I have taken peculiar care of her education, and as her ainst all prejudices, with the exception of that which bids a woman keep herself intact for her future husband You may rest assured that you are the first hter to et the contract ready, and to add to her dower the suive hie them,” said he, ”on a house which is worth double”

Then turning to Leonilda, as shedding happy tears, he said,--

”I an the settlement, and to make the acquaintance of your future husband”

The mother lived at the Marquis Galiani's, a day's journey froe for her the next day, and that we could all sup together the day after

”The law business will be all done by then, and we shall be able to go to the little church at Portici, and the priest will atha and dine with her, and you can go your ith her avein the duke's arms He called her dear child, cared for her tenderly, and brought her to herself

We all had to wipe our eyes, as ere all equally affected

I considered ation to alterI had won more than fifteen thousand ducats, and this sum added to what I had before and Leonilda's dowry should have sufficed for an honest livelihood

Next day, as I was at supper with the duke and Leonilda, she said,--

”What will , when she sees you?”

”She will say that you are silly to er whom you have only known for a week Have you told her e?”

”I wrote to her as follows:

”'Dear entle for Rome on Monday next'”

”My letter ran thus,” said the duke,

”'Coe contract, and give her your blessing She has wisely chosen a husband old enough to be her father; he is a friend ofto my arms, ”she will think you are really old, and I am sorry”

”Is yourWoht yet”

”What has she got to do with Galiani?”

”She is an intimate friend of the marchioness's, and she lives with the fa some business with my banker to attend to, I told the duke that I should not be able to see Leonilda till supper-tiht o'clock and I found the three sitting in front of the fire

”Here he is!” cried the duke

As soon as theon a chair I looked at her fixedly for a minute, and exclaimed,--