Volume VI Part 68 (1/2)

The day after, I went to dinner with him The Chevalier de Neuville came in towards the close of the meal, and Medini a few moments later The latter called on us to hold a bank, each in his turn, and we agreed

Manucci gained double what he had lost; Neuvilie lost four hundred sequins, and I only lost a trifle Medini who had only lost about fifty sequins was desperate, and would have thrown himself out of the

A few days later Manucci set out for Naples, after giving a hundred louis to Medini's mistress, who used to sup with hi i to more than a thousand crowns

The poor wretch wroteme to come to his assistance; but the sole effect of his letters was tosister I did not feel called upon to behave generously to hi

About this time the Emperor of Germany came to Rome with his brother, the Grand Duke of Tuscany

One of the nobleave Medini enough to satisfy his creditors He left Roain in a few st the friends I had s I visited the duchess of Fiano, in the afternoons the Princess of Santa Croce The rest of arita, the fair Buonacorsi, and young Menicuccio, who told me so much about his lady-love that I felt quite curious to see her

The girl was in a kind of convent where she had been placed out of charity She could only leave it to get married, with the consent of the cardinal who superintended the establishot married, she received a dower of two hundred Roman crowns

Menicuccio had a sister in the same convent, and was allowed to visit her on Sundays; she cah Menicuccio was her brother, she was not permitted to see him alone

Five or sixhis sister had been accoirl, whom he had never seen before, and he i man had to work hard all the week, and could only visit the convent on holidays; and even then he had rarely the good luck to see his lady-love In five or six ht times

His sister knew of his love, and would have done all in her power for him, but the choice of a co for this particular girl for fear of exciting suspicion

As I have said, I had made up my mind to pay the place a visit, and on our way Menicuccio told me that the wo, as they had never taken any vow and did not wear a monastic dress In spite of that they had few temptations to leave their prison house, as they would only find themselves alone in the world with the prospect of starvation or hard work before theet ht, which was extremely difficult

We reached a vast ill-built house, near one of the town gates--a lonely and deserted situation, as the gate led to no highway When ent into the parlour I was astonished to see the double grating with bars so thick and close together that the hand of a girl of ten could scarce have got through The grating was so close that it was extremely difficult toon the inner side, especially as this was only lighted by the uncertain reflection froements made me shudder

”How and where have you seen yourbut darkness”

”The first tie is confined, under pain of excoht to-day?”

”I expect not, as the portress will have sent up word that there was a stranger with me”

”But how could you see your sweetheart, as you are not related to her?”

”By chance; the first ti about it Ever since there has been no candle when she has been present” Soon after, the forms of three or four wooverness would not bring one on any consideration She was afraid of being found out and exco friend of a pleasure, and would have gone, but he told me to stay I passed an hour which interested me in spite of its painfulness The voice of Menicuccio's sister sent a thrill through h their sense of hearing The governess was a woirls attained their twenty-fifth year they were placed in charge of the younger ones, and at thirty-five they were free to leave the convent if they liked, but that few cared to take this step, for fear of falling into ood many old women here?”

”There are a hundred of us, and the nues”

”But how do those who go out to getthe love of their husbands?”