for witness. How indeed should the
victim proclaim them without injury to herself? Love, therefore, has its
own code, its own penal system, with which the world has no concern.

Now, for my part, I have resolved never to pardon a serious misdemeanor,
and in love, pray, what is not serious? Yesterday you had all the air of
a man successful in his suit. You would be wrong to doubt it; and yet,
if this assurance robbed you of the charming simplicity which sprang
from uncertainty, I should blame you severely. I would have you neither
bashful nor self-complacent; I would not have you in terror of losing
my affection--that would be an insult--but neither would I have you wear
your love lightly as a thing of course. Never should your heart be freer
than mine. If you know nothing of the torture that a single stab of
doubt brings to the soul, tremble lest I give you a lesson!

In a single glance I confided my heart to you, and you read the meaning.
The purest feelings that ever took root in a young girl's breast are
yours. The thought and meditation of which I have told you served only
to enrich the mind; but if ever the wounded heart turns to the brain for
counsel, be sure the young girl would show some kinship with the demon
of knowledge and of daring.

I swear to you, Felipe, if you love me, as I believe you do and if I
have reason to suspect the least falling off in the fear, obedience, and
respect which you have hitherto professed, if the pure flame of passion
which first kindled the fire of my heart should seem to me any day to
burn less vividly, you need fear no reproaches. I would not weary you
with letters bearing any trace of weakness, pride, or anger, nor even
with one of warning like this. But if I spoke no words, Felipe, my face
would tell you that death was near. And yet I should not die till I
had branded you with infamy, and sown eternal sorrow in your heart; you
would see the girl you loved dishonored and lost in this world, and know
her doomed to everlasting suffering in the next.

Do not therefore, I implore you, give me cause to envy the old, happy
Louise, the object of your pure worship, whose heart expanded in the
sunshine of happiness, since, in the words of Dante, she possessed,

Senza brama, sicura ricchezza!

I have searched the _Inferno_ through to find the most terrible
punishment, some torture of the mind to which I might link the vengeance
of God.

Yesterday, as I watched you, doubt went th