This bond of religion puts an insuperable barrier to my desires." We
laughed the matter over, and agreed upon it amicably.

She begged for letters of recommendation to Bergamo and Milan. Knowing
how worse than useless such introductions are, I confined myself to one
testimonial, addressed to my good friend Signor Stefano Sciugliaga,
Secretary of the University at Milan, and to his wife, an estimable
couple, full of kindness and distinguished by their virtues. Furnished
with this letter, the Ricci left me, and I felt the loss of her at
Venice. She went to Bergamo, where she gave birth to a little girl, for
whom Sacchi stood my proxy at the font. I discharged the usual duties to
the Church, and did what was proper in the circumstances by the mother
of my godchild. Teodora pursued her journey to Milan, whence she wrote
me a full account of the kindness and courtesy she received from Signor
Stefano Sciugliaga and his wife Lucia.

The weariness I feel in writing this chapter makes me measure what my
readers must experience in reading it. I therefore cut it short and
finish it.

L.

_Fresh passages regarding my foolish but persevering friendship for Mme.
Ricci.--Highly comical discoveries which involved me further in the line
I had adopted._

Sacchi's troupe had just finished their season at Milan, when I received
a letter from my friend Sciugliaga, informing me that my new gossip's
husband was seriously ill. A celebrated physician of that city declared
him to be in the last stage of consumption. This being the case, the
interests of his wife and two young children imperatively demanded a
separation. Sacchi had returned before the rest of the company, and I
immediately communicated the news to him. We settled that it would be
best to induce the Ricci's husband to leave Venice for his native air of
Bologna, offering him three francs a day for his expenses there, until
his health should be sufficiently restored for him to resume his duties.
My friend's mother, Emilia Ricci, happened to be in Venice at the time;
and I thought that the delicate charge of making this communication to
the poor fellow might be intrusted to her. I found her very well
disposed to undertake it.

When Signora Ricci arrived, I went to visit her, and was received with
all her usual demonstrations of cordiality. She looked extremely thin
and pale and downcast. On my asking after her health, she replied with a
gesture of despair, and, as thou