nceive a violent hatred against me, which he will vent
upon you, his interest being to keep on good terms with myself. I am
truly sorry for you. You do not know the lengths to which the infernal
nature of the animal will carry him. Yet I cannot recommend any other
course but that which your own sense of duty will dictate to you."

A few days after this scene, she told me with a beaming countenance that
she had announced to Sacchi her firm intention of paying for the satin
out of her appointments. "I wholly approve of the step which you have
taken," said I in answer, "but I beg you to tell me without reserve how
he took your declaration." "To speak the candid truth," she replied, "he
looked at me askance, then turned surly, and muttered, 'Yes, yes! I see
who gave you the advice. Well, well, you shall pay for the gown!'" "My
poor girl," I added, "prepare yourself to pay dearly for the satin, both
with money and with tears. May this be a lesson to you not to coax
presents out of brutal libertines."

The fact was that from this moment forward she became the butt of that
bad old man's persecutions. From the height of his position as director
of the troupe, he launched taunt after taunt against her, subjected her
to the grossest sarcasms, and did not spare them even in my presence. If
she had to act upon the stage with him, he employed his popularity with
the audience and his ability as actor to turn her into ridicule with
scurvy jests and sallies. Nay, more: in one of the rooms behind the
theatre, where some eight actors and actresses were assembled, the
brute, before my face, insulted her by implying that he had been
admitted to her last familiarities. I saw her turn pale and on the point
of fainting.

I was absolutely certain that Sacchi's innuendoes had no grain of truth
in them. He only wished to compromise her in my eyes, in order that I
might abandon her to his desires and vengeance. This stung me to
espouse her cause, although I knew that prudence pointed in the contrary
direction. Next day I found her drowned in tears. I told her that the
moment had not come for me to leave her. "Sacchi has insulted me as well
as you, forgetful of the benefits which I have heaped upon him. It is
now my business to tame the devil in him without open scandal. All I am
afraid of is, that you will force me to abandon you by future follies of
a like description. As far as the present case is concerned, you may
trust to my fidelity."