concerns of wholly private interest." "This
is no affair of lovers," she replied with heat, opening and casting her
eyes over the pages. When she had read the letter, she hesitated a
little, and then handed it to me. "I do not want to hide anything from
you; read it, and you will see that it has nothing to do with love." I
replied that I did not care to read it, being sure from her behaviour to
the servant that it contained some secret which she wished to conceal
from me. "Well, then," she said, "I must inform you that I made the
acquaintance at Turin of a lady called Mme. Rossetti, whose husband
lives at Paris. This lady expressed her regret at my being obliged to
drag my life out among wretched Italian comedians. She encouraged me to
act with spirit in my own interest, and gave me hopes of entering the
theatre at Paris through her husband's assistance. The writer of this
letter in my hand is a certain Abbe of Turin, who negotiates the matter,
and is a very able diplomatist. He informs me that the affair is on the
point of being settled to my wishes."

I pointed out that, if she intended to accept an engagement at Paris, it
was her duty to inform Sacchi, and to pay the penalty of 500 ducats.
"No," she replied, "that is precisely what I want to avoid doing." "So
then," I retorted, "you mean to transact your business secretly, and to
swindle the poor actors to whom you are engaged here! Be open, tell
Sacchi the truth, and I will engage to manage matters so that you shall
not have to pay the fine." "Sacchi," she rejoined, "must know nothing
about the transaction. If he gets wind of these negotiations, he will
engage another leading actress; and should my treaty fail, I shall be
dismissed and thrown upon the street. What an excellent friend and
gossip you are, forsooth, at a pinch like this! We actors and actresses
are not accustomed to such niceties and scruples." I told her that she
ought to rely on me for carrying her through any difficulties, and that
I could only recommend fair dealing in the matter. "However," I added,
"if you prefer to take the tortuous path and work by intrigue, I promise
to keep the secret which you have disclosed."

Having passed my word, I let her do what she liked in this affair, and
asked no further questions. But I was more than ever resolved to
withdraw as prudently and quietly as possible from the complicated
position in which I found myself placed. I wished to avoid open scandal;
but I li