lie of that sort before."

"All the same I did not tell a lie, but I am very glad that I seem as if
I had done so."

"Tell me all about it."

"Certainly I will, for I want to win your confidence. This is the story:

"Two years ago my mother, though she was hot-tempered, still loved me. I
was a needle-woman, and earned from twenty to thirty sous a day. Whatever
I earned I gave my mother. I had never had a lover, never thought of such
a thing, and when my goodness was praised I felt inclined to laugh. I had
been brought up from a child never to look at young men when I met them
in the street, and never to reply to them when they addressed any
impudence to me.

"Two months ago a fine enough looking young man, a native of Genoa, and a
merchant in a small way, came to my mother to get her to wash some very
fine cotton stockings which the sea-water had stained. When he saw me he
was very complimentary, but in an honest way. I liked him, and, no doubt
seeing it, he came and came again every evening. My mother was always
present at our interviews, and he looked at me and talked to me, but did
not so much as ask to kiss my hand. My mother was very pleased to notice
that the young man liked me, and often scolded me because I was not
polite enough to him. In time he had to go to Genoa in a small ship which
belonged to him, and which was laden with goods. He assured us that he
would return again the next spring and declare his intentions. He said he
hoped he should find me as good as ever, and still without any lover.
This was enough; my mother looked upon him as my betrothed, and let us
talk together at the door till midnight. When he went I would shut the
door and lie down beside my mother, who was always asleep.

"Four or five days before his departure, he took my arm and got me to go
with him to a place about fifty paces from the house to drink a glass of
Muscat at a Greek's, who kept his tavern open all night. We were only
away for half an hour, and then it was that he first kissed me. When I
got home I found my mother awake, and told her all; it seemed so harmless
to me.

"Next day, excited by the recollection of what had happened the night
before, I went with him again, and love began to gain ground. We indulged
in caresses which were no longer innocent, as we well knew. However, we
forgave each other, as we had abstained from the chief liberty.

"The day after, my lover--as he had to journey in the night--took leave