“I wrote to her as follows:
“‘Dear mamma, come directly and sign my marriage contract with a gentleman introduced to me by the duke, with whom I shall be leaving for Rome on Monday next.’”
“My letter ran thus,” said the duke,
“‘Come without delay, and sign your daughter’s marriage contract, and give her your blessing. She has wisely chosen a husband old enough to be her father; he is a friend of mine.’”
“That’s not true,” cried Leonilda, rushing to my arms, “she will think you are really old, and I am sorry.”
“Is your mother an elderly woman?”
“She’s a charming woman,” said the duke, “full of wit, and not thirty-eight yet.”
“What has she got to do with Galiani?”
“She is an intimate friend of the marchioness’s, and she lives with the family but pays for her board.”
Next morning, having some business with my banker to attend to, I told the duke that I should not be able to see Leonilda till supper-time. I went there at eight o’clock and I found the three sitting in front of the fire.