"Never! My mind is made up: I shall remain where you are. I have nothing left to lose! I have sacrificed to you a maiden's most precious treasure, and it is easy for me to give you now my repose and my life."
"But I do not ask you for either. You are too excitable, my poor Miretta! you have an ardent imagination. Now, I am thoroughly practical. You choose to remain in Paris—very good! But you must understand that it is impossible for you to live with me; you would embarrass me; in this trade of mine, a woman is always in the way; when she thinks that she is helping us, she ruins us!"
"So you are not willing to abandon this—this infamous trade?"
Giovanni darted a glance at the girl which almost made her shudder, as he replied:
"No woman will ever change my resolutions; when it pleases me to enjoy my wealth, to return to Italy, the robber will vanish, and Giovanni, favored of fortune, assuming a stately name and title, will make a brilliant appearance in the world, where everyone will cringe to him without trying to ascertain the source of his fortune.—You have heard me, Miretta; so never recur to this subject, or you will see me no more."
Miretta made no other reply than to let her head sink sadly on her breast.
"You have a place in Paris, I am told: you are in the service of Mademoiselle Valentine de Mongarcin?"
"Yes; how do you know that?"
"I know much more! It was Cédrille, your cousin, who brought you to Paris?"
"Yes; and I had arranged to meet him in front of the house this evening, at dusk; I thought that he would be my escort and would take me to see a young girl who lives on Rue Saint-Jacques, where her father keeps baths; for that girl rendered us a great service this morning, when we arrived in Paris. You do not know that——"