"I shall tell my young mistress what happened to me; I shall tell her the whole truth; Mademoiselle Valentine will forgive me, for I will promise to be more prudent hereafter."
"You will tell her the whole truth?" repeated Giovanni, fastening his eyes on the girl's face.
"Yes, but without naming you. Oh! never fear: I will not tell—your secret."
"I rely upon it; come! But wait a moment."
Giovanni took the horrible hairy cap, the huge beard, and the olive-green cloak, and held them all up before Miretta, saying:
"Look at these carefully; if you should ever see a man dressed in these clothes, fly, fly at once—do not go near that man!—Do you swear, Miretta?"
"I swear," faltered the girl, in a trembling voice.
"On that condition, you will see me again sometimes, now as a wealthy gentleman, now as a simple artisan, or a bourgeois; but I will speak first to you."
With that, the Italian hastily resumed the costume of an old Bohemian; when that was done, he said:
"Come, now, let us make haste; but, above all things, make no noise."