Half stupefied at her manner, I asked: "Then you will be my wife ?" "I will!" she answered--"and tell me--your name is Cesare, is it not ?" "Yes," I said, mechanically.
"Then, CESARE" she murmured, tenderly, "I will MAKE you love me very much!" And with a quick lithe movement of her supple figure, she nestled softly against me, and turned up her radiant glowing face.
"Kiss me!" she said, and waited.

As one in a whirling dream, I stooped and kissed those false sweet lips! I would have more readily placed my mouth upon that of a poisonous serpent! Yet that kiss roused a sort of fury in me.

I slipped my arms round her half-reclining figure, drew her gently backward to the couch she had left, and sat down beside her, still embracing her.

"You really love me ?" I asked almost fiercely.
"Yes!" "And I am the first man whom you have really cared for?
"You are!" "You never liked Ferrari ?" "Never!" "Did he ever kiss you as I have done ?" "Not once!" God! how the lies poured forth! a very cascade of them! and they were all told with such an air of truth! I marveled at the ease and rapidity with which they glided off this fair woman's tongue, feeling somewhat the same sense of stupid astonishment a rustic exhibits when he sees for the first time a conjurer drawing yards and yards of many-colored ribbon out of his mouth.

I took up the little hand on which the wedding-ring _I_ had placed there was still worn, and quietly slipped upon the slim finger a circlet of magnificent rose-brilliants.