As a lover, I grudged the employment of the signorina in this service; as a politician, I was proud of the device; as a human being, I recognized, what we are very ready to recognize, that it did not become me to refuse to work with such instruments as appeared to be put into my hands.
But whatever may be the verdict of moralists on our device, events proved its wisdom.

The President had no cause to suspect a trap; therefore, like a sensible man, he chose to spend the evening with the signorina rather than with his gallant officers.

With equally good taste, he elected to spend it _tete-a-tete_ with her, when she gave him the opportunity.

In our subsequent conversations, the signorina was not communicative as to how the early hours of the evening passed.
She preferred to begin her narrative from the point when their solitude was interrupted.

As I rely on her account and that of the colonel for this part of my story, I am compelled to make my start from the same moment.