“Do not be afraid!” she cried, “I will keep my promise.”

“Solemnly?” he asked, still smiling, and holding the envelope firmly in his hand.

“Solemnly,” she answered; and then added, with a quick laugh, “but you are so abominably clever, that I believe you could make me marry you against my will.”

“Never!” said Del Ferice, earnestly; “I love you far too much.”  He had wonderfully clear instincts.  “And now,” he continued, “we have settled that matter; when shall the happy day be?”

“Oh, there is time enough to think of that,” answered Donna Tullia, with a blush that might have passed for the result of a coy shyness, but which was in reality caused by a certain annoyance at being pressed.

“No,” objected Del Ferice, “we must announce our engagement at once.  There is no reason for delay—­to-day is better than to-morrow.”

“To-day?” repeated Donna Tullia, in some alarm.

“Why not?  Why not, my dear lady, since you and I are both in earnest?”

“I think it would be much better to let this affair pass first.”

“On the contrary,” he argued, “from the moment we are publicly engaged I become your natural protector.  If any one offers you any insult in this matter, I shall then have an acknowledged right to avenge you—­a right I dearly covet.  Do you think I would dread to meet Don Giovanni again?  He wounded me, it is true, but he has the marks of my sword upon his body also.  Give me at once the privilege of appearing as your champion, and you will not regret it.  But if you delay doing so, all sorts of circumstances may arise, all sorts of unpleasantness—­who could protect you?  Of course, even in that case I would; but you know the tongues of the gossips in Rome—­it would do you harm instead of good.”

“That is true, and you are very brave and very kind.  But it seems almost too soon,” objected Donna Tullia, who, however, was fast learning to yield to his judgment.

“Those things cannot be done too soon.  It gives us liberty, and it gives the world satisfaction; it protects you, and it will be an inestimable pleasure to me.  Why delay the inevitable?  Let us appear at once as engaged to be married, and you put a sword in my hand to defend you and to enforce your position in this unfortunate affair with the Astrardente.”

“Well, you may announce it if you please,” she answered, reluctantly.

“Thank you, my dear lady,” said Del Ferice.  “And here are the papers.  Make the best use of them you can—­any use that you make of them will be good, I know.  How could it be otherwise?”