They lowered sail and came towards me, and on their hailing me I asked for a man to take us to the opposite point of the island.  They asked a sequin in advance, I gave it them, and promised the other to the man who would get on my poop and help me to make the point.  In less than ten minutes we were opposite to the little stream leading to the convent, but the secret of it was too dear to be hazarded, so as soon as we reached the point I paid my preserver and sent him back.  Henceforth the wind was in our favour, and we soon got to the little door, where M——­ M——­ landed, saying to me, “Go and sleep in the casino.”  I thought her advice wise, and I followed it, and having the wind behind me I got to the casino without trouble, and slept till broad day.  As soon as I had risen I wrote to my dear mistress that I was well, and that we should see each other at the grating.  Having taken my boat back to St. Francis, I put on my mask and went to Liston.

In the morning M——­ M——­ came to the grating by herself, and we made all such observations as our adventures of the night would be likely to suggest, but in place of deciding to follow the advice which prudence should have given us-namely, not to expose ourselves to danger for the future, we thought ourselves extremely prudent in resolving that if we were again threatened by a storm we would set out as soon as we saw it rising.  All the same we had to confess that if chance had not thrown the barque in our way we should have been obliged to return to the casino, for M——­ M——­ could not have got to the convent, and how could she ever have entered its walls again?  I should have been forced to leave Venice with her, and that for ever.  My life would have been finally and irretrievably linked with hers, and, without doubt, the various adventures which at the age of seventy-two years impel me to write these Memoirs, would never have taken place.

For the next three months we continued to meet each other once a week, always amorous, and never disturbed by the slightest accidents.

M——­ M——­ could not resist giving the ambassador a full account of our adventures, and I had promised to write to him, and always to write the whole truth.  He replied by congratulating us on our good fortune, but he prophesied inevitable disaster if we had not the prudence to stop our intercourse.

Mr. Murray, the English ambassador, a witty and handsome man, and a great amateur of the fair sex, wine, and good cheer, then kept the fair Ancilla, who introduced me to him.  This fine fellow became my friend in much the same way as M. de Bernis, the only difference being that the Frenchman liked to look on while the Englishman preferred to give the show.  I was never unwelcome at their amorous battles, and the voluptuous Ancilla was delighted to have me for a witness.  I never gave them the pleasure of mingling in the strife.  I loved M——­ M——­, but I should avow that my fidelity to her was not