Like happiness I’d fain in you behold;
          Coletta is a morsel for a king;
          Inestimable girl!—­to me she’ll cling. 
          I’ve many seen, but such a charming fair,
          There’s not another like her any where.

          Withsoftest skin, delightful form and mien;
          Her ev’ry act resembles BEAUTY’s queen;
          In short, before we’d ended with our fun,
          Six posts (without a fiction) we had run. 
          The host was struck with what the spark averred,
          And muttered something indistinctly heard.

          Thehostess whispered him she thought her spouse:—­
          Again, my dear, such sparks let’s never house;
          Pray don’t you hear how they together chat?—­
          Just then the husband raised himself and sat;
          Is this your plan? said he with mighty rage;
          Was it for this you would my house engage? 
          You understand me, but I’ll seek redress;
          Think you so very cheap to have success? 
          What, would you ruin families at will,
          And with our daughters take at ease your fill? 
          Away, I say! my house this moment quit;
          And as for You, abominable chit,
          I’ll have your life:  this hour you breathe your last;
          Such creatures only can with beasts be classed.

          Pinucioheard the lecture with dismay,
          At once was mute, and grew as cold as clay;
          A moment’s silence through the room prevailed;
          Coletta trembled, and her lot bewailed. 
          The hostess now, on ev’ry side perceived
          Her peril great, and for the error grieved. 
          The friend, howe’er, the cradle called to mind,
          Which caused the many ills we’ve seen combined,
          And instantly he cried:—­Pinucio! strange
          You thus allow yourself about to range;
          Did I not tell you when the wine you took,
          ’Twould make many sad misfortunes hook? 
          Whene’er you freely drink, ’tis known fall well,
          Your sleep’s disturbed, you walk, and nonsense tell. 
          Come, come to bed:  the morning soon will peep;
          Pinucio took the hint, pretended sleep,
          And carried on so artfully the wile,
          The husband no suspicion had of guile. 
          The stratagem our hostess likewise tried,
          And to her daughter’s bed in silence hied,
          Where she conceived her fortress was so strong,
          She presently began to use her tongue,
          And cried aloud:—­Impossible the fact;
          Such things he could not with Coletta act;
          I’ve with her been in bed throughout the night,
          And she, no more than I, has swerved from right;
          ’Twere mighty pretty, truly, here to come;
          At this the host a little while was dumb;
          But in a lower tone at length replied
          I nought with your account I’m satisfied.