However, to Teresa's great astonishment, Luigi remained mute, and not a word escaped his lips the rest of the evening.

When the chill of the night had driven away the guests from the gardens, and the gates of the villa were closed on them for the festa in-doors, he took Teresa quite away, and as he left her at her home, he said,-- "'Teresa, what were you thinking of as you danced opposite the young Countess of San-Felice ?'--'I thought,' replied the young girl, with all the frankness of her nature, 'that I would give half my life for a costume such as she wore.' "'And what said your cavalier to you ?'--'He said it only depended on myself to have it, and I had only one word to say.' "'He was right,' said Luigi.

'Do you desire it as ardently as you say ?'--'Yes.'-- 'Well, then, you shall have it!' "The young girl, much astonished, raised her head to look at him, but his face was so gloomy and terrible that her words froze to her lips.
As Luigi spoke thus, he left her.

Teresa followed him with her eyes into the darkness as long as she could, and when he had quite disappeared, she went into the house with a sigh.
"That night a memorable event occurred, due, no doubt, to the imprudence of some servant who had neglected to extinguish the lights.

The Villa of San-Felice took fire in the rooms adjoining the very apartment of the lovely Carmela.