Then he entreats her to send him her portrait, painted in the character of S.Ursula.At another time he gossips about the nuns, forwarding messages, alluding to their several love-affairs, and condoling with them on the loss of a compliant confessor.

This was a priest, who, when the indescribable corruptions of S.Chiara had been clearly proved, calmly remarked that there was no reason to make such a fuss--they were only affairs of gentlefolk, _cose di gentilhuomini_.

The rival of whom Samminiati was jealous seems to have been the painter Pietro, who held the key to all the scandals of the convent in his hand.

Umilia, Dati, and Samminiati at last agreed 'to rid their neighborhood of that pest.' The man had escaped to Rovigo, whither Samminiati repaired from Venice, 'attended by two good fellows thoroughly acquainted with the district.' [Footnote 195: It appears that violent passion for a person was commonly attributed at that epoch to enchantment.

See above, the confession of the Lady of Monza, p.