Cardinal Acquaviva expressed openly his delight at his brother-cardinal having given me a taste of his negrillo snuff in so splendid an envelope; the Abbe Gama, finding me so forward on the road to success, did not venture to counsel me any more, and the virtuous Father Georgi gave me but one piece of advice-namely, to cling to the lovely marchioness and not to make any other acquaintances.
Such was my position-truly a brilliant one, when, on Christmas Day, the lover of Barbara Dalacqua entered my room, locked the door, and threw himself on the sofa, exclaiming that I saw him for the last time.
"I only come to beg of you some good advice." "On what subject can I advise you ?" "Take this and read it; it will explain everything." It was a letter from his mistress; the contents were these: "I am pregnant of a child, the pledge of our mutual love; I can no longer have any doubt of it, my beloved, and I forewarn you that I have made up my mind to quit Rome alone, and to go away to die where it may please God, if you refuse to take care of me and save me.

I would suffer anything, do anything, rather than let my father discover the truth." "If you are a man of honour," I said, "you cannot abandon the poor girl.
Marry her in spite of your father, in spite of her own, and live together honestly.

The eternal Providence of God will watch over you and help you in your difficulties:" My advice seemed to bring calm to his mind, and he left me more composed.
At the beginning of January, 1744, he called again, looking very cheerful.

"I have hired," he said, "the top floor of the house next to Barbara's dwelling; she knows it, and to-night I will gain her apartment through one of the windows of the garret, and we will make all our arrangements to enable me to carry her off.

I have made up my mind; I have decided upon taking her to Naples, and I will take with us the servant who, sleeping in the garret, had to be made a confidante of." "God speed you, my friend!" A week afterwards, towards eleven o'clock at night, he entered my room accompanied by an abbe.
"What do you want so late ?" "I wish to introduce you to this handsome abbe." I looked up, and to my consternation I recognized Barbara.
"Has anyone seen you enter the house ?" I enquired.
"No; and if we had been seen, what of it?
It is only an abbe.