Page:The genius - Carl Grosse tr Joseph Trapp 1796.djvu/34

 had just left the apartment.—"But how imprudent! When will you be more discreet. I don't like kneeling before me in a convent."

"Why, charming Elmira, not permit your confessor, to receive the sweet confession of your sins on his knees?"

"You are dreaming Carlos," replied she with a smile, "what do you mean by prating about a confessor and sins? Sure you don't imagine, that I have any thing to confess to you?"

"What a misunderstanding, Elmira! Yes, I own, that I thought as much. Do you only mean to divert yourself at my expence? Else, why this assignation, this mysterious visit?"

"Not so fast, Carlos, but wait the time with patience. Yours it is to protect distressed damsels, and you don't know, in what manner I wish to avail myself of your protection?"

"Is it so? Tell me then, Madonna, how I can be of use to you?" Here I rose coolly, and negligently placed myself by her side on the sopha.