Page:The genius - Carl Grosse tr Joseph Trapp 1796.djvu/344

 point of going into my apartment, when seeing the marchioness's front-room wide open, I descried a certain questionable glare, through the suite of her apartments, proceeding from her drawing-room.

I'll bid her good night, said I to myself. She probably would conceive a thousand unfavorable thoughts at your getting thus clandestinely into the house. I now entered her apartment and found nobody in it. Two lighted candles, with long unsnuffed wicks stood on the table. "Where can she be?" said I, "I hope she does not run about in the evening air. Imprudent thing, she will not be quiet till she brings on herself some bad fever."

I sit down, patiently waiting her return. But I soon perceive, that I am sitting on something. I rise, I look,—'tis a man's hart. In the first hurry of confusion, I take it to be my own, but a diamond loop and button convince me of its belonging to Don Bernardos. My first motion is, to fling it with great force on the floor, and trample upon it. I then take one of the lighted candles