Page:The genius - Carl Grosse tr Joseph Trapp 1796.djvu/95

 racter she is to perform; still I felt myself much prepossessed in her favor.

Pedro acted his part in a masterly manner, and had his wife only possessed half his self-command, he must have gained his end. With apparent innocence, yet by the most artful deportment, he put us in an hundred little situations, tending to authorise familiarity between us. We actually became fonder and fonder. But her blushes increased in proportion to the progress of our increasing partiality for each other. In my opinion, she had been directed to put me in confusion, without losing countenance herself, but she was inadequate to the part, and actually began to conceive a liking for me, ere she could possibly be aware of it.

All this I discovered less in herself, than in Pedro. Without losing sight of me, he gave her an hundred sly winks, not to forget herself; but she indulged the sweet impulse of her heart. At last Don Pedro finding her action rather too faithful a copy of nature, rose and apologized for his not being able to stay any longer. On taking leave, Francisca's