'About a quarter of a league from the walls we stopped, and I assumed
the habit in which you now see me. My own dress was fastened to some
heavy stones, and Caterina threw it into the stream, near the almond
grove, whose murmurings you have so often admired. The fatigue and
hardship I endured in this journey, performed almost wholly on foot,
at any other time would have overcome me; but my mind was so occupied
by the danger I was avoiding that these lesser evils were disregarded.

We arrived in safety at the cottage, which stood at a little distance
from the village of Ferrini, and were received by Caterina's parents
with some surprise and more kindness. I soon perceived it would be
useless, and even dangerous, to attempt to preserve the character I
personated. In the eyes of Caterina's mother I read a degree of
surprise and admiration which declared she believed me to be of
superior rank; I, therefore, thought it more prudent to win her
fidelity by entrusting her with my secret than, by endeavouring to
conceal it, leave it to be discovered by her curiosity or discernment.

Accordingly, I made known my quality and my distress, and received
strong assurances of assistance and attachment. For further security,
I removed to this sequestered spot. The cottage we are now in belongs
to a sister of Caterina, upon whose faithfulness I have been hitherto
fully justified in relying. But I am not even here secure from
apprehension, since for several days past horsemen of a suspicious
appearance have been observed near Marcy, which is only half a league
from hence.' Here Julia closed her narration, to which madame had listened with a
mixture of surprise and pity, which her eyes sufficiently discovered.