You may imagine how this news pleased _Sylvia_; who trembling with fear every moment, had expected _Brilliard_'s coming, and found no other benefit by his negotiation, but she must bear what she cannot avoid; but it was rather with the fury of a bacchanal, than a woman of common sense and prudence; all about her pleaded some days in vain, and she hated _Brilliard_ for not doing impossibilities; and it was some time before he could bring her to permit him to speak to her, or visit her.
_Philander_ having left _Octavio_, went immediately to wait on _Cesario_, who was extremely pleased to meet him there, and they exchanged their souls to each other, and all the secrets of them. After they had discoursed of all that they had a mind to hear and know on both sides, _Cesario_ inquired of him of _Sylvia_'s health; and _Philander_ gave him an account of the uneasiness of her temper, and the occasions of their quarrels, in which _Octavio_ had his part, as being the subject of some of them: from this he falls to give a character of that rival, and came to this part of it, where he had put himself into the Orders of the _Bernardines_, resolving to leave the world, and all its charms and temptations. As they were speaking, some gentlemen, who came to make their court to the Prince, finding them speak of _Octavio_, told them that to-morrow he was to be initiated, without the year's trial; the Prince would needs go and see the ceremony, having heard so much of the man; and accordingly next day, accompanied with the Governor, _Philander, Tomaso_, and abundance of persons of quality and officers, he went to the great church, where were present all the ladies of the Court, and all that were in the town. The noise of it was so great, that _Sylvia_, all languishing, and ill as she was, would not be persuaded from going, but so muffled in her hoods, as she was not to be known by any.