On the following morning, the monk’s warnings lead Vivaldi to visit Ellena and declare his feelings for her. After Signora Bianchi listens to him, she tells him that his parents will most likely oppose his marriage. She herself is not averse to the marriage since, given her own age and infirmities, Ellena is soon to become a young and friendless orphan. To try the constancy of his affection, Bianchi offers only slight encouragement to his hopes.

Upon his return home, he discovers that his father had requested a meeting with him. The day passes, however, without the latter’s return home. His mother demands his presence at the Portici that night and the following, thereby foiling his plans to explore the fortress Paluzzi and to see Ellena that evening. After arriving back at Naples, he heads to the Villa Altieri.

When he reaches the orangery near the villa, he sees Ellena in a small pavilion. As she begins to sing the first stanza of the song that he had sung on the night he serenaded her, Vivaldi answers her with the second stanza. Noticing that Ellena is about to faint, Vivaldi enters the pavilion and declares his love for her. While trying to brush him away, she smiles at him in such a way that he is convinced of her love for him. He returns home, elated, and spends the evening writing a letter to her.

That morning, Vivaldi is summoned by his father, who scolds him upon news of his relationship with Ellena. The marchese orders him to dismiss her, offering her a small annuity in the belief that his son has ruined her. Refusing to relinquish her, Vivaldi feels more compelled than ever to engage his honor on her behalf even as his father threatens to disclaim him.

After arriving home one evening from Altieri, Vivaldi finds his mother waiting. Although more subtle in her questioning, Vivaldi remains unconvinced by her arguments. Upon leaving her, he catches sight of a monk who has become her confessor and secret adviser. Although little is known about the origins or parentage of this monk at the Dominican convent of Spirito Santo, many believe that he is a man of birth and declining fortunes. Tall, thin, and striking, he is feared and disliked by his fellow monks.