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diff --git a/old/jcmcr10.txt b/old/jcmcr10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..08e4695 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/jcmcr10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5029 @@ +Project Gutenberg Etext of Military Career, by Jacques Casanova +#3 in our series by Jacques Casanova + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the laws for your country before redistributing these files!!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + +This should be the first thing seen when anyone opens the book. +Do not change or edit it without written permission. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.07.00*END* + + + + + +This etext was prepared by David Widger, <widger@cecomet.net> + + + + + +MEMOIRS OF JACQUES CASANOVA de SEINGALT 1725-1798 +VENETIAN YEARS, Volume 1c--MILITARY CAREER + + +THE RARE UNABRIDGED LONDON EDITION OF 1894 TRANSLATED BY ARTHUR +MACHEN TO WHICH HAS BEEN ADDED THE CHAPTERS DISCOVERED +BY ARTHUR SYMONS. + + + + +MILITARY CAREER + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +I Renounce the Clerical Profession, and Enter the Military Service-- +Therese Leaves for Naples, and I Go to Venice--I Am Appointed Ensign +in the Army of My Native Country--I Embark for Corfu, and Land at +Orsera to Take a Walk + + +I had been careful, on my arrival in Bologna, to take up my quarters +at a small inn, so as not to attract any notice, and as soon as I had +dispatched my letters to Therese and the French officer, I thought of +purchasing some linen, as it was at least doubtful whether I should +ever get my trunk. I deemed it expedient to order some clothes +likewise. I was thus ruminating, when it suddenly struck me that I +was not likely now to succeed in the Church, but feeling great +uncertainty as to the profession I ought to adopt, I took a fancy to +transform myself into an officer, as it was evident that I had not to +account to anyone for my actions. It was a very natural fancy at my +age, for I had just passed through two armies in which I had seen no +respect paid to any garb but to the military uniform, and I did not +see why I should not cause myself to be respected likewise. Besides, +I was thinking of returning to Venice, and felt great delight at the +idea of shewing myself there in the garb of honour, for I had been +rather ill-treated in that of religion. + +I enquired for a good tailor: death was brought to me, for the tailor +sent to me was named Morte. I explained to him how I wanted my +uniform made, I chose the cloth, he took my measure, and the next day +I was transformed into a follower of Mars. I procured a long sword, +and with my fine cane in hand, with a well-brushed hat ornamented +with a black cockade, and wearing a long false pigtail, I sallied +forth and walked all over the city. + +I bethought myself that the importance of my new calling required a +better and more showy lodging than the one I had secured on my +arrival, and I moved to the best inn. I like even now to recollect +the pleasing impression I felt when I was able to admire myself full +length in a large mirror. I was highly pleased with my own person! +I thought myself made by nature to wear and to honour the military +costume, which I had adopted through the most fortunate impulse. +Certain that nobody knew me, I enjoyed by anticipation all the +conjectures which people would indulge in respecting me, when I made +my first appearance in the most fashionable caf‚ of the town. + +My uniform was white, the vest blue, a gold and silver shoulder-knot, +and a sword-knot of the same material. Very well pleased with my +grand appearance, I went to the coffee-room, and, taking some +chocolate, began to read the newspapers, quite at my ease, and +delighted to see that everybody was puzzled. A bold individual, in +the hope of getting me into conversation, came to me and addressed +me; I answered him with a monosyllable, and I observed that everyone +was at a loss what to make of me. When I had sufficiently enjoyed +public admiration in the coffee-room, I promenaded in the busiest +thoroughfares of the city, and returned to the inn, where I had +dinner by myself. + +I had just concluded my repast when my landlord presented himself +with the travellers' book, in which he wanted to register my name. + +"Casanova." + +"Your profession, if you please, sir?" + +"Officer." + +"In which service?" + +"None." + +"Your native place?" + +"Venice." + +"Where do you come from?" + +"That is no business of yours." + +This answer, which I thought was in keeping with my external +appearance, had the desired effect: the landlord bowed himself out, +and I felt highly pleased with myself, for I knew that I should enjoy +perfect freedom in Bologna, and I was certain that mine host had +visited me at the instance of some curious person eager to know who I +was. + +The next day I called on M. Orsi, the banker, to cash my bill of +exchange, and took another for six hundred sequins on Venice, and one +hundred sequins in gold after which I again exhibited myself in the +public places. Two days afterwards, whilst I was taking my coffee +after dinner, the banker Orsi was announced. I desired him to be +shewn in, and he made his appearance accompanied my Monsignor +Cornaro, whom I feigned not to know. M. Orsi remarked that he had +called to offer me his services for my letters of exchange, and +introduced the prelate. I rose and expressed my gratification at +making his acquaintance. "But we have met before," he replied, "at +Venice and Rome." Assuming an air of blank surprise, I told him he +must certainly be mistaken. The prelate, thinking he could guess the +reason of my reserve, did not insist, and apologized. I offered him +a cup of coffee, which he accepted, and, on leaving me, he begged the +honour of my company to breakfast the next day. + +I made up my mind to persist in my denials, and called upon the +prelate, who gave me a polite welcome. He was then apostolic +prothonotary in Bologna. Breakfast was served, and as we were +sipping our chocolate, he told me that I had most likely some good +reasons to warrant my reserve, but that I was wrong not to trust him, +the more so that the affair in question did me great honour. "I do +not know," said I, "what affair you are alluding to." He then handed +me a newspaper, telling me to read a paragraph which he pointed out. +My astonishment may be imagined when I read the following +correspondence from Pesaro: "M. de Casanova, an officer in the +service of the queen, has deserted after having killed his captain in +a duel; the circumstances of the duel are not known; all that has +been ascertained is that M. de Casanova has taken the road to Rimini, +riding the horse belonging to the captain, who was killed on the +spot." + +In spite of my surprise, and of the difficulty I had in keeping my +gravity at the reading of the paragraph, in which so much untruth was +blended with so little that was real, I managed to keep a serious +countenance, and I told the prelate that the Casanova spoken of in +the newspaper must be another man. + +"That may be, but you are certainly the Casanova I knew a month ago +at Cardinal Acquaviva's, and two years ago at the house of my sister, +Madame Lovedan, in Venice. Besides the Ancona banker speaks of you +as an ecclesiastic in his letter of advice to M. Orsi:" + +"Very well, monsignor; your excellency compels me to agree to my +being the same Casanova, but I entreat you not to ask me any more +questions as I am bound in honour to observe the strictest reserve." + +"That is enough for me, and I am satisfied. Let us talk of something +else." + +I was amused at the false reports which were being circulated about +me, and, I became from that moment a thorough sceptic on the subject +of historical truth. I enjoyed, however, very great pleasure in +thinking that my reserve had fed the belief of my being the Casanova +mentioned in the newspaper. I felt certain that the prelate would +write the whole affair to Venice, where it would do me great honour, +at least until the truth should be known, and in that case my reserve +would be justified, besides, I should then most likely be far away. +I made up my mind to go to Venice as soon as I heard from Therese, as +I thought that I could wait for her there more comfortably than in +Bologna, and in my native place there was nothing to hinder me from +marrying her openly. In the mean time the fable from Pesaro amused +me a good deal, and I expected every day to see it denied in some +newspaper. The real officer Casanova must have laughed at the +accusation brought against him of having run away with the horse, as +much as I laughed at the caprice which had metamorphosed me into an +officer in Bologna, just as if I had done it for the very purpose of +giving to the affair every appearance of truth. + +On the fourth day of my stay in Bologna, I received by express a long +letter from Therese. She informed me that, on the day after my +escape from Rimini, Baron Vais had presented to her the Duke de +Castropignano, who, having heard her sing, had offered her one +thousand ounces a year, and all travelling expenses paid, if she +would accept an engagement as prima-donna at the San Carlo Theatre, +at Naples, where she would have to go immediately after her Rimini +engagement. She had requested and obtained a week to come to a +decision. She enclosed two documents, the first was the written +memorandum of the duke's proposals, which she sent in order that I +should peruse it, as she did not wish to sign it without my consent; +the second was a formal engagement, written by herself, to remain all +her life devoted to me and at my service. She added in her letter +that, if I wished to accompany her to Naples, she would meet me +anywhere I might appoint, but that, if I had any objection to return +to that city, she would immediately refuse the brilliant offer, for +her only happiness was to please me in all things. + +For the first time in my life I found myself in need of thoughtful +consideration before I could make up my mind. Therese's letter had +entirely upset all my ideas, and, feeling that I could not answer it +a once, I told the messenger to call the next day. + +Two motives of equal weight kept the balance wavering; self-love and +love for Therese. I felt that I ought not to require Therese to give +up such prospects of fortune; but I could not take upon myself either +to let her go to Naples without me, or to accompany her there. On +one side, I shuddered at the idea that my love might ruin Therese's +prospects; on the other side, the idea of the blow inflicted on my +self-love, on my pride, if I went to Naples with her, sickened me. + +How could I make up my mind to reappear in that city, in the guise of +a cowardly fellow living at the expense of his mistress or his wife? +What would my cousin Antonio, Don Polo and his dear son, Don Lelio +Caraffa, and all the patricians who knew me, have said? The thought +of Lucrezia and of her husband sent a cold shiver through me. I +considered that, in spite of my love for Therese, I should become +very miserable if everyone despised me. Linked to her destiny as a +lover or as a husband, I would be a degraded, humbled, and mean +sycophant. Then came the thought, Is this to be the end of all my +hopes? The die was cast, my head had conquered my heart. I fancied +that I had hit upon an excellent expedient, which at all events made +me gain time, and I resolved to act upon it. I wrote to Therese, +advising her to accept the engagement for Naples, where she might +expect me to join her in the month of July, or after my return from +Constantinople. I cautioned her to engage an honest-looking waiting- +woman, so as to appear respectably in the world, and, to lead such a +life as would permit me to make her my wife, on my return, without +being ashamed of myself. I foresaw that her success would be insured +by her beauty even more than by her talent, and, with my nature, I +knew that I could never assume the character of an easy-going lover +or of a compliant husband. + +Had I received Therese's letter one week sooner, it is certain that +she would not have gone to Naples, for my love would then have proved +stronger than my reason; but in matters of love, as well as in all +others, Time is a great teacher. + +I told Therese to direct her answer to Bologna, and, three days +after, I received from her a letter loving, and at the same time sad, +in which she informed me that she had signed the engagement. She had +secured the services of a woman whom she could present as her mother; +she would reach Naples towards the middle of May, and she would wait +for me there till she heard from me that I no longer wanted her. + +Four days after the receipt of that letter, the last but one that +Therese wrote me, I left Bologna for Venice. Before my departure I +had received an answer form the French officer, advising me that my +passport had reached Pesaro, and that he was ready to forward it to +me with my trunk, if I would pay M. Marcello Birna, the proveditore +of the Spanish army, whose address he enclosed, the sum of fifty +doubloons for the horse which I had run away with, or which had run +away with me. I repaired at once to the house of the proveditore, +well pleased to settle that affair, and I received my trunk and my +passport a few hours before leaving Bologna. But as my paying for +the horse was known all over the town, Monsignor Cornaro was +confirmed in his belief that I had killed my captain in a duel. + +To go to Venice, it was necessary to submit to a quarantine, which +had been adhered to only because the two governments had fallen out. +The Venetians wanted the Pope to be the first in giving free passage +through his frontiers, and the Pope insisted that the Venetians +should take the initiative. The result of this trifling pique +between the two governments was great hindrance to commerce, but very +often that which bears only upon the private interest of the people +is lightly treated by the rulers. I did not wish to be quarantined, +and determined on evading it. It was rather a delicate undertaking, +for in Venice the sanitary laws are very strict, but in those days I +delighted in doing, if not everything that was forbidden, at least +everything which offered real difficulties. + +I knew that between the state of Mantua and that of Venice the +passage was free, and I knew likewise that there was no restriction +in the communication between Mantua and Modena; if I could therefore +penetrate into the state of Mantua by stating that I was coming from +Modena, my success would be certain, because I could then cross the +Po and go straight to Venice. I got a carrier to drive me to Revero, +a city situated on the river Po, and belonging to the state of +Mantua. + +The driver told me that, if he took the crossroads, he could go to +Revero, and say that we came from Mantua, and that the only +difficulty would be in the absence of the sanitary certificate which +is delivered in Mantua, and which was certain to be asked for in +Revero. I suggested that the best way to manage would be for him to +say that he had lost it, and a little money removed every objection +on his part. + +When we reached the gates of Revero, I represented myself as a +Spanish officer going to Venice to meet the Duke of Modena (whom I +knew to be there) on business of the greatest importance. The +sanitary certificate was not even demanded, military honours were +duly paid to me, and I was most civilly treated. A certificate was +immediately delivered to me, setting forth that I was travelling from +Revero, and with it I crossed the Po, without any difficulty, at +Ostiglia, from which place I proceeded to Legnago. There I left my +carrier as much pleased with my generosity as with the good luck +which had attended our journey, and, taking post-horses, I reached +Venice in the evening. I remarked that it was the and of April, +1744, the anniversary of my birth, which, ten times during my life, +has been marked by some important event. + +The very next morning I went to the exchange in order to procure a +passage to Constantinople, but I could not find any passenger ship +sailing before two or three months, and I engaged a berth in a +Venetian ship called, Our Lady of the Rosary, Commander Zane, which +was to sail for Corfu in the course of the month. + +Having thus prepared myself to obey my destiny, which, according to +my superstitious feelings, called me imperiously to Constantinople, I +went to St: Mark's Square in order to see and to be seen, enjoying by +anticipation the surprise of my acquaintances at not finding me any +longer an abbe. I must not forget to state that at Revero I had +decorated my hat with a red cockade. + +I thought that my first visit was, by right, due to the Abbe Grimani. +The moment he saw me he raised a perfect shriek of astonishment, for +he thought I was still with Cardinal Acquaviva, on the road to a +political career, and he saw standing before him a son of Mars. He +had just left the dinner-table as I entered, and he had company. I +observed amongst the guests an officer wearing the Spanish uniform, +but I was not put out of countenance. I told the Abbe Grimani that I +was only passing through Venice, and that I had felt it a duty and a +pleasure to pay my respects to him. + +"I did not expect to see you in such a costume." + +"I have resolved to throw off the garb which could not procure me a +fortune likely to satisfy my ambition." + +"Where are you going?" + +"To Constantinople; and I hope to find a quick passage to Corfu, as I +have dispatches from Cardinal Acquaviva." + +"Where do you come from now?" + +"From the Spanish army, which I left ten days ago." + +These words were hardly spoken, when I heard the voice of a young +nobleman exclaiming; + +"That is not true." + +"The profession to which I belong," I said to him with great +animation, "does not permit me to let anyone give me the lie." + +And upon that, bowing all round, I went away, without taking any +notice of those who were calling me back. + +I wore an uniform; it seemed to me that I was right in showing that +sensitive and haughty pride which forms one of the characteristics of +military men. I was no longer a priest: I could not bear being given +the lie, especially when it had been given to me in so public a +manner. + +I called upon Madame Manzoni, whom I was longing to see. She was +very happy to see me, and did not fail to remind me of her +prediction. I told her my history, which amused her much; but she +said that if I went to Constantinople I should most likely never see +her again. + +After my visit to Madame Manzoni I went to the house of Madame Orio, +where I found worthy M. Rosa, Nanette, and Marton. They were all +greatly surprised, indeed petrified at seeing me. The two lovely +sisters looked more beautiful than ever, but I did not think it +necessary to tell them the history of my nine months absence, for it +would not have edified the aunt or pleased the nieces. I satisfied +myself with telling them as much as I thought fit, and amused them +for three hours. Seeing that the good old lady was carried away by +her enthusiasm, I told her that I should be very happy to pass under +her roof the four or five weeks of my stay in Venice, if she could +give me a room and supper, but on condition that I should not prove a +burden to her or to her charming nieces. + +"I should be only too happy," she answered, "to have you so long, but +I have no room to offer you." + +"Yes, you have one, my dear," exclaimed M. Rosa, "and I undertake to +put it to rights within two hours." + +It was the room adjoining the chamber of the two sisters. Nanette +said immediately that she would come downstairs with her sister, but +Madame Orio answered that it was unnecessary, as they could lock +themselves in their room. + +"There would be no need for them to do that, madam," I said, with a +serious and modest air; "and if I am likely to occasion the slightest +disturbance, I can remain at the inn." + +"There will be no disturbance whatever; but forgive my nieces, they +are young prudes, and have a very high opinion of themselves:" + +Everything being satisfactorily arranged, I forced upon Madame Orio a +payment of fifteen sequins in advance, assuring her that I was rich, +and that I had made a very good bargain, as I should spend a great +deal more if I kept my room at the inn. I added that I would send my +luggage, and take up my quarters in her house on the following day. +During the whole of the conversation, I could see the eyes of my two +dear little wives sparkling with pleasure, and they reconquered all +their influence over my heart in spite of my love for Therese, whose +image was, all the same, brilliant in my soul: this was a passing +infidelity, but not inconstancy. + +On the following day I called at the war office, but, to avoid every +chance of unpleasantness, I took care to remove my cockade. I found +in the office Major Pelodoro, who could not control his joy when he +saw me in a military uniform, and hugged me with delight. As soon as +I had explained to him that I wanted to go to Constantinople, and +that, although in uniform, I was free, he advised me earnestly to +seek the favour of going to Turkey with the bailo, who intended to +leave within two months, and even to try to obtain service in the +Venetian army. + +His advice suited me exactly, and the secretary of war, who had known +me the year before, happening to see me, summoned me to him. He told +me that he had received letters from Bologna which had informed him +of a certain adventure entirely to my honour, adding that he knew +that I would not acknowledge it. He then asked me if I had received +my discharge before leaving the Spanish army. + +"I could not receive my discharge, as I was never in the service." + +"And how did you manage to come to Venice without performing +quarantine?" + +"Persons coming from Mantua are not subject to it." + +"True; but I advise you to enter the Venetian service like Major +Pelodoro." + +As I was leaving the ducal palace, I met the Abbe Grimani who told me +that the abrupt manner in which I had left his house had displeased +everybody. + +"Even the Spanish officer?" + +"No, for he remarked that, if you had truly been with the army, you +could not act differently, and he has himself assured me that you +were there, and to prove what he asserted he made me read an article +in the newspaper, in which it is stated that you killed your captain +in a duel. Of course it is only a fable?" + +"How do you know that it is not a fact?" + +"Is it true, then?" + +"I do not say so, but it may be true, quite as true as my having been +with the Spanish army ten days ago." + +"But that is impossible, unless you have broken through the +quarantine." + +"I have broken nothing. I have openly crossed the Po at Revero, and +here I am. I am sorry not to be able to present myself at your +excellency's palace, but I cannot do so until I have received the +most complete satisfaction from the person who has given me the lie. +I could put up with an insult when I wore the livery of humility, but +I cannot bear one now that I wear the garb of honour." + +"You are wrong to take it in such a high tone. The person who +attacked your veracity is M. Valmarana, the proveditore of the +sanitary department, and he contends that, as nobody can pass through +the cordon, it would be impossible for you to be here. Satisfaction, +indeed! Have you forgotten who you are?" + +"No, I know who I am; and I know likewise that, if I was taken for a +coward before leaving Venice, now that I have returned no one shall +insult me without repenting it." + +"Come and dine with me." + +"No, because the Spanish officer would know it." + +"He would even see you, for he dines with me every day." + +"Very well, then I will go, and I will let him be the judge of my +quarrel with M. Valmarana." + +I dined that day with Major Pelodoro and several other officers, who +agreed in advising me to enter the service of the Republic, and I +resolved to do so. "I am acquainted," said the major, "with a young +lieutenant whose health is not sufficiently strong to allow him to go +to the East, and who would be glad to sell his commission, for which +he wants one hundred sequins. But it would be necessary to obtain +the consent of the secretary of war." "Mention the matter to him," I +replied, "the one hundred sequins are ready." The major undertook +the commission. + +In the evening I went to Madame Orio, and I found myself very +comfortably lodged. After supper, the aunt told her nieces to shew +me, to my room, and, as may well be supposed, we spent a most +delightful night. After that they took the agreeable duty by turns, +and in order to avoid any surprise in case the aunt should take it +into her head to pay them a visit, we skilfully displaced a part of +the partition, which allowed them to come in and out of my room +without opening the door. But the good lady believed us three living +specimens of virtue, and never thought of putting us to the test. + +Two or three days afterwards, M. Grimani contrived an interview +between me and M. Valmarana, who told me that, if he had been aware +that the sanitary line could be eluded, he would never have impugned +my veracity, and thanked me for the information I had given him. The +affair was thus agreeably arranged, and until my departure I honoured +M. Grimani's excellent dinner with my presence every day. + +Towards the end of the month I entered the service of the Republic in +the capacity of ensign in the Bala regiment, then at Corfu; the young +man who had left the regiment through the magical virtue of my one +hundred sequins was lieutenant, but the secretary of war objected to +my having that rank for reasons to which I had to submit, if I wished +to enter the army; but he promised me that, at the end of the year, I +would be promoted to the grade of lieutenant, and he granted me a +furlough to go to Constantinople. I accepted, for I was determined +to serve in the army. + +M. Pierre Vendramin, an illustrious senator, obtained me the favour +of a passage to Constantinople with the Chevalier Venier, who was +proceeding to that city in the quality of bailo, but as he would +arrive in Corfu a month after me, the chevalier very kindly promised +to take me as he called at Corfu. + +A few days before my departure, I received a letter from Therese, who +informed me that the Duke de Castropignano escorted her everywhere. +"The duke is old," she wrote, "but even if he were young, you would +have no cause for uneasiness on my account. Should you ever want any +money, draw upon me from any place where you may happen to be, and be +quite certain that your letters of exchange will be paid, even if I +had to sell everything I possess to honour your signature." + +There was to be another passenger on board the ship of the line on +which I had engaged my passage, namely, a noble Venetian, who was +going to Zante in the quality of counsellor, with a numerous and +brilliant retinue. The captain of the ship told me that, if I was +obliged to take my meals alone, I was not likely to fare very well, +and he advised me to obtain an introduction to the nobleman, who +would not fail to invite me to share his table. His name was Antonio +Dolfin, and he had been nicknamed Bucentoro, in consequence of his +air of grandeur and the elegance of his toilet. Fortunately I did +not require to beg an introduction, for M. Grimani offered, of his +own accord, to present me to the magnificent councillor, who received +me in the kindest manner, and invited me at once to take my meals at +his table. He expressed a desire that I should make the acquaintance +of his wife, who was to accompany him in the journey. I called upon +her the next day, and I found a lady perfect in manners, but already +of a certain age and completely deaf. I had therefore but little +pleasure to expect from her conversation. She had a very charming +young daughter whom she left in a convent. She became celebrated +afterwards, and she is still alive, I believe, the widow of +Procurator Iron, whose family is extinct. + +I have seldom seen a finer-looking man, or a man of more imposing +appearance than M. Dolfin. He was eminently distinguished for his +wit and politeness. He was eloquent, always cheerful when he lost at +cards, the favourite of ladies, whom he endeavoured to please in +everything, always courageous, and of an equal temper, whether in +good or in adverse fortune. + +He had ventured on travelling without permission, and had entered a +foreign service, which had brought him into disgrace with the +government, for a noble son of Venice cannot be guilty of a greater +crime. For this offence he had been imprisoned in the Leads--a +favour which destiny kept also in reserve for me. + +Highly gifted, generous, but not wealthy, M. Dolfin had been +compelled to solicit from the Grand Council a lucrative governorship, +and had been appointed to Zante; but he started with such a splendid +suite that he was not likely to save much out of his salary. Such a +man as I have just portrayed could not make a fortune in Venice, +because an aristocratic government can not obtain a state of lasting, +steady peace at home unless equality is maintained amongst the +nobility, and equality, either moral or physical, cannot be +appreciated in any other way than by appearances. The result is that +the man who does not want to lay himself open to persecution, and who +happens to be superior or inferior to the others, must endeavour to +conceal it by all possible means. If he is ambitious, he must feign +great contempt for dignities; if he seeks employment, he must not +appear to want any; if his features are handsome, he must be careless +of his physical appearance; he must dress badly, wear nothing in good +taste, ridicule every foreign importation, make his bow without +grace, be careless in his manner; care nothing for the fine arts, +conceal his good breeding, have no foreign cook, wear an uncombed +wig, and look rather dirty. M. Dolfin was not endowed with any of +those eminent qualities, and therefore he had no hope of a great +fortune in his native country. + +The day before my departure from Venice I did not go out; I devoted +the whole of the day to friendship. Madame Orio and her lovely +nieces shed many tears, and I joined them in that delightful +employment. During the last night that I spent with both of them, +the sisters repeated over and over, in the midst of the raptures of +love, that they never would see me again. They guessed rightly; but +if they had happened to see me again they would have guessed wrongly. +Observe how wonderful prophets are! + +I went on board, on the 5th of May, with a good supply of clothing, +jewels, and ready cash. Our ship carried twenty-four guns and two +hundred Sclavonian soldiers. We sailed from Malamacca to the shores +of Istria during the night, and we came to anchor in the harbour of +Orsera to take ballast. I landed with several others to take a +stroll through the wretched place where I had spent three days nine +months before, a recollection which caused me a pleasant sensation +when I compared my present position to what it was at that time. +What a difference in everything--health, social condition, and money! +I felt quite certain that in the splendid uniform I was now wearing +nobody would recognize the miserable-looking abbe who, but for Friar +Stephano, would have become--God knows what! + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +An Amusing Meeting in Orsera--Journey to Corfu--My Stay in +Constantinople--Bonneval--My Return to Corfu--Madame F.--The False +Prince--I Run Away from Corfu--My Frolics at Casopo--I Surrender My +self a Prisoner--My Speedy Release and Triumph--My Success with +Madame F. + + +I affirm that a stupid servant is more dangerous than a bad one, and +a much greater plague, for one can be on one's guard against a wicked +person, but never against a fool. You can punish wickedness but not +stupidity, unless you send away the fool, male or female, who is +guilty of it, and if you do so you generally find out that the change +has only thrown you out of the frying-pan into the fire. + +This chapter and the two following ones were written; they gave at +full length all the particulars which I must now abridge, for my +silly servant has taken the three chapters for her own purposes. She +pleaded as an excuse that the sheets of paper were old, written upon, +covered with scribbling and erasures, and that she had taken them in +preference to nice, clean paper, thinking that I would care much more +for the last than for the first. I flew into a violent passion, but +I was wrong, for the poor girl had acted with a good intent; her +judgment alone had misled her. It is well known that the first +result of anger is to deprive the angry man of the faculty of reason, +for anger and reason do not belong to the same family. Luckily, +passion does not keep me long under its sway: 'Irasci, celerem tamen +et placabilem esse'. After I had wasted my time in hurling at her +bitter reproaches, the force of which did not strike her, and in +proving to her that she was a stupid fool, she refuted all my +arguments by the most complete silence. There was nothing to do but +to resign myself, and, although not yet in the best of tempers, I +went to work. What I am going to write will probably not be so good +as what I had composed when I felt in the proper humour, but my +readers must be satisfied with it they will, like the engineer, gain +in time what they lose in strength. + +I landed at Orsera while our ship was taking ballast, as a ship +cannot sail well when she is too light, and I was walking about when +I remarked a man who was looking at me very attentively. As I had no +dread of any creditor, I thought that he was interested by my fine +appearance; I could not find fault with such a feeling, and kept +walking on, but as I passed him, he addressed me: + +"Might I presume to enquire whether this is your first visit to +Orsera, captain?" + +"No, sir, it is my second visit to this city." + +"Were you not here last year?" + +"I was." + +"But you were not in uniform then?" + +"True again; but your questions begin to sound rather indiscreet." + +"Be good enough to forgive me, sir, for my curiosity is the offspring +of gratitude. I am indebted to you for the greatest benefits, and I +trust that Providence has brought you here again only to give me the +opportunity of making greater still my debt of gratitude to you." + +"What on earth have I done, and what can I do for you? I am at a +loss to guess your meaning." + +"Will you be so kind as to come and breakfast with me? My house is +near at hand; my refosco is delicious, please to taste it, and I will +convince you in a few words that you are truly my benefactor, and +that I have a right to expect that you have returned Orsera to load +me with fresh benefits." + +I could not suspect the man of insanity; but, as I could not make him +out, I fancied that he wanted to make me purchase some of his +refosco, and I accepted his invitation. We went up to his room, and +he left me for a few moments to order breakfast. I observed several +surgical instruments, which made me suppose that he was a surgeon, +and I asked him when he returned. + +"Yes, captain; I have been practising surgery in this place for +twenty years, and in a very poor way, for I had nothing to do, except +a few cases of bleeding, of cupping, and occasionally some slight +excoriation to dress or a sprained ankle to put to rights. I did not +earn even the poorest living. But since last year a great change has +taken place; I have made a good deal of money, I have laid it out +advantageously, and it is to you, captain, to you (may God bless +you!) that I am indebted for my present comforts." + +"But how so?" + +"In this way, captain. You had a connection with Don Jerome's +housekeeper, and you left her, when you went away, a certain souvenir +which she communicated to a friend of hers, who, in perfect good +faith, made a present of it to his wife. This lady did not wish, I +suppose, to be selfish, and she gave the souvenir to a libertine who, +in his turn, was so generous with it that, in less than a month, I +had about fifty clients. The following months were not less +fruitful, and I gave the benefit of my attendance to everybody, of +course, for a consideration. There are a few patients still under my +care, but in a short time there will be no more, as the souvenir left +by you has now lost all its virtue. You can easily realize now the +joy I felt when I saw you; you are a bird of good omen. May I hope +that your visit will last long enough to enable you to renew the +source of my fortune?" + +I laughed heartily, but he was grieved to hear that I was in +excellent health. He remarked, however, that I was not likely to be +so well off on my return, because, in the country to which I was +going, there was abundance of damaged goods, but that no one knew +better than he did how to root out the venom left by the use of such +bad merchandise. He begged that I would depend upon him, and not +trust myself in the hands of quacks, who would be sure to palm their +remedies upon me. I promised him everything, and, taking leave of +him with many thanks, I returned to the ship. I related the whole +affair to M. Dolfin, who was highly amused. We sailed on the +following day, but on the fourth day, on the other side of Curzola, +we were visited by a storm which very nearly cost me my life. This +is how it happened: + +The chaplain of the ship was a Sclavonian priest, very ignorant, +insolent and coarse-mannered, and, as I turned him into ridicule +whenever the opportunity offered, he had naturally become my sworn +enemy. 'Tant de fiel entre-t-il dans l'ame d'un devot!' When the +storm was at its height, he posted himself on the quarter-deck, and, +with book in hand, proceeded to exorcise all the spirits of hell whom +he thought he could see in the clouds, and to whom he pointed for the +benefit of the sailors who, believing themselves lost, were crying, +howling, and giving way to despair, instead of attending to the +working of the ship, then in great danger on account of the rocks and +of the breakers which surrounded us. + +Seeing the peril of our position, and the evil effect of his stupid, +incantations upon the minds of the sailors whom the ignorant priest +was throwing into the apathy of despair, instead of keeping up their +courage, I thought it prudent to interfere. I went up the rigging, +calling upon the sailors to do their duty cheerfully, telling them +that there were no devils, and that the priest who pretended to see +them was a fool. But it was in vain that I spoke in the most +forcible manner, in vain that I went to work myself, and shewed that +safety was only to be insured by active means, I could not prevent +the priest declaring that I was an Atheist, and he managed to rouse +against me the anger of the greatest part of the crew. The wind +continued to lash the sea into fury for the two following days, and +the knave contrived to persuade the sailors who listened to him that +the hurricane would not abate as long as I was on board. Imbued with +that conviction, one of the men, thinking he had found a good +opportunity of fulfilling the wishes of the priest, came up to me as +I was standing at the extreme end of the forecastle, and pushed me so +roughly that I was thrown over. I should have been irretrievably +lost, but the sharp point of an anchor, hanging along the side of the +ship, catching in my clothes, prevented me from falling in the sea, +and proved truly my sheet-anchor. Some men came to my assistance, +and I was saved. A corporal then pointed out to me the sailor who +had tried to murder me, and taking a stout stick I treated the +scoundrel to a sound thrashing; but the sailors, headed by the +furious priest, rushed towards us when they heard his screams, and I +should have been killed if the soldiers had not taken my part. The +commander and M. Dolfin then came on deck, but they were compelled to +listen to the chaplain, and to promise, in order to pacify the vile +rabble, that they would land me at the first opportunity. But even +this was not enough; the priest demanded that I should give up to him +a certain parchment that I had purchased from a Greek at Malamocco +just before sailing. I had no recollection of it, but it was true. +I laughed, and gave it to M. Dolfin; he handed it to the fanatic +chaplain, who, exulting in his victory, called for a large pan of +live coals from the cook's galley, and made an auto-da-fe of the +document. The unlucky parchment, before it was entirely consumed, +kept writhing on the fire for half an hour, and the priest did not +fail to represent those contortions as a miracle, and all the sailors +were sure that it was an infernal manuscript given to me by the +devil. The virtue claimed for that piece of parchment by the man who +had sold it to me was that it insured its lucky possessor the love of +all women, but I trust my readers will do me the justice to believe +that I had no faith whatever in amorous philtres, talismans, or +amulets of any kind: I had purchased it only for a joke. + +You can find throughout Italy, in Greece, and generally in every +country the inhabitants of which are yet wrapped up in primitive +ignorance, a tribe of Greeks, of Jews, of astronomers, and of +exorcists, who sell their dupes rags and toys to which they +boastingly attach wonderful virtues and properties; amulets which +render invulnerable, scraps of cloth which defend from witchcraft, +small bags filled with drugs to keep away goblins, and a thousand +gewgaws of the same description. These wonderful goods have no +marketable value whatever in France, in England, in Germany, and +throughout the north of Europe generally, but, in revenge, the +inhabitants of those countries indulge in knavish practices of a much +worse kind. + +The storm abated just as the innocent parchment was writhing on the +fire, and the sailors, believing that the spirits of hell had been +exorcised, thought no more of getting rid of my person, and after a +prosperous voyage of a week we cast anchor at Corfu. As soon as I +had found a comfortable lodging I took my letters to his eminence the +proveditore-generale, and to all the naval commanders to whom I was +recommended; and after paying my respects to my colonel, and making +the acquaintance of the officers of my regiment, I prepared to enjoy +myself until the arrival of the Chevalier Venier, who had promised to +take me to Constantinople. He arrived towards the middle of June, +but in the mean time I had been playing basset, and had lost all my +money, and sold or pledged all my jewellery. + +Such must be the fate awaiting every man who has a taste for +gambling, unless he should know how to fix fickle fortune by playing +with a real advantage derived from calculation or from adroitness, +which defies chance. I think that a cool and prudent player can +manage both without exposing himself to censure, or deserving to be +called a cheat. + +During the month that I spent in Corfu, waiting for the arrival of M. +Venier, I did not devote any time to the study, either moral or +physical, of the country, for, excepting the days on which I was on +duty, I passed my life at the coffee-house, intent upon the game, and +sinking, as a matter of course, under the adverse fortune which I +braved with obstinacy. I never won, and I had not the moral strength +to stop till all my means were gone. The only comfort I had, and a +sorry one truly, was to hear the banker himself call me--perhaps +sarcastically--a fine player, every time I lost a large stake. My +misery was at its height, when new life was infused in me by the +booming of the guns fired in honour of the arrival of the bailo. He +was on board the Europa, a frigate of seventy-two guns, and he had +taken only eight days to sail from Venice to Corfu. The moment he +cast anchor, the bailo hoisted his flag of captain-general of the +Venetian navy, and the proveditore hauled down his own colours. The +Republic of Venice has not on the sea any authority greater than that +of Bailo to the Porte. The Chevalier Venier had with him a +distinguished and brilliant suite; Count Annibal Gambera, Count +Charles Zenobio, both Venetian noblemen of the first class, and the +Marquis d'Anchotti of Bressan, accompanied him to Constantinople for +their own amusement. The bailo remained a week in Corfu, and all the +naval authorities entertained him and his suite in turn, so that +there was a constant succession of balls and suppers. When I +presented myself to his excellency, he informed me that he had +already spoken to the proveditore, who had granted me a furlough of +six months to enable me to accompany him to Constantinople as his +adjutant; and as soon as the official document for my furlough had +been delivered to me, I sent my small stock of worldly goods on board +the Europa, and we weighed anchor early the next day. + +We sailed with a favourable wind which remained steady and brought us +in six days to Cerigo, where we stopped to take in some water. +Feeling some curiosity to visit the ancient Cythera, I went on shore +with the sailors on duty, but it would have been better for me if I +had remained on board, for in Cerigo I made a bad acquaintance. I +was accompanied by the captain of marines. + +The moment we set foot on shore, two men, very poorly dressed and of +unprepossessing appearance, came to us and begged for assistance. I +asked them who they were, and one, quicker than the other, answered; + +"We are sentenced to live, and perhaps to die, in this island by the +despotism of the Council of Ten. There are forty others as +unfortunate as ourselves, and we are all born subjects of the +Republic. + +"The crime of which we have been accused, which is not considered a +crime anywhere, is that we were in the habit of living with our +mistresses, without being jealous of our friends, when, finding our +ladies handsome, they obtained their favours with our ready consent. +As we were not rich, we felt no remorse in availing ourselves of the +generosity of our friends in such cases, but it was said that we were +carrying on an illicit trade, and we have been sent to this place, +where we receive every day ten sous in 'moneta lunga'. We are called +'mangia-mayroni', and are worse off than galley slaves, for we are +dying of ennui, and we are often starving without knowing how to stay +our hunger. My name is Don Antonio Pocchini, I am of a noble Paduan +family, and my mother belongs to the illustrious family of Campo San- +Piero." + +We gave them some money, and went about the island, returning to the +ship after we had visited the fortress. I shall have to speak of +that Pocchini in a few years. + +The wind continued in our favour, and we reached the Dardanelles in +eight or ten days; the Turkish barges met us there to carry us to +Constantinople. The sight offered by that city at the distance of a +league is truly wonderful; and I believe that a more magnificent +panorama cannot be found in any part of the world. It was that +splendid view which was the cause of the fall of the Roman, and of +the rise of the Greek empire. Constantine the Great, arriving at +Byzantium by sea, was so much struck with the wonderful beauty of its +position, that he exclaimed, "Here is the proper seat of the empire +of the whole world!" and in order to secure the fulfilment of his +prediction, he left Rome for Byzantium. If he had known the prophecy +of Horace, or rather if he had believed in it, he would not have been +guilty of such folly. The poet had said that the, downfall of the +Roman empire would begin only when one of the successors of Augustus +bethought him removing the capital of the empire to where it had +originated. The Troad is not far distant from Thrace. + +We arrived at the Venetian Embassy in Pera towards the middle of +July, and, for a wonder, there was no talk of the plague in +Constantinople just then. We were all provided with very comfortable +lodgings, but the intensity of the heat induced the baili to seek for +a little coolness in a country mansion which had been hired by the +Bailo Dona. It was situated at Bouyoudere. The very first order +laid upon me was never to go out unknown to the bailo, and without +being escorted by a janissary, and this order I obeyed to the letter. +In those days the Russians had not tamed the insolence of the Turkish +people. I am told that foreigners can now go about as much as they +please in perfect security. + +The day after our arrival, I took a janissary to accompany me to +Osman Pacha, of Caramania, the name assumed by Count de Bonneval ever +since he had adopted the turban. I sent in my letter, and was +immediately shewn into an apartment on the ground floor, furnished in +the French fashion, where I saw a stout elderly gentleman, dressed +like a Frenchman, who, as I entered the room, rose, came to meet me +with a smiling countenance, and asked me how he could serve the +'protege' of a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, which he could +no longer call his mother. I gave him all the particulars of the +circumstances which, in a moment of despair, had induced me to ask +the cardinal for letters of introduction for Constantinople, and I +added that, the letters once in my possession, my superstitious +feelings had made me believe that I was bound to deliver them in +person. + +"Then, without this letter," he said, "you never would have come to +Constantinople, and you have no need of me?" + +"True, but I consider myself fortunate in having thus made the +acquaintance of a man who has attracted the attention of the whole of +Europe, and who still commands that attention." + +His excellency made some remark respecting the happiness of young men +who, like me, without care, without any fixed purpose, abandon +themselves to fortune with that confidence which knows no fear, and +telling me that the cardinal's letter made it desirable that he +should do something for me, he promised to introduce me to three or +four of his Turkish friends who deserved to be known. He invited me +to dine with him every Thursday, and undertook to send me a janissary +who would protect me from the insults of the rabble and shew me +everything worth seeing. + +The cardinal's letter representing me as a literary man, the pacha +observed that I ought to see his library. I followed him through the +garden, and we entered a room furnished with grated cupboards; +curtains could be seen behind the wirework; the books were most +likely behind the curtains. + +Taking a key out of his pocket, he opened one of the cupboards, and, +instead of folios, I saw long rows of bottles of the finest wines. +We both laughed heartily. + +"Here are," said the pacha. "my library and my harem. I am old, +women would only shorten my life but good wine will prolong it, or +at least, make it more agreeable. + +"I imagine your excellency has obtained a dispensation from the +mufti?" + +"You are mistaken, for the Pope of the Turks is very far from +enjoying as great a power as the Christian Pope. He cannot in any +case permit what is forbidden by the Koran; but everyone is at +liberty to work out his own damnation if he likes. The Turkish +devotees pity the libertines, but they do not persecute them; there +is no inquisition in Turkey. Those who do not know the precepts of +religion, say the Turks, will suffer enough in the life to come; +there is no need to make them suffer in this life. The only +dispensation I have asked and obtained, has been respecting +circumcision, although it can hardly be called so, because, at my +age, it might have proved dangerous. That ceremony is generally +performed, but it is not compulsory." + +During the two hours that we spent together, the pacha enquired after +several of his friends in Venice, and particularly after Marc Antonio +Dieto. I told him that his friends were still faithful to their +affection for him, and did not find fault with his apostasy. He +answered that he was a Mahometan as he had been a Christian, and that +he was not better acquainted with the Koran than he had been with the +Gospel. "I am certain," he added, "that I shall die-calmer and much +happier than Prince Eugene. I have had to say that God is God, and +that Mahomet is the prophet. I have said it, and the Turks care very +little whether I believe it or not. I wear the turban as the soldier +wears the uniform. I was nothing but a military man; I could not +have turned my hand to any other profession, and I made up my mind to +become lieutenant-general of the Grand Turk only when I found myself +entirely at a loss how to earn my living. When I left Venice, the +pitcher had gone too often to the well, it was broken at last, and if +the Jews had offered me the command of an army of fifty thousand men, +I would have gone and besieged Jerusalem. + +Bonneval was handsome, but too stout. He had received a sabre-cut in +the lower part of the abdomen, which compelled him to wear constantly +a bandage supported by a silver plate. He had been exiled to Asia, +but only for a short time, for, as he told me, the cabals are not so +tenacious in Turkey as they are in Europe, and particularly at the +court of Vienna. As I was taking leave of him, he was kind enough to +say that, since his arrival in Turkey, he had never passed two hours +as pleasantly as those he had just spent with me, and that he would +compliment the bailo about me. + +The Bailo Dona, who had known him intimately in Venice, desired me to +be the bearer of all his friendly compliments for him, and M. Venier +expressed his deep regret at not being able to make his acquaintance. + +The second day after my first visit to him being a Thursday, the +pacha did not forget to send a janissary according to his promise. +It was about eleven in the morning when the janissary called for me, +I followed him, and this time I found Bonneval dressed in the Turkish +style. His guests soon arrived, and we sat down to dinner, eight of +us, all well disposed to be cheerful and happy. The dinner was +entirely French, in cooking and service; his steward and his cook +were both worthy French renegades. + +He had taken care to introduce me to all his guests and at the same +time to let me know who they were, but he did not give me an +opportunity of speaking before dinner was nearly over. The +conversation was entirely kept up in Italian, and I remarked that the +Turks did not utter a single word in their own language, even to say +the most ordinary thing. Each guest had near him a bottle which +might have contained either white wine or hydromel; all I know is +that I drank, as well as M. de Bonneval, next to whom I was seated, +some excellent white Burgundy. + +The guests got me on the subject of Venice, and particularly of Rome, +and the conversation very naturally fell upon religion, but not upon +dogmatic questions; the discipline of religion and liturgical +questions were alone discussed. + +One of the guests, who was addressed as effendi, because he had been +secretary for foreign affairs, said that the ambassador from Venice +to Rome was a friend of his, and he spoke of him in the highest +manner. I told him that I shared his admiration for that ambassador, +who had given me a letter of introduction for a Turkish nobleman, +whom he had represented as an intimate friend. He enquired for the +name of the person to whom the letter was addressed, but I could not +recollect it, and took the letter out of my pocket-book. The effendi +was delighted when he found that the letter was for himself. He +begged leave to read it at once, and after he had perused it, he +kissed the signature and came to embrace me. This scene pleased M. +de Bonneval and all his friends. The effendi, whose name was Ismail, +entreated the pacha to come to dine with him, and to bring me; +Bonneval accepted, and fixed a day. + +Notwithstanding all the politeness of the effendi, I was particularly +interested during our charming dinner in a fine elderly man of about +sixty, whose countenance breathed at the same time the greatest +sagacity and the most perfect kindness. Two years afterwards I found +again the same features on the handsome face of M. de Bragadin, a +Venetian senator of whom I shall have to speak at length when we come +to that period of my life. That elderly gentleman had listened to me +with the greatest attention, but without uttering one word. In +society, a man whose face and general appearance excite your +interest, stimulates strongly your curiosity if he remains silent. +When we left the dining-room I enquired from de Bonneval who he was; +he answered that he was wealthy, a philosopher, a man of acknowledged +merit, of great purity of morals, and strongly attached to his +religion. He advised me to cultivate his acquaintance if he made any +advances to me. + +I was pleased with his advice, and when, after a walk under the shady +trees of the garden, we returned to a drawing-room furnished in the +Turkish fashion, I purposely took a seat near Yusuf Ali. Such was +the name of the Turk for whom I felt so much sympathy. He offered me +his pipe in a very graceful manner; I refused it politely, and took +one brought to me by one of M. de Bonneval's servants. Whenever I +have been amongst smokers I have smoked or left the room; otherwise I +would have fancied that I was swallowing the smoke of the others, and +that idea which is true and unpleasant, disgusted me. I have never +been able to understand how in Germany the ladies, otherwise so +polite and delicate, could inhale the suffocating fumes of a crowd of +smokers. + +Yusuf, pleased to have me near him, at once led the conversation to +subjects similar to those which had been discussed at table, and +particularly to the reasons which had induced me to give up the +peaceful profession of the Church and to choose a military life; and +in order to gratify his curiosity without losing his good opinion, I +gave him, but with proper caution, some of the particulars of my +life, for I wanted him to be satisfied that, if I had at first +entered the career of the holy priesthood, it had not been through +any vocation of mine. He seemed pleased with my recital, spoke of +natural vocations as a Stoic philosopher, and I saw that he was a +fatalist; but as I was careful not to attack his system openly, he +did not dislike my objections, most likely because he thought himself +strong enough to overthrow them. + +I must have inspired the honest Mussulman with very great esteem, for +he thought me worthy of becoming his disciple; it was not likely that +he could entertain the idea of becoming himself the disciple of a +young man of nineteen, lost, as he thought, in a false religion. + +After spending an hour in examining me, in listening to my +principles, he said that he believed me fit to know the real truth, +because he saw that I was seeking for it, and that I was not certain +of having obtained it so far. He invited me to come and spend a +whole day with him, naming the days when I would be certain to find +him at home, but he advised me to consult the Pacha Osman before +accepting his invitation. I told him that the pacha had already +mentioned him to me and had spoken very highly of his character; he +seemed much pleased. I fixed a day for my visit, and left him. + +I informed M. de Bonneval of all that had occurred; he was delighted, +and promised that his janissary would be every day at the Venetian +palace, ready to execute my orders. + +I received the congratulations of the baili upon the excellent +acquaintances I had already made, and M. Venier advised me not to +neglect such friends in a country where weariness of life was more +deadly to foreigners than the plague. + +On the day appointed, I went early to Yusuf's palace, but he was out. +His gardener, who had received his instructions, shewed me every +attention, and entertained me very agreeably for two hours in doing +the honours of his master's splendid garden, where I found the most +beautiful flowers. This gardener was a Neapolitan, and had belonged +to Yusuf for thirty years. His manners made me suspect that he was +well born and well educated, but he told me frankly that he had never +been taught even to read, that he was a sailor when he, was taken in +slavery, and that he was so happy in the service of Yusuf that +liberty would be a punishment to him. Of course I did not venture to +address him any questions about his master, for his reserve might +have put my curiosity to the blush. + +Yusuf had gone out on horseback; he returned, and, after the usual +compliments, we dined alone in a summerhouse, from which we had a +fine view of the sea, and in which the heat was cooled by a +delightful breeze, which blows regularly at the same hour every day +from the north-west; and is called the mistral. We had a good +dinner; there was no prepared dish except the cauroman, a peculiar +delicacy of the Turks. I drank water and hydromel, and I told Yusuf +that I preferred the last to wine, of which I never took much at that +time. "Your hydromel," I said, "is very good, and the Mussulmans who +offend against the law by drinking wine do not deserve any +indulgence; I believe they drink wine only because it is forbidden." +"Many of the true believers," he answered. "think that they can take +it as a medicine. The Grand Turk's physician has brought it into +vogue as a medicine, and it has been the cause of his fortune, for he +has captivated the favour of his master who is in reality constantly +ill, because he is always in a state of intoxication." I told Yusuf +that in my country drunkards were scarce, and that drunkenness was a +vice to be found only among the lowest people; ,he was much +astonished. "I cannot understand," he said, "why wine is allowed by +all religions, when its use deprives man of his reason." "All +religions," I answered, "forbid excess in drinking wine, and the +crime is only in the abuse." I proved him the truth of what I had +said by telling him that opium produced the same results as wine, but +more powerfully, and consequently Mahomet ought to have forbidden the +use of it. He observed that he had never taken either wine or opium +in the course of his life. + +After dinner, pipes were brought in and we filled them ourselves. I +was smoking with pleasure, but, at the same time, was expectorating. +Yusuf, who smoked like a Turk, that is to say, without spitting, +said,-- + +"The tobacco you are now smoking is of a very fine quality, and you +ought to swallow its balsam which is mixed with the saliva." + +"I suppose you are right; smoking cannot be truly enjoyed without the +best tobacco." + +"That is true to a certain extent, but the enjoyment found in smoking +good tobacco is not the principal pleasure, because it only pleases +our senses; true enjoyment is that which works upon the soul, and is +completely independent of the senses." + +"I cannot realize pleasures enjoyed by the soul without the +instrumentality of the senses." + +"Listen to me. When you fill your pipe do you feel any pleasure?" + +"Yes." + +"Whence does that pleasure arise, if it is not from your soul? Let +us go further. Do you not feel pleased when you give up your pipe +after having smoked all the tobacco in it--when you see that nothing +is left but some ashes?" + +"It is true." + +"Well, there are two pleasures in which your senses have certainly +nothing to do, but I want you to guess the third, and the most +essential." + +"The most essential? It is the perfume." + +"No; that is a pleasure of the organ of smelling--a sensual +pleasure." + +"Then I do not know." + +"Listen. The principal pleasure derived from tobacco smoking is the +sight of a smoke itself. You must never see it go out of the bowl of +your pipe,--but only from the corner o your mouth, at regular +intervals which must not be too frequent. It is so truly the greatest +pleasure connected with the pipe, that you cannot find anywhere a +blind man who smokes. Try yourself the experiment of smoking a pipe +in your room, at night and without a light; you will soon lay the +pipe down." + +"It is all perfectly true; yet you must forgive me if I give the +preference to several pleasures, in which my senses are interested, +over those which afford enjoyment only to my soul." + +"Forty years ago I was of the same opinion, and in forty years, if +you succeed in acquiring wisdom, you will think like me. Pleasures +which give activity to our senses, my dear son, disturb the repose of +our soul--a proof that they do not deserve the name of real +enjoyments." + +"But if I feel them to be real enjoyments, it is enough to prove that +they are truly so." + +"Granted; but if you would take the trouble of analyzing them after +you have tasted them, you would not find them unalloyed." + +"It may be so, but why should I take a trouble which would only +lessen my enjoyment." + +"A time will come when you will feel pleasure in that very trouble." + +"It strikes me, dear father, that you prefer mature age to youth." + +"You may boldly say old age." + +"You surprise me. Must I believe that your early life has been +unhappy?" + +"Far from it. It was always fortunate in good health, and the master +of my own passions; but all I saw in my equals was for me a good +school in which I have acquired the knowledge of man, and learned the +real road to happiness. The happiest of men is not the most +voluptuous, but the one who knows how to choose the highest standards +of voluptuousness, which can be found, I say again, not in the +pleasures which excite our senses, but in those which give greater +repose to the soul." + +"That is the voluptuousness which you consider unalloyed." + +"Yes, and such is the sight of a vast prairie all covered with grass. +The green colour, so strongly recommended by our divine prophet, +strikes my eyes, and at the same moment I feel that my soul is +wrapped up in a calm so delightful that I fancy myself nearer the +Creator. I enjoy the same peace, the same repose, when I am seated +on the banks of a river, when I look upon the water so quiet, yet +always moving, which flows constantly, yet never disappears from my +sight, never loses any of its clearness in spite of its constant +motion. It strikes me as the image of my own existence, and of the +calm which I require for my life in order to reach, like the water I +am gazing upon, the goal which I do not see, and which can only be +found at the other end of the journey." + +Thus did the Turk reason, and we passed four hours in this sort of +conversation. He had buried two wives, and he had two sons and one +daughter. The eldest son, having received his patrimony, had +established himself in the city of Salonica, where he was a wealthy +merchant; the other was in the seraglio, in the service of the Grand +Turk and his fortune was in the hands of a trustee. His daughter, +Zelmi, then fifteen years of age, was to inherit all his remaining +property. He had given her all the accomplishments which could +minister to the happiness of the man whom heaven had destined for her +husband. We shall hear more of that daughter anon. The mother of +the three children was dead, and five years previous to the time of +my visit, Yusuf had taken another wife, a native of Scio, young and +very beautiful, but he told me himself that he was now too old, and +could not hope to have any child by her. Yet he was only sixty years +of age. Before I left, he made me promise to spend at least one day +every week with him. + +At supper, I told the baili how pleasantly the day had passed. + +"We envy you," they said, "the prospect you have before you of +spending agreeably three or four months in this country, while, in +our quality of ministers, we must pine away with melancholy." + +A few days afterwards, M. de Bonneval took me with him to dine at +Ismail's house, where I saw Asiatic luxury on a grand scale, but +there were a great many guests, and the conversation was held almost +entirely in the Turkish language--a circumstance which annoyed me and +M. de Bonneval also. Ismail saw it, and he invited me to breakfast +whenever I felt disposed, assuring me that he would have much +pleasure in receiving me. I accepted the invitation, and I went ten +or twelve days afterwards. When we reach that period my readers must +kindly accompany me to the breakfast. For the present I must return +to Yusuf who, during my second visit, displayed a character which +inspired, me with the greatest esteem and the warmest affection. + +We had dined alone as before, and, conversation happening to turn +upon the fine arts, I gave my opinion upon one of the precepts in the +Koran, by which the Mahometans are deprived of the innocent enjoyment +of paintings and statues. He told me that Mahomet, a very sagacious +legislator, had been right in removing all images from the sight of +the followers of Islam. + +"Recollect, my son, that the nations to which the prophet brought the +knowledge of the true God were all idolators. Men are weak; if the +disciples of the prophet had continued to see the same objects, they +might have fallen back into their former errors." + +"No one ever worshipped an image as an image; the deity of which the +image is a representation is what is worshipped." + +"I may grant that, but God cannot be matter, and it is right to +remove from the thoughts of the vulgar the idea of a material +divinity. You are the only men, you Christians, who believe that you +see God." + +"It is true, we are sure of it, but observe that faith alone gives us +that certainty." + +"I know it; but you are idolators, for you see nothing but a material +representation, and yet you have a complete certainty that you see +God, unless you should tell me that faith disaffirms it." + +"God forbid I should tell you such a thing! Faith, on the contrary, +affirms our certainty." + +"We thank God that we have no need of such self-delusion, and there +is not one philosopher in the world who could prove to me that you +require it." + +"That would not be the province of philosophy, dear father, but of +theology--a very superior science." + +"You are now speaking the language of our theologians, who differ +from yours only in this; they use their science to make clearer the +truths we ought to know, whilst your theologians try to render those +truths more obscure." + +"Recollect, dear father, that they are mysteries." + +"The existence of God is a sufficiently important mystery to prevent +men from daring to add anything to it. God can only be simple; any +kind of combination would destroy His essence; such is the God +announced by our prophet, who must be the same for all men and in all +times. Agree with me that we can add nothing to the simplicity of +God. We say that God is one; that is the image of simplicity. You +say that He is one and three at the same time, and such a definition +strikes us as contradictory, absurd, and impious." + +"It is a mystery." + +"Do you mean God or the definition? I am speaking only of the +definition, which ought not to be a mystery or absurd. Common sense, +my son, must consider as absurd an assertion which substantiallv +nonsensical. Prove to me that three is not a compound, that it +cannot be a compound and I will become a Christian at once." + +"My religion tells me to believe without arguing, and I shudder, my +dear Yusuf, when I think that, through some specious reasoning, I +might be led to renounce the creed of my fathers. I first must be +convinced that they lived in error. Tell me whether, respecting my +father's memory, I ought to have such a good opinion of myself as to +sit in judgement over him, with the intention of giving my sentence +against him?" + +My lively remonstrance moved Yusuf deeply, but after a few instants +of silence he said to me,-- + +"With such feelings, my son, you are sure to find grace in the eyes +of God, and you are, therefore, one of the elect. If you are in +error, God alone can convince you of it, for no just man on earth can +refute the sentiment you have just given expression to." + +We spoke of many other things in a friendly manner, and in the +evening we parted with the often repeated assurance of the warmest +affection and of the most perfect devotion. + +But my mind was full of our conversation, and as I went on pondering +over the matter, I thought that Yusuf might be right in his opinion +as to the essence of God, for it seemed evident that the Creator of +all beings ought to be perfectly simple; but I thought at the same +time how impossible it would be for me, because the Christian +religion had made a mistake, to accept the Turkish creed, which might +perhaps have just a conception of God, but which caused me to smile +when I recollected that the man who had given birth to it had been an +arrant imposter. I had not the slightest idea, however, that Yusuf +wished to make a convert of me. + +The third time I dined with him religion was again the subject of +conversation. + +"Do you believe, dear father, that the religion of Mahomet is the +only one in which salvation can be secured?" + +"No, my dear son, I am not certain of it, and no man can have such a +certainty; but I am sure that the Christian religion is not the true +one, because it cannot be universal." + +"Why not?" + +"Because there is neither bread nor wine to be found in three-fourths +of the world. Observe that the precepts of the Koran can be followed +everywhere." + +I did not know how to answer, and I would not equivocate. + +"If God cannot be matter," I said, "then He must be a spirit?" + +"We know what He is not but we do not know what He is: man cannot +affirm that God is a spirit, because he can only realize the idea in +an abstract manner. God immaterial; that is the extent of our +knowledge and it can never be greater." + +I was reminded of Plato, who had said exactly the same an most +certainly Yusuf never read Plato. + +He added that the existence of God could be useful only to those who +did not entertain a doubt of that existence, and that, as a natural +consequence, Atheists must be the most miserable of men. God has +made in man His own image in order that, amongst all the animals +created by Him, there should be one that can understand and confess +the existence of the Creator. Without man, God would have no witness +of His own glory, and man must therefore understand that his first +and highest duty is to glorify God by practising justice and trusting +to His providence. + +"Observe, my son, that God never abandons the man who, in the midst +of misfortunes, falls down in prayer before Him, and that He often +allows the wretch who has no faith in prayer to die miserably." + +"Yet we meet with Atheists who are fortunate and happy." + +"True; but, in spite of their tranquillity, I pity them because they +have no hope beyond this life, and are on a level with animals. +Besides, if they are philosophers, they must linger in dark +ignorance, and, if they never think, they have no consolation, no +resource, when adversity reaches them. God has made man in such a +manner that he cannot be happy unless he entertains no doubt of the +existence of his Divine Creator; in all stations of life man is +naturally prone to believe in that existence, otherwise man would +never have admitted one God, Creator of all beings and of all +things." + +"I should like to know why Atheism has only existed in the systems of +the learned, and never as a national creed." + +"Because the poor feel their wants much more than the rich, There are +amongst us a great many impious men who deride the true believers +because they have faith in the pilgrimage to Mecca. Wretches that +they are, they ought to respect the ancient customs which, exciting +the devotion of fervent souls, feed religious principles, and impart +courage under all misfortunes. Without such consolation, people +would give way to all the excess of despair." + +Much pleased with the attention I gave to all he said, Yusuf would +thus yield to the inclination he felt to instruct me, and, on my +side, feeling myself drawn towards him by the charm which amiable +goodness exerts upon all hearts, I would often go and spend the day +with him, even without any previous invitation, and Yusuf's +friendship soon became one of my most precious treasures. + +One morning, I told my janissary to take me to the palace of Ismail +Effendi, in order to fulfil my promise to breakfast with him. He +gave me the most friendly welcome, and after an excellent breakfast +he invited me to take a walk in his garden. We found there a pretty +summer-house which we entered, and Ismail attempted some liberties +which were not at all to my taste, and which I resented by rising in +a very abrupt manner. Seeing that I was angry, the Turk affected to +approve my reserve, and said that he had only been joking. I left +him after a few minutes, with the intention of not visiting him +again, but I was compelled to do so, as I will explain by-and-by. + +When I saw M. de Bonneval I told him what had happened and he said +that, according to Turkish manners, Ismail had intended to give me a +great proof of his friendship, but that I need not be afraid of the +offence being repeated. He added that politeness required that I +should visit him again, and that Ismail was, in spite of his failing, +a perfect gentleman, who had at his disposal the most beautiful +female slaves in Turkey. + +Five or six weeks after the commencement of our intimacy, Yusuf asked +me one day whether I was married. I answered that I was not; the +conversation turned upon several moral questions, and at last fell +upon chastity, which, in his opinion, could be accounted a virtue +only if considered from one point of view, namely, that of total +abstinence, but he added that it could not be acceptable to God; +because it transgressed against the very first precept He had given +to man. + +"I would like to know, for instance," he said, "what name can be +given to the chastity of your knights of Malta. They take a vow of +chastity, but it does not mean that they will renounce women +altogether, they renounce marriage only. Their chastity, and +therefore chastity in general, is violated only by marriage; yet I +observe that marriage is one of your sacraments. Therefore, those +knights of Malta promise not to give way to lustful incontinence in +the only case in which God might forgive it, but they reserve the +license of being lustful unlawfully as often as they please, and +whenever an opportunity may offer itself; and that immoral, illicit +license is granted to them to such an extent, that they are allowed +to acknowledge legally a child which can be born to them only through +a double crime! The most revolting part of it all is that these +children of crime, who are of course perfectly innocent themselves, +are called natural children, as if children born in wedlock came into +the world in an unnatural manner! In one word, my dear son, the vow +of chastity is so much opposed to Divine precepts and to human nature +that it can be agreeable neither to God nor to society, nor to those +who pledge themselves to keep it, and being in such opposition to +every divine and human law, it must be a crime." + +He enquired for the second time whether I was married; I replied in +the negative, and added that I had no idea of ever getting married. + +"What!" he exclaimed; "I must then believe that you are not a perfect +man, or that you intend to work out your own damnation; unless you +should tell me that you are a Christian only outwardly." + +"I am a man in the very strongest sense of the word, and I am a true +Christian. I must even confess that I adore women, and that I have +not the slightest idea of depriving myself of the most delightful of +all pleasures." + +"According to your religion, damnation awaits you." + +"I feel certain of the contrary, because, when we confess our sins, +our priests are compelled to give us absolution." + +"I know it, but you must agree with me that it is absurd to suppose +that God will forgive a crime which you would, perhaps, not commit, +if you did not think that, after confession, a priest, a man like +you, will give you absolution. God forgives only the repenting +sinner." + +"No doubt of it, and confession supposes repentance; without it, +absolution has no effect." + +"Is onanism a crime amongst you?" + +"Yes, even greater than lustful and illegitimate copulation." + +"I was aware of it, and it has always caused me great surprise, for +the legislator who enacts a law, the execution of which is +impossible, is a fool. A man in good health, if he cannot have a +woman, must necessarily have recourse to onanism, whenever imperious +nature demands it, and the man who, from fear of polluting his soul, +would abstain from it, would only draw upon himself a mortal +disease." + +"We believe exactly the reverse; we think that young people destroy +their constitutions, and shorten their lives through self-abuse. In +several communities they are closely watched, and are as much as +possible deprived of every opportunity of indulging in that crime." + +"Those who watch them are ignorant fools, and those who pay the +watchers for such a service are even more stupid, because prohibition +must excite the wish to break through such a tyrannical law, to set +at nought an interdiction so contrary to nature." + +"Yet it seems to me that self-abuse in excess must be injurious to +health, for it must weaken and enervate." + +"Certainly, because excess in everything is prejudicial and +pernicious; but all such excess is the result of our severe +prohibition. If girls are not interfered with in the matter of self- +abuse, I do not see why boys should be." + +"Because girls are very far from running the same risk; they do not +lose a great deal in the action of self-abuse, and what they lose +does not come from the same source whence flows the germinal liquid +in men." + +"I do not know, but we have some physicians who say that chlorosis in +girls is the result of that pleasure indulged in to excess." + +After many such conversations, in which he seemed to consider me as +endowed with reason and talent, even when I was not of his opinion, +Yusuf Ali surprised me greatly one day by the following proposition: + +"I have two sons and a daughter. I no longer think of my sons, +because they have received their share of my fortune. As far as my +daughter is concerned she will, after my death, inherit all my +possessions, and I am, besides, in a position while I am alive to +promote the fortune of the man who may marry her. Five years ago I +took a young wife, but she has not given me any progeny, and I know +to a certainty that no offspring will bless our union. My daughter, +whose name is Zelmi, is now fifteen; she is handsome, her eyes are +black and lovely like her mother's, her hair is of the colour of the +raven's wing, her complexion is animated alabaster; she is tall, well +made, and of a sweet disposition; I have given her an education which +would make her worthy of our master, the Sultan. She speaks Greek +and Italian fluently, she sings delightfully, and accompanies herself +on the harp; she can draw and embroider, and is always contented and +cheerful. No living man can boast of having seen her features, and +she loves me so dearly that my will is hers. My daughter is a +treasure, and I offer her to you if you will consent to go for one +year to Adrianople to reside with a relative of mine, who will teach +you our religion, our language, and our manners. You will return at +the end of one year, and as soon as you have become a Mussulman my +daughter shall be your wife. You will find a house ready furnished, +slaves of your own, and an income which will enable you to live in +comfort. I have no more to say at present. I do not wish you to +answer me either to-day, or to-morrow, or on any fixed day. You will +give me your decision whenever you feel yourself called upon by your +genius to give it, and you need not give me any answer unless you +accept my offer, for, should you refuse it, it is not necessary that +the subject should be again mentioned. I do not ask you to give full +consideration to my proposal, for now that I have thrown the seed in +your soul it must fructify. Without hurry, without delay, without +anxiety, you can but obey the decrees of God and follow the immutable +decision of fate. Such as I know you, I believe that you only +require the possession of Zelmi to be competely happy, and that you +will become one of the pillars of the Ottoman Empire." + +Saying those words, Yusuf pressed me affectionately in his arms, and +left me by myself to avoid any answer I might be inclined to make. I +went away in such wonder at all I had just heard, that I found myself +at the Venetian Embassy without knowing how I had reached it. The +baili thought me very pensive, and asked whether anything was the +matter with me, but I did not feel disposed to gratify their +curiosity. I found that Yusuf had indeed spoken truly: his proposal +was of such importance that it was my duty, not only not to mention +it to anyone, but even to abstain from thinking it over, until my +mind had recovered its calm sufficiently to give me the assurance +that no external consideration would weigh in the balance and +influence my decision. I had to silence all my passions; prejudices, +principles already formed, love, and even self-interest were to +remain in a state of complete inaction. + +When I awoke the next morning I began to think the matter over, and I +soon discovered that, if I wanted to come to a decision, I ought not +to ponder over it, as the more I considered the less likely I should +be to decide. This was truly a case for the 'sequere Deum' of the +Stoics. + +I did not visit Yusuf for four days, and when I called on him on the +fifth day, we talked cheerfully without once mentioning his proposal, +although it was very evident that we were both thinking of it. We +remained thus for a fortnight, without ever alluding to the matter +which engrossed all our thoughts, but our silence was not caused by +dissimulation, or by any feeling contrary to our mutual esteem and +friendship; and one day Yusuf suggested that very likely I had +communicated his proposal to some wise friend, in order to obtain +good advice. I immediately assured him it was not so, and that in a +matter of so delicate a nature I thought I ought not to ask anybody's +advice. + +"I have abandoned myself to God, dear Yusuf, and, full of confidence +in Him, I feel certain that I shall decide for the best, whether I +make up my mind to become your son, or believe that I ought to remain +what I am now. In the mean time, my mind ponders over it day and +night, whenever I am quiet and feel myself composed and collected. +When I come to a decision, I will impart it to you alone, and from +that moment you shall have over me the authority of a father." + +At these words the worthy Yusuf, his eyes wet with tears, placed his +left hand over my head, and the first two fingers of the right hand +on my forehead, saying: + +"Continue to act in that way, my dear son, and be certain that you +can never act wrongly." + +"But," I said to him, "one thing might happen, Zelmi might not accept +me." + +"Have no anxiety about that. My daughter loves you; she, as well as +my wife and her nurse, sees you every time that we dine together, and +she listens to you with pleasure." + +"Does she know that you are thinking of giving her to me as my wife?" + +"She knows that I ardently wish you to become a true believer, so as +to enable me to link her destiny to yours." + +"I am glad that your habits do not permit you to let me see her, +because she might dazzle me with her beauty, and then passion would +soon have too much weight in the scale; I could no longer flatter +myself that my decision had been taken in all the unbiased, purity of +my soul." + +Yusuf was highly delighted at hearing me speak in that manner, and I +spoke in perfect good faith. The mere idea of seeing Zelmi caused me +to shudder. I felt that, if I had fallen in love with her, I would +have become a Mussulman in order to possess her, and that I might +soon have repented such a step, for the religion of Mahomet presented +to my eyes and to my mind nothing but a disagreeable picture, as well +for this life as for a future one. As for wealth, I did not think it +deserved the immense sacrifice demanded from me. I could find equal +wealth in Europe, without stamping my forehead with the shameful +brand of apostasy. I cared deeply for the esteem of the persons of +distinction who knew me, and did not want to render myself unworthy +of it. Besides, I felt an immense desire to obtain fame amongst +civilized and polite nations, either in the fine arts or in +literature, or in any other honourable profession, and I could not +reconcile myself to the idea of abandoning to my equals the triumph +which I might win if I lived amongst them. It seemed to me, and I am +still of the same opinion, that the decision of wearing the turban +befits only a Christian despairing of himself and at the end of his +wits, and fortunately I was lost not in that predicament. My +greatest objection was to spend a year in Adrianople to learn a +language for which I did not feel any liking, and which I should +therefore have learned but imperfectly. How could I, at my age, +renounce the prerogative, so pleasant to my vanity, of being reputed +a fine talker? and I had secured that reputation wherever I was +known. Then I would often think that Zelmi, the eighth wonder of +creation in the eyes of her father might not appear such in my eyes, +and it would have been enough to make me miserable, for Yusuf was +likely to live twenty years longer, and I felt that gratitude, as +well as respect, would never have permitted me to give that excellent +man any cause for unhappiness by ceasing to shew myself a devoted and +faithful husband to his daughter. Such were my thoughts, and, as +Yusuf could not guess them, it was useless to make a confidant of +him. + +A few days afterwards, I dined with the Pacha Osman and met my +Effendi Ismail. He was very friendly to me, and I reciprocated his +attentions, though I paid no attention to the reproaches he addressed +to me for not having come to breakfast with him for such a long time. +I could not refuse to dine at his house with Bonneval, and he treated +me to a very pleasing sight; Neapolitan slaves, men and women, +performed a pantomime and some Calabrian dances. M. de Bonneval +happened to mention the dance called forlana, and Ismail expressing a +great wish to know it, I told him that I could give him that pleasure +if I had a Venetian woman to dance with and a fiddler who knew the +time. I took a violin, and played the forlana, but, even if the +partner had been found, I could not play and dance at the same time. + +Ismail whispered a few words to one of his eunuchs, who went out of +the room and returned soon with some message that he delivered to +him. The effendi told me that he had found the partner I wanted, and +I answered that the musician could be had easily, if he would send a +note to the Venetian Embassy, which was done at once. The Bailo Dona +sent one of his men who played the violin well enough for dancing +purposes. As soon as the musician was ready, a door was thrown open, +and a fine looking woman came in, her face covered with a black +velvet mask, such as we call moretta in Venice. The appearance of +that beautiful masked woman surprised and delighted every one of the +guests, for it was impossible to imagine a more interesting object, +not only on account of the beauty of that part of the face which the +mask left exposed, but also for the elegance of her shape, the +perfection of her figure, and the exquisite taste displayed in her +costume. The nymph took her place, I did the same, and we danced the +forlana six times without stopping. + +I was in perspiration and out of breath, for the foylana is the most +violent of our national dances; but my beautiful partner stood near +me without betraying the slightest fatigue, and seemed to challenge +me to a new performance. At the round of the dance, which is the +most difficult step, she seemed to have wings. I was astounded, for +I had never seen anyone, even in Venice, dance the forlana so +splendidly. After a few minutes rest, rather ashamed of my feeling +tired, I went up to her, and said, 'Ancora sei, a poi basta, se non +volete vedermi a morire.' She would have answered me if she had been +able, but she wore one of those cruel masks which forbid speech. But +a pressure of her hand which nobody could see made me guess all I +wanted to know. The moment we finished dancing the eunuch opened the +door, and my lovely partner disappeared. + +Ismail could not thank me enough, but it was I who owed him my +thanks, for it was the only real pleasure which I enjoyed in +Constantinople. I asked him whether the lady was from Venice, but he +only answered by a significant smile. + +"The worthy Ismail," said M. de Bonneval to me, as we were leaving +the house late in the evening, "has been to-day the dupe of his +vanity, and I have no doubt that he is sorry already for what he has +done. To bring out his beautiful slave to dance with you! According +to the prejudices of this country it is injurious to his dignity, for +you are sure to have kindled an amorous flame in the poor girl's +breast. I would advise you to be careful and to keep on your guard, +because she will try to get up some intrigue with you; but be +prudent, for intrigues are always dangerous in Turkey." + +I promised to be prudent, but I did not keep my promise; for, three +or four days afterwards, an old slave woman met me in the street, and +offered to sell me for one piaster a tobacco-bag embroidered in gold; +and as she put it in my hand she contrived to make me feel that there +was a letter in the bag. + +I observed that she tried to avoid the eyes of the janissary who was +walking behind me; I gave her one piaster, she left me, and I +proceeded toward Yusuf's house. He was not at home, and I went to +his garden to read the letter with perfect freedom. It was sealed +and without any address, and the slave might have made a mistake; but +my curiosity was excited to the highest pitch; I broke the seal, and +found the following note written in good enough Italian: + +"Should you wish to see the person with whom you danced the forlana, +take a walk towards evening in the garden beyond the fountain, and +contrive to become acquainted with the old servant of the gardener by +asking her for some lemonade. You may perchance manage to see your +partner in the forlana without running any risk, even if you should +happen to meet Ismail; she is a native of Venice. Be careful not to +mention this invitation to any human being." + +"I am not such a fool, my lovely countrywoman," I exclaimed, as if +she had been present, and put the letter in my pocket. But at that +very moment, a fine-looking elderly woman came out of a thicket, +pronounced my name, and enquired what I wanted and how I had seen +her. I answered that I had been speaking to the wind, not supposing +that anyone could hear me, and without any more preparation, she +abruptly told me that she was very glad of the opportunity of +speaking with me, that she was from Rome, that she had brought up +Zelmi, and had taught her to sing and to play the harp. She then +praised highly the beauty and the excellent qualities of her pupil, +saying that, if I saw her, I would certainly fall in love with her, +and expressing how much she regretted that the law should not allow +it. + +"She sees us at this very moment," she added, "from behind that green +window-blind, and we love you ever since Yusuf has informed us that +you may, perhaps, become Zelmi's husband." + +"May I mention our conversation to Yusuf ?" I enquired. + +"No." + +Her answering in the negative made me understand that, if I had +pressed her a little, she would have allowed me to see her lovely +pupil, and perhaps it was with that intention that she had contrived +to speak to me, but I felt great reluctance to do anything to +displease my worthy host. I had another reason of even greater +importance: I was afraid of entering an intricate maze in which the +sight of a turban hovering over me made me shudder. + +Yusuf came home, and far from being angry when he saw me with the +woman, he remarked that I must have found much pleasure in conversing +with a native of Rome, and he congratulated me upon the delight I +must have felt in dancing with one of the beauties from the harem of +the voluptuous Ismail. + +"Then it must be a pleasure seldom enjoyed, if it is so much talked +of?" + +"Very seldom indeed, for there is amongst us an invincible prejudice +against exposing our lovely women to the eyes of other men; but +everyone may do as he pleases in his own house: Ismail is a very +worthy and a very intelligent man." + +"Is the lady with whom I danced known?" + +"I believe not. She wore a mask, and everybody knows that Ismail +possesses half a dozen slaves of surpassing beauty." + +I spent a pleasant day with Yusuf, and when I left him, I ordered my +janissary to take me to Ismail's. As I was known by his servants, +they allowed me to go in, and I proceeded to the spot described in +the letter. The eunuch came to me, informed me that his master was +out, but that he would be delighted to hear of my having taken a walk +in the garden. I told him that I would like a glass of lemonade, and +he took me to the summerhouse, where I recognized the old woman who +had sold me the tobacco-pouch. The eunuch told her to give me a +glass of some liquid which I found delicious, and would not allow me +to give her any money. We then walked together towards the fountain, +but he told me abruptly that we were to go back, as he saw three +ladies to whom he pointed, adding that, for the sake of decency, it +was necessary to avoid them. I thanked him for his attentions, left +my compliments for Ismail, and went away not dissatisfied with my +first attempt, and with the hope of being more fortunate another +time. + +The next morning I received a letter from Ismail inviting me to go +fishing with him on the following day, and stating that he intended +to enjoy the sport by moonlight. I immediately gave way to my +suppositions, and I went so far as to fancy that Ismail might be +capable of arranging an interview between me and the lovely Venetian. +I did not mind his being present. I begged permission of Chevalier +Venier to stop out of the palace for one night, but he granted it +with the greatest difficulty, because he was afraid of some love +affair and of the results it might have. I took care to calm his +anxiety as much as I could, but without acquainting him with all the +circumstances of the case, for I thought I was wise in being +discreet. + +I was exact to the appointed time, and Ismail received me with the +utmost cordiality, but I was surprised when I found myself alone with +him in the boat. We had two rowers and a man to steer; we took some +fish, fried in oil, and ate it in the summer-house. The moon shone +brightly, and the night was delightful. Alone with Ismail, and +knowing his unnatural tastes, I did not feel very comfortable for, in +spite of what M. de Bonneval had told me, I was afraid lest the Turk +should take a fancy to give me too great a proof of his friendship, +and I did not relish our tete-a-tete. But my fears were groundless. + +"Let us leave this place quietly," said Ismail, "I have just heard a +slight noise which heralds something that will amuse us." + +He dismissed his attendants, and took my hand, saying, + +"Let us go to a small room, the key of which I luckily have with me, +but let us be careful not to make any noise. That room has a window +overlooking the fountain where I think that two or three of my +beauties have just gone to bathe. We will see them and enjoy a very +pleasing sight, for they do not imagine that anyone is looking at +them. They know that the place is forbidden to everybody except me." + +We entered the room, we went to the window, and, the moon shining +right over the basin of the fountain, we saw three nymphs who, now +swimming, now standing or sitting on the marble steps, offered +themselves to our eyes in every possible position, and in all the +attitudes of graceful voluptuousness. Dear reader, I must not paint +in too vivid colours the details of that beautiful picture, but if +nature has endowed you with an ardent imagination and with equally +ardent senses, you will easily imagine the fearful havoc which that +unique, wonderful, and enchanting sight must have made upon my poor +body. + +A few days after that delightful fishing and bathing party by +moonlight, I called upon Yusuf early in the morning; as it was +raining, I could not go to the garden, and I went into the dining- +room, in which I had never seen anyone. The moment I entered the +room, a charming female form rose, covering her features with a thick +veil which fell to the feet. A slave was sitting near the window, +doing some tambour-work, but she did not move. I apologized, and +turned to leave the room, but the lady stopped me, observing, with a +sweet voice, that Yusuf had commanded her to entertain me before +going out. She invited me to be seated, pointing to a rich cushion +placed upon two larger ones, and I obeyed, while, crossing her legs, +she sat down upon another cushion opposite to me. I thought I was +looking upon Zelmi, and fancied that Yusuf had made up his mind to +shew me that he was not less courageous than Ismail. Yet I was +surprised, for, by such a proceeding, he strongly contradicted his +maxims, and ran the risk of impairing the unbiased purity of my +consent by throwing love in the balance. But I had no fear of that, +because, to become enamoured, I should have required to see her face. + +"I suppose," said the veiled beauty, "that you do not know who I am?" + +"I could not guess, if I tried." + +"I have been for the last five years the wife of your friend, and I +am a native of Scio. I was thirteen years of age when I became his +wife." + +I was greatly astonished to find that my Mussulman philosopher had +gone so far as to allow me to converse with his wife, but I felt more +at ease after I had received that information, and fancied that I +might carry the adventure further, but it would be necessary to see +the lady's face, for a finely-dressed body, the head of which is not +seen, excites but feeble desires. The fire lighted by amorous +desires is like a fire of straw; the moment it burns up it is near +its end. I had before me a magnificent appearance, but I could not +see the soul of the image, for a thick gauze concealed it from my +hungry gaze. I could see arms as white as alabaster, and hands like +those of Alcina, 'dove ne nodo appasisce ne vena accede', and my +active imagination fancied that all the rest was in harmony with +those beautiful specimens, for the graceful folds of the muslin, +leaving the outline all its perfection, hid from me only the living +satin of the surface; there was no doubt that everything was lovely, +but I wanted to see, in the expression of her eyes, that all that my +imagination created had life and was endowed with feeling. The +Oriental costume is a beautiful varnish placed upon a porcelain vase +to protect from the touch the colours of the flowers and of the +design, without lessening the pleasure of the eyes. Yusuf's wife was +not dressed like a sultana; she wore the costume of Scio, with a +short skirt which concealed neither the perfection of the leg nor the +round form of the thigh, nor the voluptuous plump fall of the hips, +nor the slender, well-made waist encompassed in a splendid band +embroidered in silver and covered with arabesques. Above all those +beauties, I could see the shape of two globes which Apelles would +have taken for the model of those of his lovely Venus, and the rapid, +inequal movement of which proved to me that those ravishing hillocks +were animated. The small valley left between them, and which my eyes +greedily feasted upon, seemed to me a lake of nectar, in which my +burning lips longed to quench their thirst with more ardour than they +would have drunk from the cup of the gods. + +Enraptured, unable to control myself, I thrust my arm forward by a +movement almost independent of my will, and my hand, too audacious, +was on the point of lifting the hateful veil, but she prevented me by +raising herself quickly on tiptoe, upbraiding me at the same time for +my perfidious boldness, with a voice as commanding as her attitude. + +"Dost thou deserve," she said, "Yusuf's friendship, when thou abusest +the sacred laws of hospitality by insulting his wife?" + +"Madam, you must kindly forgive me, for I never had any intention to +insult you. In my country the lowest of men may fix his eyes upon +the face of a queen." + +"Yes, but he cannot tear off her veil, if she chooses to wear it. +Yusuf shall avenge me." + +The threat, and the tone in which it was pronounced, frightened me. +I threw myself at her feet, and succeeded in calming her anger. + +"Take a seat," she said. + +And she sat down herself, crossing her legs with so much freedom that +I caught a glimpse of charms which would have caused me to lose all +control over myself if the delightful sight had remained one moment +longer exposed to my eyes. I then saw that I had gone the wrong way +to work, and I felt vexed with myself; but it was too late. + +"Art thou excited?" she said. + +"How could I be otherwise," I answered, "when thou art scorching me +with an ardent fire?" + +I had become more prudent, and I seized her hand without thinking any +more of her face. + +"Here is my husband," she said, and Yusuf came into the room. We +rose, Yusuf embraced me, I complimented him, the slave left the room. +Yusuf thanked his wife for having entertained me, and offered her his +arm to take her to her own apartment. She took it, but when she +reached the door, she raised her veil, and kissing her husband she +allowed me to see her lovely face as if it had been done unwittingly. +I followed her with my eyes as long as I could, and Yusuf, coming +back to me, said with a laugh that his wife had offered to dine with +us. + +"I thought," I said to him, "that I had Zelmi before me." + +"That would have been too much against our established rules. What I +have done is not much, but I do not know an honest man who would be +bold enough to bring his daughter into the presence of a stranger." + +"I think your wife must be handsome; is she more beautiful than +Zelmi?" + +"My daughter's beauty is cheerful, sweet, and gentle; that of Sophia +is proud and haughty. She will be happy after my death. The man who +will marry her will find her a virgin." + +I gave an account of my adventure to M. de Bonneval, somewhat +exaggerating the danger I had run in trying to raise the veil of the +handsome daughter of Scio. + +"She was laughing at you," said the count, "and you ran no danger. +She felt very sorry, believe me, to have to deal with a novice like +you. You have been playing the comedy in the French fashion, when +you ought to have gone straight to the point. What on earth did you +want to see her nose for? She knew very well that she would have +gained nothing by allowing you to see her. You ought to have secured +the essential point. If I were young I would perhaps manage to give +her a revenge, and to punish my friend Yusuf. You have given that +lovely woman a poor opinion of Italian valour. The most reserved of +Turkish women has no modesty except on her face, and, with her veil +over it, she knows to a certainty that she will not blush at +anything. I am certain that your beauty keeps her face covered +whenever our friend Yusuf wishes to joke with her." + +"She is yet a virgin." + +"Rather a difficult thing to admit, my good friend; but I know the +daughters of Scio; they have a talent for counterfeiting virginity." + +Yusuf never paid me a similar compliment again, and he was quite +right. + +A few days after, I happened to be in the shop of an Armenian +merchant, looking at some beautiful goods, when Yusuf entered the +shop and praised my taste; but, although I had admired a great many +things, I did not buy, because I thought they were too dear. I said +so to Yusuf, but he remarked that they were, on the contrary, very +cheap, and he purchased them all. We parted company at the door, and +the next morning I received all the beautiful things he had bought; +it was a delicate attention of my friend, and to prevent my refusal +of such a splendid present, he had enclosed a note stating that, on +my arrival in Corfu, he would let me know to whom the goods were to +be delivered. He had thus sent me gold and silver filigrees from +Damascus, portfolios, scarfs, belts, handkerchiefs and pipes, the +whole worth four or five hundred piasters. When I called to thank +him, I compelled him to confess that it was a present offered by his +friendship. + +The day before my departure from Constantinople, the excellent man +burst into tears as I bade him adieu, and my grief was as great as +his own. He told me that, by not accepting the offer of his +daughter's hand, I had so strongly captivated his esteem that his +feelings for me could not have been warmer if I had become his son. +When I went on board ship with the Bailo Jean Dona, I found another +case given to me by him, containing two quintals of the best Mocha +coffee, one hundred pounds of tobacco leaves, two large flagons +filled, one with Zabandi tobacco, the other with camussa, and a +magnificent pipe tube of jessamine wood, covered with gold filigrane, +which I sold in Corfu for one hundred sequins. I had not it in my +power to give my generous Turk any mark of my gratitude until I +reached Corfu, but there I did not fail to do so. I sold all his +beautiful presents, which made me the possessor of a small fortune. + +Ismail gave me a letter for the Chevalier de Lezze, but I could not +forward it to him because I unfortunately lost it; he presented me +with a barrel of hydromel, which I turned likewise into money. +M. de Bonneval gave me a letter for Cardinal Acquaviva, which I sent +to Rome with an account of my journey, but his eminence did not think +fit to acknowledge the receipt of either. Bonneval made me a present +of twelve bottles of malmsey from Ragusa, and of twelve bottles of +genuine scopolo--a great rarity, with which I made a present in Corfu +which proved very useful to me, as the reader will discover. + +The only foreign minister I saw much in Constantinople was the lord +marshal of Scotland, the celebrated Keith, who represented the King +of Prussia, and who, six years later was of great service to me in +Paris. + +We sailed from Constantinople in the beginning of September in the +same man-of-war which had brought us, and we reached Corfu in +fourteen days. The Bailo Dona did not land. He had with him eight +splendid Turkish horses; I saw two of them still alive in Gorizia in +the year 1773. + +As soon as I had landed with my luggage, and had engaged a rather +mean lodging, I presented myself to M. Andre Dolfin, the +proveditore-generale, who promised me again that I should soon be +promoted to a lieutenancy. After my visit to him, I called upon M. +Camporese, my captain, and was well received by him. My third visit +was to the commander of galleases, M. D----R-----, to whom M. Antonio +Dolfin, with whom I had travelled from Venice to Corfu, had kindly +recommended me. After a short conversation, he asked me if I would +remain with him with the title of adjutant. I did not hesitate one +instant, but accepted, saying how deeply honoured I felt by his +offer, and assuring him that he would always find me ready to carry +out his orders. He immediately had me taken to my room, and, the +next day, I found myself established in his house. I obtained from +my captain a French soldier to serve me, and I was well pleased when +I found that the man was a hairdresser by trade, and a great talker +by nature, for he could take care of my beautiful head of hair, and I +wanted to practise French conversation. He was a good-for-nothing +fellow, a drunkard and a debauchee, a peasant from Picardy, and he +could hardly read or write, but I did not mind all that; all I wanted +from him was to serve me, and to talk to me, and his French was +pretty good. He was an amusing rogue, knowing by heart a quantity of +erotic songs and of smutty stories which he could tell in the most +laughable manner. + +When I had sold my stock of goods from Constantinople (except the +wines), I found myself the owner of nearly five hundred sequins. +I redeemed all the articles which I had pledged in the hands of Jews, +and turned into money everything of which I had no need. I was +determined not to play any longer as a dupe, but to secure in +gambling all the advantages which a prudent young man could obtain +without sullying his honour. + +I must now make my readers acquainted with the sort of life we were +at that time leading in Corfu. As to the city itself, I will not +describe it, because there are already many descriptions better than +the one I could offer in these pages. + +We had then in Corfu the 'proveditore-generale' who had sovereign +authority, and lived in a style of great magnificence. That post was +then filled by M. Andre Dolfin, a man sixty years of age, strict, +headstrong, and ignorant. He no longer cared for women, but liked to +be courted by them. He received every evening, and the supper-table +was always laid for twenty-four persons. + +We had three field-officers of the marines who did duty on the +galleys, and three field-officers for the troops of the line on board +the men-of-war. Each galeass had a captain called 'sopracomito', and +we had ten of those captains; we had likewise ten commanders, one for +each man-of-war, including three 'capi di mare', or admirals. They +all belonged to the nobility of Venice. Ten young Venetian noblemen, +from twenty to twenty-two years of age, were at Corfu as midshipmen +in the navy. We had, besides, about a dozen civil clerks in the +police of the island, or in the administration of justice, entitled +'grandi offciali di terra'. Those who were blessed with handsome +wives had the pleasure of seeing their houses very much frequented by +admirers who aspired to win the favours of the ladies, but there was +not much heroic love-making, perhaps for the reason that there were +then in Corfu many Aspasias whose favours could be had for money. +Gambling was allowed everywhere, and that all absorbing passion was +very prejudicial to the emotions of the heart. + +The lady who was then most eminent for beauty and gallantry was +Madame F----. Her husband, captain of a galley, had come to Corfu +with her the year before, and madam had greatly astonished all the +naval officers. Thinking that she had the privilege of the choice, +she had given the preference to M. D---- R-----, and had dismissed +all the suitors who presented themselves. M. F---- had married her +on the very day she had left the convent; she was only seventeen +years of age then, and he had brought her on board his galley +immediately after the marriage ceremony. + +I saw her for the first time at the dinner-table on the very day of +my installation at M. D---- R-----'s, and she made a great impression +upon me. I thought I was gazing at a supernatural being, so +infinitely above all the women I had ever seen, that it seemed +impossible to fall in love with her She appeared to me of a nature +different and so greatly superior to mine that I did not see the +possibility of rising up to her. I even went so far as to persuade +myself that nothing but a Platonic friendship could exist between her +and M. D----R-----, and that M. F---- was quite right now not to shew +any jealousy. Yet, that M. F---- was a perfect fool, and certainly +not worthy of such a woman. The impression made upon me by Madame +F----was too ridiculous to last long, and the nature of it soon +changed, but in a novel manner, at least as far as I was concerned. + +My position as adjutant procured me the honour of dining at M. D---- +R-----'s table, but nothing more. The other adjutant, like me, an +ensign in the army, but the greatest fool I had ever seen, shared +that honour with me. We were not, however, considered as guests, for +nobody ever spoke to us, and, what is more, no one ever honoured us +with a look. It used to put me in a rage. I knew very well that +people acted in that manner through no real contempt for us, but it +went very hard with me. I could very well understand that my +colleague, Sanzonio, should not complain of such treatment, because +he was a blockhead, but I did not feel disposed to allow myself to be +put on a par with him. At the end of eight or ten days, Madame +F----, not having con descended to cast one glance upon my person, +began to appear disagreeable to me. I felt piqued, vexed, provoked, +and the more so because I could not suppose that the lady acted in +that manner wilfully and purposely; I would have been highly pleased +if there had been premeditation on her part. I felt satisfied that +I was a nobody in her estimation, and as I was conscious of being +somebody, I wanted her to know it. At last a circumstance offered +itself in which, thinking that she could address me, she was +compelled to look at me. + +M. D---- R----- having observed that a very, very fine turkey had +been placed before me, told me to carve it, and I immediately went to +work. I was not a skilful carver, and Madame F----, laughing at my +want of dexterity, told me that, if I had not been certain of +performing my task with credit to myself, I ought not to have +undertaken it. Full of confusion, and unable to answer her as my +anger prompted, I sat down, with my heart overflowing with spite and +hatred against her. To crown my rage, having one day to address me, +she asked me what was my name. She had seen me every day for a +fortnight, ever since I had been the adjutant of M. D---- R-----; +therefore she ought to have known my name. Besides, I had been very +lucky at the gaming-table, and I had become rather famous in Corfu. +My anger against Madame F was at its height. + +I had placed my money in the hands of a certain Maroli, a major in +the army and a gamester by profession, who held the faro bank at the +coffee-house. We were partners; I helped him when he dealt, and he +rendered me the same office when I held the cards, which was often +the case, because he was not generally liked. He used to hold the +cards in a way which frightened the punters; my manners were very +different, and I was very lucky. Besides I was easy and smiling when +my bank was losing, and I won without shewing any avidity, and that +is a manner which always pleases the punters. + +This Maroli was the man who had won all my money during my first stay +in Corfu, and finding, when I returned, that I was resolved not to be +duped any more, he judged me worthy of sharing the wise maxims +without which gambling must necessarily ruin all those who meddle +with it. But as Maroli had won my confidence only to a very slight +extent, I was very careful. We made up our accounts every night, as +soon as playing was over; the cashier kept the capital of the bank, +the winnings were divided, and each took his share away. +Lucky at play, enjoying good health and the friendship of my +comrades, who, whenever the opportunity offered, always found me +generous and ready to serve them, I would have been well pleased with +my position if I had been a little more considered at the table of +M. D---- R-----, and treated with less haughtiness by his lady who, +without any reason, seemed disposed to humiliate me. My self-love +was deeply hurt, I hated her, and, with such a disposition of mind, +the more I admired the perfection of her charms, the more I found her +deficient in wit and intelligence. She might have made the conquest +of my heart without bestowing hers upon me, for all I wanted was not +to be compelled to hate her, and I could not understand what pleasure +it could be for her to be detested, while with only a little kindness +she could have been adored. I could not ascribe her manner to a +spirit of coquetry, for I had never given her the slightest proof of +the opinion I entertained of her beauty, and I could not therefore +attribute her behaviour to a passion which might have rendered me +disagreeable in her eyes; M. D---- R----- seemed to interest her only +in a very slight manner, and as to her husband, she cared nothing for +him. In short, that charming woman made me very unhappy, and I was +angry with myself because I felt that, if it had not been for the +manner in which she treated me, I would not have thought of her, and +my vexation was increased by the feeling of hatred entertained by my +heart against her, a feeling which until then I had never known to +exist in me, and the discovery of which overwhelmed me with +confusion. + +One day a gentleman handed me, as we were leaving the dinner-table, a +roll of gold that he had lost upon trust; Madame F---- saw it, and +she said to me very abruptly,-- + +"What do you do with your money?" + +"I keep it, madam, as a provision against possible losses." + +"But as you do not indulge in any expense it would be better for you +not to play; it is time wasted." + +"Time given to pleasure is never time lost, madam; the only time +which a young man wastes is that which is consumed in weariness, +because when he is a prey to ennui he is likely to fall a prey to +love, and to be despised by the object of his affection." + +"Very likely; but you amuse yourself with hoarding up your money, and +shew yourself to be a miser, and a miser is not less contemptible +than a man in love. Why do you not buy yourself a pair of gloves?" + +You may be sure that at these words the laughter was all on her side, +and my vexation was all the greater because I could not deny that she +was quite right. It was the adjutant's business to give the ladies +an arm to their carriages, and it was not proper to fulfil that duty +without gloves. I felt mortified, and the reproach of avarice hurt +me deeply. I would a thousand times rather that she had laid my +error to a want of education; and yet, so full of contradictions is +the human heart, instead of making amends by adopting an appearance +of elegance which the state of my finances enabled me to keep up, I +did not purchase any gloves, and I resolved to avoid her and to +abandon her to the insipid and dull gallantry of Sanzonio, who +sported gloves, but whose teeth were rotten, whose breath was putrid, +who wore a wig, and whose face seemed to be covered with shrivelled +yellow parchment. + +I spent my days in a continual state of rage and spite, and the most +absurd part of it all was that I felt unhappy because I could not +control my hatred for that woman whom, in good conscience, I could +not find guilty of anything. She had for me neither love nor +dislike, which was quite natural; but being young and disposed to +enjoy myself I had become, without any wilful malice on her part, an +eye-sore to her and the butt of her bantering jokes, which my +sensitiveness exaggerated greatly. For all that I had an ardent wish +to punish her and to make her repent. I thought of nothing else. At +one time I would think of devoting all my intelligence and all my +money to kindling an amorous passion in her heart, and then to +revenge myself by treating her with contempt. But I soon realized +the impracticability of such a plan, for even supposing that I should +succeed in finding my way to her heart, was I the man to resist my +own success with such a woman? I certainly could not flatter myself +that I was so strong-minded. But I was the pet child of fortune, and +my position was suddenly altered. + +M. D---- R---- having sent me with dispatches to M. de Condulmer, +captain of a 'galeazza', I had to wait until midnight to deliver +them, and when I returned I found that M. D---- R---- had retired to +his apartment for the night. As soon as he was visible in the +morning I went to him to render an account of my mission. I had been +with him only a few minutes when his valet brought a letter saying +that Madame F----'s adjutant was waiting for an answer. M. D---- +R----- read the note, tore it to pieces, and in his excitement +stamped with his foot upon the fragments. He walked up and down the +room for a little time, then wrote an answer and rang for the +adjutant, to whom he delivered it. He then recovered his usual +composure, concluded the perusal of the dispatch sent by M. de +Condulmer, and told me to write a letter. He was looking it over +when the valet came in, telling me that Madame F---- desired to see +me. M. D---- R---- told me that he did not require my services any +more for the present, and that I might go. I left the room, but I +had not gone ten yards when he called me back to remind me that my +duty was to know nothing; I begged to assure him that I was well +aware of that. I ran to Madame F-----'s house, very eager to know +what she wanted with me. I was introduced immediately, and I was +greatly surprised to find her sitting up in bed, her countenance +flushed and excited, and her eyes red from the tears she had +evidently just been shedding. My heart was beating quickly, yet I +did not know why. + +"Pray be seated," she said, "I wish to speak with you." + +"Madam," I answered, "I am not worthy of so great a favour, and I +have not yet done anything to deserve it; allow me to remain +standing." + +She very likely recollected that she had never been so polite before, +and dared not press me any further. She collected her thoughts for +an instant or two, and said to me: + +"Last evening my husband lost two hundred sequins upon trust at your +faro bank; he believed that amount to be in my hands, and I must +therefore give it to him immediately, as he is bound in honour to pay +his losses to-day. Unfortunately I have disposed of the money, and I +am in great trouble. I thought you might tell Maroli that I have +paid you the amount lost by my husband. Here is a ring of some +value; keep it until the 1st of January, when I will return the two +hundred sequins for which I am ready to give you my note of hand." + +"I accept the note of hand, madam, but I cannot consent to deprive +you of your ring. I must also tell you that M. F---- must go himself +to the bank, or send some one there, to redeem his debt. Within ten +minutes you shall have the amount you require." + +I left her without waiting for an answer, and I returned within a few +minutes with the two hundred ducats, which I handed to her, and +putting in my pocket her note of hand which she had just written, I +bowed to take my leave, but she addressed to me these precious words: + +"I believe, sir, that if I had known that you were so well disposed +to oblige me, I could not have made up my mind to beg that service +from you." + +"Well, madam, for the future be quite certain that there is not a man +in the world capable of refusing you such an insignificant service +whenever you will condescend to ask for it in person." + +"What you say is very complimentary, but I trust never to find myself +again under the necessity of making such a cruel experiment." + +I left Madame F-----, thinking of the shrewdness of her answer. She +had not told me that I was mistaken, as I had expected she would, for +that would have caused her some humiliation: she knew that I was with +M. D---- R----- when the adjutant had brought her letter, and she +could not doubt that I was aware of the refusal she had met with. +The fact of her not mentioning it proved to me that she was jealous +of her own dignity; it afforded me great gratification, and I thought +her worthy of adoration. I saw clearly that she could have no love +for M. D---- R-----, and that she was not loved by him, and the +discovery made me leap for joy. From that moment I felt I was in +love with her, and I conceived the hope that she might return my +ardent affection. + +The first thing I did, when I returned to my room, was to cross out +with ink every word of her note of hand, except her name, in such a +manner that it was impossible to guess at the contents, and putting +it in an envelope carefully sealed, I deposited it in the hands of a +public notary who stated, in the receipt he gave me of the envelope, +that he would deliver it only to Madame F-----, whenever she should +request its delivery. + +The same evening M. F----- came to the bank, paid me, played with +cash in hand, and won some fifty ducats. What caused me the greatest +surprise was that M. D---- R----- continued to be very gracious to +Madame F----, and that she remained exactly the same towards him as +she used to be before. He did not even enquire what she wanted when +she had sent for me. But if she did not seem to change her manner +towards my master, it was a very different case with me, for whenever +she was opposite to me at dinner, she often addressed herself to me, +and she thus gave me many opportunities of shewing my education and +my wit in amusing stories or in remarks, in which I took care to +blend instruction with witty jests. At that time F---- had the great +talent of making others laugh while I kept a serious countenance +myself. I had learnt that accomplishment from M. de Malipiero, my +first master in the art of good breeding, who used to say to me,-- + +"If you wish your audience to cry, you must shed tears yourself, but +if you wish to make them laugh you must contrive to look as serious +as a judge." + +In everything I did, in every word I uttered, in the presence of +Madame F----, the only aim I had was to please her, but I did not +wish her to suppose so, and I never looked at her unless she spoke to +me. I wanted to force her curiosity, to compel her to suspect nay, +to guess my secret, but without giving her any advantage over me: it +was necessary for me to proceed by slow degrees. In the mean time, +and until I should have a greater happiness, I was glad to see that +my money, that magic talisman, and my good conduct, obtained me a +consideration much greater than I could have hoped to obtain either +through my position, or from my age, or in consequence of any talent +I might have shewn in the profession I had adopted. + +Towards the middle of November, the soldier who acted as my servant +was attacked with inflammation of the chest; I gave notice of it to +the captain of his company, and he was carried to the hospital. On +the fourth day I was told that he would not recover, and that he had +received the last sacraments; in the evening I happened to be at his +captain's when the priest who had attended him came to announce his +death, and to deliver a small parcel which the dying man had +entrusted to him to be given up to his captain only after his death. +The parcel contained a brass seal engraved with ducal arms, a +certificate of baptism, and a sheet of paper covered with writing in +French. Captain Camporese, who only spoke Italian, begged me to +translate the paper, the contents of which were as follows: + +"My will is that this paper, which I have written and signed with my +own hand, shall be delivered to my captain only after I have breathed +my last: until then, my confessor shall not make any use of it, for I +entrust it to his hands only under the seal of confession. I entreat +my captain to have me buried in a vault from which my body can be +exhumed in case the duke, my father, should request its exhumation. +I entreat him likewise to forward my certificate of baptism, the seal +with the armorial bearings of my family, and a legal certificate of +my birth to the French ambassador in Venice, who will send the whole +to the duke, my father, my rights of primogeniture belonging, after +my demise, to the prince, my brother. In faith of which I have +signed and sealed these presents: Francois VI. Charles Philippe +Louis Foucaud, Prince de la Rochefoucault." + +The certificate of baptism, delivered at St. Sulpice gave the same +names, and the title of the father was Francois V. The name of the +mother was Gabrielle du Plessis. + +As I was concluding my translation I could not help bursting into +loud laughter; but the foolish captain, who thought my mirth out of +place, hurried out to render an account of the affair to the +proveditore-generale, and I went to the coffee-house, not doubting +for one moment that his excellency would laugh at the captain, and +that the post-mortem buffoonery would greatly amuse the whole of +Corfu. + +I had known in Rome, at Cardinal Acquaviva's, the Abbe de Liancourt, +great-grandson of Charles, whose sister, Gabrielle du Plessis, had +been the wife of Francois V., but that dated from the beginning of +the last century. I had made a copy from the records of the cardinal +of the account of certain circumstances which the Abbe de Liancourt +wanted to communicate to the court of Spain, and in which there were +a great many particulars respecting the house of Du Plessis. I +thought at the same time that the singular imposture of La Valeur +(such was the name by which my soldier generally went) was absurd and +without a motive, since it was to be known only after his death, and +could not therefore prove of any advantage to him. + +Half an hour afterwards, as I was opening a fresh pack of cards, the +Adjutant Sanzonio came in, and told the important news in the most +serious manner. He had just come from the office of the proveditore, +where Captain Camporese had run in the utmost hurry to deposit +in the hands of his excellency the seal and the papers of the +deceased prince. His excellency had immediately issued his orders +for the burial of the prince in a vault with all the honours due to +his exalted rank. Another half hour passed, and M. Minolto, +adjutant of the proveditore-generale, came to inform me that his +excellency wanted to see me. I passed the cards to Major Maroli, and +went to his excellency's house. I found him at supper with several +ladies, three or four naval commanders, Madame F----, and M. D---- +R-----. + +"So, your servant was a prince!" said the old general to me. + +"Your excellency, I never would have suspected it, and even now that +he is dead I do not believe it." + +"Why? He is dead, but he was not insane. You have seen his armorial +bearings, his certificate of baptism, as well as what he wrote with +his own hand. When a man is so near death, he does not fancy +practical jokes." + +"If your excellency is satisfied of the truth of the story, my duty +is to remain silent." + +"The story cannot be anything but true, and your doubts surprise me." + +"I doubt, monsignor, because I happen to have positive information +respecting the families of La Rochefoucault and Du Plessis. Besides, +I have seen too much of the man. He was not a madman, but he +certainly was an extravagant jester. I have never seen him write, +and he has told me himself a score of times that he had never +learned." + +"The paper he has written proves the contrary. His arms have the +ducal bearings; but perhaps you are not aware that M. de la +Rochefoucault is a duke and peer of the French realm?" + +"I beg your eminence's pardon; I know all about it; I know even more, +for I know that Francois VI. married a daughter of the house of +Vivonne." + +"You know nothing." + +When I heard this remark, as foolish as it was rude, I resolved on +remaining silent, and it was with some pleasure that I observed the +joy felt by all the male guests at what they thought an insult and a +blow to my vanity. An officer remarked that the deceased was a fine +man, a witty man, and had shewn wonderful cleverness in keeping up +his assumed character so well that no one ever had the faintest +suspicion of what he really was. A lady said that, if she had known +him, she would have been certain to find him out. Another flatterer, +belonging to that mean, contemptible race always to be found near the +great and wealthy of the earth, assured us that the late prince had +always shewn himself cheerful, amiable, obliging, devoid of +haughtiness towards his comrades, and that he used to sing +beautifully. "He was only twenty-five years of age," said Madame +Sagredo, looking me full in the face, "and if he was endowed with all +those qualities, you must have discovered them." + +"I can only give you, madam, a true likeness of the man, such as I +have seen him. Always gay, often even to folly, for he could throw a +somersault beautifully; singing songs of a very erotic kind, full of +stories and of popular tales of magic, miracles, and ghosts, and a +thousand marvellous feats which common-sense refused to believe, and +which, for that very reason, provoked the mirth of his hearers. His +faults were that he was drunken, dirty, quarrelsome, dissolute, and +somewhat of a cheat. I put up with all his deficiences, because he +dressed my hair to my taste, and his constant chattering offered me +the opportunity of practising the colloquial French which cannot be +acquired from books. He has always assured me that he was born in +Picardy, the son of a common peasant, and that he had deserted from +the French army. He may have deceived me when he said that he could +not write." + +Just then Camporese rushed into the room, and announced that La +Veleur was yet breathing. The general, looking at me significantly, +said that he would be delighted if the man could be saved. + +"And I likewise, monsignor, but his confessor will certainly kill him +to-night." + +"Why should the father confessor kill him?" + +"To escape the galleys to which your excellency would not fail to +send him for having violated the secrecy of the confessional." + +Everybody burst out laughing, but the foolish old general knitted his +brows. The guests retired soon afterwards, and Madame F-----, whom +I had preceded to the carriage, M. D---- R----- having offered her +his arm, invited me to get in with her, saying that it was raining. +It was the first time that she had bestowed such an honour upon me. + +"I am of your opinion about that prince," she said, "but you have +incurred the displeasure of the proveditore." + +"I am very sorry, madam, but it could not have been avoided, for I +cannot help speaking the truth openly." + +"You might have spared him," remarked M. D---- R-----, "the cutting +jest of the confessor killing the false prince." + +"You are right, sir, but I thought it would make him laugh as well as +it made madam and your excellency. In conversation people generally +do not object to a witty jest causing merriment and laughter." + +"True; only those who have not wit enough to laugh do not like the +jest." + +"I bet a hundred sequins that the madman will recover, and that, +having the general on his side, he will reap all the advantages of +his imposture. I long to see him treated as a prince, and making +love to Madame Sagredo" + +Hearing the last words, Madame F-----, who did not like Madame +Sagredo, laughed heartily, and, as we were getting out of the +carriage, M. D---- R----- invited me to accompany them upstairs. He +was in the habit of spending half an hour alone with her at her own +house when they had taken supper together with the general, for her +husband never shewed himself. It was the first time that the happy +couple admitted a third person to their tete-a-tete. I felt very +proud of the compliment thus paid to me, and I thought it might have +important results for me. My satisfaction, which I concealed as well +as I could, did not prevent me from being very gay and from giving a +comic turn to every subject brought forward by the lady or by her +lord. + +We kept up our pleasant trio for four hours; and returned to the +mansion of M. D---- R----- only at two o'clock in the morning. It +was during that night that Madame F---- and M. D---- R----- really +made my acquaintance. Madame F---- told him that she had never +laughed so much, and that she had never imagined that a conversation, +in appearance so simple, could afford so much pleasure and merriment. +On my side, I discovered in her so much wit and cheerfulness, that I +became deeply enamoured, and went to bed fully satisfied that, in the +future, I could not keep up the show of indifference which I had so +far assumed towards her. + +When I woke up the next morning, I heard from the new soldier who +served me that La Valeur was better, and had been pronounced out of +danger by the physician. At dinner the conversation fell upon him, +but I did not open my lips. Two days afterwards, the general gave +orders to have him removed to a comfortable apartment, sent him a +servant, clothed him, and the over-credulous proveditore having paid +him a visit, all the naval commanders and officers thought it their +duty to imitate him, and to follow his example: the general curiosity +was excited, there was a rush to see the new prince. M. D---- R----- +followed his leaders, and Madame Sagredo, having set the ladies in +motion, they all called upon him, with the exception of Madame F----, +who told me laughingly that she would not pay him a visit unless I +would consent to introduce her. I begged to be excused. The knave +was called your highness, and the wonderful prince styled Madame +Sagredo his princess. M. D---- R----- tried to persuade me to call +upon the rogue, but I told him that I had said too much, and that I +was neither courageous nor mean enough to retract my words. The +whole imposture would soon have been discovered if anyone had +possessed a peerage, but it just happened that there was not a copy +in Corfu, and the French consul, a fat blockhead, like many other +consuls, knew nothing of family trees. The madcap La Valeur began to +walk out a week after his metamorphosis into a prince. He dined and +had supper every day with the general, and every evening he was +present at the reception, during which, owing to his intemperance, he +always went fast asleep. Yet, there were two reasons which kept up +the belief of his being a prince: the first was that he did not seem +afraid of the news expected from Venice, where the proveditore had +written immediately after the discovery; the second was that he +solicited from the bishop the punishment of the priest who had +betrayed his secret by violating the seal of confession. The poor +priest had already been sent to prison, and the proveditore had not +the courage to defend him. The new prince had been invited to dinner +by all the naval officers, but M. D---- R----- had not made up his +mind to imitate them so far, because Madame F---- had clearly warned +him that she would dine at her own house on the day he was invited. +I had likewise respectfully intimated that, on the same occasion, I +would take the liberty of dining somewhere else. + +I met the prince one day as I was coming out of the old fortress +leading to the esplanade. He stopped, and reproached me for not +having called upon him. I laughed, and advised him to think of his +safety before the arrival of the news which would expose all the +imposture, in which case the proveditore was certain to treat him +very severely. I offered to help him in his flight from Corfu, and +to get a Neapolitan captain, whose ship was ready to sail, to conceal +him on board; but the fool, instead of accepting my offer, loaded me +with insults. + +He was courting Madame Sagredo, who treated him very well, feeling +proud that a French prince should have given her the preference over +all the other ladies. One day that she was dining in great ceremony +at M. D---- R-----'s house, she asked me why I had advised the prince +to run away. + +"I have it from his own lips," she added, "and he cannot make out +your obstinacy in believing him an impostor." + +"I have given him that advice, madam, because my heart is good, and +my judgment sane." + +"Then we are all of us as many fools, the proveditore included?" + +"That deduction would not be right, madam. An opinion contrary to +that of another does not necessarily make a fool of the person who +entertains it. It might possibly turn out, in ten or twelve days, +that I have been entirely mistaken myself, but I should not consider +myself a fool in consequence. In the mean time, a lady of your +intelligence must have discovered whether that man is a peasant or a +prince by his education and manners. For instance, does he dance +well?" + +"He does not know one step, but he is the first to laugh about it; he +says he never would learn dancing." + +"Does he behave well at table?" + +"Well, he doesn't stand on ceremony. He does not want his plate to +be changed, he helps himself with his spoon out of the dishes; he +does not know how to check an eructation or a yawn, and if he feels +tired he leaves the table. It is evident that he has been very badly +brought up." + +"And yet he is very pleasant, I suppose. Is he clean and neat?" + +"No, but then he is not yet well provided with linen." + +"I am told that he is very sober." + +"You are joking. He leaves the table intoxicated twice a day, but he +ought to be pitied, for he cannot drink wine and keep his head clear. +Then he swears like a trooper, and we all laugh, but he never takes +offence." + +"Is he witty?" + +"He has a wonderful memory, for he tells us new stories every day." + +"Does he speak of his family?" + +"Very often of his mother, whom he loved tenderly. She was a Du +Plessis." + +"If his mother is still alive she must be a hundred and fifty years +old." + +"What nonsense!" + +"Not at all; she was married in the days of Marie de Medicis." + +"But the certificate of baptism names the prince's mother, and his +seal--" + +"Does he know what armorial bearings he has on that seal?" + +"Do you doubt it?" + +"Very strongly, or rather I am certain that he knows nothing about +it." + +We left the table, and the prince was announced. He came in, and +Madame Sagredo lost no time in saying to him, "Prince, here is M. +Casanova; he pretends that you do not know your own armorial +bearings." Hearing these words, he came up to me, sneering, called me +a coward, and gave me a smack on the face which almost stunned me. I +left the room very slowly, not forgetting my hat and my cane, and +went downstairs, while M. D---- R----- was loudly ordering the +servants to throw the madman out of the window. + +I left the palace and went to the esplanade in order to wait for him. +The moment I saw him, I ran to meet him, and I beat him so violently +with my cane that one blow alone ought to have killed him. He drew +back, and found himself brought to a stand between two walls, where, +to avoid being beaten to death, his only resource was to draw his +sword, but the cowardly scoundrel did not even think of his weapon, +and I left him, on the ground, covered with blood. The crowd formed +a line for me to pass, and I went to the coffee-house, where I drank +a glass of lemonade, without sugar to precipitate the bitter saliva +which rage had brought up from my stomach. In a few minutes, I found +myself surrounded by all the young officers of the garrison, who +joined in the general opinion that I ought to have killed him, and +they at last annoyed me, for it was not my fault if I had not done +so, and I would certainly have taken his life if he had drawn his +sword. + +I had been in the coffee-house for half an hour when the general's +adjutant came to tell me that his excellency ordered me to put myself +under arrest on board the bastarda, a galley on which the prisoners +had their legs in irons like galley slaves. The dose was rather too +strong to be swallowed, and I did not feel disposed to submit to it. +"Very good, adjutant," I replied, "it shall be done." He went away, +and I left the coffee-house a moment after him, but when I reached +the end of the street, instead of going towards the esplanade, I +proceeded quickly towards the sea. I walked along the beach for a +quarter of an hour, and finding a boat empty, but with a pair of +oars, I got in her, and unfastening her, I rowed as hard as I could +towards a large caicco, sailing against the wind with six oars. As +soon as I had come up to her, I went on board and asked the +carabouchiri to sail before the wind and to take me to a large wherry +which could be seen at some distance, going towards Vido Rock. I +abandoned the row-boat, and, after paying the master of the caicco +generously, I got into the wherry, made a bargain with the skipper +who unfurled three sails, and in less than two hours we were fifteen +miles away from Corfu. The wind having died away, I made the men row +against the current, but towards midnight they told me that they +could not row any longer, they were worn out with fatigue. They +advised me to sleep until day-break, but I refused to do so, and for +a trifle I got them to put me on shore, without asking where I was, +in order not to raise their suspicions. It was enough for me to know +that I was at a distance of twenty miles from Corfu, and in a place +where nobody could imagine me to be. The moon was shining, and I saw +a church with a house adjoining, a long barn opened on both sides, a +plain of about one hundred yards confined by hills, and nothing more. +I found some straw in the barn, and laying myself down, I slept until +day-break in spite of the cold. It was the 1st of December, and +although the climate is very mild in Corfu I felt benumbed when I +awoke, as I had no cloak over my thin uniform. + +The bells begin to toll, and I proceed towards the church. The long- +bearded papa, surprised at my sudden apparition, enquires whether I +am Romeo (a Greek); I tell him that I am Fragico (Italian), but he +turns his back upon me and goes into his house, the door of which he +shuts without condescending to listen to me. + +I then turned towards the sea, and saw a boat leaving a tartan lying +at anchor within one hundred yards of the island; the boat had four +oars and landed her passengers. I come up to them and meet a good- +looking Greek, a woman and a young boy ten or twelve years old. +Addressing myself to the Greek, I ask him whether he has had a +pleasant passage, and where he comes from. He answers in Italian +that he has sailed from Cephalonia with his wife and his son, and +that he is bound for Venice; he had landed to hear mass at the Church +of Our Lady of Casopo, in order to ascertain whether his father-in- +law was still alive, and whether he would pay the amount he had +promised him for the dowry of his wife. + +"But how can you find it out?" + +"The Papa Deldimopulo will tell me; he will communicate faithfully +the oracle of the Holy Virgin." I say nothing and follow him into the +church; he speaks to the priest, and gives him some money. The papa +says the mass, enters the sanctum sanctorum, comes out again in a +quarter of an hour, ascends the steps of the altar, turns towards his +audience, and, after meditating for a minute and stroking his long +beard, he delivers his oracle in a dozen words. The Greek of +Cephalonia, who certainly could not boast of being as wise as +Ulysses, appears very well pleased, and gives more money to the +impostor. We leave the church, and I ask him whether he feels +satisfied) with the oracle. + +"Oh! quite satisfied. I know now that my father-in-law is alive, +and that he will pay me the dowry, if I consent to leave my child +with him. I am aware that it is his fancy and I will give him the +boy." + +"Does the papa know you?" + +"No; he is not even acquainted with my name." + +"Have you any fine goods on board your tartan?" + +"Yes; come and breakfast with me; you can see all I have." + +"Very willingly." + +Delighted at hearing that oracles were not yet defunct, and satisfied +that they will endure as long as there are in this world simple- +minded men and deceitful, cunning priests, I follow the good man, who +took me to his tartan and treated me to an excellent breakfast. His +cargo consisted of cotton, linen, currants, oil, and excellent wines. +He had also a stock of night-caps, stockings, cloaks in the Eastern +fashion, umbrellas, and sea biscuits, of which I was very fond; in +those days I had thirty teeth, and it would have been difficult to +find a finer set. Alas! I have but two left now, the other twenty- +eight are gone with other tools quite as precious; but 'dum vita +super est, bene est.' I bought a small stock of everything he had +except cotton, for which I had no use, and without discussing his +price I paid him the thirty-five or forty sequins he demanded, and +seeing my generosity he made me a present of six beautiful botargoes. + +I happened during our conversation to praise the wine of Xante, which +he called generoydes, and he told me that if I would accompany him to +Venice he would give me a bottle of that wine every day including the +quarantine. Always superstitious, I was on the point of accepting, +and that for the most foolish reason-namely, that there would be no +premeditation in that strange resolution, and it might be the impulse +of fate. Such was my nature in those days; alas; it is very +different now. They say that it is because wisdom comes with old +age, but I cannot reconcile myself to cherish the effect of a most +unpleasant cause. + +Just as I was going to accept his offer he proposes to sell me a very +fine gun for ten sequins, saying that in Corfu anyone would be glad +of it for twelve. The word Corfu upsets all my ideas on the spot! I +fancy I hear the voice of my genius telling me to go back to that +city. I purchase the gun for the ten sequins, and my honest +Cephalonian, admiring my fair dealing, gives me, over and above our +bargain, a beautiful Turkish pouch well filled with powder and shot. +Carrying my gun, with a good warm cloak over my uniform and with a +large bag containing all my purchases, I take leave of the worthy +Greek, and am landed on the shore, determined on obtaining a lodging +from the cheating papa, by fair means or foul. The good wine of my +friend the Cephalonian had excited me just enough to make me carry my +determination into immediate execution. I had in my pockets four or +five hundred copper gazzette, which were very heavy, but which I had +procured from the Greek, foreseeing that I might want them during my +stay on the island. + +I store my bag away in the barn and I proceed, gun in hand, towards +the house of the priest; the church was closed. + +I must give my readers some idea of the state I was in at that +moment. I was quietly hopeless. The three or four hundred sequins I +had with me did not prevent me from thinking that I was not in very +great security on the island; I could not remain long, I would soon +be found out, and, being guilty of desertion, I should be treated +accordingly. I did not know what to do, and that is always an +unpleasant predicament. It would be absurd for me to return to Corfu +of my own accord; my flight would then be useless, and I should be +thought a fool, for my return would be a proof of cowardice or +stupidity; yet I did not feel the courage to desert altogether. The +chief cause of my decision was not that I had a thousand sequins in +the hands of the faro banker, or my well-stocked wardrobe, or the +fear of not getting a living somewhere else, but the unpleasant +recollection that I should leave behind me a woman whom I loved to +adoration, and from whom I had not yet obtained any favour, not even +that of kissing her hand. In such distress of mind I could not do +anything else but abandon myself to chance, whatever the result might +be, and the most essential thing for the present was to secure a +lodging and my daily food. + +I knock at the door of the priest's dwelling. He looks out of a +window and shuts it without listening to me, I knock again, I swear, +I call out loudly, all in vain, Giving way to my rage, I take aim at +a poor sheep grazing with several others at a short distance, and +kill it. The herdsman begins to scream, the papa shows himself at +the window, calling out, "Thieves! Murder!" and orders the alarm- +bell to be rung. Three bells are immediately set in motion, I +foresee a general gathering: what is going to happen? I do not know, +but happen what will, I load my gun and await coming events. + +In less than eight or ten minutes, I see a crowd of peasants coming +down the hills, armed with guns, pitchforks, or cudgels: I withdraw +inside of the barn, but without the slightest fear, for I cannot +suppose that, seeing me alone, these men will murder me without +listening to me. + +The first ten or twelve peasants come forward, gun in hand and ready +to fire: I stop them by throwing down my gazzette, which they lose no +time in picking up from the ground, and I keep on throwing money down +as the men come forward, until I had no more left. The clowns were +looking at each other in great astonishment, not knowing what to make +out of a well-dressed young man, looking very peaceful, and throwing +his money to them with such generosity. I could not speak to them +until the deafening noise of the bells should cease. I quietly sit +down on my large bag, and keep still, but as soon as I can be heard I +begin to address the men. The priest, however, assisted by his +beadle and by the herdsman, interrupts me, and all the more easily +that I was speaking Italian. My three enemies, who talked all at +once, were trying to excite the crowd against me. + +One of the peasants, an elderly and reasonable-looking man, comes up +to me and asks me in Italian why I have killed the sheep. + +"To eat it, my good fellow, but not before I have paid for it." + +"But his holiness, the papa, might choose to charge one sequin for +it." + +"Here is one sequin." + +The priest takes the money and goes away: war is over. The peasant +tells me that he has served in the campaign of 1716, and that he was +at the defence of Corfu. I compliment him, and ask him to find me a +lodging and a man able to prepare my meals. He answers that he will +procure me a whole house, that he will be my cook himself, but I must +go up the hill. No matter! He calls two stout fellows, one takes my +bag, the other shoulders my sheep, and forward! As we are walking +along, I tell him,-- + +"My good man, I would like to have in my service twenty-four fellows +like these under military discipline. I would give each man twenty +gazzette a day, and you would have forty as my lieutenant." + +"I will," says the old soldier, "raise for you this very day a body- +guard of which you will be proud." + +We reach a very convenient house, containing on the ground floor +three rooms and a stable, which I immediately turned into a guard- +room. + +My lieutenant went to get what I wanted, and particularly a +needlewoman to make me some shirts. In the course of the day I had +furniture, bedding, kitchen utensils, a good dinner, twenty-four +well-equipped soldiers, a super-annuated sempstress and several young +girls to make my shirts. After supper, I found my position highly +pleasant, being surrounded with some thirty persons who looked upon +me as their sovereign, although they could not make out what had +brought me to their island. The only thing which struck me as +disagreeable was that the young girls could not speak Italian, and I +did not know Greek enough to enable me to make love to them. + +The next morning my lieutenant had the guard relieved, and I could +not help bursting into a merry laugh. They were like a flock of +sheep: all fine men, well-made and strong; but without uniform and +without discipline the finest band is but a herd. However, they +quickly learned how to present arms and to obey the orders of their +officer. I caused three sentinels to be placed, one before the +guardroom, one at my door, and the third where he could have a good +view of the sea. This sentinel was to give me warning of the +approach of any armed boat or vessel. For the first two or three +days I considered all this as mere amusement, but, thinking that I +might really want the men to repel force by force, I had some idea of +making my army take an oath of allegiance. I did not do so, however, +although my lieutenant assured me that I had only to express my +wishes, for my generosity had captivated the love of all the +islanders. + +My sempstress, who had procured some young needlewomen to sew my +shirts, had expected that I would fall in love with one and not with +all, but my amorous zeal overstepped her hopes, and all the pretty +ones had their turn; they were all well satisfied with me, and the +sempstress was rewarded for her good offices. I was leading a +delightful life, for my table was supplied with excellent dishes, +juicy mutton, and snipe so delicious that I have never tasted their +like except in St. Petersburg. I drank scopolo wine or the best +muscatel of the Archipelago. My lieutenant was my only table +companion. I never took a walk without him and two of my body-guard, +in order to defend myself against the attacks of a few young men who +had a spite against me because they fancied, not without some reason, +that my needlewomen, their mistresses, had left them on my account. +I often thought while I was rambling about the island, that without +money I should have been unhappy, and that I was indebted to my gold +for all the happiness I was enjoying; but it was right to suppose at +the same time that, if I had not felt my purse pretty heavy, I would +not have been likely to leave Corfu. + +I had thus been playing the petty king with success for a week or ten +days, when, towards ten o'clock at night I heard the sentinel's +challenge. My lieutenant went out, and returned announcing that an +honest-looking man, who spoke Italian, wished to see me on important +business. I had him brought in, and, in the presence of my +lieutenant, he told me in Italian: + +"Next Sunday, the Papa Deldimopulo will fulminate against you the +'cataramonachia'. If you do not prevent him, a slow fever will send +you into the next world in six weeks." + +"I have never heard of such a drug." + +"It is not a drug. It is a curse pronounced by a priest with the +Host in his hands, and it is sure to be fulfilled." + +"What reason can that priest have to murder me?" + +"You disturb the peace and discipline of his parish. You have +seduced several young girls, and now their lovers refuse to marry +them." + +I made him drink, and thanking him heartily, wished him good night. +His warning struck me as deserving my attention, for, if I had no +fear of the 'cataramonachia', in which I had not the slightest faith, +I feared certain poisons which might be by far more efficient. I +passed a very quiet night, but at day-break I got up, and without +saying anything to my lieutenant, I went straight to the church where +I found the priest, and addressed him in the following words, uttered +in a tone likely to enforce conviction: + +"On the first symptom of fever, I will shoot you like a dog. Throw +over me a curse which will kill me instantly, or make your will. +Farewell!" + +Having thus warned him, I returned to my royal palace. Early on the +following Monday, the papa called on me. I had a slight headache; he +enquired after my health, and when I told him that my head felt +rather heavy, he made me laugh by the air of anxiety with which he +assured me that it could be caused by nothing else than the heavy +atmosphere of the island of Casopo. + +Three days after his visit, the advanced sentinel gave the war-cry. +The lieutenant went out to reconnoitre, and after a short absence he +gave me notice that the long boat of an armed vessel had just landed +an officer. Danger was at hand. + +I go out myself, I call my men to arms, and, advancing a few steps, I +see an officer, accompanied by a guide, who was walking towards my +dwelling. As he was alone, I had nothing to fear. I return to my +room, giving orders to my lieutenant to receive him with all military +honours and to introduce him. Then, girding my sword, I wait for my +visitor. + +In a few minutes, Adjutant Minolto, the same who had brought me the +order to put myself under arrest, makes his appearance. + +"You are alone," I say to him, "and therefore you come as a friend. +Let us embrace." + +"I must come as a friend, for, as an enemy, I should not have enough +men. But what I see seems a dream." + +"Take a seat, and dine with me. I will treat you splendidly." + +"Most willingly, and after dinner we will leave the island together." + +"You may go alone, if you like; but I will not leave this place until +I have the certainty, not only that I shall not be sent to the +'bastarda', but also that I shall have every satisfaction from the +knave whom the general ought to send to the galleys." + +"Be reasonable, and come with me of your own accord. My orders are +to take you by force, but as I have not enough men to do so, I shall +make my report, and the general will, of course, send a force +sufficient to arrest you." + +"Never; I will not be taken alive." + +"You must be mad; believe me, you are in the wrong. You have +disobeyed the order I brought you to go to the 'bastarda; in that you +have acted wrongly, and in that alone, for in every other respect you +were perfectly right, the general himself says so." + +"Then I ought to have put myself under arrest?" + +"Certainly; obedience is necessary in our profession." + +"Would you have obeyed, if you had been in my place ?" + +"I cannot and will not tell you what I would have done, but I know +that if I had disobeyed orders I should have been guilty of a crime:" + +"But if I surrendered now I should be treated like a criminal, and +much more severely than if I had obeyed that unjust order." + +"I think not. Come with me, and you will know everything." + +"What! Go without knowing what fate may be in store for me? Do not +expect it. Let us have dinner. If I am guilty of such a dreadful +crime that violence must be used against me, I will surrender only to +irresistible force. I cannot be worse off, but there may be blood +spilled." + +"You are mistaken, such conduct would only make you more guilty. But +I say like you, let us have dinner. A good meal will very likely +render you more disposed to listen to reason." + +Our dinner was nearly over, when we heard some noise outside. The +lieutenant came in, and informed me that the peasants were gathering +in the neighbourhood of my house to defend me, because a rumour had +spread through the island that the felucca had been sent with orders +to arrest me and take me to Corfu. I told him to undeceive the good +fellows, and to send them away, but to give them first a barrel of +wine. + +The peasants went away satisfied, but, to shew their devotion to me, +they all fired their guns. + +"It is all very amusing," said the adjutant, "but it will turn out +very serious if you let me go away alone, for my duty compels me to +give an exact account of all I have witnessed." + +"I will follow you, if you will give me your word of honour to land +me free in Corfu." + +"I have orders to deliver your person to M. Foscari, on board the +bastarda." + +"Well, you shall not execute your orders this time." + +"If you do not obey the commands of the general, his honour will +compel him to use violence against you, and of course he can do it. +But tell me, what would you do if the general should leave you in +this island for the sake of the joke? There is no fear of that, +however, and, after the report which I must give, the general will +certainly make up his mind to stop the affair without shedding +blood." + +"Without a fight it will be difficult to arrest me, for with five +hundred peasants in such a place as this I would not be afraid of +three thousand men." + +"One man will prove enough; you will be treated as a leader of +rebels. All these peasants may be devoted to you, but they cannot +protect you against one man who will shoot you for the sake of +earning a few pieces of gold. I can tell you more than that: amongst +all those men who surround you there is not one who would not murder +you for twenty sequins. Believe me, go with me. Come to enjoy the +triumph which is awaiting you in Corfu. You will be courted and +applauded. You will narrate yourself all your mad frolics, people +will laugh, and at the same time will admire you for having listened +to reason the moment I came here. Everybody feels esteem for you, +and M. D---- R----- thinks a great deal of you. He praises very +highly the command you have shewn over your passion in refraining +from thrusting your sword through that insolent fool, in order not to +forget the respect you owed to his house. The general himself must +esteem you, for he cannot forget what you told him of that knave." + +"What has become of him?" + +"Four days ago Major Sardina's frigate arrived with dispatches, in +which the general must have found all the proof of the imposture, for +he has caused the false duke or prince to disappear very suddenly. +Nobody knows where he has been sent to, and nobody ventures to +mention the fellow before the general, for he made the most egregious +blunder respecting him." + +"But was the man received in society after the thrashing I gave him?" + +"God forbid! Do you not recollect that he wore a sword? From that +moment no one would receive him. His arm was broken and his jaw +shattered to pieces. + +But in spite of the state he was in, in spite of what he must have +suffered, his excellency had him removed a week after you had treated +him so severely. But your flight is what everyone has been wondering +over. It was thought for three days that M. D---- R----- had +concealed you in his house, and he was openly blamed for doing so. +He had to declare loudly at the general's table that he was in the +most complete ignorance of your whereabouts. His excellency even +expressed his anxiety about your escape, and it was only yesterday +that your place of refuge was made known by a letter addressed by the +priest of this island to the Proto-Papa Bulgari, in which he +complained that an Italian officer had invaded the island of Casopo a +week before, and had committed unheard-of violence. He accused you +of seducing all the girls, and of threatening to shoot him if he +dared to pronounce 'cataramonachia' against you. This letter, which +was read publicly at the evening reception, made the general laugh, +but he ordered me to arrest you all the same." + +"Madame Sagredo is the cause of it all." + +"True, but she is well punished for it. You ought to call upon her +with me to-morrow." + +"To-morrow? Are you then certain that I shall not be placed under +arrest?" + +"Yes, for I know that the general is a man of honour." + +"I am of the same opinion. Well, let us go on board your felucca. +We will embark together after midnight." + +"Why not now?" + +"Because I will not run the risk of spending the night on board M. +Foscari's bastarda. I want to reach Corfu by daylight, so as to make +your victory more brilliant." + +"But what shall we do for the next eight hours?" + +"We will pay a visit to some beauties of a species unknown in Corfu, +and have a good supper." + +I ordered my lieutenant to send plenty to eat and to drink to the men +on board the felucca, to prepare a splendid supper, and to spare +nothing, as I should leave the island at midnight. I made him a +present of all my provisions, except such as I wanted to take with +me; these I sent on board. My janissaries, to whom I gave a week's +pay, insisted upon escorting me, fully equipped, as far as the boat, +which made the adjutant laugh all the way. + +We reached Corfu by eight o'clock in the morning, and we went +alongside the 'bastarda. The adjutant consigned me to M. Foscari, +assuring me that he would immediately give notice of my arrival to +M. D---- R-----, send my luggage to his house, and report the success +of his expedition to the general. + +M. Foscari, the commander of the bastarda, treated me very badly. If +he had been blessed with any delicacy of feeling, he would not have +been in such a hurry to have me put in irons. He might have talked +to me, and have thus delayed for a quarter of an hour that operation +which greatly vexed me. But, without uttering a single word, he sent +me to the 'capo di scalo' who made me sit down, and told me to put my +foot forward to receive the irons, which, however, do not dishonour +anyone in that country, not even the galley slaves, for they are +better treated than soldiers. + +My right leg was already in irons, and the left one was in the hands +of the man for the completion of that unpleasant ceremony, when the +adjutant of his excellency came to tell the executioner to set me at +liberty and to return me my sword. I wanted to present my +compliments to the noble M. Foscari, but the adjutant, rather +ashamed, assured me that his excellency did not expect me to do so. +The first thing I did was to pay my respects to the general, without +saying one word to him, but he told me with a serious countenance to +be more prudent for the future, and to learn that a soldier's first +duty was to obey, and above all to be modest and discreet. I +understood perfectly the meaning of the two last words, and acted +accordingly. + +When I made my appearance at M. D---- R-----'s, I could see pleasure +on everybody's face. Those moments have always been so dear to me +that I have never forgotten them, they have afforded me consolation +in the time of adversity. If you would relish pleasure you must +endure pain, and delights are in proportion to the privations we have +suffered. M. D---- R----- was so glad to see me that he came up to +me and warmly embraced me. He presented me with a beautiful ring +which he took from his own finger, and told me that I had acted quite +rightly in not letting anyone, and particularly himself, know where I +had taken refuge. + +"You can't think," he added, frankly, "how interested Madame F---- +was in your fate. She would be really delighted if you called on her +immediately." + +How delightful to receive such advice from his own lips! But the +word "immediately" annoyed me, because, having passed the night on +board the felucca, I was afraid that the disorder of my toilet might +injure me in her eyes. Yet I could neither refuse M. D---- R-----, +nor tell him the reason of my refusal, and I bethought myself that I +could make a merit of it in the eyes of Madame F---- +I therefore went at once to her house; the goddess was not yet +visible, but her attendant told me to come in, assuring me that her +mistress's bell would soon be heard, and that she would be very sorry +if I did not wait to see her. I spent half an hour with that young +and indiscreet person, who was a very charming girl, and learned from +her many things which caused me great pleasure, and particularly all +that had been said respecting my escape. I found that throughout the +affair my conduct had met with general approbation. + +As soon as Madame F---- had seen her maid, she desired me to be shewn +in. The curtains were drawn aside, and I thought I saw Aurora +surrounded with the roses and the pearls of morning. I told her +that, if it had not been for the order I received from M. D---- R---- +I would not have presumed to present myself before her in my +travelling costume; and in the most friendly tone she answered that +M. D---- R-----, knowing all the interest she felt in me, had been +quite right to tell me to come, and she assured me that M. D---- +R----- had the greatest esteem for me. + +"I do not know, madam, how I have deserved such great happiness, for +all I dared aim at was toleration." + +"We all admired the control you kept over your feelings when you +refrained from killing that insolent madman on the spot; he would +have been thrown out of the window if he had not beat a hurried +retreat." + +"I should certainly have killed him, madam, if you had not been +present." + +"A very pretty compliment, but I can hardly believe that you thought +of me in such a moment." + +I did not answer, but cast my eyes down, and gave a deep sigh. She +observed my new ring, and in order to change the subject of +conversation she praised M. D---- R----- very highly, as soon as I +had told her how he had offered it to me. She desired me to give her +an account of my life on the island, and I did so, but allowed my +pretty needlewomen to remain under a veil, for I had already learnt +that in this world the truth must often remain untold. + +All my adventures amused her much, and she greatly admired my +conduct. + +"Would you have the courage," she said, "to repeat all you have just +told me, and exactly in the same terms, before the proveditore- +generale?" + +"Most certainly, madam, provided he asked me himself." + +"Well, then, prepare to redeem your promise. I want our excellent +general to love you and to become your warmest protector, so as to +shield you against every injustice and to promote your advancement. +Leave it all to me." + +Her reception fairly overwhelmed me with happiness, and on leaving +her house I went to Major Maroli to find out the state of my +finances. I was glad to hear that after my escape he had no longer +considered me a partner in the faro bank. I took four hundred +sequins from the cashier, reserving the right to become again a +partner, should circumstances prove at any time favourable. + +In the evening I made a careful toilet, and called for the Adjutant +Minolto in order to pay with him a visit to Madame Sagredo, the +general's favourite. With the exception of Madame F---- she was the +greatest beauty of Corfu. My visit surprised her, because, as she +had been the cause of all that had happened, she was very far from +expecting it. She imagined that I had a spite against her. I +undeceived her, speaking to her very candidly, and she treated me +most kindly, inviting me to come now and then to spend the evening at +her house. + +But I neither accepted nor refused her amiable invitation, knowing +that Madame F---- disliked her; and how could I be a frequent guest +at her house with such a knowledge! Besides, Madame Sagredo was very +fond of gambling, and, to please her, it was necessary either to lose +or make her win, but to accept such conditions one must be in love +with the lady or wish to make her conquest, and I had not the +slightest idea of either. The Adjutant Minolto never played, but he +had captivated the lady's good graces by his services in the +character of Mercury. + +When I returned to the palace I found Madame F---- alone, M. D---- +R----- being engaged with his correspondence. She asked me to sit +near her, and to tell her all my adventures in Constantinople. I did +so, and I had no occasion to repent it. My meeting with Yusuf's wife +pleased her extremely, but the bathing scene by moonlight made her +blush with excitement. I veiled as much as I could the too brilliant +colours of my picture, but, if she did not find me clear, she would +oblige me to be more explicit, and if I made myself better understood +by giving to my recital a touch of voluptuousness which I borrowed +from her looks more than from my recollection, she would scold me and +tell me that I might have disguised a little more. I felt that the +way she was talking would give her a liking for me, and I was +satisfied that the man who can give birth to amorous desires is +easily called upon to gratify them it was the reward I was ardently +longing for, and I dared to hope it would be mine, although I could +see it only looming in the distance. + +It happened that, on that day, M. D---- R----- had invited a large +company to supper. I had, as a matter of course, to engross all +conversation, and to give the fullest particulars of all that had +taken place from the moment I received the order to place myself +under arrest up to the time of my release from the 'bastarda'. +M. Foscari was seated next to me, and the last part of my narrative +was not, I suppose, particularly agreeable to him. + +The account I gave of my adventures pleased everybody, and it was +decided that the proveditore-generale must have the pleasure of +hearing my tale from my own lips. I mentioned that hay was very +plentiful in Casopo, and as that article was very scarce in Corfu, +M. D---- R----- told me that I ought to seize the opportunity of +making myself agreeable to the general by informing him of that +circumstance without delay. I followed his advice the very next day, +and was very well received, for his excellency immediately ordered a +squad of men to go to the island and bring large quantities of hay to +Corfu. + +A few days later the Adjutant Minolto came to me in the coffee-house, +and told me that the general wished to see me: this time I promptly +obeyed his commands. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +Progress of My Amour--My Journey to Otranto--I Enter the Service of +Madame F.--A Fortunate Excoriation + + +The room I entered was full of people. His excellency, seeing me, +smiled and drew upon me the attention of all his guests by saying +aloud, "Here comes the young man who is a good judge of princes." + +"My lord, I have become a judge of nobility by frequenting the +society of men like you." + +"The ladies are curious to know all you have done from the time of +your escape from Corfu up to your return." + +"Then you sentence me, monsignor, to make a public confession?" + +"Exactly; but, as it is to be a confession, be careful not to omit +the most insignificant circumstance, and suppose that I am not in the +room." + +"On the contrary, I wish to receive absolution only from your +excellency. But my history will be a long one." + +"If such is the case, your confessor gives you permission to be +seated." + +I gave all the particulars of my adventures, with the exception of my +dalliance with the nymphs of the island. + +"Your story is a very instructive one," observed the general. + +"Yes, my lord, for the adventures shew that a young man is never so +near his utter ruin than when, excited by some great passion, he +finds himself able to minister to it, thanks to the gold in his +purse." + +I was preparing to take my leave, when the majordomo came to inform +me that his excellency desired me to remain to supper. I had +therefore the honour of a seat at his table, but not the pleasure of +eating, for I was obliged to answer the questions addressed to me +from all quarters, and I could not contrive to swallow a single +mouthful. I was seated next to the Proto-Papa Bulgari, and I +entreated his pardon for having ridiculed Deldimopulo's oracle. "It +is nothing else but regular cheating," he said, "but it is very +difficult to put a stop to it; it is an old custom." + +A short time afterwards, Madame F---- whispered a few words to the +general, who turned to me and said that he would be glad to hear me +relate what had occurred to me in Constantinople with the wife of the +Turk Yusuf, and at another friend's house, where I had seen bathing +by moonlight. I was rather surprised at such an invitation, and told +him that such frolics were not worth listening to, and the general +not pressing me no more was said about it. But I was astonished at +Madame F----'s indiscretion; she had no business to make my +confidences public. I wanted her to be jealous of her own dignity, +which I loved even more than her person. + +Two or three days later, she said to me, + +"Why did you refuse to tell your adventures in Constantinople before +the general?" + +"Because I do not wish everybody to know that you allow me to tell +you such things. What I may dare, madam, to say to you when we are +alone, I would certainly not say to you in public." + +"And why not? It seems to me, on the contrary, that if you are +silent in public out of respect for me, you ought to be all the more +silent when we are alone." + +"I wanted to amuse you, and have exposed myself to the danger of +displeasing you, but I can assure you, madam, that I will not run +such a risk again." + +"I have no wish to pry into your intentions, but it strikes me that +if your wish was to please me, you ought not to have run the risk of +obtaining the opposite result. We take supper with the general this +evening, and M. D---- R----- has been asked to bring you. I feel +certain that the general will ask you again for your adventures in +Constantinople, and this time you cannot refuse him." + +M. D---- R----- came in and we went to the general's. I thought as +we were driving along that, although Madame F---- seemed to have +intended to humiliate me, I ought to accept it all as a favour of +fortune, because, by compelling me to explain my refusal to the +general; Madame F---- had, at the same time, compelled me to a +declaration of my feelings, which was not without importance. + +The 'proveditore-generale' gave me a friendly welcome, and kindly +handed me a letter which had come with the official dispatches from +Constantinople. I bowed my thanks, and put the letter in my pocket: +but he told me that he was himself a great lover of news, and that I +could read my letter. I opened it; it was from Yusuf, who announced +the death of Count de Bonneval. Hearing the name of the worthy +Yusuf, the general asked me to tell him my adventure with his wife. +I could not now refuse, and I began a story which amused and +interested the general and his friends for an hour or so, but which +was from beginning to end the work of my imagination. + +Thus I continued to respect the privacy of Yusuf, to avoid +implicating the good fame of Madame F----, and to shew myself in a +light which was tolerably advantageous to me. My story, which was +full of sentiment, did me a great deal of honour, and I felt very +happy when I saw from the expression of Madame F----'s face that she +was pleased with me, although somewhat surprised. + +When we found ourselves again in her house she told me, in the +presence of M. D---- R-----, that the story I had related to the +general was certainly very pretty, although purely imaginary, that +she was not angry with me, because I had amused her, but that she +could not help remarking my obstinacy in refusing compliance with her +wishes. Then, turning to M. D---- R-----, she said, + +"M. Casanova pretends that if he had given an account of his meeting +with Yusuf's wife without changing anything everybody would think +that I allowed him to entertain me with indecent stories. I want you +to give your opinion about it. Will you," she added, speaking to me, +"be so good as to relate immediately the adventure in the same words +which you have used when you told me of it?" + +"Yes, madam, if you wish me to do so." + +Stung to the quick by an indiscretion which, as I did not yet know +women thoroughly, seemed to me without example, I cast all fears of +displeasing to the winds, related the adventure with all the warmth +of an impassioned poet, and without disguising or attenuating in the +least the desires which the charms of the Greek beauty had inspired +me with. + +"Do you think," said M. D---- R----- to Madame F-----, "that he ought +to have related that adventure before all our friends as he has just +related it to us?" + +"If it be wrong for him to tell it in public, it is also wrong to +tell it to me in private." + +"You are the only judge of that: yes, if he has displeased you; no, +if he has amused you. As for my own opinion, here it is: He has just +now amused me very much, but he would have greatly displeased me if +he had related the same adventure in public." + +"Then," exclaimed Madame F----, "I must request you never to tell me +in private anything that you cannot repeat in public." + +"I promise, madam, to act always according to your wishes." + +"It being understood," added M. D---- R-----, smiling, "that madam +reserves all rights of repealing that order whenever she may think +fit." + +I was vexed, but I contrived not to show it. A few minutes more, and +we took leave of Madame F---- + +I was beginning to understand that charming woman, and to dread the +ordeal to which she would subject me. But love was stronger than +fear, and, fortified with hope, I had the courage to endure the +thorns, so as to gather the rose at the end of my sufferings. I was +particularly pleased to find that M. D---- R----- was not jealous of +me, even when she seemed to dare him to it. This was a point of the +greatest importance. + +A few days afterwards, as I was entertaining her on various subjects, +she remarked how unfortunate it had been for me to enter the +lazzaretto at Ancona without any money. + +"In spite of my distress," I said, "I fell in love with a young and +beautiful Greek slave, who very nearly contrived to make me break +through all the sanitary laws." + +"How so?" + +"You are alone, madam, and I have not forgotten your orders." + +"Is it a very improper story?" + +"No: yet I would not relate it to you in public." + +"Well," she said, laughing, "I repeal my order, as M. D---- R----- +said I would. Tell me all about it." + +I told my story, and, seeing that she was pensive, I exaggerated the +misery I had felt at not being able to complete my conquest. + +"What do you mean by your misery? I think that the poor girl was +more to be pitied than you. You have never seen her since?" + +"I beg your pardon, madam; I met her again, but I dare not tell you +when or how." + +"Now you must go on; it is all nonsense for you to stop. Tell me +all; I expect you have been guilty of some black deed." + +"Very far from it, madam, for it was a very sweet, although +incomplete, enjoyment." + +"Go on! But do not call things exactly by their names. It is not +necessary to go into details." + +Emboldened by the renewal of her order, I told her, without looking +her in the face, of my meeting with the Greek slave in the presence +of Bellino, and of the act which was cut short by the appearance of +her master. When I had finished my story, Madame F---- remained +silent, and I turned the conversation into a different channel, for +though I felt myself on an excellent footing with her, I knew +likewise that I had to proceed with great prudence. She was too +young to have lowered herself before, and she would certainly look +upon a connection with me as a lowering of her dignity. + +Fortune which had always smiled upon me in the most hopeless cases, +did not intend to ill-treat me on this occasion, and procured me, on +that very same day, a favour of a very peculiar nature. My charming +ladylove having pricked her finger rather severely, screamed loudly, +and stretched her hand towards me, entreating me to suck the blood +flowing from the wound. You may judge, dear reader, whether I was +long in seizing that beautiful hand, and if you are, or if you have +ever been in love, you will easily guess the manner in which I +performed my delightful work. What is a kiss? Is it not an ardent +desire to inhale a portion of the being we love? Was not the blood I +was sucking from that charming wound a portion of the woman I +worshipped? When I had completed my work, she thanked me +affectionately, and told me to spit out the blood I had sucked. + +"It is here," I said, placing my hand on my heart, "and God alone +knows what happiness it has given me." + +"You have drunk my blood with happiness! Are you then a cannibal?" + +"I believe not, madam; but it would have been sacrilege in my eyes if +I had suffered one single drop of your blood to be lost." + +One evening, there was an unusually large attendance at M. D---- +R-----'s assembly, and we were talking of the carnival which was near +at hand. Everybody was regretting the lack of actors, and the +impossibility of enjoying the pleasures of the theatre. I +immediately offered to procure a good company at my expense, if the +boxes were at once subscribed for, and the monopoly of the faro bank +granted to me. No time was to be lost, for the carnival was +approaching, and I had to go to Otranto to engage a troop. My +proposal was accepted with great joy, and the proveditore-generale +placed a felucca at my disposal. The boxes were all taken in three +days, and a Jew took the pit, two nights a week excepted, which I +reserved for my own profit. + +The carnival being very long that year, I had every chance of +success. It is said generally that the profession of theatrical +manager is difficult, but, if that is the case, I have not found it +so by experience, and am bound to affirm the contrary. + +I left Corfu in the evening, and having a good breeze in my favour, I +reached Otranto by day-break the following morning, without the +oarsmen having had to row a stroke. The distance from Corfu to +Otranto is only about fifteen leagues. + +I had no idea of landing, owing to the quarantine which is always +enforced for any ship or boat coming to Italy from the east. I only +went to the parlour of the lazaretto, where, placed behind a grating, +you can speak to any person who calls, and who must stand behind +another grating placed opposite, at a distance of six feet. + +As soon as I announced that I had come for the purpose of engaging a +troupe of actors to perform in Corfu, the managers of the two +companies then in Otranto came to the parlour to speak to me. I told +them at once that I wished to see all the performers, one company at +a time. + +The two rival managers gave me then a very comic scene, each manager +wanting the other to bring his troupe first. The harbour-master told +me that the only way to settle the matter was to say myself which of +the two companies I would see first: one was from Naples, the other +from Sicily. Not knowing either I gave the preference to the first. +Don Fastidio, the manager, was very vexed, while Battipaglia, the +director of the second, was delighted because he hoped that, after +seeing the Neapolitan troupe, I would engage his own. + +An hour afterwards, Fastidio returned with all his performers, and my +surprise may be imagined when amongst them I recognized Petronio and +his sister Marina, who, the moment she saw me, screamed for joy, +jumped over the grating, and threw herself in my arms. A terrible +hubbub followed, and high words passed between Fastidio and the +harbour-master. Marina being in the service of Fastidio, the captain +compelled him to confine her to the lazaretto, where she would have +to perform quarantine at his expense. The poor girl cried bitterly, +but I could not remedy her imprudence. + +I put a stop to the quarrel by telling Fastidio to shew me all his +people, one after the other. Petronio belonged to his company, and +performed the lovers. He told me that he had a letter for me from +Therese. I was also glad to see a Venetian of my acquaintance who +played the pantaloon in the pantomime, three tolerably pretty +actresses, a pulcinella, and a scaramouch. Altogether, the troupe +was a decent one. + +I told Fastidio to name the lowest salary he wanted for all his +company, assuring him that I would give the preference to his rival, +if he should ask me too much. + +"Sir," he answered, "we are twenty, and shall require six rooms with +ten beds, one sitting-room for all of us, and thirty Neapolitan +ducats a day, all travelling expenses paid. Here is my stock of +plays, and we will perform those that you may choose." + +Thinking of poor Marina who would have to remain in the lazaretto +before she could reappear on the stage at Otranto, I told Fastidio to +get the contract ready, as I wanted to go away immediately. + +I had scarcely pronounced these words than war broke out again +between the manager-elect and his unfortunate competitor. +Battipaglia, in his rage, called Marina a harlot, and said that she +had arranged beforehand with Fastidio to violate the rules of the +lazaretto in order to compel me to choose their troupe. Petronio, +taking his sister's part, joined Fastidio, and the unlucky +Battipaglia was dragged outside and treated to a generous dose of +blows and fisticuffs, which was not exactly the thing to console him +for a lost engagement. + +Soon afterwards, Petronio brought me Therese's letter. She was +ruining the duke, getting rich accordingly, and waiting for me in +Naples. + +Everything being ready towards evening, I left Otranto with twenty +actors, and six large trunks containing their complete wardrobes. A +light breeze which was blowing from the south might have carried us +to Corfu in ten hours, but when we had sailed about one hour my +cayabouchiri informed me that he could see by the moonlight a ship +which might prove to be a corsair, and get hold of us. I was +unwilling to risk anything, so I ordered them to lower the sails and +return to Otranto. At day-break we sailed again with a good westerly +wind, which would also have taken us to Corfu; but after we had gone +two or three hours, the captain pointed out to me a brigantine, +evidently a pirate, for she was shaping her course so as to get to +windward of us. I told him to change the course, and to go by +starboard, to see if the brigantine would follow us, but she +immediately imitated our manoeuvre. I could not go back to Otranto, +and I had no wish to go to Africa, so I ordered the men to shape our +course, so as to land on the coast of Calabria, by hard rowing and at +the nearest point. The sailors, who were frightened to death, +communicated their fears to my comedians, and soon I heard nothing +but weeping and sobbing. Every one of them was calling earnestly +upon some saint, but not one single prayer to God did I hear. The +bewailings of scaramouch, the dull and spiritless despair of +Fastidio, offered a picture which would have made me laugh heartily +if the danger had been imaginary and not real. Marina alone was +cheerful and happy, because she did not realize the danger we were +running, and she laughed at the terror of the crew and of her +companions. + +A strong breeze sprang up towards evening, so I ordered them to clap +on all sail and scud before the wind, even if it should get stronger. +In order to escape the pirate, I had made up my mind to cross the +gulf. We took the wind through the night, and in the morning we were +eighty miles from Corfu, which I determined to reach by rowing. We +were in the middle of the gulf, and the sailors were worn out with +fatigue, but I had no longer any fear. A gale began to blow from the +north, and in less than an hour it was blowing so hard that we were +compelled to sail close to the wind in a fearful manner. The felucca +looked every moment as if it must capsize. Every one looked +terrified but kept complete silence, for I had enjoined it on penalty +of death. In spite of our dangerous position, I could not help +laughing when I heard the sobs of the cowardly scaramouch. The +helmsman was a man of great nerve, and the gale being steady I felt +we would reach Corfu without mishap. At day-break we sighted the +town, and at nine in the morning we landed at Mandrachia. Everybody +was surprised to see us arrive that way. + +As soon as my company was landed, the young officers naturally came +to inspect the actresses, but they did not find them very desirable, +with the exception of Marina, who received uncomplainingly the news +that I could not renew my acquaintance with her. I felt certain that +she would not lack admirers. But my actresses, who had appeared ugly +at the landing, produced a very different effect on the stage, and +particularly the pantaloon's wife. M. Duodo, commander of a man-of- +war, called upon her, and, finding master pantaloon intolerant on the +subject of his better-half, gave him a few blows with his cane. +Fastidio informed me the next day that the pantaloon and his wife +refused to perform any more, but I made them alter their mind by +giving them a benefit night. + +The pantaloon's wife was much applauded, but she felt insulted +because, in the midst of the applause, the pit called out, "Bravo, +Duodo!" She presented herself to the general in his own box, in +which I was generally, and complained of the manner in which she was +treated. The general promised her, in my name, another benefit night +for the close of the carnival, and I was of course compelled to +ratify his promise. The fact is, that, to satisfy the greedy actors, +I abandoned to my comedians, one by one, the seventeen nights I had +reserved for myself. The benefit I gave to Marina was at the special +request of Madame F----, who had taken her into great favour since +she had had the honour of breakfasting alone with M. D---- R---- in a +villa outside of the city. + +My generosity cost me four hundred sequins, but the faro bank brought +me a thousand and more, although I never held the cards, my +management of the theatre taking up all my time. My manner with the +actresses gained me great kindness; it was clearly seen that I +carried on no intrigue with any of them, although I had every +facility for doing so. Madame F---- complimented me, saying that she +had not entertained such a good opinion of my discretion. I was too +busy through the carnival to think of love, even of the passion which +filled my heart. It was only at the beginning of Lent, and after the +departure of the comedians, that I could give rein to my feelings. + +One morning Madame F---- sent, a messenger who, summoned me to her +presence. It was eleven o'clock; I immediately went to her, and +enquired what I could do for her service. + +"I wanted to see you," she said, "to return the two hundred sequins +which you lent me so nobly. Here they are; be good enough to give me +back my note of hand." + +"Your note of hand, madam, is no longer in my possession. I have +deposited it in a sealed envelope with the notary who, according to +this receipt of his, can return it only to you." + +"Why did you not keep it yourself?" + +"Because I was afraid of losing it, or of having it stolen. And in +the event of my death I did not want such a document to fall into any +other hands but yours." + +"A great proof of your extreme delicacy, certainly, but I think you +ought to have reserved the right of taking it out of the notary's +custody yourself." + +"I did not forsee the possibility of calling for it myself." + +"Yet it was a very likely thing. Then I can send word to the notary +to transmit it to me?" + +"Certainly, madam; you alone can claim it." + +She sent to the notary, who brought the himself. + +She tore the envelope open, and found only a piece of paper besmeared +with ink, quite illegible, except her own name, which had not been +touched. + +"You have acted," she said, "most nobly; but you must agree with me +that I cannot be certain that this piece of paper is really my note +of hand, although I see my name on it." + +"True, madam; and if you are not certain of it, I confess myself in +the wrong." + +"I must be certain of it, and I am so; but you must grant that I +could not swear to it." + +"Granted, madam." + +During the following days it struck me that her manner towards me was +singularly altered. She never received me in her dishabille, and I +had to wait with great patience until her maid had entirely dressed +her before being admitted into her presence. + +If I related any story, any adventure, she pretened not to +understand, and affected not to see the point of an anecdote or a +jest; very often she would purposely not look at me, and then I was +sure to relate badly. If M. D---- R----- laughed at something I had +just said, she would ask what he was laughing for, and when he had +told her, she would say it was insipid or dull. If one of her +bracelets became unfastened, I offered to fasten it again, but either +she would not give me so much trouble, or I did not understand the +fastening, and the maid was called to do it. I could not help +shewing my vexation, but she did not seem to take the slightest +notice of it. If M. D---- R----- excited me to say something amusing +or witty, and I did not speak immediately, she would say that my +budget was empty, laughing, and adding that the wit of poor +M. Casanova was worn out. Full of rage, I would plead guilty by my +silence to her taunting accusation, but I was thoroughly miserable, +for I did not see any cause for that extraordinary change in her +feelings, being conscious that I had not given her any motive for it. +I wanted to shew her openly my indifference and contempt, but +whenever an opportunity offered, my courage would forsake me, and I +would let it escape. + +One evening M. D---- R----- asking me whether I had often been in +love, I answered, + +"Three times, my lord." + +"And always happily, of course." + +"Always unhappily. The first time, perhaps, because, being an +ecclesiastic, I durst not speak openly of my love. The second, +because a cruel, unexpected event compelled me to leave the woman I +loved at the very moment in which my happiness would have been +complete. The third time, because the feeling of pity, with which I +inspired the beloved object, induced her to cure me of my passion, +instead of crowning my felicity." + +"But what specific remedies did she use to effect your cure?" + +"She has ceased to be kind." + +"I understand she has treated you cruelly, and you call that pity, do +you? You are mistaken." + +"Certainly," said Madame F----, "a woman may pity the man she loves, +but she would not think of ill-treating him to cure him of his +passion. That woman has never felt any love for you." + +"I cannot, I will not believe it, madam." + +"But are you cured?" + +"Oh! thoroughly; for when I happen to think of her, I feel nothing +but indifference and coldness. But my recovery was long." + +"Your convalescence lasted, I suppose, until you fell in love with +another." + +"With another, madam? I thought I had just told you that the third +time I loved was the last." + +A few days after that conversation, M. D---- R----- told me that +Madame F---- was not well, that he could not keep her company, and +that I ought to go to her, as he was sure she would be glad to see +me. I obeyed, and told Madame F---- what M. D---- R----- had said. +She was lying on a sofa. Without looking at me, she told me she was +feverish, and would not ask me to remain with her, because I would +feel weary. + +"I could not experience any weariness in your society, madam; at all +events, I can leave you only by your express command, and, in that +case, I must spend the next four hours in your ante-room, for M. D--- +R----- has told me to wait for him here." + +"If so, you may take a seat." + +Her cold and distant manner repelled me, but I loved her, and I had +never seen her so beautiful, a slight fever animating her complexion +which was then truly dazzling in its beauty. I kept where I was, +dumb and as motionless as a statue, for a quarter of an hour. Then +she rang for her maid, and asked me to leave her alone for a moment. +I was called back soon after, and she said to me, + +"What has become of your cheerfulness?" + +"If it has disappeared, madam, it can only be by your will. Call it +back, and you will see it return in full force." + +"What must I do to obtain that result?" + +"Only be towards me as you were when I returned from Casopo. I have +been disagreeable to you for the last four months, and as I do not +know why, I feel deeply grieved." + +"I am always the same: in what do you find me changed?" + +"Good heavens! In everything, except in beauty. But I have taken my +decision." + +"And what is it?" + +"To suffer in silence, without allowing any circumstance to alter the +feelings with which you have inspired me; to wish ardently to +convince you of my perfect obedience to your commands; to be ever +ready to give you fresh proofs of my devotion." + +"I thank you, but I cannot imagine what you can have to suffer in +silence on my account. I take an interest in you, and I always +listen with pleasure to your adventures. As a proof of it, I am +extremely curious to hear the history of your three loves." + +I invented on the spot three purely imaginary stories, making a great +display of tender sentiments and of ardent love, but without alluding +to amorous enjoyment, particularly when she seemed to expect me to do +so. Sometimes delicacy, sometimes respect or duty, interfered to +prevent the crowning pleasure, and I took care to observe, at such +moments of disappointment, that a true lover does not require that +all important item to feel perfectly happy. I could easily see that +her imagination was travelling farther than my narrative, and that my +reserve was agreeable to her. I believed I knew her nature well +enough to be certain that I was taking the best road to induce her to +follow me where I wished to lead her. She expressed a sentiment +which moved me deeply, but I was careful not to shew it. We were +talking of my third love, of the woman who, out of pity, had +undertaken to cure me, and she remarked, + +"If she truly loved you, she may have wished not to cure you, but to +cure herself." + +On the day following this partial reconciliation, M. F----, her +husband, begged my commanding officer, D---- R-----, to let me go +with him to Butintro for an excursion of three days, his own adjutant +being seriously ill. + +Butintro is seven miles from Corfu, almost opposite to that city; it +is the nearest point to the island from the mainland. It is not a +fortress, but only a small village of Epirus, or Albania, as it is +now called, and belonging to the Venetians. Acting on the political +axiom that "neglected right is lost right," the Republic sends every +year four galleys to Butintro with a gang of galley slaves to fell +trees, cut them, and load them on the galleys, while the military +keep a sharp look-out to prevent them from escaping to Turkey and +becoming Mussulmans. One of the four galleys was commanded by M. +F---- who, wanting an adjutant for the occasion, chose me. + +I went with him, and on the fourth day we came back to Corfu with a +large provision of wood. I found M. D---- R---- alone on the terrace +of his palace. It was Good Friday. He seemed thoughtful, and, after +a silence of a few minutes, he spoke the following words, which I can +never forget: + +"M. F-----, whose adjutant died yesterday, has just been entreating +me to give you to him until he can find another officer. I have told +him that I had no right to dispose of your person, and that he, ought +to apply to you, assuring him that, if you asked me leave to go with +him, I would not raise any objection, although I require two +adjutants. Has he not mentioned the matter to you?" + +"No, monsignor, he has only tendered me his thanks for having +accompanied him to Butintro, nothing else." + +"He is sure to speak to you about it. What do you intend to say?" + +"Simply that I will never leave the service of your excellency +without your express command to do so." + +"I never will give you such an order." + +As M. D---- R---- was saying the last word, M. and Madame F---- came +in. Knowing that the conversation would most likely turn upon the +subject which had just been broached, I hurried out of the room. In +less than a quarter of an hour I was sent for, and M. F---- said to +me, confidentially, + +"Well, M. Casanova, would you not be willing to live with me as my +adjutant?" + +"Does his excellency dismiss me from his service?" + +"Not at all," observed M. D---- R----, "but I leave you the choice." + +"My lord, I could not be guilty of ingratitude." + +And I remained there standing, uneasy, keeping my eyes on the ground, +not even striving to conceal my mortification, which was, after all, +very natural in such a position. I dreaded looking at Madame F----, +for I knew that she could easily guess all my feelings. An instant +after, her foolish husband coldly remarked that I should certainly +have a more fatiguing service with him than with M. D---- R----, and +that, of course, it was more honourable to serve the general governor +of the galeazze than a simple sopra-committo. I was on the point of +answering, when Madame F---- said, in a graceful and easy manner, +"M. Casanova is right," and she changed the subject. I left the +room, revolving in my mind all that had just taken place. + +My conclusion was that M. F---- had asked M. D---- R---- to let me go +with him at the suggestion of his wife, or, at least with her +consent, and it was highly flattering to my love and to my vanity. +But I was bound in honour not to accept the post, unless I had a +perfect assurance that it would not be disagreeable to my present +patron. "I will accept," I said to myself, "if M. D---- R----- tells +me positively that I shall please him by doing so. It is for M. F to +make him say it." + +On the same night I had the honour of offering my arm to Madame F--- +during the procession which takes place in commemoration of the death +of our Lord and Saviour, which was then attended on foot by all the +nobility. I expected she would mention the matter, but she did not. +My love was in despair, and through the night I could not close my +eyes. I feared she had been offended by my refusal, and was +overwhelmed with grief. I passed the whole of the next day without +breaking my fast, and did not utter a single word during the evening +reception. I felt very unwell, and I had an attack of fever which +kept me in bed on Easter Sunday. I was very weak on the Monday, and +intended to remain in my room, when a messenger from Madame F---- +came to inform me that she wished to see me. I told the messenger +not to say that he had found me in bed, and dressing myself rapidly I +hurried to her house. I entered her room, pale, looking very ill: +yet she did not enquire after my health, and kept silent a minute or +two, as if she had been trying to recollect what she had to say to +me. + +"Ah! yes, you are aware that our adjutant is dead, and that we want +to replace him. My husband, who has a great esteem for you, and +feels that M. D---- R----- leaves you perfectly free to make your +choice, has taken the singular fancy that you will come, if I ask you +myself to do us that pleasure. Is he mistaken? If you would come to +us, you would have that room." + +She was pointing to a room adjoining the chamber in which she slept, +and so situated that, to see her in every part of her room, I should +not even require to place myself at the window. + + +"M. D---- R----- ," she continued, "will not love you less, and as he +will see you here every, day, he will not be likely to forget his +interest in your welfare. Now, tell me, will you come or not?" + +"I wish I could, madam, but indeed I cannot." + +"You cannot? That is singular. Take a seat, and tell me what there +is to prevent you, when, in accepting my offer, you are sure to +please M. D---- R----- as well as us." + +"If I were certain of it, I would accept immediately; but all I have +heard from his lips was that he left me free to make a choice." + +"Then you are afraid to grieve him, if you come to us ?" + +"It might be, and for nothing on earth...." + +"I am certain of the contrary." + +"Will you be so good as to obtain that he says so to me himself?" + +"And then you will come?" + +"Oh, madam! that very minute!" + +But the warmth of my exclamation might mean a great deal, and I +turned my head round so as not to embarrass her. She asked me to +give her her mantle to go to church, and we went out. As we were +going down the stairs, she placed her ungloved hand upon mine. It +was the first time that she had granted me such a favour, and it +seemed to me a good omen. She took off her hand, asking me whether I +was feverish. "Your hand," she said, "is burning." + +When we left the church, M. D---- R-----'s carriage happened to pass, +and I assisted her to get in, and as soon as she had gone, hurried to +my room in order to breathe freely and to enjoy all the felicity +which filled my soul; for I no longer doubted her love for me, and I +knew that, in this case, M. D---- R----- was not likely to refuse her +anything. + +What is love? I have read plenty of ancient verbiage on that +subject, I have read likewise most of what has been said by modern +writers, but neither all that has been said, nor what I have thought +about it, when I was young and now that I am no longer so, nothing, +in fact, can make me agree that love is a trifling vanity. It is a +sort of madness, I grant that, but a madness over which philosophy is +entirely powerless; it is a disease to which man is exposed at all +times, no matter at what age, and which cannot be cured, if he is +attacked by it in his old age. Love being sentiment which cannot be +explained! God of all nature!--bitter and sweet feeling! Love!-- +charming monster which cannot be fathomed! God who, in the midst of +all the thorns with which thou plaguest us, strewest so many roses on +our path that, without thee, existence and death would be united and +blended together! + +Two days afterwards, M. D---- R-----, told me to go and take orders +from M. F---- on board his galley, which was ready for a five or six +days' voyage. I quickly packed a few things, and called for my new +patron who received me with great joy. We took our departure without +seeing madam, who was not yet visible. We returned on the sixth day, +and I went to establish myself in my new home, for, as I was +preparing to go to M. D---- R-----, to take his orders, after our +landing, he came himself, and after asking M. F---- and me whether we +were pleased with each other, he said to me, + +"Casanova, as you suit each other so well, you may be certain that +you will greatly please me by remaining in the service of M. F." + +I obeyed respectfully, and in less than one hour I had taken +possession of my new quarters. Madame F---- told me how delighted +she was to see that great affair ended according to her wishes, and I +answered with a deep reverence. + +I found myself like the salamander, in the very heart of the fire for +which I had been longing so ardently. + +Almost constantly in the presence of Madame F----, dining often alone +with her, accompanying her in her walks, even when M. D---- R----- +was not with us, seeing her from my room, or conversing with her in +her chamber, always reserved and attentive without pretension, the +first night passed by without any change being brought about by that +constant intercourse. Yet I was full of hope, and to keep up my +courage I imagined that love was not yet powerful enough to conquer +her pride. I expected everything from some lucky chance, which I +promised myself to improve as soon as it should present itself, for I +was persuaded that a lover is lost if he does not catch fortune by +the forelock. + +But there was one circumstance which annoyed me. In public, she +seized every opportunity of treating me with distinction, while, when +we were alone, it was exactly the reverse. In the eyes of the world +I had all the appearance of a happy lover, but I would rather have +had less of the appearance of happiness and more of the reality. My +love for her was disinterested; vanity had no share in my feelings. + +One day, being alone with me, she said, + +"You have enemies, but I silenced them last night." + +"They are envious, madam, and they would pity me if they could read +the secret pages of my heart. You could easily deliver me from those +enemies." + +"How can you be an object of pity for them, and how could I deliver +you from them?" + +"They believe me happy, and I am miserable; you would deliver me from +them by ill-treating me in their presence." + +"Then you would feel my bad treatment less than the envy of the +wicked?" + +"Yes, madam, provided your bad treatment in public were compensated +by your kindness when we are alone, for there is no vanity in the +happiness I feel in belonging to you. Let others pity me, I will be +happy on condition that others are mistaken." + +"That's a part that I can never play." + +I would often be indiscreet enough to remain behind the curtain of +the window in my room, looking at her when she thought herself +perfectly certain that nobody saw her; but the liberty I was thus +guilty of never proved of great advantage to me. Whether it was +because she doubted my discretion or from habitual reserve, she was +so particular that, even when I saw her in bed, my longing eyes never +could obtain a sight of anything but her head. + +One day, being present in her room while her maid was cutting off the +points of her long and beautiful hair, I amused myself in picking up +all those pretty bits, and put them all, one after the other, on her +toilettable, with the exception of one small lock which I slipped +into my pocket, thinking that she had not taken any notice of my +keeping it; but the moment we were alone she told me quietly, but +rather too seriously, to take out of my pocket the hair I had picked +up from the floor. Thinking she was going too far, and such rigour +appearing to me as cruel as it was unjust and absurd, I obeyed, but +threw the hair on the toilet-table with an air of supreme contempt. + +"Sir, you forget yourself." + +"No, madam, I do not, for you might have feigned not to have observed +such an innocent theft." + +"Feigning is tiresome." + +"Was such petty larceny a very great crime?" + +"No crime, but it was an indication of feelings which you have no +right to entertain for me." + +"Feelings which you are at liberty not to return, madam, but which +hatred or pride can alone forbid my heart to experience. If you had +a heart you would not be the victim of either of those two fearful +passions, but you have only head, and it must be a very wicked head, +judging by the care it takes to heap humiliation upon me. You have +surprised my secret, madam, you may use it as you think proper, but +in the meantime I have learned to know you thoroughly. That +knowledge will prove more useful than your discovery, for perhaps it +will help me to become wiser." + +After this violent tirade I left her, and as she did not call me back +retired to my room. In the hope that sleep would bring calm, I +undressed and went to bed. In such moments a lover hates the object +of his love, and his heart distils only contempt and hatred. I could +not go to sleep, and when I was sent for at supper-time I answered +that I was ill. The night passed off without my eyes being visited +by sleep, and feeling weak and low I thought I would wait to see what +ailed me, and refused to have my dinner, sending word that I was +still very unwell. Towards evening I felt my heart leap for joy when +I heard my beautiful lady-love enter my room. Anxiety, want of food +and sleep, gave me truly the appearance of being ill, and I was +delighted that it should be so. I sent her away very soon, by +telling her with perfect indifference that it was nothing but a bad +headache, to which I was subject, and that repose and diet would +effect a speedy cure. + +But at eleven o'clock she came back with her friend, M. D---- R-----, +and coming to my bed she said, affectionately, + +"What ails you, my poor Casanova?" + +"A very bad headache, madam, which will be cured to-morrow." + +"Why should you wait until to-morrow? You must get better at once. +I have ordered a basin of broth and two new-laid eggs for you." + +"Nothing, madam; complete abstinence can alone cure me." + +"He is right," said M. D---- R-----, "I know those attacks." + +I shook my head slightly. M. D---- R----- having just then turned +round to examine an engraving, she took my hand, saying that she +would like me to drink some broth, and I felt that she was giving me +a small parcel. She went to look at the engraving with M. D---- +R-----. + +I opened the parcel, but feeling that it contained hair, I hurriedly +concealed it under the bed-clothes: at the same moment the blood +rushed to my head with such violence that it actually frightened me. +I begged for some water, she came to me, with M. D---- R-----, and +then were both frightened to see me so red, when they had seen me +pale and weak only one minute before. + +Madame F---- gave me a glass of water in which she put some Eau des +carmes which instantly acted as a violent emetic. Two or three +minutes after I felt better, and asked for something to eat. Madame +F---- smiled. The servant came in with the broth and the eggs, and +while I was eating I told the history of Pandolfin. M. D---- R----- +thought it was all a miracle, and I could read, on the countenance of +the charming woman, love, affection, and repentance. If M. D---- +R----- had not been present, it would have been the moment of my +happiness, but I felt certain that I should not have long to wait. +M. D---- R----- told Madame F---- that, if he had not seen me so +sick, he would have believed my illness to be all sham, for he did +not think it possible for anyone to rally so rapidly. + +"It is all owing to my Eau des carmes," said Madame F-----, looking +at me, "and I will leave you my bottle." + +"No, madam, be kind enough to take it with you, for the water would +have no virtue without your presence." + +"I am sure of that," said M. D---- R-----, "so I will leave you here +with your patient." + +"No, no, he must go to sleep now." + +I slept all night, but in my happy dreams I was with her, and the +reality itself would hardly have procured me greater enjoyment than I +had during my happy slumbers. I saw I had taken a very long stride +forward, for twenty-four hours of abstinence gave me the right to +speak to her openly of my love, and the gift of her hair was an +irrefutable confession of her own feelings. + +On the following day, after presenting myself before M. F----, I went +to have a little chat with the maid, to wait until her mistress was +visible, which was not long, and I had the pleasure of hearing her +laugh when the maid told her I was there. As soon as I went in, +without giving me time to say a single word, she told me how +delighted she was to see me looking so well, and advised me to call +upon M. D---- R-----. + +It is not only in the eyes of a lover, but also in those of every man +of taste, that a woman is a thousand times more lovely at the moment +she comes out of the arms of Morpheus than when she has completed her +toilet. Around Madame F---- more brilliant beams were blazing than +around the sun when he leaves the embrace of Aurora. Yet the most +beautiful woman thinks as much of her toilet as the one who cannot do +without it--,very likely because more human creatures possess the +more they want. + +In the order given to me by Madame F---- to call on M. D---- R-----, +I saw another reason to be certain of approaching happiness, for I +thought that, by dismissing me so quickly, she had only tried to +postpone the consummation which I might have pressed upon her, and +which she could not have refused. + +Rich in the possession of her hair, I held a consultation with my +love to decide what I ought to do with it, for Madame F----, very +likely in her wish to atone for the miserly sentiment which had +refused me a small bit, had given me a splendid lock, full a yard and +a half long. Having thought it over, I called upon a Jewish +confectioner whose daughter was a skilful embroiderer, and I made her +embroider before me, on a bracelet of green satin, the four initial +letters of our names, and make a very thin chain with the remainder. +I had a piece of black ribbon added to one end of the chain, in the +shape of a sliding noose, with which I could easily strangle myself +if ever love should reduce me to despair, and I passed it round my +neck. As I did not want to lose even the smallest particle of so +precious a treasure, I cut with a pair of scissors all the small bits +which were left, and devoutly gathered them together. Then I reduced +them into a fine powder, and ordered the Jewish confectioner to mix +the powder in my presence with a paste made of amber, sugar, vanilla, +angelica, alkermes and storax, and I waited until the comfits +prepared with that mixture were ready. I had some more made with the +same composition, but without any hair; I put the first in a +beautiful sweetmeat box of fine crystal, and the second in a +tortoise-shell box. + +>From the day when, by giving me her hair, Madame F---- had betrayed +the secret feelings of her heart, I no longer lost my time in +relating stories or adventures.; I only spoke to her of my cove, of +my ardent desires; I told her that she must either banish me from her +presence, or crown my happiness, but the cruel, charming woman would +not accept that alternative. She answered that happiness could not +be obtained by offending every moral law, and by swerving from our +duties. If I threw myself at her feet to obtain by anticipation her +forgiveness for the loving violence I intended to use against her, +she would repulse me more powerfully than if she had had the strength +of a female Hercules, for she would say, in a voice full of sweetness +and affection, + +"My friend, I do not entreat you to respect my weakness, but be +generous enough to spare me for the sake of all the love I feel for +you." + +"What! you love me, and you refuse to make me happy! It is +impossible! it is unnatural. You compel me to believe that you do +not love me. Only allow me to press my lips one moment upon your +lips, and I ask no more." + +"No, dearest, no; it would only excite the ardour of your desires, +shake my resolution, and we should then find ourselves more miserable +than we are now." + +Thus did she every day plunge me in despair, and yet she complained +that my wit was no longer brilliant in society, that I had lost that +elasticity of spirits which had pleased her so much after my arrival +from Constantinople. M. D---- R-----, who often jestingly waged war +against me, used to say that I was getting thinner and thinner every +day. Madame F---- told me one day that my sickly looks were very +disagreeable to her, because wicked tongues would not fail to say +that she treated me with cruelty. Strange, almost unnatural thought! +On it I composed an idyll which I cannot read, even now, without +feeling tears in my eyes. + +"What!" I answered, "you acknowledge your cruelty towards me? You +are afraid of the world guessing all your heartless rigour, and yet +you continue to enjoy it! You condemn me unmercifully to the +torments of Tantalus! You would be delighted to see me gay, +cheerful, happy, even at the expense of a judgment by which the world +would find you guilty of a supposed but false kindness towards me, +and yet you refuse me even the slightest favours!" + +"I do not mind people believing anything, provided it is not true." + +"What a contrast! Would it be possible for me not to love you, for +you to feel nothing for me? Such contradictions strike me as +unnatural. But you are growing thinner yourself, and I am dying. It +must be so; we shall both die before long, you of consumption, I of +exhausting decline; for I am now reduced to enjoying your shadow +during the day, during the night, always, everywhere, except when I +am in your presence." + +At that passionate declaration, delivered with all the ardour of an +excited lover, she was surprised, deeply moved, and I thought that +the happy hour had struck. I folded her in my arms, and was already +tasting the first fruits of enjoyment.... The sentinel knocked +twice!... Oh! fatal mischance! I recovered my composure and stood +in front of her.... M. D---- R----- made his appearance, and this +time he found me in so cheerful a mood that he remained with us until +one o'clock in the morning. + +My comfits were beginning to be the talk of our society. M. D---- +R-----, Madame F----, and I were the only ones who had a box full of +them. I was stingy with them, and no one durst beg any from me, +because I had said that they were very expensive, and that in all +Corfu there was no confectioner who could make or physician who could +analyse them. I never gave one out of my crystal box, and Madame F. +remarked it. I certainly did not believe them to be amorous philtre, +and I was very far from supposing that the addition of the hair made +them taste more delicious; but a superstition, the offspring of my +love, caused me to cherish them, and it made me happy to think that a +small portion of the woman I worshipped was thus becoming a part of +my being. + +Influenced perhaps by some secret sympathy, Madame F. was exceedingly +fond of the comfits. She asserted before all her friends that they +were the universal panacea, and knowing herself perfect mistress of +the inventor, she did not enquire after the secret of the +composition. But having observed that I gave away only the comfits +which I kept in my tortoise-shell box, and that I never eat any but +those from the crystal box, she one day asked me what reason I had +for that. Without taking time to think, I told her that in those I +kept for myself there was a certain ingredient which made the +partaker love her. + +"I do not believe it," she answered; "but are they different from +those I eat myself?" + +"They are exactly the same, with the exception of the ingredient I +have just mentioned, which has been put only in mine." + +"Tell me what the ingredient is." + +"It is a secret which I cannot reveal to you." + +"Then I will never eat any of your comfits." + +Saying which, she rose, emptied her box, and filled it again with +chocolate drops; and for the next few days she was angry with me, and +avoided my company. I felt grieved, I became low-spirited, but I +could not make up my mind to tell her that I was eating her hair! + +She enquired why I looked so sad. + +"Because you refuse to take my comfits." + +"You are master of your secret, and I am mistress of my diet." + +"That is my reward for having taken you into my confidence." + +And I opened my box, emptied its contents in my hand, and swallowed +the whole of them, saying, "Two more doses like this, and I shall die +mad with love for you. Then you will be revenged for my reserve. +Farewell, madam." + +She called me back, made me take a seat near her, and told me not to +commit follies which would make her unhappy; that I knew how much she +loved me, and that it was not owing to the effect of any drug. "To +prove to you," she added, "that you do not require anything of the +sort to be loved, here is a token of my affection." And she offered +me her lovely lips, and upon them mine remained pressed until I was +compelled to draw a breath. I threw myself at her feet, with tears +of love and gratitude blinding my eyes, and told her that I would +confess my crime, if she would promise to forgive me. + +"Your crime! You frighten me. Yes, I forgive you, but speak +quickly, and tell me all." + +"Yes, everything. My comfits contain your hair reduced to a powder. +Here on my arm, see this bracelet on which our names are written with +your hair, and round my neck this chain of the same material, which +will help me to destroy my own life when your love fails me. Such is +my crime, but I would not have been guilty of it, if I had not loved +you." + +She smiled, and, bidding me rise from my kneeling position, she told +me that I was indeed the most criminal of men, and she wiped away my +tears, assuring me that I should never have any reason to strangle +myself with the chain. + +After that conversation, in which I had enjoyed the sweet nectar of +my divinity's first kiss, I had the courage to behave in a very +different manner. She could see the ardour which consumed me; +perhaps the same fire burned in her veins, but I abstained from any +attack. + +"What gives you," she said one day, "the strength to control +yourself?" + +"After the kiss which you granted to me of your own accord, I felt +that I ought not to wish any favour unless your heart gave it as +freely. You cannot imagine the happiness that kiss has given me." + +"I not imagine it, you ungrateful man! Which of us has given that +happiness?" + +"Neither you nor I, angel of my soul! That kiss so tender, so sweet, +was the child of love!" + +"Yes, dearest, of love, the treasures of which are inexhaustible." + +The words were scarcely spoken, when our lips were engaged in happy +concert. She held me so tight against her bosom that I could not use +my hands to secure other pleasures, but I felt myself perfectly +happy. After that delightful skirmish, I asked her whether we were +never to go any further. + +"Never, dearest friend, never. Love is a child which must be amused +with trifles; too substantial food would kill it." + +"I know love better than you; it requires that substantial food, and +unless it can obtain it, love dies of exhaustion. Do not refuse me +the consolation of hope." + +"Hope as much as you please, if it makes you happy." + +"What should I do, if I had no hope? I hope, because I know you have +a heart." + +"Ah! yes. Do you recollect the day, when, in your anger, you told +me that I had only a head, but no heart, thinking you were insulting +me grossly!" + +"Oh! yes, I recollect it." + +"How heartily I laughed, when I had time to think! Yes, dearest, I +have a heart, or I should not feel as happy as I feel now. Let us +keep our happiness, and be satisfied with it, as it is, without +wishing for anything more." + +Obedient to her wishes, but every day more deeply enamoured, I was in +hope that nature at last would prove stronger than prejudice, and +would cause a fortunate crisis. But, besides nature, fortune was my +friend, and I owed my happiness to an accident. + +Madame F. was walking one day in the garden, leaning on M. D---- +R-----'s arm, and was caught by a large rose-bush, and the prickly +thorns left a deep cut on her leg. M. D---- R----- bandaged the +wound with his handkerchief, so as to stop the blood which was +flowing abundantly, and she had to be carried home in a palanquin. + +In Corfu, wounds on the legs are dangerous when they are not well +attended to, and very often the wounded are compelled to leave the +city to be cured. + +Madame F----- was confined to her bed, and my lucky position in the +house condemned me to remain constantly at her orders. I saw her +every minute; but, during the first three days, visitors succeeded +each other without intermission, and I never was alone with her. In +the evening, after everybody had gone, and her husband had retired to +his own apartment, M. D---- R----- remained another hour, and for the +sake of propriety I had to take my leave at the same time that he +did. I had much more liberty before the accident, and I told her so +half seriously, half jestingly. The next day, to make up for my +disappointment, she contrived a moment of happiness for me. + +An elderly surgeon came every morning to dress her wound, during +which operation her maid only was present, but I used to go, in my +morning dishabille, to the girl's room, and to wait there, so as to +be the first to hear how my dear one was. + +That morning, the girl came to tell me to go in as the surgeon was +dressing the wound. + +"See, whether my leg is less inflamed." + +"To give an opinion, madam, I ought to have seen it yesterday." + +"True. I feel great pain, and I am afraid of erysipelas." + +"Do not be afraid, madam," said the surgeon, "keep your bed, and I +answer for your complete recovery." + +The surgeon being busy preparing a poultice at the other end of the +room, and the maid out, I enquired whether she felt any hardness in +the calf of the leg, and whether the inflammation went up the limb; +and naturally, my eyes and my hands kept pace with my questions.... +I saw no inflammation, I felt no hardness, but.... and the lovely +patient hurriedly let the curtain fall, smiling, and allowing me to +take a sweet kiss, the perfume of which I had not enjoyed for many +days. It was a sweet moment; a delicious ecstacy. From her mouth my +lips descended to her wound, and satisfied in that moment that my +kisses were the best of medicines, I would have kept my lips there, +if the noise made by the maid coming back had not compelled me to +give up my delightful occupation. + +When we were left alone, burning with intense desires, I entreated +her to grant happiness at least to my eyes. + +"I feel humiliated," I said to her, "by the thought that the felicity +I have just enjoyed was only a theft." + +"But supposing you were mistaken?" + +The next day I was again present at the dressing of the wound, and as +soon as the surgeon had left, she asked me to arrange her pillows, +which I did at once. As if to make that pleasant office easier, she +raised the bedclothes to support herself, and she thus gave me a +sight of beauties which intoxicated my eyes, and I protracted the +easy operation without her complaining of my being too slow. + +When I had done I was in a fearful state, and I threw myself in an +arm-chair opposite her bed, half dead, in a sort of trance. I was +looking at that lovely being who, almost artless, was continually +granting me greater and still greater favours, and yet never allowed +me to reach the goal for which I was so ardently longing. + +"What are you thinking of?" she said. + +"Of the supreme felicity I have just been enjoying." + +"You are a cruel man." + +"No, I am not cruel, for, if you love me, you must not blush for your +indulgence. You must know, too, that, loving you passionately, I +must not suppose that it is to be a surprise that I am indebted for +my happiness in the enjoyment of the most ravishing sights, for if I +owed it only to mere chance I should be compelled to believe that any +other man in my position might have had the same happiness, and such +an idea would be misery to me. Let me be indebted to you for having +proved to me this morning how much enjoyment I can derive from one of +my senses. Can you be angry with my eyes?" + +"Yes." + +"They belong to you; tear them out." + +The next day, the moment the doctor had gone, she sent her maid out +to make some purchases. + +"Ah!" she said a few minutes after, "my maid has forgotten to change +my chemise." + +"Allow me to take her place." + +"Very well, but recollect that I give permission only to your eyes to +take a share in the proceedings." + +"Agreed!" + +She unlaced herself, took off her stays and her chemise, and told me +to be quick and put on the clean one, but I was not speedy enough, +being too much engaged by all I could see. + +"Give me my chemise," she exclaimed; "it is there on that small +table." + +"Where?" + +"There, near the bed. Well, I will take it myself." + +She leaned over towards the table, and exposed almost everything I +was longing for, and, turning slowly round, she handed me the chemise +which I could hardly hold, trembling all over with fearful +excitement. She took pity on me, my hands shared the happiness of my +eyes; I fell in her arms, our lips fastened together, and, in a +voluptuous, ardent pressure, we enjoyed an amorous exhaustion not +sufficient to allay our desires, but delightful enough to deceive +them for the moment. + +With greater control over herself than women have generally under +similar circumstances, she took care to let me reach only the porch +of the temple, without granting me yet a free entrance to the +sanctuary. + + + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of MEMOIRES OF JACQUES CASANOVA +VENETION YEARS, Vol. 1c, MILITARY CAREER +by Jacques Casanova de Seingalt + diff --git a/old/jcmcr10.zip b/old/jcmcr10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..69ea5a9 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/jcmcr10.zip diff --git a/old/jcmcr11.txt b/old/jcmcr11.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6bd443b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/jcmcr11.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5068 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Military Career, by Jacques Casanova +#3 in our series by Jacques Casanova de Seingalt + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.10/04/01*END* + + + + + +This etext was produced by David Widger <widger@cecomet.net> + + + + + +MEMOIRS OF JACQUES CASANOVA de SEINGALT 1725-1798 +VENETIAN YEARS, Volume 1c--MILITARY CAREER + + +THE RARE UNABRIDGED LONDON EDITION OF 1894 TRANSLATED BY ARTHUR +MACHEN TO WHICH HAS BEEN ADDED THE CHAPTERS DISCOVERED +BY ARTHUR SYMONS. + + + + +MILITARY CAREER + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +I Renounce the Clerical Profession, and Enter the Military Service-- +Therese Leaves for Naples, and I Go to Venice--I Am Appointed Ensign +in the Army of My Native Country--I Embark for Corfu, and Land at +Orsera to Take a Walk + + +I had been careful, on my arrival in Bologna, to take up my quarters +at a small inn, so as not to attract any notice, and as soon as I had +dispatched my letters to Therese and the French officer, I thought of +purchasing some linen, as it was at least doubtful whether I should +ever get my trunk. I deemed it expedient to order some clothes +likewise. I was thus ruminating, when it suddenly struck me that I +was not likely now to succeed in the Church, but feeling great +uncertainty as to the profession I ought to adopt, I took a fancy to +transform myself into an officer, as it was evident that I had not to +account to anyone for my actions. It was a very natural fancy at my +age, for I had just passed through two armies in which I had seen no +respect paid to any garb but to the military uniform, and I did not +see why I should not cause myself to be respected likewise. Besides, +I was thinking of returning to Venice, and felt great delight at the +idea of shewing myself there in the garb of honour, for I had been +rather ill-treated in that of religion. + +I enquired for a good tailor: death was brought to me, for the tailor +sent to me was named Morte. I explained to him how I wanted my +uniform made, I chose the cloth, he took my measure, and the next day +I was transformed into a follower of Mars. I procured a long sword, +and with my fine cane in hand, with a well-brushed hat ornamented +with a black cockade, and wearing a long false pigtail, I sallied +forth and walked all over the city. + +I bethought myself that the importance of my new calling required a +better and more showy lodging than the one I had secured on my +arrival, and I moved to the best inn. I like even now to recollect +the pleasing impression I felt when I was able to admire myself full +length in a large mirror. I was highly pleased with my own person! +I thought myself made by nature to wear and to honour the military +costume, which I had adopted through the most fortunate impulse. +Certain that nobody knew me, I enjoyed by anticipation all the +conjectures which people would indulge in respecting me, when I made +my first appearance in the most fashionable cafe of the town. + +My uniform was white, the vest blue, a gold and silver shoulder-knot, +and a sword-knot of the same material. Very well pleased with my +grand appearance, I went to the coffee-room, and, taking some +chocolate, began to read the newspapers, quite at my ease, and +delighted to see that everybody was puzzled. A bold individual, in +the hope of getting me into conversation, came to me and addressed +me; I answered him with a monosyllable, and I observed that everyone +was at a loss what to make of me. When I had sufficiently enjoyed +public admiration in the coffee-room, I promenaded in the busiest +thoroughfares of the city, and returned to the inn, where I had +dinner by myself. + +I had just concluded my repast when my landlord presented himself +with the travellers' book, in which he wanted to register my name. + +"Casanova." + +"Your profession, if you please, sir?" + +"Officer." + +"In which service?" + +"None." + +"Your native place?" + +"Venice." + +"Where do you come from?" + +"That is no business of yours." + +This answer, which I thought was in keeping with my external +appearance, had the desired effect: the landlord bowed himself out, +and I felt highly pleased with myself, for I knew that I should enjoy +perfect freedom in Bologna, and I was certain that mine host had +visited me at the instance of some curious person eager to know who I +was. + +The next day I called on M. Orsi, the banker, to cash my bill of +exchange, and took another for six hundred sequins on Venice, and one +hundred sequins in gold after which I again exhibited myself in the +public places. Two days afterwards, whilst I was taking my coffee +after dinner, the banker Orsi was announced. I desired him to be +shewn in, and he made his appearance accompanied my Monsignor +Cornaro, whom I feigned not to know. M. Orsi remarked that he had +called to offer me his services for my letters of exchange, and +introduced the prelate. I rose and expressed my gratification at +making his acquaintance. "But we have met before," he replied, "at +Venice and Rome." Assuming an air of blank surprise, I told him he +must certainly be mistaken. The prelate, thinking he could guess the +reason of my reserve, did not insist, and apologized. I offered him +a cup of coffee, which he accepted, and, on leaving me, he begged the +honour of my company to breakfast the next day. + +I made up my mind to persist in my denials, and called upon the +prelate, who gave me a polite welcome. He was then apostolic +prothonotary in Bologna. Breakfast was served, and as we were +sipping our chocolate, he told me that I had most likely some good +reasons to warrant my reserve, but that I was wrong not to trust him, +the more so that the affair in question did me great honour. "I do +not know," said I, "what affair you are alluding to." He then handed +me a newspaper, telling me to read a paragraph which he pointed out. +My astonishment may be imagined when I read the following +correspondence from Pesaro: "M. de Casanova, an officer in the +service of the queen, has deserted after having killed his captain in +a duel; the circumstances of the duel are not known; all that has +been ascertained is that M. de Casanova has taken the road to Rimini, +riding the horse belonging to the captain, who was killed on the +spot." + +In spite of my surprise, and of the difficulty I had in keeping my +gravity at the reading of the paragraph, in which so much untruth was +blended with so little that was real, I managed to keep a serious +countenance, and I told the prelate that the Casanova spoken of in +the newspaper must be another man. + +"That may be, but you are certainly the Casanova I knew a month ago +at Cardinal Acquaviva's, and two years ago at the house of my sister, +Madame Lovedan, in Venice. Besides the Ancona banker speaks of you +as an ecclesiastic in his letter of advice to M. Orsi:" + +"Very well, monsignor; your excellency compels me to agree to my +being the same Casanova, but I entreat you not to ask me any more +questions as I am bound in honour to observe the strictest reserve." + +"That is enough for me, and I am satisfied. Let us talk of something +else." + +I was amused at the false reports which were being circulated about +me, and, I became from that moment a thorough sceptic on the subject +of historical truth. I enjoyed, however, very great pleasure in +thinking that my reserve had fed the belief of my being the Casanova +mentioned in the newspaper. I felt certain that the prelate would +write the whole affair to Venice, where it would do me great honour, +at least until the truth should be known, and in that case my reserve +would be justified, besides, I should then most likely be far away. +I made up my mind to go to Venice as soon as I heard from Therese, as +I thought that I could wait for her there more comfortably than in +Bologna, and in my native place there was nothing to hinder me from +marrying her openly. In the mean time the fable from Pesaro amused +me a good deal, and I expected every day to see it denied in some +newspaper. The real officer Casanova must have laughed at the +accusation brought against him of having run away with the horse, as +much as I laughed at the caprice which had metamorphosed me into an +officer in Bologna, just as if I had done it for the very purpose of +giving to the affair every appearance of truth. + +On the fourth day of my stay in Bologna, I received by express a long +letter from Therese. She informed me that, on the day after my +escape from Rimini, Baron Vais had presented to her the Duke de +Castropignano, who, having heard her sing, had offered her one +thousand ounces a year, and all travelling expenses paid, if she +would accept an engagement as prima-donna at the San Carlo Theatre, +at Naples, where she would have to go immediately after her Rimini +engagement. She had requested and obtained a week to come to a +decision. She enclosed two documents, the first was the written +memorandum of the duke's proposals, which she sent in order that I +should peruse it, as she did not wish to sign it without my consent; +the second was a formal engagement, written by herself, to remain all +her life devoted to me and at my service. She added in her letter +that, if I wished to accompany her to Naples, she would meet me +anywhere I might appoint, but that, if I had any objection to return +to that city, she would immediately refuse the brilliant offer, for +her only happiness was to please me in all things. + +For the first time in my life I found myself in need of thoughtful +consideration before I could make up my mind. Therese's letter had +entirely upset all my ideas, and, feeling that I could not answer it +a once, I told the messenger to call the next day. + +Two motives of equal weight kept the balance wavering; self-love and +love for Therese. I felt that I ought not to require Therese to give +up such prospects of fortune; but I could not take upon myself either +to let her go to Naples without me, or to accompany her there. On +one side, I shuddered at the idea that my love might ruin Therese's +prospects; on the other side, the idea of the blow inflicted on my +self-love, on my pride, if I went to Naples with her, sickened me. + +How could I make up my mind to reappear in that city, in the guise of +a cowardly fellow living at the expense of his mistress or his wife? +What would my cousin Antonio, Don Polo and his dear son, Don Lelio +Caraffa, and all the patricians who knew me, have said? The thought +of Lucrezia and of her husband sent a cold shiver through me. I +considered that, in spite of my love for Therese, I should become +very miserable if everyone despised me. Linked to her destiny as a +lover or as a husband, I would be a degraded, humbled, and mean +sycophant. Then came the thought, Is this to be the end of all my +hopes? The die was cast, my head had conquered my heart. I fancied +that I had hit upon an excellent expedient, which at all events made +me gain time, and I resolved to act upon it. I wrote to Therese, +advising her to accept the engagement for Naples, where she might +expect me to join her in the month of July, or after my return from +Constantinople. I cautioned her to engage an honest-looking waiting- +woman, so as to appear respectably in the world, and, to lead such a +life as would permit me to make her my wife, on my return, without +being ashamed of myself. I foresaw that her success would be insured +by her beauty even more than by her talent, and, with my nature, I +knew that I could never assume the character of an easy-going lover +or of a compliant husband. + +Had I received Therese's letter one week sooner, it is certain that +she would not have gone to Naples, for my love would then have proved +stronger than my reason; but in matters of love, as well as in all +others, Time is a great teacher. + +I told Therese to direct her answer to Bologna, and, three days +after, I received from her a letter loving, and at the same time sad, +in which she informed me that she had signed the engagement. She had +secured the services of a woman whom she could present as her mother; +she would reach Naples towards the middle of May, and she would wait +for me there till she heard from me that I no longer wanted her. + +Four days after the receipt of that letter, the last but one that +Therese wrote me, I left Bologna for Venice. Before my departure I +had received an answer form the French officer, advising me that my +passport had reached Pesaro, and that he was ready to forward it to +me with my trunk, if I would pay M. Marcello Birna, the proveditore +of the Spanish army, whose address he enclosed, the sum of fifty +doubloons for the horse which I had run away with, or which had run +away with me. I repaired at once to the house of the proveditore, +well pleased to settle that affair, and I received my trunk and my +passport a few hours before leaving Bologna. But as my paying for +the horse was known all over the town, Monsignor Cornaro was +confirmed in his belief that I had killed my captain in a duel. + +To go to Venice, it was necessary to submit to a quarantine, which +had been adhered to only because the two governments had fallen out. +The Venetians wanted the Pope to be the first in giving free passage +through his frontiers, and the Pope insisted that the Venetians +should take the initiative. The result of this trifling pique +between the two governments was great hindrance to commerce, but very +often that which bears only upon the private interest of the people +is lightly treated by the rulers. I did not wish to be quarantined, +and determined on evading it. It was rather a delicate undertaking, +for in Venice the sanitary laws are very strict, but in those days I +delighted in doing, if not everything that was forbidden, at least +everything which offered real difficulties. + +I knew that between the state of Mantua and that of Venice the +passage was free, and I knew likewise that there was no restriction +in the communication between Mantua and Modena; if I could therefore +penetrate into the state of Mantua by stating that I was coming from +Modena, my success would be certain, because I could then cross the +Po and go straight to Venice. I got a carrier to drive me to Revero, +a city situated on the river Po, and belonging to the state of +Mantua. + +The driver told me that, if he took the crossroads, he could go to +Revero, and say that we came from Mantua, and that the only +difficulty would be in the absence of the sanitary certificate which +is delivered in Mantua, and which was certain to be asked for in +Revero. I suggested that the best way to manage would be for him to +say that he had lost it, and a little money removed every objection +on his part. + +When we reached the gates of Revero, I represented myself as a +Spanish officer going to Venice to meet the Duke of Modena (whom I +knew to be there) on business of the greatest importance. The +sanitary certificate was not even demanded, military honours were +duly paid to me, and I was most civilly treated. A certificate was +immediately delivered to me, setting forth that I was travelling from +Revero, and with it I crossed the Po, without any difficulty, at +Ostiglia, from which place I proceeded to Legnago. There I left my +carrier as much pleased with my generosity as with the good luck +which had attended our journey, and, taking post-horses, I reached +Venice in the evening. I remarked that it was the and of April, +1744, the anniversary of my birth, which, ten times during my life, +has been marked by some important event. + +The very next morning I went to the exchange in order to procure a +passage to Constantinople, but I could not find any passenger ship +sailing before two or three months, and I engaged a berth in a +Venetian ship called, Our Lady of the Rosary, Commander Zane, which +was to sail for Corfu in the course of the month. + +Having thus prepared myself to obey my destiny, which, according to +my superstitious feelings, called me imperiously to Constantinople, I +went to St: Mark's Square in order to see and to be seen, enjoying by +anticipation the surprise of my acquaintances at not finding me any +longer an abbe. I must not forget to state that at Revero I had +decorated my hat with a red cockade. + +I thought that my first visit was, by right, due to the Abbe Grimani. +The moment he saw me he raised a perfect shriek of astonishment, for +he thought I was still with Cardinal Acquaviva, on the road to a +political career, and he saw standing before him a son of Mars. He +had just left the dinner-table as I entered, and he had company. I +observed amongst the guests an officer wearing the Spanish uniform, +but I was not put out of countenance. I told the Abbe Grimani that I +was only passing through Venice, and that I had felt it a duty and a +pleasure to pay my respects to him. + +"I did not expect to see you in such a costume." + +"I have resolved to throw off the garb which could not procure me a +fortune likely to satisfy my ambition." + +"Where are you going?" + +"To Constantinople; and I hope to find a quick passage to Corfu, as I +have dispatches from Cardinal Acquaviva." + +"Where do you come from now?" + +"From the Spanish army, which I left ten days ago." + +These words were hardly spoken, when I heard the voice of a young +nobleman exclaiming; + +"That is not true." + +"The profession to which I belong," I said to him with great +animation, "does not permit me to let anyone give me the lie." + +And upon that, bowing all round, I went away, without taking any +notice of those who were calling me back. + +I wore an uniform; it seemed to me that I was right in showing that +sensitive and haughty pride which forms one of the characteristics of +military men. I was no longer a priest: I could not bear being given +the lie, especially when it had been given to me in so public a +manner. + +I called upon Madame Manzoni, whom I was longing to see. She was +very happy to see me, and did not fail to remind me of her +prediction. I told her my history, which amused her much; but she +said that if I went to Constantinople I should most likely never see +her again. + +After my visit to Madame Manzoni I went to the house of Madame Orio, +where I found worthy M. Rosa, Nanette, and Marton. They were all +greatly surprised, indeed petrified at seeing me. The two lovely +sisters looked more beautiful than ever, but I did not think it +necessary to tell them the history of my nine months absence, for it +would not have edified the aunt or pleased the nieces. I satisfied +myself with telling them as much as I thought fit, and amused them +for three hours. Seeing that the good old lady was carried away by +her enthusiasm, I told her that I should be very happy to pass under +her roof the four or five weeks of my stay in Venice, if she could +give me a room and supper, but on condition that I should not prove a +burden to her or to her charming nieces. + +"I should be only too happy," she answered, "to have you so long, but +I have no room to offer you." + +"Yes, you have one, my dear," exclaimed M. Rosa, "and I undertake to +put it to rights within two hours." + +It was the room adjoining the chamber of the two sisters. Nanette +said immediately that she would come downstairs with her sister, but +Madame Orio answered that it was unnecessary, as they could lock +themselves in their room. + +"There would be no need for them to do that, madam," I said, with a +serious and modest air; "and if I am likely to occasion the slightest +disturbance, I can remain at the inn." + +"There will be no disturbance whatever; but forgive my nieces, they +are young prudes, and have a very high opinion of themselves:" + +Everything being satisfactorily arranged, I forced upon Madame Orio a +payment of fifteen sequins in advance, assuring her that I was rich, +and that I had made a very good bargain, as I should spend a great +deal more if I kept my room at the inn. I added that I would send my +luggage, and take up my quarters in her house on the following day. +During the whole of the conversation, I could see the eyes of my two +dear little wives sparkling with pleasure, and they reconquered all +their influence over my heart in spite of my love for Therese, whose +image was, all the same, brilliant in my soul: this was a passing +infidelity, but not inconstancy. + +On the following day I called at the war office, but, to avoid every +chance of unpleasantness, I took care to remove my cockade. I found +in the office Major Pelodoro, who could not control his joy when he +saw me in a military uniform, and hugged me with delight. As soon as +I had explained to him that I wanted to go to Constantinople, and +that, although in uniform, I was free, he advised me earnestly to +seek the favour of going to Turkey with the bailo, who intended to +leave within two months, and even to try to obtain service in the +Venetian army. + +His advice suited me exactly, and the secretary of war, who had known +me the year before, happening to see me, summoned me to him. He told +me that he had received letters from Bologna which had informed him +of a certain adventure entirely to my honour, adding that he knew +that I would not acknowledge it. He then asked me if I had received +my discharge before leaving the Spanish army. + +"I could not receive my discharge, as I was never in the service." + +"And how did you manage to come to Venice without performing +quarantine?" + +"Persons coming from Mantua are not subject to it." + +"True; but I advise you to enter the Venetian service like Major +Pelodoro." + +As I was leaving the ducal palace, I met the Abbe Grimani who told me +that the abrupt manner in which I had left his house had displeased +everybody. + +"Even the Spanish officer?" + +"No, for he remarked that, if you had truly been with the army, you +could not act differently, and he has himself assured me that you +were there, and to prove what he asserted he made me read an article +in the newspaper, in which it is stated that you killed your captain +in a duel. Of course it is only a fable?" + +"How do you know that it is not a fact?" + +"Is it true, then?" + +"I do not say so, but it may be true, quite as true as my having been +with the Spanish army ten days ago." + +"But that is impossible, unless you have broken through the +quarantine." + +"I have broken nothing. I have openly crossed the Po at Revero, and +here I am. I am sorry not to be able to present myself at your +excellency's palace, but I cannot do so until I have received the +most complete satisfaction from the person who has given me the lie. +I could put up with an insult when I wore the livery of humility, but +I cannot bear one now that I wear the garb of honour." + +"You are wrong to take it in such a high tone. The person who +attacked your veracity is M. Valmarana, the proveditore of the +sanitary department, and he contends that, as nobody can pass through +the cordon, it would be impossible for you to be here. Satisfaction, +indeed! Have you forgotten who you are?" + +"No, I know who I am; and I know likewise that, if I was taken for a +coward before leaving Venice, now that I have returned no one shall +insult me without repenting it." + +"Come and dine with me." + +"No, because the Spanish officer would know it." + +"He would even see you, for he dines with me every day." + +"Very well, then I will go, and I will let him be the judge of my +quarrel with M. Valmarana." + +I dined that day with Major Pelodoro and several other officers, who +agreed in advising me to enter the service of the Republic, and I +resolved to do so. "I am acquainted," said the major, "with a young +lieutenant whose health is not sufficiently strong to allow him to go +to the East, and who would be glad to sell his commission, for which +he wants one hundred sequins. But it would be necessary to obtain +the consent of the secretary of war." "Mention the matter to him," I +replied, "the one hundred sequins are ready." The major undertook +the commission. + +In the evening I went to Madame Orio, and I found myself very +comfortably lodged. After supper, the aunt told her nieces to shew +me, to my room, and, as may well be supposed, we spent a most +delightful night. After that they took the agreeable duty by turns, +and in order to avoid any surprise in case the aunt should take it +into her head to pay them a visit, we skilfully displaced a part of +the partition, which allowed them to come in and out of my room +without opening the door. But the good lady believed us three living +specimens of virtue, and never thought of putting us to the test. + +Two or three days afterwards, M. Grimani contrived an interview +between me and M. Valmarana, who told me that, if he had been aware +that the sanitary line could be eluded, he would never have impugned +my veracity, and thanked me for the information I had given him. The +affair was thus agreeably arranged, and until my departure I honoured +M. Grimani's excellent dinner with my presence every day. + +Towards the end of the month I entered the service of the Republic in +the capacity of ensign in the Bala regiment, then at Corfu; the young +man who had left the regiment through the magical virtue of my one +hundred sequins was lieutenant, but the secretary of war objected to +my having that rank for reasons to which I had to submit, if I wished +to enter the army; but he promised me that, at the end of the year, I +would be promoted to the grade of lieutenant, and he granted me a +furlough to go to Constantinople. I accepted, for I was determined +to serve in the army. + +M. Pierre Vendramin, an illustrious senator, obtained me the favour +of a passage to Constantinople with the Chevalier Venier, who was +proceeding to that city in the quality of bailo, but as he would +arrive in Corfu a month after me, the chevalier very kindly promised +to take me as he called at Corfu. + +A few days before my departure, I received a letter from Therese, who +informed me that the Duke de Castropignano escorted her everywhere. +"The duke is old," she wrote, "but even if he were young, you would +have no cause for uneasiness on my account. Should you ever want any +money, draw upon me from any place where you may happen to be, and be +quite certain that your letters of exchange will be paid, even if I +had to sell everything I possess to honour your signature." + +There was to be another passenger on board the ship of the line on +which I had engaged my passage, namely, a noble Venetian, who was +going to Zante in the quality of counsellor, with a numerous and +brilliant retinue. The captain of the ship told me that, if I was +obliged to take my meals alone, I was not likely to fare very well, +and he advised me to obtain an introduction to the nobleman, who +would not fail to invite me to share his table. His name was Antonio +Dolfin, and he had been nicknamed Bucentoro, in consequence of his +air of grandeur and the elegance of his toilet. Fortunately I did +not require to beg an introduction, for M. Grimani offered, of his +own accord, to present me to the magnificent councillor, who received +me in the kindest manner, and invited me at once to take my meals at +his table. He expressed a desire that I should make the acquaintance +of his wife, who was to accompany him in the journey. I called upon +her the next day, and I found a lady perfect in manners, but already +of a certain age and completely deaf. I had therefore but little +pleasure to expect from her conversation. She had a very charming +young daughter whom she left in a convent. She became celebrated +afterwards, and she is still alive, I believe, the widow of +Procurator Iron, whose family is extinct. + +I have seldom seen a finer-looking man, or a man of more imposing +appearance than M. Dolfin. He was eminently distinguished for his +wit and politeness. He was eloquent, always cheerful when he lost at +cards, the favourite of ladies, whom he endeavoured to please in +everything, always courageous, and of an equal temper, whether in +good or in adverse fortune. + +He had ventured on travelling without permission, and had entered a +foreign service, which had brought him into disgrace with the +government, for a noble son of Venice cannot be guilty of a greater +crime. For this offence he had been imprisoned in the Leads--a +favour which destiny kept also in reserve for me. + +Highly gifted, generous, but not wealthy, M. Dolfin had been +compelled to solicit from the Grand Council a lucrative governorship, +and had been appointed to Zante; but he started with such a splendid +suite that he was not likely to save much out of his salary. Such a +man as I have just portrayed could not make a fortune in Venice, +because an aristocratic government can not obtain a state of lasting, +steady peace at home unless equality is maintained amongst the +nobility, and equality, either moral or physical, cannot be +appreciated in any other way than by appearances. The result is that +the man who does not want to lay himself open to persecution, and who +happens to be superior or inferior to the others, must endeavour to +conceal it by all possible means. If he is ambitious, he must feign +great contempt for dignities; if he seeks employment, he must not +appear to want any; if his features are handsome, he must be careless +of his physical appearance; he must dress badly, wear nothing in good +taste, ridicule every foreign importation, make his bow without +grace, be careless in his manner; care nothing for the fine arts, +conceal his good breeding, have no foreign cook, wear an uncombed +wig, and look rather dirty. M. Dolfin was not endowed with any of +those eminent qualities, and therefore he had no hope of a great +fortune in his native country. + +The day before my departure from Venice I did not go out; I devoted +the whole of the day to friendship. Madame Orio and her lovely +nieces shed many tears, and I joined them in that delightful +employment. During the last night that I spent with both of them, +the sisters repeated over and over, in the midst of the raptures of +love, that they never would see me again. They guessed rightly; but +if they had happened to see me again they would have guessed wrongly. +Observe how wonderful prophets are! + +I went on board, on the 5th of May, with a good supply of clothing, +jewels, and ready cash. Our ship carried twenty-four guns and two +hundred Sclavonian soldiers. We sailed from Malamacca to the shores +of Istria during the night, and we came to anchor in the harbour of +Orsera to take ballast. I landed with several others to take a +stroll through the wretched place where I had spent three days nine +months before, a recollection which caused me a pleasant sensation +when I compared my present position to what it was at that time. +What a difference in everything--health, social condition, and money! +I felt quite certain that in the splendid uniform I was now wearing +nobody would recognize the miserable-looking abbe who, but for Friar +Stephano, would have become--God knows what! + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +An Amusing Meeting in Orsera--Journey to Corfu--My Stay in +Constantinople--Bonneval--My Return to Corfu--Madame F.--The False +Prince--I Run Away from Corfu--My Frolics at Casopo--I Surrender My +self a Prisoner--My Speedy Release and Triumph--My Success with +Madame F. + + +I affirm that a stupid servant is more dangerous than a bad one, and +a much greater plague, for one can be on one's guard against a wicked +person, but never against a fool. You can punish wickedness but not +stupidity, unless you send away the fool, male or female, who is +guilty of it, and if you do so you generally find out that the change +has only thrown you out of the frying-pan into the fire. + +This chapter and the two following ones were written; they gave at +full length all the particulars which I must now abridge, for my +silly servant has taken the three chapters for her own purposes. She +pleaded as an excuse that the sheets of paper were old, written upon, +covered with scribbling and erasures, and that she had taken them in +preference to nice, clean paper, thinking that I would care much more +for the last than for the first. I flew into a violent passion, but +I was wrong, for the poor girl had acted with a good intent; her +judgment alone had misled her. It is well known that the first +result of anger is to deprive the angry man of the faculty of reason, +for anger and reason do not belong to the same family. Luckily, +passion does not keep me long under its sway: 'Irasci, celerem tamen +et placabilem esse'. After I had wasted my time in hurling at her +bitter reproaches, the force of which did not strike her, and in +proving to her that she was a stupid fool, she refuted all my +arguments by the most complete silence. There was nothing to do but +to resign myself, and, although not yet in the best of tempers, I +went to work. What I am going to write will probably not be so good +as what I had composed when I felt in the proper humour, but my +readers must be satisfied with it they will, like the engineer, gain +in time what they lose in strength. + +I landed at Orsera while our ship was taking ballast, as a ship +cannot sail well when she is too light, and I was walking about when +I remarked a man who was looking at me very attentively. As I had no +dread of any creditor, I thought that he was interested by my fine +appearance; I could not find fault with such a feeling, and kept +walking on, but as I passed him, he addressed me: + +"Might I presume to enquire whether this is your first visit to +Orsera, captain?" + +"No, sir, it is my second visit to this city." + +"Were you not here last year?" + +"I was." + +"But you were not in uniform then?" + +"True again; but your questions begin to sound rather indiscreet." + +"Be good enough to forgive me, sir, for my curiosity is the offspring +of gratitude. I am indebted to you for the greatest benefits, and I +trust that Providence has brought you here again only to give me the +opportunity of making greater still my debt of gratitude to you." + +"What on earth have I done, and what can I do for you? I am at a +loss to guess your meaning." + +"Will you be so kind as to come and breakfast with me? My house is +near at hand; my refosco is delicious, please to taste it, and I will +convince you in a few words that you are truly my benefactor, and +that I have a right to expect that you have returned Orsera to load +me with fresh benefits." + +I could not suspect the man of insanity; but, as I could not make him +out, I fancied that he wanted to make me purchase some of his +refosco, and I accepted his invitation. We went up to his room, and +he left me for a few moments to order breakfast. I observed several +surgical instruments, which made me suppose that he was a surgeon, +and I asked him when he returned. + +"Yes, captain; I have been practising surgery in this place for +twenty years, and in a very poor way, for I had nothing to do, except +a few cases of bleeding, of cupping, and occasionally some slight +excoriation to dress or a sprained ankle to put to rights. I did not +earn even the poorest living. But since last year a great change has +taken place; I have made a good deal of money, I have laid it out +advantageously, and it is to you, captain, to you (may God bless +you!) that I am indebted for my present comforts." + +"But how so?" + +"In this way, captain. You had a connection with Don Jerome's +housekeeper, and you left her, when you went away, a certain souvenir +which she communicated to a friend of hers, who, in perfect good +faith, made a present of it to his wife. This lady did not wish, I +suppose, to be selfish, and she gave the souvenir to a libertine who, +in his turn, was so generous with it that, in less than a month, I +had about fifty clients. The following months were not less +fruitful, and I gave the benefit of my attendance to everybody, of +course, for a consideration. There are a few patients still under my +care, but in a short time there will be no more, as the souvenir left +by you has now lost all its virtue. You can easily realize now the +joy I felt when I saw you; you are a bird of good omen. May I hope +that your visit will last long enough to enable you to renew the +source of my fortune?" + +I laughed heartily, but he was grieved to hear that I was in +excellent health. He remarked, however, that I was not likely to be +so well off on my return, because, in the country to which I was +going, there was abundance of damaged goods, but that no one knew +better than he did how to root out the venom left by the use of such +bad merchandise. He begged that I would depend upon him, and not +trust myself in the hands of quacks, who would be sure to palm their +remedies upon me. I promised him everything, and, taking leave of +him with many thanks, I returned to the ship. I related the whole +affair to M. Dolfin, who was highly amused. We sailed on the +following day, but on the fourth day, on the other side of Curzola, +we were visited by a storm which very nearly cost me my life. This +is how it happened: + +The chaplain of the ship was a Sclavonian priest, very ignorant, +insolent and coarse-mannered, and, as I turned him into ridicule +whenever the opportunity offered, he had naturally become my sworn +enemy. 'Tant de fiel entre-t-il dans l'ame d'un devot!' When the +storm was at its height, he posted himself on the quarter-deck, and, +with book in hand, proceeded to exorcise all the spirits of hell whom +he thought he could see in the clouds, and to whom he pointed for the +benefit of the sailors who, believing themselves lost, were crying, +howling, and giving way to despair, instead of attending to the +working of the ship, then in great danger on account of the rocks and +of the breakers which surrounded us. + +Seeing the peril of our position, and the evil effect of his stupid, +incantations upon the minds of the sailors whom the ignorant priest +was throwing into the apathy of despair, instead of keeping up their +courage, I thought it prudent to interfere. I went up the rigging, +calling upon the sailors to do their duty cheerfully, telling them +that there were no devils, and that the priest who pretended to see +them was a fool. But it was in vain that I spoke in the most +forcible manner, in vain that I went to work myself, and shewed that +safety was only to be insured by active means, I could not prevent +the priest declaring that I was an Atheist, and he managed to rouse +against me the anger of the greatest part of the crew. The wind +continued to lash the sea into fury for the two following days, and +the knave contrived to persuade the sailors who listened to him that +the hurricane would not abate as long as I was on board. Imbued with +that conviction, one of the men, thinking he had found a good +opportunity of fulfilling the wishes of the priest, came up to me as +I was standing at the extreme end of the forecastle, and pushed me so +roughly that I was thrown over. I should have been irretrievably +lost, but the sharp point of an anchor, hanging along the side of the +ship, catching in my clothes, prevented me from falling in the sea, +and proved truly my sheet-anchor. Some men came to my assistance, +and I was saved. A corporal then pointed out to me the sailor who +had tried to murder me, and taking a stout stick I treated the +scoundrel to a sound thrashing; but the sailors, headed by the +furious priest, rushed towards us when they heard his screams, and I +should have been killed if the soldiers had not taken my part. The +commander and M. Dolfin then came on deck, but they were compelled to +listen to the chaplain, and to promise, in order to pacify the vile +rabble, that they would land me at the first opportunity. But even +this was not enough; the priest demanded that I should give up to him +a certain parchment that I had purchased from a Greek at Malamocco +just before sailing. I had no recollection of it, but it was true. +I laughed, and gave it to M. Dolfin; he handed it to the fanatic +chaplain, who, exulting in his victory, called for a large pan of +live coals from the cook's galley, and made an auto-da-fe of the +document. The unlucky parchment, before it was entirely consumed, +kept writhing on the fire for half an hour, and the priest did not +fail to represent those contortions as a miracle, and all the sailors +were sure that it was an infernal manuscript given to me by the +devil. The virtue claimed for that piece of parchment by the man who +had sold it to me was that it insured its lucky possessor the love of +all women, but I trust my readers will do me the justice to believe +that I had no faith whatever in amorous philtres, talismans, or +amulets of any kind: I had purchased it only for a joke. + +You can find throughout Italy, in Greece, and generally in every +country the inhabitants of which are yet wrapped up in primitive +ignorance, a tribe of Greeks, of Jews, of astronomers, and of +exorcists, who sell their dupes rags and toys to which they +boastingly attach wonderful virtues and properties; amulets which +render invulnerable, scraps of cloth which defend from witchcraft, +small bags filled with drugs to keep away goblins, and a thousand +gewgaws of the same description. These wonderful goods have no +marketable value whatever in France, in England, in Germany, and +throughout the north of Europe generally, but, in revenge, the +inhabitants of those countries indulge in knavish practices of a much +worse kind. + +The storm abated just as the innocent parchment was writhing on the +fire, and the sailors, believing that the spirits of hell had been +exorcised, thought no more of getting rid of my person, and after a +prosperous voyage of a week we cast anchor at Corfu. As soon as I +had found a comfortable lodging I took my letters to his eminence the +proveditore-generale, and to all the naval commanders to whom I was +recommended; and after paying my respects to my colonel, and making +the acquaintance of the officers of my regiment, I prepared to enjoy +myself until the arrival of the Chevalier Venier, who had promised to +take me to Constantinople. He arrived towards the middle of June, +but in the mean time I had been playing basset, and had lost all my +money, and sold or pledged all my jewellery. + +Such must be the fate awaiting every man who has a taste for +gambling, unless he should know how to fix fickle fortune by playing +with a real advantage derived from calculation or from adroitness, +which defies chance. I think that a cool and prudent player can +manage both without exposing himself to censure, or deserving to be +called a cheat. + +During the month that I spent in Corfu, waiting for the arrival of M. +Venier, I did not devote any time to the study, either moral or +physical, of the country, for, excepting the days on which I was on +duty, I passed my life at the coffee-house, intent upon the game, and +sinking, as a matter of course, under the adverse fortune which I +braved with obstinacy. I never won, and I had not the moral strength +to stop till all my means were gone. The only comfort I had, and a +sorry one truly, was to hear the banker himself call me--perhaps +sarcastically--a fine player, every time I lost a large stake. My +misery was at its height, when new life was infused in me by the +booming of the guns fired in honour of the arrival of the bailo. He +was on board the Europa, a frigate of seventy-two guns, and he had +taken only eight days to sail from Venice to Corfu. The moment he +cast anchor, the bailo hoisted his flag of captain-general of the +Venetian navy, and the proveditore hauled down his own colours. The +Republic of Venice has not on the sea any authority greater than that +of Bailo to the Porte. The Chevalier Venier had with him a +distinguished and brilliant suite; Count Annibal Gambera, Count +Charles Zenobio, both Venetian noblemen of the first class, and the +Marquis d'Anchotti of Bressan, accompanied him to Constantinople for +their own amusement. The bailo remained a week in Corfu, and all the +naval authorities entertained him and his suite in turn, so that +there was a constant succession of balls and suppers. When I +presented myself to his excellency, he informed me that he had +already spoken to the proveditore, who had granted me a furlough of +six months to enable me to accompany him to Constantinople as his +adjutant; and as soon as the official document for my furlough had +been delivered to me, I sent my small stock of worldly goods on board +the Europa, and we weighed anchor early the next day. + +We sailed with a favourable wind which remained steady and brought us +in six days to Cerigo, where we stopped to take in some water. +Feeling some curiosity to visit the ancient Cythera, I went on shore +with the sailors on duty, but it would have been better for me if I +had remained on board, for in Cerigo I made a bad acquaintance. I +was accompanied by the captain of marines. + +The moment we set foot on shore, two men, very poorly dressed and of +unprepossessing appearance, came to us and begged for assistance. I +asked them who they were, and one, quicker than the other, answered; + +"We are sentenced to live, and perhaps to die, in this island by the +despotism of the Council of Ten. There are forty others as +unfortunate as ourselves, and we are all born subjects of the +Republic. + +"The crime of which we have been accused, which is not considered a +crime anywhere, is that we were in the habit of living with our +mistresses, without being jealous of our friends, when, finding our +ladies handsome, they obtained their favours with our ready consent. +As we were not rich, we felt no remorse in availing ourselves of the +generosity of our friends in such cases, but it was said that we were +carrying on an illicit trade, and we have been sent to this place, +where we receive every day ten sous in 'moneta lunga'. We are called +'mangia-mayroni', and are worse off than galley slaves, for we are +dying of ennui, and we are often starving without knowing how to stay +our hunger. My name is Don Antonio Pocchini, I am of a noble Paduan +family, and my mother belongs to the illustrious family of Campo San- +Piero." + +We gave them some money, and went about the island, returning to the +ship after we had visited the fortress. I shall have to speak of +that Pocchini in a few years. + +The wind continued in our favour, and we reached the Dardanelles in +eight or ten days; the Turkish barges met us there to carry us to +Constantinople. The sight offered by that city at the distance of a +league is truly wonderful; and I believe that a more magnificent +panorama cannot be found in any part of the world. It was that +splendid view which was the cause of the fall of the Roman, and of +the rise of the Greek empire. Constantine the Great, arriving at +Byzantium by sea, was so much struck with the wonderful beauty of its +position, that he exclaimed, "Here is the proper seat of the empire +of the whole world!" and in order to secure the fulfilment of his +prediction, he left Rome for Byzantium. If he had known the prophecy +of Horace, or rather if he had believed in it, he would not have been +guilty of such folly. The poet had said that the, downfall of the +Roman empire would begin only when one of the successors of Augustus +bethought him removing the capital of the empire to where it had +originated. The Troad is not far distant from Thrace. + +We arrived at the Venetian Embassy in Pera towards the middle of +July, and, for a wonder, there was no talk of the plague in +Constantinople just then. We were all provided with very comfortable +lodgings, but the intensity of the heat induced the baili to seek for +a little coolness in a country mansion which had been hired by the +Bailo Dona. It was situated at Bouyoudere. The very first order +laid upon me was never to go out unknown to the bailo, and without +being escorted by a janissary, and this order I obeyed to the letter. +In those days the Russians had not tamed the insolence of the Turkish +people. I am told that foreigners can now go about as much as they +please in perfect security. + +The day after our arrival, I took a janissary to accompany me to +Osman Pacha, of Caramania, the name assumed by Count de Bonneval ever +since he had adopted the turban. I sent in my letter, and was +immediately shewn into an apartment on the ground floor, furnished in +the French fashion, where I saw a stout elderly gentleman, dressed +like a Frenchman, who, as I entered the room, rose, came to meet me +with a smiling countenance, and asked me how he could serve the +'protege' of a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, which he could +no longer call his mother. I gave him all the particulars of the +circumstances which, in a moment of despair, had induced me to ask +the cardinal for letters of introduction for Constantinople, and I +added that, the letters once in my possession, my superstitious +feelings had made me believe that I was bound to deliver them in +person. + +"Then, without this letter," he said, "you never would have come to +Constantinople, and you have no need of me?" + +"True, but I consider myself fortunate in having thus made the +acquaintance of a man who has attracted the attention of the whole of +Europe, and who still commands that attention." + +His excellency made some remark respecting the happiness of young men +who, like me, without care, without any fixed purpose, abandon +themselves to fortune with that confidence which knows no fear, and +telling me that the cardinal's letter made it desirable that he +should do something for me, he promised to introduce me to three or +four of his Turkish friends who deserved to be known. He invited me +to dine with him every Thursday, and undertook to send me a janissary +who would protect me from the insults of the rabble and shew me +everything worth seeing. + +The cardinal's letter representing me as a literary man, the pacha +observed that I ought to see his library. I followed him through the +garden, and we entered a room furnished with grated cupboards; +curtains could be seen behind the wirework; the books were most +likely behind the curtains. + +Taking a key out of his pocket, he opened one of the cupboards, and, +instead of folios, I saw long rows of bottles of the finest wines. +We both laughed heartily. + +"Here are," said the pacha. "my library and my harem. I am old, +women would only shorten my life but good wine will prolong it, or +at least, make it more agreeable. + +"I imagine your excellency has obtained a dispensation from the +mufti?" + +"You are mistaken, for the Pope of the Turks is very far from +enjoying as great a power as the Christian Pope. He cannot in any +case permit what is forbidden by the Koran; but everyone is at +liberty to work out his own damnation if he likes. The Turkish +devotees pity the libertines, but they do not persecute them; there +is no inquisition in Turkey. Those who do not know the precepts of +religion, say the Turks, will suffer enough in the life to come; +there is no need to make them suffer in this life. The only +dispensation I have asked and obtained, has been respecting +circumcision, although it can hardly be called so, because, at my +age, it might have proved dangerous. That ceremony is generally +performed, but it is not compulsory." + +During the two hours that we spent together, the pacha enquired after +several of his friends in Venice, and particularly after Marc Antonio +Dieto. I told him that his friends were still faithful to their +affection for him, and did not find fault with his apostasy. He +answered that he was a Mahometan as he had been a Christian, and that +he was not better acquainted with the Koran than he had been with the +Gospel. "I am certain," he added, "that I shall die-calmer and much +happier than Prince Eugene. I have had to say that God is God, and +that Mahomet is the prophet. I have said it, and the Turks care very +little whether I believe it or not. I wear the turban as the soldier +wears the uniform. I was nothing but a military man; I could not +have turned my hand to any other profession, and I made up my mind to +become lieutenant-general of the Grand Turk only when I found myself +entirely at a loss how to earn my living. When I left Venice, the +pitcher had gone too often to the well, it was broken at last, and if +the Jews had offered me the command of an army of fifty thousand men, +I would have gone and besieged Jerusalem." + +Bonneval was handsome, but too stout. He had received a sabre-cut in +the lower part of the abdomen, which compelled him to wear constantly +a bandage supported by a silver plate. He had been exiled to Asia, +but only for a short time, for, as he told me, the cabals are not so +tenacious in Turkey as they are in Europe, and particularly at the +court of Vienna. As I was taking leave of him, he was kind enough to +say that, since his arrival in Turkey, he had never passed two hours +as pleasantly as those he had just spent with me, and that he would +compliment the bailo about me. + +The Bailo Dona, who had known him intimately in Venice, desired me to +be the bearer of all his friendly compliments for him, and M. Venier +expressed his deep regret at not being able to make his acquaintance. + +The second day after my first visit to him being a Thursday, the +pacha did not forget to send a janissary according to his promise. +It was about eleven in the morning when the janissary called for me, +I followed him, and this time I found Bonneval dressed in the Turkish +style. His guests soon arrived, and we sat down to dinner, eight of +us, all well disposed to be cheerful and happy. The dinner was +entirely French, in cooking and service; his steward and his cook +were both worthy French renegades. + +He had taken care to introduce me to all his guests and at the same +time to let me know who they were, but he did not give me an +opportunity of speaking before dinner was nearly over. The +conversation was entirely kept up in Italian, and I remarked that the +Turks did not utter a single word in their own language, even to say +the most ordinary thing. Each guest had near him a bottle which +might have contained either white wine or hydromel; all I know is +that I drank, as well as M. de Bonneval, next to whom I was seated, +some excellent white Burgundy. + +The guests got me on the subject of Venice, and particularly of Rome, +and the conversation very naturally fell upon religion, but not upon +dogmatic questions; the discipline of religion and liturgical +questions were alone discussed. + +One of the guests, who was addressed as effendi, because he had been +secretary for foreign affairs, said that the ambassador from Venice +to Rome was a friend of his, and he spoke of him in the highest +manner. I told him that I shared his admiration for that ambassador, +who had given me a letter of introduction for a Turkish nobleman, +whom he had represented as an intimate friend. He enquired for the +name of the person to whom the letter was addressed, but I could not +recollect it, and took the letter out of my pocket-book. The effendi +was delighted when he found that the letter was for himself. He +begged leave to read it at once, and after he had perused it, he +kissed the signature and came to embrace me. This scene pleased M. +de Bonneval and all his friends. The effendi, whose name was Ismail, +entreated the pacha to come to dine with him, and to bring me; +Bonneval accepted, and fixed a day. + +Notwithstanding all the politeness of the effendi, I was particularly +interested during our charming dinner in a fine elderly man of about +sixty, whose countenance breathed at the same time the greatest +sagacity and the most perfect kindness. Two years afterwards I found +again the same features on the handsome face of M. de Bragadin, a +Venetian senator of whom I shall have to speak at length when we come +to that period of my life. That elderly gentleman had listened to me +with the greatest attention, but without uttering one word. In +society, a man whose face and general appearance excite your +interest, stimulates strongly your curiosity if he remains silent. +When we left the dining-room I enquired from de Bonneval who he was; +he answered that he was wealthy, a philosopher, a man of acknowledged +merit, of great purity of morals, and strongly attached to his +religion. He advised me to cultivate his acquaintance if he made any +advances to me. + +I was pleased with his advice, and when, after a walk under the shady +trees of the garden, we returned to a drawing-room furnished in the +Turkish fashion, I purposely took a seat near Yusuf Ali. Such was +the name of the Turk for whom I felt so much sympathy. He offered me +his pipe in a very graceful manner; I refused it politely, and took +one brought to me by one of M. de Bonneval's servants. Whenever I +have been amongst smokers I have smoked or left the room; otherwise I +would have fancied that I was swallowing the smoke of the others, and +that idea which is true and unpleasant, disgusted me. I have never +been able to understand how in Germany the ladies, otherwise so +polite and delicate, could inhale the suffocating fumes of a crowd of +smokers. + +Yusuf, pleased to have me near him, at once led the conversation to +subjects similar to those which had been discussed at table, and +particularly to the reasons which had induced me to give up the +peaceful profession of the Church and to choose a military life; and +in order to gratify his curiosity without losing his good opinion, I +gave him, but with proper caution, some of the particulars of my +life, for I wanted him to be satisfied that, if I had at first +entered the career of the holy priesthood, it had not been through +any vocation of mine. He seemed pleased with my recital, spoke of +natural vocations as a Stoic philosopher, and I saw that he was a +fatalist; but as I was careful not to attack his system openly, he +did not dislike my objections, most likely because he thought himself +strong enough to overthrow them. + +I must have inspired the honest Mussulman with very great esteem, for +he thought me worthy of becoming his disciple; it was not likely that +he could entertain the idea of becoming himself the disciple of a +young man of nineteen, lost, as he thought, in a false religion. + +After spending an hour in examining me, in listening to my +principles, he said that he believed me fit to know the real truth, +because he saw that I was seeking for it, and that I was not certain +of having obtained it so far. He invited me to come and spend a +whole day with him, naming the days when I would be certain to find +him at home, but he advised me to consult the Pacha Osman before +accepting his invitation. I told him that the pacha had already +mentioned him to me and had spoken very highly of his character; he +seemed much pleased. I fixed a day for my visit, and left him. + +I informed M. de Bonneval of all that had occurred; he was delighted, +and promised that his janissary would be every day at the Venetian +palace, ready to execute my orders. + +I received the congratulations of the baili upon the excellent +acquaintances I had already made, and M. Venier advised me not to +neglect such friends in a country where weariness of life was more +deadly to foreigners than the plague. + +On the day appointed, I went early to Yusuf's palace, but he was out. +His gardener, who had received his instructions, shewed me every +attention, and entertained me very agreeably for two hours in doing +the honours of his master's splendid garden, where I found the most +beautiful flowers. This gardener was a Neapolitan, and had belonged +to Yusuf for thirty years. His manners made me suspect that he was +well born and well educated, but he told me frankly that he had never +been taught even to read, that he was a sailor when he, was taken in +slavery, and that he was so happy in the service of Yusuf that +liberty would be a punishment to him. Of course I did not venture to +address him any questions about his master, for his reserve might +have put my curiosity to the blush. + +Yusuf had gone out on horseback; he returned, and, after the usual +compliments, we dined alone in a summerhouse, from which we had a +fine view of the sea, and in which the heat was cooled by a +delightful breeze, which blows regularly at the same hour every day +from the north-west; and is called the mistral. We had a good +dinner; there was no prepared dish except the cauroman, a peculiar +delicacy of the Turks. I drank water and hydromel, and I told Yusuf +that I preferred the last to wine, of which I never took much at that +time. "Your hydromel," I said, "is very good, and the Mussulmans who +offend against the law by drinking wine do not deserve any +indulgence; I believe they drink wine only because it is forbidden." +"Many of the true believers," he answered. "think that they can take +it as a medicine. The Grand Turk's physician has brought it into +vogue as a medicine, and it has been the cause of his fortune, for he +has captivated the favour of his master who is in reality constantly +ill, because he is always in a state of intoxication." I told Yusuf +that in my country drunkards were scarce, and that drunkenness was a +vice to be found only among the lowest people; he was much +astonished. "I cannot understand," he said, "why wine is allowed by +all religions, when its use deprives man of his reason."--"All +religions," I answered, "forbid excess in drinking wine, and the +crime is only in the abuse." I proved him the truth of what I had +said by telling him that opium produced the same results as wine, but +more powerfully, and consequently Mahomet ought to have forbidden the +use of it. He observed that he had never taken either wine or opium +in the course of his life. + +After dinner, pipes were brought in and we filled them ourselves. I +was smoking with pleasure, but, at the same time, was expectorating. +Yusuf, who smoked like a Turk, that is to say, without spitting, +said,-- + +"The tobacco you are now smoking is of a very fine quality, and you +ought to swallow its balsam which is mixed with the saliva." + +"I suppose you are right; smoking cannot be truly enjoyed without the +best tobacco." + +"That is true to a certain extent, but the enjoyment found in smoking +good tobacco is not the principal pleasure, because it only pleases +our senses; true enjoyment is that which works upon the soul, and is +completely independent of the senses." + +"I cannot realize pleasures enjoyed by the soul without the +instrumentality of the senses." + +"Listen to me. When you fill your pipe do you feel any pleasure?" + +"Yes." + +"Whence does that pleasure arise, if it is not from your soul? Let +us go further. Do you not feel pleased when you give up your pipe +after having smoked all the tobacco in it--when you see that nothing +is left but some ashes?" + +"It is true." + +"Well, there are two pleasures in which your senses have certainly +nothing to do, but I want you to guess the third, and the most +essential." + +"The most essential? It is the perfume." + +"No; that is a pleasure of the organ of smelling--a sensual +pleasure." + +"Then I do not know." + +"Listen. The principal pleasure derived from tobacco smoking is the +sight of a smoke itself. You must never see it go out of the bowl of +your pipe,--but only from the corner o your mouth, at regular +intervals which must not be too frequent. It is so truly the greatest +pleasure connected with the pipe, that you cannot find anywhere a +blind man who smokes. Try yourself the experiment of smoking a pipe +in your room, at night and without a light; you will soon lay the +pipe down." + +"It is all perfectly true; yet you must forgive me if I give the +preference to several pleasures, in which my senses are interested, +over those which afford enjoyment only to my soul." + +"Forty years ago I was of the same opinion, and in forty years, if +you succeed in acquiring wisdom, you will think like me. Pleasures +which give activity to our senses, my dear son, disturb the repose of +our soul--a proof that they do not deserve the name of real +enjoyments." + +"But if I feel them to be real enjoyments, it is enough to prove that +they are truly so." + +"Granted; but if you would take the trouble of analyzing them after +you have tasted them, you would not find them unalloyed." + +"It may be so, but why should I take a trouble which would only +lessen my enjoyment." + +"A time will come when you will feel pleasure in that very trouble." + +"It strikes me, dear father, that you prefer mature age to youth." + +"You may boldly say old age." + +"You surprise me. Must I believe that your early life has been +unhappy?" + +"Far from it. It was always fortunate in good health, and the master +of my own passions; but all I saw in my equals was for me a good +school in which I have acquired the knowledge of man, and learned the +real road to happiness. The happiest of men is not the most +voluptuous, but the one who knows how to choose the highest standards +of voluptuousness, which can be found, I say again, not in the +pleasures which excite our senses, but in those which give greater +repose to the soul." + +"That is the voluptuousness which you consider unalloyed." + +"Yes, and such is the sight of a vast prairie all covered with grass. +The green colour, so strongly recommended by our divine prophet, +strikes my eyes, and at the same moment I feel that my soul is +wrapped up in a calm so delightful that I fancy myself nearer the +Creator. I enjoy the same peace, the same repose, when I am seated +on the banks of a river, when I look upon the water so quiet, yet +always moving, which flows constantly, yet never disappears from my +sight, never loses any of its clearness in spite of its constant +motion. It strikes me as the image of my own existence, and of the +calm which I require for my life in order to reach, like the water I +am gazing upon, the goal which I do not see, and which can only be +found at the other end of the journey." + +Thus did the Turk reason, and we passed four hours in this sort of +conversation. He had buried two wives, and he had two sons and one +daughter. The eldest son, having received his patrimony, had +established himself in the city of Salonica, where he was a wealthy +merchant; the other was in the seraglio, in the service of the Grand +Turk and his fortune was in the hands of a trustee. His daughter, +Zelmi, then fifteen years of age, was to inherit all his remaining +property. He had given her all the accomplishments which could +minister to the happiness of the man whom heaven had destined for her +husband. We shall hear more of that daughter anon. The mother of +the three children was dead, and five years previous to the time of +my visit, Yusuf had taken another wife, a native of Scio, young and +very beautiful, but he told me himself that he was now too old, and +could not hope to have any child by her. Yet he was only sixty years +of age. Before I left, he made me promise to spend at least one day +every week with him. + +At supper, I told the baili how pleasantly the day had passed. + +"We envy you," they said, "the prospect you have before you of +spending agreeably three or four months in this country, while, in +our quality of ministers, we must pine away with melancholy." + +A few days afterwards, M. de Bonneval took me with him to dine at +Ismail's house, where I saw Asiatic luxury on a grand scale, but +there were a great many guests, and the conversation was held almost +entirely in the Turkish language--a circumstance which annoyed me and +M. de Bonneval also. Ismail saw it, and he invited me to breakfast +whenever I felt disposed, assuring me that he would have much +pleasure in receiving me. I accepted the invitation, and I went ten +or twelve days afterwards. When we reach that period my readers must +kindly accompany me to the breakfast. For the present I must return +to Yusuf who, during my second visit, displayed a character which +inspired, me with the greatest esteem and the warmest affection. + +We had dined alone as before, and, conversation happening to turn +upon the fine arts, I gave my opinion upon one of the precepts in the +Koran, by which the Mahometans are deprived of the innocent enjoyment +of paintings and statues. He told me that Mahomet, a very sagacious +legislator, had been right in removing all images from the sight of +the followers of Islam. + +"Recollect, my son, that the nations to which the prophet brought the +knowledge of the true God were all idolators. Men are weak; if the +disciples of the prophet had continued to see the same objects, they +might have fallen back into their former errors." + +"No one ever worshipped an image as an image; the deity of which the +image is a representation is what is worshipped." + +"I may grant that, but God cannot be matter, and it is right to +remove from the thoughts of the vulgar the idea of a material +divinity. You are the only men, you Christians, who believe that you +see God." + +"It is true, we are sure of it, but observe that faith alone gives us +that certainty." + +"I know it; but you are idolators, for you see nothing but a material +representation, and yet you have a complete certainty that you see +God, unless you should tell me that faith disaffirms it." + +"God forbid I should tell you such a thing! Faith, on the contrary, +affirms our certainty." + +"We thank God that we have no need of such self-delusion, and there +is not one philosopher in the world who could prove to me that you +require it." + +"That would not be the province of philosophy, dear father, but of +theology--a very superior science." + +"You are now speaking the language of our theologians, who differ +from yours only in this; they use their science to make clearer the +truths we ought to know, whilst your theologians try to render those +truths more obscure." + +"Recollect, dear father, that they are mysteries." + +"The existence of God is a sufficiently important mystery to prevent +men from daring to add anything to it. God can only be simple; any +kind of combination would destroy His essence; such is the God +announced by our prophet, who must be the same for all men and in all +times. Agree with me that we can add nothing to the simplicity of +God. We say that God is one; that is the image of simplicity. You +say that He is one and three at the same time, and such a definition +strikes us as contradictory, absurd, and impious." + +"It is a mystery." + +"Do you mean God or the definition? I am speaking only of the +definition, which ought not to be a mystery or absurd. Common sense, +my son, must consider as absurd an assertion which substantiallv +nonsensical. Prove to me that three is not a compound, that it +cannot be a compound and I will become a Christian at once." + +"My religion tells me to believe without arguing, and I shudder, my +dear Yusuf, when I think that, through some specious reasoning, I +might be led to renounce the creed of my fathers. I first must be +convinced that they lived in error. Tell me whether, respecting my +father's memory, I ought to have such a good opinion of myself as to +sit in judgement over him, with the intention of giving my sentence +against him?" + +My lively remonstrance moved Yusuf deeply, but after a few instants +of silence he said to me,-- + +"With such feelings, my son, you are sure to find grace in the eyes +of God, and you are, therefore, one of the elect. If you are in +error, God alone can convince you of it, for no just man on earth can +refute the sentiment you have just given expression to." + +We spoke of many other things in a friendly manner, and in the +evening we parted with the often repeated assurance of the warmest +affection and of the most perfect devotion. + +But my mind was full of our conversation, and as I went on pondering +over the matter, I thought that Yusuf might be right in his opinion +as to the essence of God, for it seemed evident that the Creator of +all beings ought to be perfectly simple; but I thought at the same +time how impossible it would be for me, because the Christian +religion had made a mistake, to accept the Turkish creed, which might +perhaps have just a conception of God, but which caused me to smile +when I recollected that the man who had given birth to it had been an +arrant imposter. I had not the slightest idea, however, that Yusuf +wished to make a convert of me. + +The third time I dined with him religion was again the subject of +conversation. + +"Do you believe, dear father, that the religion of Mahomet is the +only one in which salvation can be secured?" + +"No, my dear son, I am not certain of it, and no man can have such a +certainty; but I am sure that the Christian religion is not the true +one, because it cannot be universal." + +"Why not?" + +"Because there is neither bread nor wine to be found in three-fourths +of the world. Observe that the precepts of the Koran can be followed +everywhere." + +I did not know how to answer, and I would not equivocate. + +"If God cannot be matter," I said, "then He must be a spirit?" + +"We know what He is not but we do not know what He is: man cannot +affirm that God is a spirit, because he can only realize the idea in +an abstract manner. God immaterial; that is the extent of our +knowledge and it can never be greater." + +I was reminded of Plato, who had said exactly the same an most +certainly Yusuf never read Plato. + +He added that the existence of God could be useful only to those who +did not entertain a doubt of that existence, and that, as a natural +consequence, Atheists must be the most miserable of men. God has +made in man His own image in order that, amongst all the animals +created by Him, there should be one that can understand and confess +the existence of the Creator. Without man, God would have no witness +of His own glory, and man must therefore understand that his first +and highest duty is to glorify God by practising justice and trusting +to His providence. + +"Observe, my son, that God never abandons the man who, in the midst +of misfortunes, falls down in prayer before Him, and that He often +allows the wretch who has no faith in prayer to die miserably." + +"Yet we meet with Atheists who are fortunate and happy." + +"True; but, in spite of their tranquillity, I pity them because they +have no hope beyond this life, and are on a level with animals. +Besides, if they are philosophers, they must linger in dark +ignorance, and, if they never think, they have no consolation, no +resource, when adversity reaches them. God has made man in such a +manner that he cannot be happy unless he entertains no doubt of the +existence of his Divine Creator; in all stations of life man is +naturally prone to believe in that existence, otherwise man would +never have admitted one God, Creator of all beings and of all +things." + +"I should like to know why Atheism has only existed in the systems of +the learned, and never as a national creed." + +"Because the poor feel their wants much more than the rich, There are +amongst us a great many impious men who deride the true believers +because they have faith in the pilgrimage to Mecca. Wretches that +they are, they ought to respect the ancient customs which, exciting +the devotion of fervent souls, feed religious principles, and impart +courage under all misfortunes. Without such consolation, people +would give way to all the excess of despair." + +Much pleased with the attention I gave to all he said, Yusuf would +thus yield to the inclination he felt to instruct me, and, on my +side, feeling myself drawn towards him by the charm which amiable +goodness exerts upon all hearts, I would often go and spend the day +with him, even without any previous invitation, and Yusuf's +friendship soon became one of my most precious treasures. + +One morning, I told my janissary to take me to the palace of Ismail +Effendi, in order to fulfil my promise to breakfast with him. He +gave me the most friendly welcome, and after an excellent breakfast +he invited me to take a walk in his garden. We found there a pretty +summer-house which we entered, and Ismail attempted some liberties +which were not at all to my taste, and which I resented by rising in +a very abrupt manner. Seeing that I was angry, the Turk affected to +approve my reserve, and said that he had only been joking. I left +him after a few minutes, with the intention of not visiting him +again, but I was compelled to do so, as I will explain by-and-by. + +When I saw M. de Bonneval I told him what had happened and he said +that, according to Turkish manners, Ismail had intended to give me a +great proof of his friendship, but that I need not be afraid of the +offence being repeated. He added that politeness required that I +should visit him again, and that Ismail was, in spite of his failing, +a perfect gentleman, who had at his disposal the most beautiful +female slaves in Turkey. + +Five or six weeks after the commencement of our intimacy, Yusuf asked +me one day whether I was married. I answered that I was not; the +conversation turned upon several moral questions, and at last fell +upon chastity, which, in his opinion, could be accounted a virtue +only if considered from one point of view, namely, that of total +abstinence, but he added that it could not be acceptable to God; +because it transgressed against the very first precept He had given +to man. + +"I would like to know, for instance," he said, "what name can be +given to the chastity of your knights of Malta. They take a vow of +chastity, but it does not mean that they will renounce women +altogether, they renounce marriage only. Their chastity, and +therefore chastity in general, is violated only by marriage; yet I +observe that marriage is one of your sacraments. Therefore, those +knights of Malta promise not to give way to lustful incontinence in +the only case in which God might forgive it, but they reserve the +license of being lustful unlawfully as often as they please, and +whenever an opportunity may offer itself; and that immoral, illicit +license is granted to them to such an extent, that they are allowed +to acknowledge legally a child which can be born to them only through +a double crime! The most revolting part of it all is that these +children of crime, who are of course perfectly innocent themselves, +are called natural children, as if children born in wedlock came into +the world in an unnatural manner! In one word, my dear son, the vow +of chastity is so much opposed to Divine precepts and to human nature +that it can be agreeable neither to God nor to society, nor to those +who pledge themselves to keep it, and being in such opposition to +every divine and human law, it must be a crime." + +He enquired for the second time whether I was married; I replied in +the negative, and added that I had no idea of ever getting married. + +"What!" he exclaimed; "I must then believe that you are not a perfect +man, or that you intend to work out your own damnation; unless you +should tell me that you are a Christian only outwardly." + +"I am a man in the very strongest sense of the word, and I am a true +Christian. I must even confess that I adore women, and that I have +not the slightest idea of depriving myself of the most delightful of +all pleasures." + +"According to your religion, damnation awaits you." + +"I feel certain of the contrary, because, when we confess our sins, +our priests are compelled to give us absolution." + +"I know it, but you must agree with me that it is absurd to suppose +that God will forgive a crime which you would, perhaps, not commit, +if you did not think that, after confession, a priest, a man like +you, will give you absolution. God forgives only the repenting +sinner." + +"No doubt of it, and confession supposes repentance; without it, +absolution has no effect." + +"Is onanism a crime amongst you?" + +"Yes, even greater than lustful and illegitimate copulation." + +"I was aware of it, and it has always caused me great surprise, for +the legislator who enacts a law, the execution of which is +impossible, is a fool. A man in good health, if he cannot have a +woman, must necessarily have recourse to onanism, whenever imperious +nature demands it, and the man who, from fear of polluting his soul, +would abstain from it, would only draw upon himself a mortal +disease." + +"We believe exactly the reverse; we think that young people destroy +their constitutions, and shorten their lives through self-abuse. In +several communities they are closely watched, and are as much as +possible deprived of every opportunity of indulging in that crime." + +"Those who watch them are ignorant fools, and those who pay the +watchers for such a service are even more stupid, because prohibition +must excite the wish to break through such a tyrannical law, to set +at nought an interdiction so contrary to nature." + +"Yet it seems to me that self-abuse in excess must be injurious to +health, for it must weaken and enervate." + +"Certainly, because excess in everything is prejudicial and +pernicious; but all such excess is the result of our severe +prohibition. If girls are not interfered with in the matter of self- +abuse, I do not see why boys should be." + +"Because girls are very far from running the same risk; they do not +lose a great deal in the action of self-abuse, and what they lose +does not come from the same source whence flows the germinal liquid +in men." + +"I do not know, but we have some physicians who say that chlorosis in +girls is the result of that pleasure indulged in to excess." + +After many such conversations, in which he seemed to consider me as +endowed with reason and talent, even when I was not of his opinion, +Yusuf Ali surprised me greatly one day by the following proposition: + +"I have two sons and a daughter. I no longer think of my sons, +because they have received their share of my fortune. As far as my +daughter is concerned she will, after my death, inherit all my +possessions, and I am, besides, in a position while I am alive to +promote the fortune of the man who may marry her. Five years ago I +took a young wife, but she has not given me any progeny, and I know +to a certainty that no offspring will bless our union. My daughter, +whose name is Zelmi, is now fifteen; she is handsome, her eyes are +black and lovely like her mother's, her hair is of the colour of the +raven's wing, her complexion is animated alabaster; she is tall, well +made, and of a sweet disposition; I have given her an education which +would make her worthy of our master, the Sultan. She speaks Greek +and Italian fluently, she sings delightfully, and accompanies herself +on the harp; she can draw and embroider, and is always contented and +cheerful. No living man can boast of having seen her features, and +she loves me so dearly that my will is hers. My daughter is a +treasure, and I offer her to you if you will consent to go for one +year to Adrianople to reside with a relative of mine, who will teach +you our religion, our language, and our manners. You will return at +the end of one year, and as soon as you have become a Mussulman my +daughter shall be your wife. You will find a house ready furnished, +slaves of your own, and an income which will enable you to live in +comfort. I have no more to say at present. I do not wish you to +answer me either to-day, or to-morrow, or on any fixed day. You will +give me your decision whenever you feel yourself called upon by your +genius to give it, and you need not give me any answer unless you +accept my offer, for, should you refuse it, it is not necessary that +the subject should be again mentioned. I do not ask you to give full +consideration to my proposal, for now that I have thrown the seed in +your soul it must fructify. Without hurry, without delay, without +anxiety, you can but obey the decrees of God and follow the immutable +decision of fate. Such as I know you, I believe that you only +require the possession of Zelmi to be competely happy, and that you +will become one of the pillars of the Ottoman Empire." + +Saying those words, Yusuf pressed me affectionately in his arms, and +left me by myself to avoid any answer I might be inclined to make. I +went away in such wonder at all I had just heard, that I found myself +at the Venetian Embassy without knowing how I had reached it. The +baili thought me very pensive, and asked whether anything was the +matter with me, but I did not feel disposed to gratify their +curiosity. I found that Yusuf had indeed spoken truly: his proposal +was of such importance that it was my duty, not only not to mention +it to anyone, but even to abstain from thinking it over, until my +mind had recovered its calm sufficiently to give me the assurance +that no external consideration would weigh in the balance and +influence my decision. I had to silence all my passions; prejudices, +principles already formed, love, and even self-interest were to +remain in a state of complete inaction. + +When I awoke the next morning I began to think the matter over, and I +soon discovered that, if I wanted to come to a decision, I ought not +to ponder over it, as the more I considered the less likely I should +be to decide. This was truly a case for the 'sequere Deum' of the +Stoics. + +I did not visit Yusuf for four days, and when I called on him on the +fifth day, we talked cheerfully without once mentioning his proposal, +although it was very evident that we were both thinking of it. We +remained thus for a fortnight, without ever alluding to the matter +which engrossed all our thoughts, but our silence was not caused by +dissimulation, or by any feeling contrary to our mutual esteem and +friendship; and one day Yusuf suggested that very likely I had +communicated his proposal to some wise friend, in order to obtain +good advice. I immediately assured him it was not so, and that in a +matter of so delicate a nature I thought I ought not to ask anybody's +advice. + +"I have abandoned myself to God, dear Yusuf, and, full of confidence +in Him, I feel certain that I shall decide for the best, whether I +make up my mind to become your son, or believe that I ought to remain +what I am now. In the mean time, my mind ponders over it day and +night, whenever I am quiet and feel myself composed and collected. +When I come to a decision, I will impart it to you alone, and from +that moment you shall have over me the authority of a father." + +At these words the worthy Yusuf, his eyes wet with tears, placed his +left hand over my head, and the first two fingers of the right hand +on my forehead, saying: + +"Continue to act in that way, my dear son, and be certain that you +can never act wrongly." + +"But," I said to him, "one thing might happen, Zelmi might not accept +me." + +"Have no anxiety about that. My daughter loves you; she, as well as +my wife and her nurse, sees you every time that we dine together, and +she listens to you with pleasure." + +"Does she know that you are thinking of giving her to me as my wife?" + +"She knows that I ardently wish you to become a true believer, so as +to enable me to link her destiny to yours." + +"I am glad that your habits do not permit you to let me see her, +because she might dazzle me with her beauty, and then passion would +soon have too much weight in the scale; I could no longer flatter +myself that my decision had been taken in all the unbiased, purity of +my soul." + +Yusuf was highly delighted at hearing me speak in that manner, and I +spoke in perfect good faith. The mere idea of seeing Zelmi caused me +to shudder. I felt that, if I had fallen in love with her, I would +have become a Mussulman in order to possess her, and that I might +soon have repented such a step, for the religion of Mahomet presented +to my eyes and to my mind nothing but a disagreeable picture, as well +for this life as for a future one. As for wealth, I did not think it +deserved the immense sacrifice demanded from me. I could find equal +wealth in Europe, without stamping my forehead with the shameful +brand of apostasy. I cared deeply for the esteem of the persons of +distinction who knew me, and did not want to render myself unworthy +of it. Besides, I felt an immense desire to obtain fame amongst +civilized and polite nations, either in the fine arts or in +literature, or in any other honourable profession, and I could not +reconcile myself to the idea of abandoning to my equals the triumph +which I might win if I lived amongst them. It seemed to me, and I am +still of the same opinion, that the decision of wearing the turban +befits only a Christian despairing of himself and at the end of his +wits, and fortunately I was lost not in that predicament. My +greatest objection was to spend a year in Adrianople to learn a +language for which I did not feel any liking, and which I should +therefore have learned but imperfectly. How could I, at my age, +renounce the prerogative, so pleasant to my vanity, of being reputed +a fine talker? and I had secured that reputation wherever I was +known. Then I would often think that Zelmi, the eighth wonder of +creation in the eyes of her father might not appear such in my eyes, +and it would have been enough to make me miserable, for Yusuf was +likely to live twenty years longer, and I felt that gratitude, as +well as respect, would never have permitted me to give that excellent +man any cause for unhappiness by ceasing to shew myself a devoted and +faithful husband to his daughter. Such were my thoughts, and, as +Yusuf could not guess them, it was useless to make a confidant of +him. + +A few days afterwards, I dined with the Pacha Osman and met my +Effendi Ismail. He was very friendly to me, and I reciprocated his +attentions, though I paid no attention to the reproaches he addressed +to me for not having come to breakfast with him for such a long time. +I could not refuse to dine at his house with Bonneval, and he treated +me to a very pleasing sight; Neapolitan slaves, men and women, +performed a pantomime and some Calabrian dances. M. de Bonneval +happened to mention the dance called forlana, and Ismail expressing a +great wish to know it, I told him that I could give him that pleasure +if I had a Venetian woman to dance with and a fiddler who knew the +time. I took a violin, and played the forlana, but, even if the +partner had been found, I could not play and dance at the same time. + +Ismail whispered a few words to one of his eunuchs, who went out of +the room and returned soon with some message that he delivered to +him. The effendi told me that he had found the partner I wanted, and +I answered that the musician could be had easily, if he would send a +note to the Venetian Embassy, which was done at once. The Bailo Dona +sent one of his men who played the violin well enough for dancing +purposes. As soon as the musician was ready, a door was thrown open, +and a fine looking woman came in, her face covered with a black +velvet mask, such as we call moretta in Venice. The appearance of +that beautiful masked woman surprised and delighted every one of the +guests, for it was impossible to imagine a more interesting object, +not only on account of the beauty of that part of the face which the +mask left exposed, but also for the elegance of her shape, the +perfection of her figure, and the exquisite taste displayed in her +costume. The nymph took her place, I did the same, and we danced the +forlana six times without stopping. + +I was in perspiration and out of breath, for the foylana is the most +violent of our national dances; but my beautiful partner stood near +me without betraying the slightest fatigue, and seemed to challenge +me to a new performance. At the round of the dance, which is the +most difficult step, she seemed to have wings. I was astounded, for +I had never seen anyone, even in Venice, dance the forlana so +splendidly. After a few minutes rest, rather ashamed of my feeling +tired, I went up to her, and said, 'Ancora sei, a poi basta, se non +volete vedermi a morire.' She would have answered me if she had been +able, but she wore one of those cruel masks which forbid speech. But +a pressure of her hand which nobody could see made me guess all I +wanted to know. The moment we finished dancing the eunuch opened the +door, and my lovely partner disappeared. + +Ismail could not thank me enough, but it was I who owed him my +thanks, for it was the only real pleasure which I enjoyed in +Constantinople. I asked him whether the lady was from Venice, but he +only answered by a significant smile. + +"The worthy Ismail," said M. de Bonneval to me, as we were leaving +the house late in the evening, "has been to-day the dupe of his +vanity, and I have no doubt that he is sorry already for what he has +done. To bring out his beautiful slave to dance with you! According +to the prejudices of this country it is injurious to his dignity, for +you are sure to have kindled an amorous flame in the poor girl's +breast. I would advise you to be careful and to keep on your guard, +because she will try to get up some intrigue with you; but be +prudent, for intrigues are always dangerous in Turkey." + +I promised to be prudent, but I did not keep my promise; for, three +or four days afterwards, an old slave woman met me in the street, and +offered to sell me for one piaster a tobacco-bag embroidered in gold; +and as she put it in my hand she contrived to make me feel that there +was a letter in the bag. + +I observed that she tried to avoid the eyes of the janissary who was +walking behind me; I gave her one piaster, she left me, and I +proceeded toward Yusuf's house. He was not at home, and I went to +his garden to read the letter with perfect freedom. It was sealed +and without any address, and the slave might have made a mistake; but +my curiosity was excited to the highest pitch; I broke the seal, and +found the following note written in good enough Italian: + +"Should you wish to see the person with whom you danced the forlana, +take a walk towards evening in the garden beyond the fountain, and +contrive to become acquainted with the old servant of the gardener by +asking her for some lemonade. You may perchance manage to see your +partner in the forlana without running any risk, even if you should +happen to meet Ismail; she is a native of Venice. Be careful not to +mention this invitation to any human being." + +"I am not such a fool, my lovely countrywoman," I exclaimed, as if +she had been present, and put the letter in my pocket. But at that +very moment, a fine-looking elderly woman came out of a thicket, +pronounced my name, and enquired what I wanted and how I had seen +her. I answered that I had been speaking to the wind, not supposing +that anyone could hear me, and without any more preparation, she +abruptly told me that she was very glad of the opportunity of +speaking with me, that she was from Rome, that she had brought up +Zelmi, and had taught her to sing and to play the harp. She then +praised highly the beauty and the excellent qualities of her pupil, +saying that, if I saw her, I would certainly fall in love with her, +and expressing how much she regretted that the law should not allow +it. + +"She sees us at this very moment," she added, "from behind that green +window-blind, and we love you ever since Yusuf has informed us that +you may, perhaps, become Zelmi's husband." + +"May I mention our conversation to Yusuf ?" I enquired. + +"No." + +Her answering in the negative made me understand that, if I had +pressed her a little, she would have allowed me to see her lovely +pupil, and perhaps it was with that intention that she had contrived +to speak to me, but I felt great reluctance to do anything to +displease my worthy host. I had another reason of even greater +importance: I was afraid of entering an intricate maze in which the +sight of a turban hovering over me made me shudder. + +Yusuf came home, and far from being angry when he saw me with the +woman, he remarked that I must have found much pleasure in conversing +with a native of Rome, and he congratulated me upon the delight I +must have felt in dancing with one of the beauties from the harem of +the voluptuous Ismail. + +"Then it must be a pleasure seldom enjoyed, if it is so much talked +of?" + +"Very seldom indeed, for there is amongst us an invincible prejudice +against exposing our lovely women to the eyes of other men; but +everyone may do as he pleases in his own house: Ismail is a very +worthy and a very intelligent man." + +"Is the lady with whom I danced known?" + +"I believe not. She wore a mask, and everybody knows that Ismail +possesses half a dozen slaves of surpassing beauty." + +I spent a pleasant day with Yusuf, and when I left him, I ordered my +janissary to take me to Ismail's. As I was known by his servants, +they allowed me to go in, and I proceeded to the spot described in +the letter. The eunuch came to me, informed me that his master was +out, but that he would be delighted to hear of my having taken a walk +in the garden. I told him that I would like a glass of lemonade, and +he took me to the summerhouse, where I recognized the old woman who +had sold me the tobacco-pouch. The eunuch told her to give me a +glass of some liquid which I found delicious, and would not allow me +to give her any money. We then walked together towards the fountain, +but he told me abruptly that we were to go back, as he saw three +ladies to whom he pointed, adding that, for the sake of decency, it +was necessary to avoid them. I thanked him for his attentions, left +my compliments for Ismail, and went away not dissatisfied with my +first attempt, and with the hope of being more fortunate another +time. + +The next morning I received a letter from Ismail inviting me to go +fishing with him on the following day, and stating that he intended +to enjoy the sport by moonlight. I immediately gave way to my +suppositions, and I went so far as to fancy that Ismail might be +capable of arranging an interview between me and the lovely Venetian. +I did not mind his being present. I begged permission of Chevalier +Venier to stop out of the palace for one night, but he granted it +with the greatest difficulty, because he was afraid of some love +affair and of the results it might have. I took care to calm his +anxiety as much as I could, but without acquainting him with all the +circumstances of the case, for I thought I was wise in being +discreet. + +I was exact to the appointed time, and Ismail received me with the +utmost cordiality, but I was surprised when I found myself alone with +him in the boat. We had two rowers and a man to steer; we took some +fish, fried in oil, and ate it in the summer-house. The moon shone +brightly, and the night was delightful. Alone with Ismail, and +knowing his unnatural tastes, I did not feel very comfortable for, in +spite of what M. de Bonneval had told me, I was afraid lest the Turk +should take a fancy to give me too great a proof of his friendship, +and I did not relish our tete-a-tete. But my fears were groundless. + +"Let us leave this place quietly," said Ismail, "I have just heard a +slight noise which heralds something that will amuse us." + +He dismissed his attendants, and took my hand, saying, + +"Let us go to a small room, the key of which I luckily have with me, +but let us be careful not to make any noise. That room has a window +overlooking the fountain where I think that two or three of my +beauties have just gone to bathe. We will see them and enjoy a very +pleasing sight, for they do not imagine that anyone is looking at +them. They know that the place is forbidden to everybody except me." + +We entered the room, we went to the window, and, the moon shining +right over the basin of the fountain, we saw three nymphs who, now +swimming, now standing or sitting on the marble steps, offered +themselves to our eyes in every possible position, and in all the +attitudes of graceful voluptuousness. Dear reader, I must not paint +in too vivid colours the details of that beautiful picture, but if +nature has endowed you with an ardent imagination and with equally +ardent senses, you will easily imagine the fearful havoc which that +unique, wonderful, and enchanting sight must have made upon my poor +body. + +A few days after that delightful fishing and bathing party by +moonlight, I called upon Yusuf early in the morning; as it was +raining, I could not go to the garden, and I went into the dining- +room, in which I had never seen anyone. The moment I entered the +room, a charming female form rose, covering her features with a thick +veil which fell to the feet. A slave was sitting near the window, +doing some tambour-work, but she did not move. I apologized, and +turned to leave the room, but the lady stopped me, observing, with a +sweet voice, that Yusuf had commanded her to entertain me before +going out. She invited me to be seated, pointing to a rich cushion +placed upon two larger ones, and I obeyed, while, crossing her legs, +she sat down upon another cushion opposite to me. I thought I was +looking upon Zelmi, and fancied that Yusuf had made up his mind to +shew me that he was not less courageous than Ismail. Yet I was +surprised, for, by such a proceeding, he strongly contradicted his +maxims, and ran the risk of impairing the unbiased purity of my +consent by throwing love in the balance. But I had no fear of that, +because, to become enamoured, I should have required to see her face. + +"I suppose," said the veiled beauty, "that you do not know who I am?" + +"I could not guess, if I tried." + +"I have been for the last five years the wife of your friend, and I +am a native of Scio. I was thirteen years of age when I became his +wife." + +I was greatly astonished to find that my Mussulman philosopher had +gone so far as to allow me to converse with his wife, but I felt more +at ease after I had received that information, and fancied that I +might carry the adventure further, but it would be necessary to see +the lady's face, for a finely-dressed body, the head of which is not +seen, excites but feeble desires. The fire lighted by amorous +desires is like a fire of straw; the moment it burns up it is near +its end. I had before me a magnificent appearance, but I could not +see the soul of the image, for a thick gauze concealed it from my +hungry gaze. I could see arms as white as alabaster, and hands like +those of Alcina, 'dove ne nodo appasisce ne vena accede', and my +active imagination fancied that all the rest was in harmony with +those beautiful specimens, for the graceful folds of the muslin, +leaving the outline all its perfection, hid from me only the living +satin of the surface; there was no doubt that everything was lovely, +but I wanted to see, in the expression of her eyes, that all that my +imagination created had life and was endowed with feeling. The +Oriental costume is a beautiful varnish placed upon a porcelain vase +to protect from the touch the colours of the flowers and of the +design, without lessening the pleasure of the eyes. Yusuf's wife was +not dressed like a sultana; she wore the costume of Scio, with a +short skirt which concealed neither the perfection of the leg nor the +round form of the thigh, nor the voluptuous plump fall of the hips, +nor the slender, well-made waist encompassed in a splendid band +embroidered in silver and covered with arabesques. Above all those +beauties, I could see the shape of two globes which Apelles would +have taken for the model of those of his lovely Venus, and the rapid, +inequal movement of which proved to me that those ravishing hillocks +were animated. The small valley left between them, and which my eyes +greedily feasted upon, seemed to me a lake of nectar, in which my +burning lips longed to quench their thirst with more ardour than they +would have drunk from the cup of the gods. + +Enraptured, unable to control myself, I thrust my arm forward by a +movement almost independent of my will, and my hand, too audacious, +was on the point of lifting the hateful veil, but she prevented me by +raising herself quickly on tiptoe, upbraiding me at the same time for +my perfidious boldness, with a voice as commanding as her attitude. + +"Dost thou deserve," she said, "Yusuf's friendship, when thou abusest +the sacred laws of hospitality by insulting his wife?" + +"Madam, you must kindly forgive me, for I never had any intention to +insult you. In my country the lowest of men may fix his eyes upon +the face of a queen." + +"Yes, but he cannot tear off her veil, if she chooses to wear it. +Yusuf shall avenge me." + +The threat, and the tone in which it was pronounced, frightened me. +I threw myself at her feet, and succeeded in calming her anger. + +"Take a seat," she said. + +And she sat down herself, crossing her legs with so much freedom that +I caught a glimpse of charms which would have caused me to lose all +control over myself if the delightful sight had remained one moment +longer exposed to my eyes. I then saw that I had gone the wrong way +to work, and I felt vexed with myself; but it was too late. + +"Art thou excited?" she said. + +"How could I be otherwise," I answered, "when thou art scorching me +with an ardent fire?" + +I had become more prudent, and I seized her hand without thinking any +more of her face. + +"Here is my husband," she said, and Yusuf came into the room. We +rose, Yusuf embraced me, I complimented him, the slave left the room. +Yusuf thanked his wife for having entertained me, and offered her his +arm to take her to her own apartment. She took it, but when she +reached the door, she raised her veil, and kissing her husband she +allowed me to see her lovely face as if it had been done unwittingly. +I followed her with my eyes as long as I could, and Yusuf, coming +back to me, said with a laugh that his wife had offered to dine with +us. + +"I thought," I said to him, "that I had Zelmi before me." + +"That would have been too much against our established rules. What I +have done is not much, but I do not know an honest man who would be +bold enough to bring his daughter into the presence of a stranger." + +"I think your wife must be handsome; is she more beautiful than +Zelmi?" + +"My daughter's beauty is cheerful, sweet, and gentle; that of Sophia +is proud and haughty. She will be happy after my death. The man who +will marry her will find her a virgin." + +I gave an account of my adventure to M. de Bonneval, somewhat +exaggerating the danger I had run in trying to raise the veil of the +handsome daughter of Scio. + +"She was laughing at you," said the count, "and you ran no danger. +She felt very sorry, believe me, to have to deal with a novice like +you. You have been playing the comedy in the French fashion, when +you ought to have gone straight to the point. What on earth did you +want to see her nose for? She knew very well that she would have +gained nothing by allowing you to see her. You ought to have secured +the essential point. If I were young I would perhaps manage to give +her a revenge, and to punish my friend Yusuf. You have given that +lovely woman a poor opinion of Italian valour. The most reserved of +Turkish women has no modesty except on her face, and, with her veil +over it, she knows to a certainty that she will not blush at +anything. I am certain that your beauty keeps her face covered +whenever our friend Yusuf wishes to joke with her." + +"She is yet a virgin." + +"Rather a difficult thing to admit, my good friend; but I know the +daughters of Scio; they have a talent for counterfeiting virginity." + +Yusuf never paid me a similar compliment again, and he was quite +right. + +A few days after, I happened to be in the shop of an Armenian +merchant, looking at some beautiful goods, when Yusuf entered the +shop and praised my taste; but, although I had admired a great many +things, I did not buy, because I thought they were too dear. I said +so to Yusuf, but he remarked that they were, on the contrary, very +cheap, and he purchased them all. We parted company at the door, and +the next morning I received all the beautiful things he had bought; +it was a delicate attention of my friend, and to prevent my refusal +of such a splendid present, he had enclosed a note stating that, on +my arrival in Corfu, he would let me know to whom the goods were to +be delivered. He had thus sent me gold and silver filigrees from +Damascus, portfolios, scarfs, belts, handkerchiefs and pipes, the +whole worth four or five hundred piasters. When I called to thank +him, I compelled him to confess that it was a present offered by his +friendship. + +The day before my departure from Constantinople, the excellent man +burst into tears as I bade him adieu, and my grief was as great as +his own. He told me that, by not accepting the offer of his +daughter's hand, I had so strongly captivated his esteem that his +feelings for me could not have been warmer if I had become his son. +When I went on board ship with the Bailo Jean Dona, I found another +case given to me by him, containing two quintals of the best Mocha +coffee, one hundred pounds of tobacco leaves, two large flagons +filled, one with Zabandi tobacco, the other with camussa, and a +magnificent pipe tube of jessamine wood, covered with gold filigrane, +which I sold in Corfu for one hundred sequins. I had not it in my +power to give my generous Turk any mark of my gratitude until I +reached Corfu, but there I did not fail to do so. I sold all his +beautiful presents, which made me the possessor of a small fortune. + +Ismail gave me a letter for the Chevalier de Lezze, but I could not +forward it to him because I unfortunately lost it; he presented me +with a barrel of hydromel, which I turned likewise into money. +M. de Bonneval gave me a letter for Cardinal Acquaviva, which I sent +to Rome with an account of my journey, but his eminence did not think +fit to acknowledge the receipt of either. Bonneval made me a present +of twelve bottles of malmsey from Ragusa, and of twelve bottles of +genuine scopolo--a great rarity, with which I made a present in Corfu +which proved very useful to me, as the reader will discover. + +The only foreign minister I saw much in Constantinople was the lord +marshal of Scotland, the celebrated Keith, who represented the King +of Prussia, and who, six years later was of great service to me in +Paris. + +We sailed from Constantinople in the beginning of September in the +same man-of-war which had brought us, and we reached Corfu in +fourteen days. The Bailo Dona did not land. He had with him eight +splendid Turkish horses; I saw two of them still alive in Gorizia in +the year 1773. + +As soon as I had landed with my luggage, and had engaged a rather +mean lodging, I presented myself to M. Andre Dolfin, the +proveditore-generale, who promised me again that I should soon be +promoted to a lieutenancy. After my visit to him, I called upon M. +Camporese, my captain, and was well received by him. My third visit +was to the commander of galleases, M. D----R-----, to whom M. Antonio +Dolfin, with whom I had travelled from Venice to Corfu, had kindly +recommended me. After a short conversation, he asked me if I would +remain with him with the title of adjutant. I did not hesitate one +instant, but accepted, saying how deeply honoured I felt by his +offer, and assuring him that he would always find me ready to carry +out his orders. He immediately had me taken to my room, and, the +next day, I found myself established in his house. I obtained from +my captain a French soldier to serve me, and I was well pleased when +I found that the man was a hairdresser by trade, and a great talker +by nature, for he could take care of my beautiful head of hair, and I +wanted to practise French conversation. He was a good-for-nothing +fellow, a drunkard and a debauchee, a peasant from Picardy, and he +could hardly read or write, but I did not mind all that; all I wanted +from him was to serve me, and to talk to me, and his French was +pretty good. He was an amusing rogue, knowing by heart a quantity of +erotic songs and of smutty stories which he could tell in the most +laughable manner. + +When I had sold my stock of goods from Constantinople (except the +wines), I found myself the owner of nearly five hundred sequins. +I redeemed all the articles which I had pledged in the hands of Jews, +and turned into money everything of which I had no need. I was +determined not to play any longer as a dupe, but to secure in +gambling all the advantages which a prudent young man could obtain +without sullying his honour. + +I must now make my readers acquainted with the sort of life we were +at that time leading in Corfu. As to the city itself, I will not +describe it, because there are already many descriptions better than +the one I could offer in these pages. + +We had then in Corfu the 'proveditore-generale' who had sovereign +authority, and lived in a style of great magnificence. That post was +then filled by M. Andre Dolfin, a man sixty years of age, strict, +headstrong, and ignorant. He no longer cared for women, but liked to +be courted by them. He received every evening, and the supper-table +was always laid for twenty-four persons. + +We had three field-officers of the marines who did duty on the +galleys, and three field-officers for the troops of the line on board +the men-of-war. Each galeass had a captain called 'sopracomito', and +we had ten of those captains; we had likewise ten commanders, one for +each man-of-war, including three 'capi di mare', or admirals. They +all belonged to the nobility of Venice. Ten young Venetian noblemen, +from twenty to twenty-two years of age, were at Corfu as midshipmen +in the navy. We had, besides, about a dozen civil clerks in the +police of the island, or in the administration of justice, entitled +'grandi offciali di terra'. Those who were blessed with handsome +wives had the pleasure of seeing their houses very much frequented by +admirers who aspired to win the favours of the ladies, but there was +not much heroic love-making, perhaps for the reason that there were +then in Corfu many Aspasias whose favours could be had for money. +Gambling was allowed everywhere, and that all absorbing passion was +very prejudicial to the emotions of the heart. + +The lady who was then most eminent for beauty and gallantry was +Madame F----. Her husband, captain of a galley, had come to Corfu +with her the year before, and madam had greatly astonished all the +naval officers. Thinking that she had the privilege of the choice, +she had given the preference to M. D---- R-----, and had dismissed +all the suitors who presented themselves. M. F---- had married her +on the very day she had left the convent; she was only seventeen +years of age then, and he had brought her on board his galley +immediately after the marriage ceremony. + +I saw her for the first time at the dinner-table on the very day of +my installation at M. D---- R-----'s, and she made a great impression +upon me. I thought I was gazing at a supernatural being, so +infinitely above all the women I had ever seen, that it seemed +impossible to fall in love with her She appeared to me of a nature +different and so greatly superior to mine that I did not see the +possibility of rising up to her. I even went so far as to persuade +myself that nothing but a Platonic friendship could exist between her +and M. D----R-----, and that M. F---- was quite right now not to shew +any jealousy. Yet, that M. F---- was a perfect fool, and certainly +not worthy of such a woman. The impression made upon me by Madame +F----was too ridiculous to last long, and the nature of it soon +changed, but in a novel manner, at least as far as I was concerned. + +My position as adjutant procured me the honour of dining at M. D---- +R-----'s table, but nothing more. The other adjutant, like me, an +ensign in the army, but the greatest fool I had ever seen, shared +that honour with me. We were not, however, considered as guests, for +nobody ever spoke to us, and, what is more, no one ever honoured us +with a look. It used to put me in a rage. I knew very well that +people acted in that manner through no real contempt for us, but it +went very hard with me. I could very well understand that my +colleague, Sanzonio, should not complain of such treatment, because +he was a blockhead, but I did not feel disposed to allow myself to be +put on a par with him. At the end of eight or ten days, Madame +F----, not having con descended to cast one glance upon my person, +began to appear disagreeable to me. I felt piqued, vexed, provoked, +and the more so because I could not suppose that the lady acted in +that manner wilfully and purposely; I would have been highly pleased +if there had been premeditation on her part. I felt satisfied that +I was a nobody in her estimation, and as I was conscious of being +somebody, I wanted her to know it. At last a circumstance offered +itself in which, thinking that she could address me, she was +compelled to look at me. + +M. D---- R----- having observed that a very, very fine turkey had +been placed before me, told me to carve it, and I immediately went to +work. I was not a skilful carver, and Madame F----, laughing at my +want of dexterity, told me that, if I had not been certain of +performing my task with credit to myself, I ought not to have +undertaken it. Full of confusion, and unable to answer her as my +anger prompted, I sat down, with my heart overflowing with spite and +hatred against her. To crown my rage, having one day to address me, +she asked me what was my name. She had seen me every day for a +fortnight, ever since I had been the adjutant of M. D---- R-----; +therefore she ought to have known my name. Besides, I had been very +lucky at the gaming-table, and I had become rather famous in Corfu. +My anger against Madame F was at its height. + +I had placed my money in the hands of a certain Maroli, a major in +the army and a gamester by profession, who held the faro bank at the +coffee-house. We were partners; I helped him when he dealt, and he +rendered me the same office when I held the cards, which was often +the case, because he was not generally liked. He used to hold the +cards in a way which frightened the punters; my manners were very +different, and I was very lucky. Besides I was easy and smiling when +my bank was losing, and I won without shewing any avidity, and that +is a manner which always pleases the punters. + +This Maroli was the man who had won all my money during my first stay +in Corfu, and finding, when I returned, that I was resolved not to be +duped any more, he judged me worthy of sharing the wise maxims +without which gambling must necessarily ruin all those who meddle +with it. But as Maroli had won my confidence only to a very slight +extent, I was very careful. We made up our accounts every night, as +soon as playing was over; the cashier kept the capital of the bank, +the winnings were divided, and each took his share away. +Lucky at play, enjoying good health and the friendship of my +comrades, who, whenever the opportunity offered, always found me +generous and ready to serve them, I would have been well pleased with +my position if I had been a little more considered at the table of +M. D---- R-----, and treated with less haughtiness by his lady who, +without any reason, seemed disposed to humiliate me. My self-love +was deeply hurt, I hated her, and, with such a disposition of mind, +the more I admired the perfection of her charms, the more I found her +deficient in wit and intelligence. She might have made the conquest +of my heart without bestowing hers upon me, for all I wanted was not +to be compelled to hate her, and I could not understand what pleasure +it could be for her to be detested, while with only a little kindness +she could have been adored. I could not ascribe her manner to a +spirit of coquetry, for I had never given her the slightest proof of +the opinion I entertained of her beauty, and I could not therefore +attribute her behaviour to a passion which might have rendered me +disagreeable in her eyes; M. D---- R----- seemed to interest her only +in a very slight manner, and as to her husband, she cared nothing for +him. In short, that charming woman made me very unhappy, and I was +angry with myself because I felt that, if it had not been for the +manner in which she treated me, I would not have thought of her, and +my vexation was increased by the feeling of hatred entertained by my +heart against her, a feeling which until then I had never known to +exist in me, and the discovery of which overwhelmed me with +confusion. + +One day a gentleman handed me, as we were leaving the dinner-table, a +roll of gold that he had lost upon trust; Madame F---- saw it, and +she said to me very abruptly,-- + +"What do you do with your money?" + +"I keep it, madam, as a provision against possible losses." + +"But as you do not indulge in any expense it would be better for you +not to play; it is time wasted." + +"Time given to pleasure is never time lost, madam; the only time +which a young man wastes is that which is consumed in weariness, +because when he is a prey to ennui he is likely to fall a prey to +love, and to be despised by the object of his affection." + +"Very likely; but you amuse yourself with hoarding up your money, and +shew yourself to be a miser, and a miser is not less contemptible +than a man in love. Why do you not buy yourself a pair of gloves?" + +You may be sure that at these words the laughter was all on her side, +and my vexation was all the greater because I could not deny that she +was quite right. It was the adjutant's business to give the ladies +an arm to their carriages, and it was not proper to fulfil that duty +without gloves. I felt mortified, and the reproach of avarice hurt +me deeply. I would a thousand times rather that she had laid my +error to a want of education; and yet, so full of contradictions is +the human heart, instead of making amends by adopting an appearance +of elegance which the state of my finances enabled me to keep up, I +did not purchase any gloves, and I resolved to avoid her and to +abandon her to the insipid and dull gallantry of Sanzonio, who +sported gloves, but whose teeth were rotten, whose breath was putrid, +who wore a wig, and whose face seemed to be covered with shrivelled +yellow parchment. + +I spent my days in a continual state of rage and spite, and the most +absurd part of it all was that I felt unhappy because I could not +control my hatred for that woman whom, in good conscience, I could +not find guilty of anything. She had for me neither love nor +dislike, which was quite natural; but being young and disposed to +enjoy myself I had become, without any wilful malice on her part, an +eye-sore to her and the butt of her bantering jokes, which my +sensitiveness exaggerated greatly. For all that I had an ardent wish +to punish her and to make her repent. I thought of nothing else. At +one time I would think of devoting all my intelligence and all my +money to kindling an amorous passion in her heart, and then to +revenge myself by treating her with contempt. But I soon realized +the impracticability of such a plan, for even supposing that I should +succeed in finding my way to her heart, was I the man to resist my +own success with such a woman? I certainly could not flatter myself +that I was so strong-minded. But I was the pet child of fortune, and +my position was suddenly altered. + +M. D---- R---- having sent me with dispatches to M. de Condulmer, +captain of a 'galeazza', I had to wait until midnight to deliver +them, and when I returned I found that M. D---- R---- had retired to +his apartment for the night. As soon as he was visible in the +morning I went to him to render an account of my mission. I had been +with him only a few minutes when his valet brought a letter saying +that Madame F----'s adjutant was waiting for an answer. M. D---- +R----- read the note, tore it to pieces, and in his excitement +stamped with his foot upon the fragments. He walked up and down the +room for a little time, then wrote an answer and rang for the +adjutant, to whom he delivered it. He then recovered his usual +composure, concluded the perusal of the dispatch sent by M. de +Condulmer, and told me to write a letter. He was looking it over +when the valet came in, telling me that Madame F---- desired to see +me. M. D---- R---- told me that he did not require my services any +more for the present, and that I might go. I left the room, but I +had not gone ten yards when he called me back to remind me that my +duty was to know nothing; I begged to assure him that I was well +aware of that. I ran to Madame F-----'s house, very eager to know +what she wanted with me. I was introduced immediately, and I was +greatly surprised to find her sitting up in bed, her countenance +flushed and excited, and her eyes red from the tears she had +evidently just been shedding. My heart was beating quickly, yet I +did not know why. + +"Pray be seated," she said, "I wish to speak with you." + +"Madam," I answered, "I am not worthy of so great a favour, and I +have not yet done anything to deserve it; allow me to remain +standing." + +She very likely recollected that she had never been so polite before, +and dared not press me any further. She collected her thoughts for +an instant or two, and said to me: + +"Last evening my husband lost two hundred sequins upon trust at your +faro bank; he believed that amount to be in my hands, and I must +therefore give it to him immediately, as he is bound in honour to pay +his losses to-day. Unfortunately I have disposed of the money, and I +am in great trouble. I thought you might tell Maroli that I have +paid you the amount lost by my husband. Here is a ring of some +value; keep it until the 1st of January, when I will return the two +hundred sequins for which I am ready to give you my note of hand." + +"I accept the note of hand, madam, but I cannot consent to deprive +you of your ring. I must also tell you that M. F---- must go himself +to the bank, or send some one there, to redeem his debt. Within ten +minutes you shall have the amount you require." + +I left her without waiting for an answer, and I returned within a few +minutes with the two hundred ducats, which I handed to her, and +putting in my pocket her note of hand which she had just written, I +bowed to take my leave, but she addressed to me these precious words: + +"I believe, sir, that if I had known that you were so well disposed +to oblige me, I could not have made up my mind to beg that service +from you." + +"Well, madam, for the future be quite certain that there is not a man +in the world capable of refusing you such an insignificant service +whenever you will condescend to ask for it in person." + +"What you say is very complimentary, but I trust never to find myself +again under the necessity of making such a cruel experiment." + +I left Madame F-----, thinking of the shrewdness of her answer. She +had not told me that I was mistaken, as I had expected she would, for +that would have caused her some humiliation: she knew that I was with +M. D---- R----- when the adjutant had brought her letter, and she +could not doubt that I was aware of the refusal she had met with. +The fact of her not mentioning it proved to me that she was jealous +of her own dignity; it afforded me great gratification, and I thought +her worthy of adoration. I saw clearly that she could have no love +for M. D---- R-----, and that she was not loved by him, and the +discovery made me leap for joy. From that moment I felt I was in +love with her, and I conceived the hope that she might return my +ardent affection. + +The first thing I did, when I returned to my room, was to cross out +with ink every word of her note of hand, except her name, in such a +manner that it was impossible to guess at the contents, and putting +it in an envelope carefully sealed, I deposited it in the hands of a +public notary who stated, in the receipt he gave me of the envelope, +that he would deliver it only to Madame F-----, whenever she should +request its delivery. + +The same evening M. F----- came to the bank, paid me, played with +cash in hand, and won some fifty ducats. What caused me the greatest +surprise was that M. D---- R----- continued to be very gracious to +Madame F----, and that she remained exactly the same towards him as +she used to be before. He did not even enquire what she wanted when +she had sent for me. But if she did not seem to change her manner +towards my master, it was a very different case with me, for whenever +she was opposite to me at dinner, she often addressed herself to me, +and she thus gave me many opportunities of shewing my education and +my wit in amusing stories or in remarks, in which I took care to +blend instruction with witty jests. At that time F---- had the great +talent of making others laugh while I kept a serious countenance +myself. I had learnt that accomplishment from M. de Malipiero, my +first master in the art of good breeding, who used to say to me,-- + +"If you wish your audience to cry, you must shed tears yourself, but +if you wish to make them laugh you must contrive to look as serious +as a judge." + +In everything I did, in every word I uttered, in the presence of +Madame F----, the only aim I had was to please her, but I did not +wish her to suppose so, and I never looked at her unless she spoke to +me. I wanted to force her curiosity, to compel her to suspect nay, +to guess my secret, but without giving her any advantage over me: it +was necessary for me to proceed by slow degrees. In the mean time, +and until I should have a greater happiness, I was glad to see that +my money, that magic talisman, and my good conduct, obtained me a +consideration much greater than I could have hoped to obtain either +through my position, or from my age, or in consequence of any talent +I might have shewn in the profession I had adopted. + +Towards the middle of November, the soldier who acted as my servant +was attacked with inflammation of the chest; I gave notice of it to +the captain of his company, and he was carried to the hospital. On +the fourth day I was told that he would not recover, and that he had +received the last sacraments; in the evening I happened to be at his +captain's when the priest who had attended him came to announce his +death, and to deliver a small parcel which the dying man had +entrusted to him to be given up to his captain only after his death. +The parcel contained a brass seal engraved with ducal arms, a +certificate of baptism, and a sheet of paper covered with writing in +French. Captain Camporese, who only spoke Italian, begged me to +translate the paper, the contents of which were as follows: + +"My will is that this paper, which I have written and signed with my +own hand, shall be delivered to my captain only after I have breathed +my last: until then, my confessor shall not make any use of it, for I +entrust it to his hands only under the seal of confession. I entreat +my captain to have me buried in a vault from which my body can be +exhumed in case the duke, my father, should request its exhumation. +I entreat him likewise to forward my certificate of baptism, the seal +with the armorial bearings of my family, and a legal certificate of +my birth to the French ambassador in Venice, who will send the whole +to the duke, my father, my rights of primogeniture belonging, after +my demise, to the prince, my brother. In faith of which I have +signed and sealed these presents: Francois VI. Charles Philippe +Louis Foucaud, Prince de la Rochefoucault." + +The certificate of baptism, delivered at St. Sulpice gave the same +names, and the title of the father was Francois V. The name of the +mother was Gabrielle du Plessis. + +As I was concluding my translation I could not help bursting into +loud laughter; but the foolish captain, who thought my mirth out of +place, hurried out to render an account of the affair to the +proveditore-generale, and I went to the coffee-house, not doubting +for one moment that his excellency would laugh at the captain, and +that the post-mortem buffoonery would greatly amuse the whole of +Corfu. + +I had known in Rome, at Cardinal Acquaviva's, the Abbe de Liancourt, +great-grandson of Charles, whose sister, Gabrielle du Plessis, had +been the wife of Francois V., but that dated from the beginning of +the last century. I had made a copy from the records of the cardinal +of the account of certain circumstances which the Abbe de Liancourt +wanted to communicate to the court of Spain, and in which there were +a great many particulars respecting the house of Du Plessis. I +thought at the same time that the singular imposture of La Valeur +(such was the name by which my soldier generally went) was absurd and +without a motive, since it was to be known only after his death, and +could not therefore prove of any advantage to him. + +Half an hour afterwards, as I was opening a fresh pack of cards, the +Adjutant Sanzonio came in, and told the important news in the most +serious manner. He had just come from the office of the proveditore, +where Captain Camporese had run in the utmost hurry to deposit +in the hands of his excellency the seal and the papers of the +deceased prince. His excellency had immediately issued his orders +for the burial of the prince in a vault with all the honours due to +his exalted rank. Another half hour passed, and M. Minolto, +adjutant of the proveditore-generale, came to inform me that his +excellency wanted to see me. I passed the cards to Major Maroli, and +went to his excellency's house. I found him at supper with several +ladies, three or four naval commanders, Madame F----, and M. D---- +R-----. + +"So, your servant was a prince!" said the old general to me. + +"Your excellency, I never would have suspected it, and even now that +he is dead I do not believe it." + +"Why? He is dead, but he was not insane. You have seen his armorial +bearings, his certificate of baptism, as well as what he wrote with +his own hand. When a man is so near death, he does not fancy +practical jokes." + +"If your excellency is satisfied of the truth of the story, my duty +is to remain silent." + +"The story cannot be anything but true, and your doubts surprise me." + +"I doubt, monsignor, because I happen to have positive information +respecting the families of La Rochefoucault and Du Plessis. Besides, +I have seen too much of the man. He was not a madman, but he +certainly was an extravagant jester. I have never seen him write, +and he has told me himself a score of times that he had never +learned." + +"The paper he has written proves the contrary. His arms have the +ducal bearings; but perhaps you are not aware that M. de la +Rochefoucault is a duke and peer of the French realm?" + +"I beg your eminence's pardon; I know all about it; I know even more, +for I know that Francois VI. married a daughter of the house of +Vivonne." + +"You know nothing." + +When I heard this remark, as foolish as it was rude, I resolved on +remaining silent, and it was with some pleasure that I observed the +joy felt by all the male guests at what they thought an insult and a +blow to my vanity. An officer remarked that the deceased was a fine +man, a witty man, and had shewn wonderful cleverness in keeping up +his assumed character so well that no one ever had the faintest +suspicion of what he really was. A lady said that, if she had known +him, she would have been certain to find him out. Another flatterer, +belonging to that mean, contemptible race always to be found near the +great and wealthy of the earth, assured us that the late prince had +always shewn himself cheerful, amiable, obliging, devoid of +haughtiness towards his comrades, and that he used to sing +beautifully. "He was only twenty-five years of age," said Madame +Sagredo, looking me full in the face, "and if he was endowed with all +those qualities, you must have discovered them." + +"I can only give you, madam, a true likeness of the man, such as I +have seen him. Always gay, often even to folly, for he could throw a +somersault beautifully; singing songs of a very erotic kind, full of +stories and of popular tales of magic, miracles, and ghosts, and a +thousand marvellous feats which common-sense refused to believe, and +which, for that very reason, provoked the mirth of his hearers. His +faults were that he was drunken, dirty, quarrelsome, dissolute, and +somewhat of a cheat. I put up with all his deficiences, because he +dressed my hair to my taste, and his constant chattering offered me +the opportunity of practising the colloquial French which cannot be +acquired from books. He has always assured me that he was born in +Picardy, the son of a common peasant, and that he had deserted from +the French army. He may have deceived me when he said that he could +not write." + +Just then Camporese rushed into the room, and announced that La +Veleur was yet breathing. The general, looking at me significantly, +said that he would be delighted if the man could be saved. + +"And I likewise, monsignor, but his confessor will certainly kill him +to-night." + +"Why should the father confessor kill him?" + +"To escape the galleys to which your excellency would not fail to +send him for having violated the secrecy of the confessional." + +Everybody burst out laughing, but the foolish old general knitted his +brows. The guests retired soon afterwards, and Madame F-----, whom +I had preceded to the carriage, M. D---- R----- having offered her +his arm, invited me to get in with her, saying that it was raining. +It was the first time that she had bestowed such an honour upon me. + +"I am of your opinion about that prince," she said, "but you have +incurred the displeasure of the proveditore." + +"I am very sorry, madam, but it could not have been avoided, for I +cannot help speaking the truth openly." + +"You might have spared him," remarked M. D---- R-----, "the cutting +jest of the confessor killing the false prince." + +"You are right, sir, but I thought it would make him laugh as well as +it made madam and your excellency. In conversation people generally +do not object to a witty jest causing merriment and laughter." + +"True; only those who have not wit enough to laugh do not like the +jest." + +"I bet a hundred sequins that the madman will recover, and that, +having the general on his side, he will reap all the advantages of +his imposture. I long to see him treated as a prince, and making +love to Madame Sagredo" + +Hearing the last words, Madame F-----, who did not like Madame +Sagredo, laughed heartily, and, as we were getting out of the +carriage, M. D---- R----- invited me to accompany them upstairs. He +was in the habit of spending half an hour alone with her at her own +house when they had taken supper together with the general, for her +husband never shewed himself. It was the first time that the happy +couple admitted a third person to their tete-a-tete. I felt very +proud of the compliment thus paid to me, and I thought it might have +important results for me. My satisfaction, which I concealed as well +as I could, did not prevent me from being very gay and from giving a +comic turn to every subject brought forward by the lady or by her +lord. + +We kept up our pleasant trio for four hours; and returned to the +mansion of M. D---- R----- only at two o'clock in the morning. It +was during that night that Madame F---- and M. D---- R----- really +made my acquaintance. Madame F---- told him that she had never +laughed so much, and that she had never imagined that a conversation, +in appearance so simple, could afford so much pleasure and merriment. +On my side, I discovered in her so much wit and cheerfulness, that I +became deeply enamoured, and went to bed fully satisfied that, in the +future, I could not keep up the show of indifference which I had so +far assumed towards her. + +When I woke up the next morning, I heard from the new soldier who +served me that La Valeur was better, and had been pronounced out of +danger by the physician. At dinner the conversation fell upon him, +but I did not open my lips. Two days afterwards, the general gave +orders to have him removed to a comfortable apartment, sent him a +servant, clothed him, and the over-credulous proveditore having paid +him a visit, all the naval commanders and officers thought it their +duty to imitate him, and to follow his example: the general curiosity +was excited, there was a rush to see the new prince. M. D---- R----- +followed his leaders, and Madame Sagredo, having set the ladies in +motion, they all called upon him, with the exception of Madame F----, +who told me laughingly that she would not pay him a visit unless I +would consent to introduce her. I begged to be excused. The knave +was called your highness, and the wonderful prince styled Madame +Sagredo his princess. M. D---- R----- tried to persuade me to call +upon the rogue, but I told him that I had said too much, and that I +was neither courageous nor mean enough to retract my words. The +whole imposture would soon have been discovered if anyone had +possessed a peerage, but it just happened that there was not a copy +in Corfu, and the French consul, a fat blockhead, like many other +consuls, knew nothing of family trees. The madcap La Valeur began to +walk out a week after his metamorphosis into a prince. He dined and +had supper every day with the general, and every evening he was +present at the reception, during which, owing to his intemperance, he +always went fast asleep. Yet, there were two reasons which kept up +the belief of his being a prince: the first was that he did not seem +afraid of the news expected from Venice, where the proveditore had +written immediately after the discovery; the second was that he +solicited from the bishop the punishment of the priest who had +betrayed his secret by violating the seal of confession. The poor +priest had already been sent to prison, and the proveditore had not +the courage to defend him. The new prince had been invited to dinner +by all the naval officers, but M. D---- R----- had not made up his +mind to imitate them so far, because Madame F---- had clearly warned +him that she would dine at her own house on the day he was invited. +I had likewise respectfully intimated that, on the same occasion, I +would take the liberty of dining somewhere else. + +I met the prince one day as I was coming out of the old fortress +leading to the esplanade. He stopped, and reproached me for not +having called upon him. I laughed, and advised him to think of his +safety before the arrival of the news which would expose all the +imposture, in which case the proveditore was certain to treat him +very severely. I offered to help him in his flight from Corfu, and +to get a Neapolitan captain, whose ship was ready to sail, to conceal +him on board; but the fool, instead of accepting my offer, loaded me +with insults. + +He was courting Madame Sagredo, who treated him very well, feeling +proud that a French prince should have given her the preference over +all the other ladies. One day that she was dining in great ceremony +at M. D---- R-----'s house, she asked me why I had advised the prince +to run away. + +"I have it from his own lips," she added, "and he cannot make out +your obstinacy in believing him an impostor." + +"I have given him that advice, madam, because my heart is good, and +my judgment sane." + +"Then we are all of us as many fools, the proveditore included?" + +"That deduction would not be right, madam. An opinion contrary to +that of another does not necessarily make a fool of the person who +entertains it. It might possibly turn out, in ten or twelve days, +that I have been entirely mistaken myself, but I should not consider +myself a fool in consequence. In the mean time, a lady of your +intelligence must have discovered whether that man is a peasant or a +prince by his education and manners. For instance, does he dance +well?" + +"He does not know one step, but he is the first to laugh about it; he +says he never would learn dancing." + +"Does he behave well at table?" + +"Well, he doesn't stand on ceremony. He does not want his plate to +be changed, he helps himself with his spoon out of the dishes; he +does not know how to check an eructation or a yawn, and if he feels +tired he leaves the table. It is evident that he has been very badly +brought up." + +"And yet he is very pleasant, I suppose. Is he clean and neat?" + +"No, but then he is not yet well provided with linen." + +"I am told that he is very sober." + +"You are joking. He leaves the table intoxicated twice a day, but he +ought to be pitied, for he cannot drink wine and keep his head clear. +Then he swears like a trooper, and we all laugh, but he never takes +offence." + +"Is he witty?" + +"He has a wonderful memory, for he tells us new stories every day." + +"Does he speak of his family?" + +"Very often of his mother, whom he loved tenderly. She was a Du +Plessis." + +"If his mother is still alive she must be a hundred and fifty years +old." + +"What nonsense!" + +"Not at all; she was married in the days of Marie de Medicis." + +"But the certificate of baptism names the prince's mother, and his +seal--" + +"Does he know what armorial bearings he has on that seal?" + +"Do you doubt it?" + +"Very strongly, or rather I am certain that he knows nothing about +it." + +We left the table, and the prince was announced. He came in, and +Madame Sagredo lost no time in saying to him, "Prince, here is M. +Casanova; he pretends that you do not know your own armorial +bearings." Hearing these words, he came up to me, sneering, called me +a coward, and gave me a smack on the face which almost stunned me. I +left the room very slowly, not forgetting my hat and my cane, and +went downstairs, while M. D---- R----- was loudly ordering the +servants to throw the madman out of the window. + +I left the palace and went to the esplanade in order to wait for him. +The moment I saw him, I ran to meet him, and I beat him so violently +with my cane that one blow alone ought to have killed him. He drew +back, and found himself brought to a stand between two walls, where, +to avoid being beaten to death, his only resource was to draw his +sword, but the cowardly scoundrel did not even think of his weapon, +and I left him, on the ground, covered with blood. The crowd formed +a line for me to pass, and I went to the coffee-house, where I drank +a glass of lemonade, without sugar to precipitate the bitter saliva +which rage had brought up from my stomach. In a few minutes, I found +myself surrounded by all the young officers of the garrison, who +joined in the general opinion that I ought to have killed him, and +they at last annoyed me, for it was not my fault if I had not done +so, and I would certainly have taken his life if he had drawn his +sword. + +I had been in the coffee-house for half an hour when the general's +adjutant came to tell me that his excellency ordered me to put myself +under arrest on board the bastarda, a galley on which the prisoners +had their legs in irons like galley slaves. The dose was rather too +strong to be swallowed, and I did not feel disposed to submit to it. +"Very good, adjutant," I replied, "it shall be done." He went away, +and I left the coffee-house a moment after him, but when I reached +the end of the street, instead of going towards the esplanade, I +proceeded quickly towards the sea. I walked along the beach for a +quarter of an hour, and finding a boat empty, but with a pair of +oars, I got in her, and unfastening her, I rowed as hard as I could +towards a large caicco, sailing against the wind with six oars. As +soon as I had come up to her, I went on board and asked the +carabouchiri to sail before the wind and to take me to a large wherry +which could be seen at some distance, going towards Vido Rock. I +abandoned the row-boat, and, after paying the master of the caicco +generously, I got into the wherry, made a bargain with the skipper +who unfurled three sails, and in less than two hours we were fifteen +miles away from Corfu. The wind having died away, I made the men row +against the current, but towards midnight they told me that they +could not row any longer, they were worn out with fatigue. They +advised me to sleep until day-break, but I refused to do so, and for +a trifle I got them to put me on shore, without asking where I was, +in order not to raise their suspicions. It was enough for me to know +that I was at a distance of twenty miles from Corfu, and in a place +where nobody could imagine me to be. The moon was shining, and I saw +a church with a house adjoining, a long barn opened on both sides, a +plain of about one hundred yards confined by hills, and nothing more. +I found some straw in the barn, and laying myself down, I slept until +day-break in spite of the cold. It was the 1st of December, and +although the climate is very mild in Corfu I felt benumbed when I +awoke, as I had no cloak over my thin uniform. + +The bells begin to toll, and I proceed towards the church. The long- +bearded papa, surprised at my sudden apparition, enquires whether I +am Romeo (a Greek); I tell him that I am Fragico (Italian), but he +turns his back upon me and goes into his house, the door of which he +shuts without condescending to listen to me. + +I then turned towards the sea, and saw a boat leaving a tartan lying +at anchor within one hundred yards of the island; the boat had four +oars and landed her passengers. I come up to them and meet a good- +looking Greek, a woman and a young boy ten or twelve years old. +Addressing myself to the Greek, I ask him whether he has had a +pleasant passage, and where he comes from. He answers in Italian +that he has sailed from Cephalonia with his wife and his son, and +that he is bound for Venice; he had landed to hear mass at the Church +of Our Lady of Casopo, in order to ascertain whether his father-in- +law was still alive, and whether he would pay the amount he had +promised him for the dowry of his wife. + +"But how can you find it out?" + +"The Papa Deldimopulo will tell me; he will communicate faithfully +the oracle of the Holy Virgin." I say nothing and follow him into the +church; he speaks to the priest, and gives him some money. The papa +says the mass, enters the sanctum sanctorum, comes out again in a +quarter of an hour, ascends the steps of the altar, turns towards his +audience, and, after meditating for a minute and stroking his long +beard, he delivers his oracle in a dozen words. The Greek of +Cephalonia, who certainly could not boast of being as wise as +Ulysses, appears very well pleased, and gives more money to the +impostor. We leave the church, and I ask him whether he feels +satisfied with the oracle. + +"Oh! quite satisfied. I know now that my father-in-law is alive, +and that he will pay me the dowry, if I consent to leave my child +with him. I am aware that it is his fancy and I will give him the +boy." + +"Does the papa know you?" + +"No; he is not even acquainted with my name." + +"Have you any fine goods on board your tartan?" + +"Yes; come and breakfast with me; you can see all I have." + +"Very willingly." + +Delighted at hearing that oracles were not yet defunct, and satisfied +that they will endure as long as there are in this world simple- +minded men and deceitful, cunning priests, I follow the good man, who +took me to his tartan and treated me to an excellent breakfast. His +cargo consisted of cotton, linen, currants, oil, and excellent wines. +He had also a stock of night-caps, stockings, cloaks in the Eastern +fashion, umbrellas, and sea biscuits, of which I was very fond; in +those days I had thirty teeth, and it would have been difficult to +find a finer set. Alas! I have but two left now, the other twenty- +eight are gone with other tools quite as precious; but 'dum vita +super est, bene est.' I bought a small stock of everything he had +except cotton, for which I had no use, and without discussing his +price I paid him the thirty-five or forty sequins he demanded, and +seeing my generosity he made me a present of six beautiful botargoes. + +I happened during our conversation to praise the wine of Xante, which +he called generoydes, and he told me that if I would accompany him to +Venice he would give me a bottle of that wine every day including the +quarantine. Always superstitious, I was on the point of accepting, +and that for the most foolish reason-namely, that there would be no +premeditation in that strange resolution, and it might be the impulse +of fate. Such was my nature in those days; alas; it is very +different now. They say that it is because wisdom comes with old +age, but I cannot reconcile myself to cherish the effect of a most +unpleasant cause. + +Just as I was going to accept his offer he proposes to sell me a very +fine gun for ten sequins, saying that in Corfu anyone would be glad +of it for twelve. The word Corfu upsets all my ideas on the spot! I +fancy I hear the voice of my genius telling me to go back to that +city. I purchase the gun for the ten sequins, and my honest +Cephalonian, admiring my fair dealing, gives me, over and above our +bargain, a beautiful Turkish pouch well filled with powder and shot. +Carrying my gun, with a good warm cloak over my uniform and with a +large bag containing all my purchases, I take leave of the worthy +Greek, and am landed on the shore, determined on obtaining a lodging +from the cheating papa, by fair means or foul. The good wine of my +friend the Cephalonian had excited me just enough to make me carry my +determination into immediate execution. I had in my pockets four or +five hundred copper gazzette, which were very heavy, but which I had +procured from the Greek, foreseeing that I might want them during my +stay on the island. + +I store my bag away in the barn and I proceed, gun in hand, towards +the house of the priest; the church was closed. + +I must give my readers some idea of the state I was in at that +moment. I was quietly hopeless. The three or four hundred sequins I +had with me did not prevent me from thinking that I was not in very +great security on the island; I could not remain long, I would soon +be found out, and, being guilty of desertion, I should be treated +accordingly. I did not know what to do, and that is always an +unpleasant predicament. It would be absurd for me to return to Corfu +of my own accord; my flight would then be useless, and I should be +thought a fool, for my return would be a proof of cowardice or +stupidity; yet I did not feel the courage to desert altogether. The +chief cause of my decision was not that I had a thousand sequins in +the hands of the faro banker, or my well-stocked wardrobe, or the +fear of not getting a living somewhere else, but the unpleasant +recollection that I should leave behind me a woman whom I loved to +adoration, and from whom I had not yet obtained any favour, not even +that of kissing her hand. In such distress of mind I could not do +anything else but abandon myself to chance, whatever the result might +be, and the most essential thing for the present was to secure a +lodging and my daily food. + +I knock at the door of the priest's dwelling. He looks out of a +window and shuts it without listening to me, I knock again, I swear, +I call out loudly, all in vain, Giving way to my rage, I take aim at +a poor sheep grazing with several others at a short distance, and +kill it. The herdsman begins to scream, the papa shows himself at +the window, calling out, "Thieves! Murder!" and orders the alarm- +bell to be rung. Three bells are immediately set in motion, I +foresee a general gathering: what is going to happen? I do not know, +but happen what will, I load my gun and await coming events. + +In less than eight or ten minutes, I see a crowd of peasants coming +down the hills, armed with guns, pitchforks, or cudgels: I withdraw +inside of the barn, but without the slightest fear, for I cannot +suppose that, seeing me alone, these men will murder me without +listening to me. + +The first ten or twelve peasants come forward, gun in hand and ready +to fire: I stop them by throwing down my gazzette, which they lose no +time in picking up from the ground, and I keep on throwing money down +as the men come forward, until I had no more left. The clowns were +looking at each other in great astonishment, not knowing what to make +out of a well-dressed young man, looking very peaceful, and throwing +his money to them with such generosity. I could not speak to them +until the deafening noise of the bells should cease. I quietly sit +down on my large bag, and keep still, but as soon as I can be heard I +begin to address the men. The priest, however, assisted by his +beadle and by the herdsman, interrupts me, and all the more easily +that I was speaking Italian. My three enemies, who talked all at +once, were trying to excite the crowd against me. + +One of the peasants, an elderly and reasonable-looking man, comes up +to me and asks me in Italian why I have killed the sheep. + +"To eat it, my good fellow, but not before I have paid for it." + +"But his holiness, the papa, might choose to charge one sequin for +it." + +"Here is one sequin." + +The priest takes the money and goes away: war is over. The peasant +tells me that he has served in the campaign of 1716, and that he was +at the defence of Corfu. I compliment him, and ask him to find me a +lodging and a man able to prepare my meals. He answers that he will +procure me a whole house, that he will be my cook himself, but I must +go up the hill. No matter! He calls two stout fellows, one takes my +bag, the other shoulders my sheep, and forward! As we are walking +along, I tell him,-- + +"My good man, I would like to have in my service twenty-four fellows +like these under military discipline. I would give each man twenty +gazzette a day, and you would have forty as my lieutenant." + +"I will," says the old soldier, "raise for you this very day a body- +guard of which you will be proud." + +We reach a very convenient house, containing on the ground floor +three rooms and a stable, which I immediately turned into a guard- +room. + +My lieutenant went to get what I wanted, and particularly a +needlewoman to make me some shirts. In the course of the day I had +furniture, bedding, kitchen utensils, a good dinner, twenty-four +well-equipped soldiers, a super-annuated sempstress and several young +girls to make my shirts. After supper, I found my position highly +pleasant, being surrounded with some thirty persons who looked upon +me as their sovereign, although they could not make out what had +brought me to their island. The only thing which struck me as +disagreeable was that the young girls could not speak Italian, and I +did not know Greek enough to enable me to make love to them. + +The next morning my lieutenant had the guard relieved, and I could +not help bursting into a merry laugh. They were like a flock of +sheep: all fine men, well-made and strong; but without uniform and +without discipline the finest band is but a herd. However, they +quickly learned how to present arms and to obey the orders of their +officer. I caused three sentinels to be placed, one before the +guardroom, one at my door, and the third where he could have a good +view of the sea. This sentinel was to give me warning of the +approach of any armed boat or vessel. For the first two or three +days I considered all this as mere amusement, but, thinking that I +might really want the men to repel force by force, I had some idea of +making my army take an oath of allegiance. I did not do so, however, +although my lieutenant assured me that I had only to express my +wishes, for my generosity had captivated the love of all the +islanders. + +My sempstress, who had procured some young needlewomen to sew my +shirts, had expected that I would fall in love with one and not with +all, but my amorous zeal overstepped her hopes, and all the pretty +ones had their turn; they were all well satisfied with me, and the +sempstress was rewarded for her good offices. I was leading a +delightful life, for my table was supplied with excellent dishes, +juicy mutton, and snipe so delicious that I have never tasted their +like except in St. Petersburg. I drank scopolo wine or the best +muscatel of the Archipelago. My lieutenant was my only table +companion. I never took a walk without him and two of my body-guard, +in order to defend myself against the attacks of a few young men who +had a spite against me because they fancied, not without some reason, +that my needlewomen, their mistresses, had left them on my account. +I often thought while I was rambling about the island, that without +money I should have been unhappy, and that I was indebted to my gold +for all the happiness I was enjoying; but it was right to suppose at +the same time that, if I had not felt my purse pretty heavy, I would +not have been likely to leave Corfu. + +I had thus been playing the petty king with success for a week or ten +days, when, towards ten o'clock at night I heard the sentinel's +challenge. My lieutenant went out, and returned announcing that an +honest-looking man, who spoke Italian, wished to see me on important +business. I had him brought in, and, in the presence of my +lieutenant, he told me in Italian: + +"Next Sunday, the Papa Deldimopulo will fulminate against you the +'cataramonachia'. If you do not prevent him, a slow fever will send +you into the next world in six weeks." + +"I have never heard of such a drug." + +"It is not a drug. It is a curse pronounced by a priest with the +Host in his hands, and it is sure to be fulfilled." + +"What reason can that priest have to murder me?" + +"You disturb the peace and discipline of his parish. You have +seduced several young girls, and now their lovers refuse to marry +them." + +I made him drink, and thanking him heartily, wished him good night. +His warning struck me as deserving my attention, for, if I had no +fear of the 'cataramonachia', in which I had not the slightest faith, +I feared certain poisons which might be by far more efficient. I +passed a very quiet night, but at day-break I got up, and without +saying anything to my lieutenant, I went straight to the church where +I found the priest, and addressed him in the following words, uttered +in a tone likely to enforce conviction: + +"On the first symptom of fever, I will shoot you like a dog. Throw +over me a curse which will kill me instantly, or make your will. +Farewell!" + +Having thus warned him, I returned to my royal palace. Early on the +following Monday, the papa called on me. I had a slight headache; he +enquired after my health, and when I told him that my head felt +rather heavy, he made me laugh by the air of anxiety with which he +assured me that it could be caused by nothing else than the heavy +atmosphere of the island of Casopo. + +Three days after his visit, the advanced sentinel gave the war-cry. +The lieutenant went out to reconnoitre, and after a short absence he +gave me notice that the long boat of an armed vessel had just landed +an officer. Danger was at hand. + +I go out myself, I call my men to arms, and, advancing a few steps, I +see an officer, accompanied by a guide, who was walking towards my +dwelling. As he was alone, I had nothing to fear. I return to my +room, giving orders to my lieutenant to receive him with all military +honours and to introduce him. Then, girding my sword, I wait for my +visitor. + +In a few minutes, Adjutant Minolto, the same who had brought me the +order to put myself under arrest, makes his appearance. + +"You are alone," I say to him, "and therefore you come as a friend. +Let us embrace." + +"I must come as a friend, for, as an enemy, I should not have enough +men. But what I see seems a dream." + +"Take a seat, and dine with me. I will treat you splendidly." + +"Most willingly, and after dinner we will leave the island together." + +"You may go alone, if you like; but I will not leave this place until +I have the certainty, not only that I shall not be sent to the +'bastarda', but also that I shall have every satisfaction from the +knave whom the general ought to send to the galleys." + +"Be reasonable, and come with me of your own accord. My orders are +to take you by force, but as I have not enough men to do so, I shall +make my report, and the general will, of course, send a force +sufficient to arrest you." + +"Never; I will not be taken alive." + +"You must be mad; believe me, you are in the wrong. You have +disobeyed the order I brought you to go to the 'bastarda; in that you +have acted wrongly, and in that alone, for in every other respect you +were perfectly right, the general himself says so." + +"Then I ought to have put myself under arrest?" + +"Certainly; obedience is necessary in our profession." + +"Would you have obeyed, if you had been in my place ?" + +"I cannot and will not tell you what I would have done, but I know +that if I had disobeyed orders I should have been guilty of a crime:" + +"But if I surrendered now I should be treated like a criminal, and +much more severely than if I had obeyed that unjust order." + +"I think not. Come with me, and you will know everything." + +"What! Go without knowing what fate may be in store for me? Do not +expect it. Let us have dinner. If I am guilty of such a dreadful +crime that violence must be used against me, I will surrender only to +irresistible force. I cannot be worse off, but there may be blood +spilled." + +"You are mistaken, such conduct would only make you more guilty. But +I say like you, let us have dinner. A good meal will very likely +render you more disposed to listen to reason." + +Our dinner was nearly over, when we heard some noise outside. The +lieutenant came in, and informed me that the peasants were gathering +in the neighbourhood of my house to defend me, because a rumour had +spread through the island that the felucca had been sent with orders +to arrest me and take me to Corfu. I told him to undeceive the good +fellows, and to send them away, but to give them first a barrel of +wine. + +The peasants went away satisfied, but, to shew their devotion to me, +they all fired their guns. + +"It is all very amusing," said the adjutant, "but it will turn out +very serious if you let me go away alone, for my duty compels me to +give an exact account of all I have witnessed." + +"I will follow you, if you will give me your word of honour to land +me free in Corfu." + +"I have orders to deliver your person to M. Foscari, on board the +bastarda." + +"Well, you shall not execute your orders this time." + +"If you do not obey the commands of the general, his honour will +compel him to use violence against you, and of course he can do it. +But tell me, what would you do if the general should leave you in +this island for the sake of the joke? There is no fear of that, +however, and, after the report which I must give, the general will +certainly make up his mind to stop the affair without shedding +blood." + +"Without a fight it will be difficult to arrest me, for with five +hundred peasants in such a place as this I would not be afraid of +three thousand men." + +"One man will prove enough; you will be treated as a leader of +rebels. All these peasants may be devoted to you, but they cannot +protect you against one man who will shoot you for the sake of +earning a few pieces of gold. I can tell you more than that: amongst +all those men who surround you there is not one who would not murder +you for twenty sequins. Believe me, go with me. Come to enjoy the +triumph which is awaiting you in Corfu. You will be courted and +applauded. You will narrate yourself all your mad frolics, people +will laugh, and at the same time will admire you for having listened +to reason the moment I came here. Everybody feels esteem for you, +and M. D---- R----- thinks a great deal of you. He praises very +highly the command you have shewn over your passion in refraining +from thrusting your sword through that insolent fool, in order not to +forget the respect you owed to his house. The general himself must +esteem you, for he cannot forget what you told him of that knave." + +"What has become of him?" + +"Four days ago Major Sardina's frigate arrived with dispatches, in +which the general must have found all the proof of the imposture, for +he has caused the false duke or prince to disappear very suddenly. +Nobody knows where he has been sent to, and nobody ventures to +mention the fellow before the general, for he made the most egregious +blunder respecting him." + +"But was the man received in society after the thrashing I gave him?" + +"God forbid! Do you not recollect that he wore a sword? From that +moment no one would receive him. His arm was broken and his jaw +shattered to pieces. + +But in spite of the state he was in, in spite of what he must have +suffered, his excellency had him removed a week after you had treated +him so severely. But your flight is what everyone has been wondering +over. It was thought for three days that M. D---- R----- had +concealed you in his house, and he was openly blamed for doing so. +He had to declare loudly at the general's table that he was in the +most complete ignorance of your whereabouts. His excellency even +expressed his anxiety about your escape, and it was only yesterday +that your place of refuge was made known by a letter addressed by the +priest of this island to the Proto-Papa Bulgari, in which he +complained that an Italian officer had invaded the island of Casopo a +week before, and had committed unheard-of violence. He accused you +of seducing all the girls, and of threatening to shoot him if he +dared to pronounce 'cataramonachia' against you. This letter, which +was read publicly at the evening reception, made the general laugh, +but he ordered me to arrest you all the same." + +"Madame Sagredo is the cause of it all." + +"True, but she is well punished for it. You ought to call upon her +with me to-morrow." + +"To-morrow? Are you then certain that I shall not be placed under +arrest?" + +"Yes, for I know that the general is a man of honour." + +"I am of the same opinion. Well, let us go on board your felucca. +We will embark together after midnight." + +"Why not now?" + +"Because I will not run the risk of spending the night on board M. +Foscari's bastarda. I want to reach Corfu by daylight, so as to make +your victory more brilliant." + +"But what shall we do for the next eight hours?" + +"We will pay a visit to some beauties of a species unknown in Corfu, +and have a good supper." + +I ordered my lieutenant to send plenty to eat and to drink to the men +on board the felucca, to prepare a splendid supper, and to spare +nothing, as I should leave the island at midnight. I made him a +present of all my provisions, except such as I wanted to take with +me; these I sent on board. My janissaries, to whom I gave a week's +pay, insisted upon escorting me, fully equipped, as far as the boat, +which made the adjutant laugh all the way. + +We reached Corfu by eight o'clock in the morning, and we went +alongside the 'bastarda. The adjutant consigned me to M. Foscari, +assuring me that he would immediately give notice of my arrival to +M. D---- R-----, send my luggage to his house, and report the success +of his expedition to the general. + +M. Foscari, the commander of the bastarda, treated me very badly. If +he had been blessed with any delicacy of feeling, he would not have +been in such a hurry to have me put in irons. He might have talked +to me, and have thus delayed for a quarter of an hour that operation +which greatly vexed me. But, without uttering a single word, he sent +me to the 'capo di scalo' who made me sit down, and told me to put my +foot forward to receive the irons, which, however, do not dishonour +anyone in that country, not even the galley slaves, for they are +better treated than soldiers. + +My right leg was already in irons, and the left one was in the hands +of the man for the completion of that unpleasant ceremony, when the +adjutant of his excellency came to tell the executioner to set me at +liberty and to return me my sword. I wanted to present my +compliments to the noble M. Foscari, but the adjutant, rather +ashamed, assured me that his excellency did not expect me to do so. +The first thing I did was to pay my respects to the general, without +saying one word to him, but he told me with a serious countenance to +be more prudent for the future, and to learn that a soldier's first +duty was to obey, and above all to be modest and discreet. I +understood perfectly the meaning of the two last words, and acted +accordingly. + +When I made my appearance at M. D---- R-----'s, I could see pleasure +on everybody's face. Those moments have always been so dear to me +that I have never forgotten them, they have afforded me consolation +in the time of adversity. If you would relish pleasure you must +endure pain, and delights are in proportion to the privations we have +suffered. M. D---- R----- was so glad to see me that he came up to +me and warmly embraced me. He presented me with a beautiful ring +which he took from his own finger, and told me that I had acted quite +rightly in not letting anyone, and particularly himself, know where I +had taken refuge. + +"You can't think," he added, frankly, "how interested Madame F---- +was in your fate. She would be really delighted if you called on her +immediately." + +How delightful to receive such advice from his own lips! But the +word "immediately" annoyed me, because, having passed the night on +board the felucca, I was afraid that the disorder of my toilet might +injure me in her eyes. Yet I could neither refuse M. D---- R-----, +nor tell him the reason of my refusal, and I bethought myself that I +could make a merit of it in the eyes of Madame F---- +I therefore went at once to her house; the goddess was not yet +visible, but her attendant told me to come in, assuring me that her +mistress's bell would soon be heard, and that she would be very sorry +if I did not wait to see her. I spent half an hour with that young +and indiscreet person, who was a very charming girl, and learned from +her many things which caused me great pleasure, and particularly all +that had been said respecting my escape. I found that throughout the +affair my conduct had met with general approbation. + +As soon as Madame F---- had seen her maid, she desired me to be shewn +in. The curtains were drawn aside, and I thought I saw Aurora +surrounded with the roses and the pearls of morning. I told her +that, if it had not been for the order I received from M. D---- R---- +I would not have presumed to present myself before her in my +travelling costume; and in the most friendly tone she answered that +M. D---- R-----, knowing all the interest she felt in me, had been +quite right to tell me to come, and she assured me that M. D---- +R----- had the greatest esteem for me. + +"I do not know, madam, how I have deserved such great happiness, for +all I dared aim at was toleration." + +"We all admired the control you kept over your feelings when you +refrained from killing that insolent madman on the spot; he would +have been thrown out of the window if he had not beat a hurried +retreat." + +"I should certainly have killed him, madam, if you had not been +present." + +"A very pretty compliment, but I can hardly believe that you thought +of me in such a moment." + +I did not answer, but cast my eyes down, and gave a deep sigh. She +observed my new ring, and in order to change the subject of +conversation she praised M. D---- R----- very highly, as soon as I +had told her how he had offered it to me. She desired me to give her +an account of my life on the island, and I did so, but allowed my +pretty needlewomen to remain under a veil, for I had already learnt +that in this world the truth must often remain untold. + +All my adventures amused her much, and she greatly admired my +conduct. + +"Would you have the courage," she said, "to repeat all you have just +told me, and exactly in the same terms, before the proveditore- +generale?" + +"Most certainly, madam, provided he asked me himself." + +"Well, then, prepare to redeem your promise. I want our excellent +general to love you and to become your warmest protector, so as to +shield you against every injustice and to promote your advancement. +Leave it all to me." + +Her reception fairly overwhelmed me with happiness, and on leaving +her house I went to Major Maroli to find out the state of my +finances. I was glad to hear that after my escape he had no longer +considered me a partner in the faro bank. I took four hundred +sequins from the cashier, reserving the right to become again a +partner, should circumstances prove at any time favourable. + +In the evening I made a careful toilet, and called for the Adjutant +Minolto in order to pay with him a visit to Madame Sagredo, the +general's favourite. With the exception of Madame F---- she was the +greatest beauty of Corfu. My visit surprised her, because, as she +had been the cause of all that had happened, she was very far from +expecting it. She imagined that I had a spite against her. I +undeceived her, speaking to her very candidly, and she treated me +most kindly, inviting me to come now and then to spend the evening at +her house. + +But I neither accepted nor refused her amiable invitation, knowing +that Madame F---- disliked her; and how could I be a frequent guest +at her house with such a knowledge! Besides, Madame Sagredo was very +fond of gambling, and, to please her, it was necessary either to lose +or make her win, but to accept such conditions one must be in love +with the lady or wish to make her conquest, and I had not the +slightest idea of either. The Adjutant Minolto never played, but he +had captivated the lady's good graces by his services in the +character of Mercury. + +When I returned to the palace I found Madame F---- alone, M. D---- +R----- being engaged with his correspondence. She asked me to sit +near her, and to tell her all my adventures in Constantinople. I did +so, and I had no occasion to repent it. My meeting with Yusuf's wife +pleased her extremely, but the bathing scene by moonlight made her +blush with excitement. I veiled as much as I could the too brilliant +colours of my picture, but, if she did not find me clear, she would +oblige me to be more explicit, and if I made myself better understood +by giving to my recital a touch of voluptuousness which I borrowed +from her looks more than from my recollection, she would scold me and +tell me that I might have disguised a little more. I felt that the +way she was talking would give her a liking for me, and I was +satisfied that the man who can give birth to amorous desires is +easily called upon to gratify them it was the reward I was ardently +longing for, and I dared to hope it would be mine, although I could +see it only looming in the distance. + +It happened that, on that day, M. D---- R----- had invited a large +company to supper. I had, as a matter of course, to engross all +conversation, and to give the fullest particulars of all that had +taken place from the moment I received the order to place myself +under arrest up to the time of my release from the 'bastarda'. +M. Foscari was seated next to me, and the last part of my narrative +was not, I suppose, particularly agreeable to him. + +The account I gave of my adventures pleased everybody, and it was +decided that the proveditore-generale must have the pleasure of +hearing my tale from my own lips. I mentioned that hay was very +plentiful in Casopo, and as that article was very scarce in Corfu, +M. D---- R----- told me that I ought to seize the opportunity of +making myself agreeable to the general by informing him of that +circumstance without delay. I followed his advice the very next day, +and was very well received, for his excellency immediately ordered a +squad of men to go to the island and bring large quantities of hay to +Corfu. + +A few days later the Adjutant Minolto came to me in the coffee-house, +and told me that the general wished to see me: this time I promptly +obeyed his commands. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +Progress of My Amour--My Journey to Otranto--I Enter the Service of +Madame F.--A Fortunate Excoriation + + +The room I entered was full of people. His excellency, seeing me, +smiled and drew upon me the attention of all his guests by saying +aloud, "Here comes the young man who is a good judge of princes." + +"My lord, I have become a judge of nobility by frequenting the +society of men like you." + +"The ladies are curious to know all you have done from the time of +your escape from Corfu up to your return." + +"Then you sentence me, monsignor, to make a public confession?" + +"Exactly; but, as it is to be a confession, be careful not to omit +the most insignificant circumstance, and suppose that I am not in the +room." + +"On the contrary, I wish to receive absolution only from your +excellency. But my history will be a long one." + +"If such is the case, your confessor gives you permission to be +seated." + +I gave all the particulars of my adventures, with the exception of my +dalliance with the nymphs of the island. + +"Your story is a very instructive one," observed the general. + +"Yes, my lord, for the adventures shew that a young man is never so +near his utter ruin than when, excited by some great passion, he +finds himself able to minister to it, thanks to the gold in his +purse." + +I was preparing to take my leave, when the majordomo came to inform +me that his excellency desired me to remain to supper. I had +therefore the honour of a seat at his table, but not the pleasure of +eating, for I was obliged to answer the questions addressed to me +from all quarters, and I could not contrive to swallow a single +mouthful. I was seated next to the Proto-Papa Bulgari, and I +entreated his pardon for having ridiculed Deldimopulo's oracle. "It +is nothing else but regular cheating," he said, "but it is very +difficult to put a stop to it; it is an old custom." + +A short time afterwards, Madame F---- whispered a few words to the +general, who turned to me and said that he would be glad to hear me +relate what had occurred to me in Constantinople with the wife of the +Turk Yusuf, and at another friend's house, where I had seen bathing +by moonlight. I was rather surprised at such an invitation, and told +him that such frolics were not worth listening to, and the general +not pressing me no more was said about it. But I was astonished at +Madame F----'s indiscretion; she had no business to make my +confidences public. I wanted her to be jealous of her own dignity, +which I loved even more than her person. + +Two or three days later, she said to me, + +"Why did you refuse to tell your adventures in Constantinople before +the general?" + +"Because I do not wish everybody to know that you allow me to tell +you such things. What I may dare, madam, to say to you when we are +alone, I would certainly not say to you in public." + +"And why not? It seems to me, on the contrary, that if you are +silent in public out of respect for me, you ought to be all the more +silent when we are alone." + +"I wanted to amuse you, and have exposed myself to the danger of +displeasing you, but I can assure you, madam, that I will not run +such a risk again." + +"I have no wish to pry into your intentions, but it strikes me that +if your wish was to please me, you ought not to have run the risk of +obtaining the opposite result. We take supper with the general this +evening, and M. D---- R----- has been asked to bring you. I feel +certain that the general will ask you again for your adventures in +Constantinople, and this time you cannot refuse him." + +M. D---- R----- came in and we went to the general's. I thought as +we were driving along that, although Madame F---- seemed to have +intended to humiliate me, I ought to accept it all as a favour of +fortune, because, by compelling me to explain my refusal to the +general; Madame F---- had, at the same time, compelled me to a +declaration of my feelings, which was not without importance. + +The 'proveditore-generale' gave me a friendly welcome, and kindly +handed me a letter which had come with the official dispatches from +Constantinople. I bowed my thanks, and put the letter in my pocket: +but he told me that he was himself a great lover of news, and that I +could read my letter. I opened it; it was from Yusuf, who announced +the death of Count de Bonneval. Hearing the name of the worthy +Yusuf, the general asked me to tell him my adventure with his wife. +I could not now refuse, and I began a story which amused and +interested the general and his friends for an hour or so, but which +was from beginning to end the work of my imagination. + +Thus I continued to respect the privacy of Yusuf, to avoid +implicating the good fame of Madame F----, and to shew myself in a +light which was tolerably advantageous to me. My story, which was +full of sentiment, did me a great deal of honour, and I felt very +happy when I saw from the expression of Madame F----'s face that she +was pleased with me, although somewhat surprised. + +When we found ourselves again in her house she told me, in the +presence of M. D---- R-----, that the story I had related to the +general was certainly very pretty, although purely imaginary, that +she was not angry with me, because I had amused her, but that she +could not help remarking my obstinacy in refusing compliance with her +wishes. Then, turning to M. D---- R-----, she said, + +"M. Casanova pretends that if he had given an account of his meeting +with Yusuf's wife without changing anything everybody would think +that I allowed him to entertain me with indecent stories. I want you +to give your opinion about it. Will you," she added, speaking to me, +"be so good as to relate immediately the adventure in the same words +which you have used when you told me of it?" + +"Yes, madam, if you wish me to do so." + +Stung to the quick by an indiscretion which, as I did not yet know +women thoroughly, seemed to me without example, I cast all fears of +displeasing to the winds, related the adventure with all the warmth +of an impassioned poet, and without disguising or attenuating in the +least the desires which the charms of the Greek beauty had inspired +me with. + +"Do you think," said M. D---- R----- to Madame F-----, "that he ought +to have related that adventure before all our friends as he has just +related it to us?" + +"If it be wrong for him to tell it in public, it is also wrong to +tell it to me in private." + +"You are the only judge of that: yes, if he has displeased you; no, +if he has amused you. As for my own opinion, here it is: He has just +now amused me very much, but he would have greatly displeased me if +he had related the same adventure in public." + +"Then," exclaimed Madame F----, "I must request you never to tell me +in private anything that you cannot repeat in public." + +"I promise, madam, to act always according to your wishes." + +"It being understood," added M. D---- R-----, smiling, "that madam +reserves all rights of repealing that order whenever she may think +fit." + +I was vexed, but I contrived not to show it. A few minutes more, and +we took leave of Madame F---- + +I was beginning to understand that charming woman, and to dread the +ordeal to which she would subject me. But love was stronger than +fear, and, fortified with hope, I had the courage to endure the +thorns, so as to gather the rose at the end of my sufferings. I was +particularly pleased to find that M. D---- R----- was not jealous of +me, even when she seemed to dare him to it. This was a point of the +greatest importance. + +A few days afterwards, as I was entertaining her on various subjects, +she remarked how unfortunate it had been for me to enter the +lazzaretto at Ancona without any money. + +"In spite of my distress," I said, "I fell in love with a young and +beautiful Greek slave, who very nearly contrived to make me break +through all the sanitary laws." + +"How so?" + +"You are alone, madam, and I have not forgotten your orders." + +"Is it a very improper story?" + +"No: yet I would not relate it to you in public." + +"Well," she said, laughing, "I repeal my order, as M. D---- R----- +said I would. Tell me all about it." + +I told my story, and, seeing that she was pensive, I exaggerated the +misery I had felt at not being able to complete my conquest. + +"What do you mean by your misery? I think that the poor girl was +more to be pitied than you. You have never seen her since?" + +"I beg your pardon, madam; I met her again, but I dare not tell you +when or how." + +"Now you must go on; it is all nonsense for you to stop. Tell me +all; I expect you have been guilty of some black deed." + +"Very far from it, madam, for it was a very sweet, although +incomplete, enjoyment." + +"Go on! But do not call things exactly by their names. It is not +necessary to go into details." + +Emboldened by the renewal of her order, I told her, without looking +her in the face, of my meeting with the Greek slave in the presence +of Bellino, and of the act which was cut short by the appearance of +her master. When I had finished my story, Madame F---- remained +silent, and I turned the conversation into a different channel, for +though I felt myself on an excellent footing with her, I knew +likewise that I had to proceed with great prudence. She was too +young to have lowered herself before, and she would certainly look +upon a connection with me as a lowering of her dignity. + +Fortune which had always smiled upon me in the most hopeless cases, +did not intend to ill-treat me on this occasion, and procured me, on +that very same day, a favour of a very peculiar nature. My charming +ladylove having pricked her finger rather severely, screamed loudly, +and stretched her hand towards me, entreating me to suck the blood +flowing from the wound. You may judge, dear reader, whether I was +long in seizing that beautiful hand, and if you are, or if you have +ever been in love, you will easily guess the manner in which I +performed my delightful work. What is a kiss? Is it not an ardent +desire to inhale a portion of the being we love? Was not the blood I +was sucking from that charming wound a portion of the woman I +worshipped? When I had completed my work, she thanked me +affectionately, and told me to spit out the blood I had sucked. + +"It is here," I said, placing my hand on my heart, "and God alone +knows what happiness it has given me." + +"You have drunk my blood with happiness! Are you then a cannibal?" + +"I believe not, madam; but it would have been sacrilege in my eyes if +I had suffered one single drop of your blood to be lost." + +One evening, there was an unusually large attendance at M. D---- +R-----'s assembly, and we were talking of the carnival which was near +at hand. Everybody was regretting the lack of actors, and the +impossibility of enjoying the pleasures of the theatre. I +immediately offered to procure a good company at my expense, if the +boxes were at once subscribed for, and the monopoly of the faro bank +granted to me. No time was to be lost, for the carnival was +approaching, and I had to go to Otranto to engage a troop. My +proposal was accepted with great joy, and the proveditore-generale +placed a felucca at my disposal. The boxes were all taken in three +days, and a Jew took the pit, two nights a week excepted, which I +reserved for my own profit. + +The carnival being very long that year, I had every chance of +success. It is said generally that the profession of theatrical +manager is difficult, but, if that is the case, I have not found it +so by experience, and am bound to affirm the contrary. + +I left Corfu in the evening, and having a good breeze in my favour, I +reached Otranto by day-break the following morning, without the +oarsmen having had to row a stroke. The distance from Corfu to +Otranto is only about fifteen leagues. + +I had no idea of landing, owing to the quarantine which is always +enforced for any ship or boat coming to Italy from the east. I only +went to the parlour of the lazaretto, where, placed behind a grating, +you can speak to any person who calls, and who must stand behind +another grating placed opposite, at a distance of six feet. + +As soon as I announced that I had come for the purpose of engaging a +troupe of actors to perform in Corfu, the managers of the two +companies then in Otranto came to the parlour to speak to me. I told +them at once that I wished to see all the performers, one company at +a time. + +The two rival managers gave me then a very comic scene, each manager +wanting the other to bring his troupe first. The harbour-master told +me that the only way to settle the matter was to say myself which of +the two companies I would see first: one was from Naples, the other +from Sicily. Not knowing either I gave the preference to the first. +Don Fastidio, the manager, was very vexed, while Battipaglia, the +director of the second, was delighted because he hoped that, after +seeing the Neapolitan troupe, I would engage his own. + +An hour afterwards, Fastidio returned with all his performers, and my +surprise may be imagined when amongst them I recognized Petronio and +his sister Marina, who, the moment she saw me, screamed for joy, +jumped over the grating, and threw herself in my arms. A terrible +hubbub followed, and high words passed between Fastidio and the +harbour-master. Marina being in the service of Fastidio, the captain +compelled him to confine her to the lazaretto, where she would have +to perform quarantine at his expense. The poor girl cried bitterly, +but I could not remedy her imprudence. + +I put a stop to the quarrel by telling Fastidio to shew me all his +people, one after the other. Petronio belonged to his company, and +performed the lovers. He told me that he had a letter for me from +Therese. I was also glad to see a Venetian of my acquaintance who +played the pantaloon in the pantomime, three tolerably pretty +actresses, a pulcinella, and a scaramouch. Altogether, the troupe +was a decent one. + +I told Fastidio to name the lowest salary he wanted for all his +company, assuring him that I would give the preference to his rival, +if he should ask me too much. + +"Sir," he answered, "we are twenty, and shall require six rooms with +ten beds, one sitting-room for all of us, and thirty Neapolitan +ducats a day, all travelling expenses paid. Here is my stock of +plays, and we will perform those that you may choose." + +Thinking of poor Marina who would have to remain in the lazaretto +before she could reappear on the stage at Otranto, I told Fastidio to +get the contract ready, as I wanted to go away immediately. + +I had scarcely pronounced these words than war broke out again +between the manager-elect and his unfortunate competitor. +Battipaglia, in his rage, called Marina a harlot, and said that she +had arranged beforehand with Fastidio to violate the rules of the +lazaretto in order to compel me to choose their troupe. Petronio, +taking his sister's part, joined Fastidio, and the unlucky +Battipaglia was dragged outside and treated to a generous dose of +blows and fisticuffs, which was not exactly the thing to console him +for a lost engagement. + +Soon afterwards, Petronio brought me Therese's letter. She was +ruining the duke, getting rich accordingly, and waiting for me in +Naples. + +Everything being ready towards evening, I left Otranto with twenty +actors, and six large trunks containing their complete wardrobes. A +light breeze which was blowing from the south might have carried us +to Corfu in ten hours, but when we had sailed about one hour my +cayabouchiri informed me that he could see by the moonlight a ship +which might prove to be a corsair, and get hold of us. I was +unwilling to risk anything, so I ordered them to lower the sails and +return to Otranto. At day-break we sailed again with a good westerly +wind, which would also have taken us to Corfu; but after we had gone +two or three hours, the captain pointed out to me a brigantine, +evidently a pirate, for she was shaping her course so as to get to +windward of us. I told him to change the course, and to go by +starboard, to see if the brigantine would follow us, but she +immediately imitated our manoeuvre. I could not go back to Otranto, +and I had no wish to go to Africa, so I ordered the men to shape our +course, so as to land on the coast of Calabria, by hard rowing and at +the nearest point. The sailors, who were frightened to death, +communicated their fears to my comedians, and soon I heard nothing +but weeping and sobbing. Every one of them was calling earnestly +upon some saint, but not one single prayer to God did I hear. The +bewailings of scaramouch, the dull and spiritless despair of +Fastidio, offered a picture which would have made me laugh heartily +if the danger had been imaginary and not real. Marina alone was +cheerful and happy, because she did not realize the danger we were +running, and she laughed at the terror of the crew and of her +companions. + +A strong breeze sprang up towards evening, so I ordered them to clap +on all sail and scud before the wind, even if it should get stronger. +In order to escape the pirate, I had made up my mind to cross the +gulf. We took the wind through the night, and in the morning we were +eighty miles from Corfu, which I determined to reach by rowing. We +were in the middle of the gulf, and the sailors were worn out with +fatigue, but I had no longer any fear. A gale began to blow from the +north, and in less than an hour it was blowing so hard that we were +compelled to sail close to the wind in a fearful manner. The felucca +looked every moment as if it must capsize. Every one looked +terrified but kept complete silence, for I had enjoined it on penalty +of death. In spite of our dangerous position, I could not help +laughing when I heard the sobs of the cowardly scaramouch. The +helmsman was a man of great nerve, and the gale being steady I felt +we would reach Corfu without mishap. At day-break we sighted the +town, and at nine in the morning we landed at Mandrachia. Everybody +was surprised to see us arrive that way. + +As soon as my company was landed, the young officers naturally came +to inspect the actresses, but they did not find them very desirable, +with the exception of Marina, who received uncomplainingly the news +that I could not renew my acquaintance with her. I felt certain that +she would not lack admirers. But my actresses, who had appeared ugly +at the landing, produced a very different effect on the stage, and +particularly the pantaloon's wife. M. Duodo, commander of a man-of- +war, called upon her, and, finding master pantaloon intolerant on the +subject of his better-half, gave him a few blows with his cane. +Fastidio informed me the next day that the pantaloon and his wife +refused to perform any more, but I made them alter their mind by +giving them a benefit night. + +The pantaloon's wife was much applauded, but she felt insulted +because, in the midst of the applause, the pit called out, "Bravo, +Duodo!" She presented herself to the general in his own box, in +which I was generally, and complained of the manner in which she was +treated. The general promised her, in my name, another benefit night +for the close of the carnival, and I was of course compelled to +ratify his promise. The fact is, that, to satisfy the greedy actors, +I abandoned to my comedians, one by one, the seventeen nights I had +reserved for myself. The benefit I gave to Marina was at the special +request of Madame F----, who had taken her into great favour since +she had had the honour of breakfasting alone with M. D---- R---- in a +villa outside of the city. + +My generosity cost me four hundred sequins, but the faro bank brought +me a thousand and more, although I never held the cards, my +management of the theatre taking up all my time. My manner with the +actresses gained me great kindness; it was clearly seen that I +carried on no intrigue with any of them, although I had every +facility for doing so. Madame F---- complimented me, saying that she +had not entertained such a good opinion of my discretion. I was too +busy through the carnival to think of love, even of the passion which +filled my heart. It was only at the beginning of Lent, and after the +departure of the comedians, that I could give rein to my feelings. + +One morning Madame F---- sent, a messenger who, summoned me to her +presence. It was eleven o'clock; I immediately went to her, and +enquired what I could do for her service. + +"I wanted to see you," she said, "to return the two hundred sequins +which you lent me so nobly. Here they are; be good enough to give me +back my note of hand." + +"Your note of hand, madam, is no longer in my possession. I have +deposited it in a sealed envelope with the notary who, according to +this receipt of his, can return it only to you." + +"Why did you not keep it yourself?" + +"Because I was afraid of losing it, or of having it stolen. And in +the event of my death I did not want such a document to fall into any +other hands but yours." + +"A great proof of your extreme delicacy, certainly, but I think you +ought to have reserved the right of taking it out of the notary's +custody yourself." + +"I did not forsee the possibility of calling for it myself." + +"Yet it was a very likely thing. Then I can send word to the notary +to transmit it to me?" + +"Certainly, madam; you alone can claim it." + +She sent to the notary, who brought the himself. + +She tore the envelope open, and found only a piece of paper besmeared +with ink, quite illegible, except her own name, which had not been +touched. + +"You have acted," she said, "most nobly; but you must agree with me +that I cannot be certain that this piece of paper is really my note +of hand, although I see my name on it." + +"True, madam; and if you are not certain of it, I confess myself in +the wrong." + +"I must be certain of it, and I am so; but you must grant that I +could not swear to it." + +"Granted, madam." + +During the following days it struck me that her manner towards me was +singularly altered. She never received me in her dishabille, and I +had to wait with great patience until her maid had entirely dressed +her before being admitted into her presence. + +If I related any story, any adventure, she pretened not to +understand, and affected not to see the point of an anecdote or a +jest; very often she would purposely not look at me, and then I was +sure to relate badly. If M. D---- R----- laughed at something I had +just said, she would ask what he was laughing for, and when he had +told her, she would say it was insipid or dull. If one of her +bracelets became unfastened, I offered to fasten it again, but either +she would not give me so much trouble, or I did not understand the +fastening, and the maid was called to do it. I could not help +shewing my vexation, but she did not seem to take the slightest +notice of it. If M. D---- R----- excited me to say something amusing +or witty, and I did not speak immediately, she would say that my +budget was empty, laughing, and adding that the wit of poor +M. Casanova was worn out. Full of rage, I would plead guilty by my +silence to her taunting accusation, but I was thoroughly miserable, +for I did not see any cause for that extraordinary change in her +feelings, being conscious that I had not given her any motive for it. +I wanted to shew her openly my indifference and contempt, but +whenever an opportunity offered, my courage would forsake me, and I +would let it escape. + +One evening M. D---- R----- asking me whether I had often been in +love, I answered, + +"Three times, my lord." + +"And always happily, of course." + +"Always unhappily. The first time, perhaps, because, being an +ecclesiastic, I durst not speak openly of my love. The second, +because a cruel, unexpected event compelled me to leave the woman I +loved at the very moment in which my happiness would have been +complete. The third time, because the feeling of pity, with which I +inspired the beloved object, induced her to cure me of my passion, +instead of crowning my felicity." + +"But what specific remedies did she use to effect your cure?" + +"She has ceased to be kind." + +"I understand she has treated you cruelly, and you call that pity, do +you? You are mistaken." + +"Certainly," said Madame F----, "a woman may pity the man she loves, +but she would not think of ill-treating him to cure him of his +passion. That woman has never felt any love for you." + +"I cannot, I will not believe it, madam." + +"But are you cured?" + +"Oh! thoroughly; for when I happen to think of her, I feel nothing +but indifference and coldness. But my recovery was long." + +"Your convalescence lasted, I suppose, until you fell in love with +another." + +"With another, madam? I thought I had just told you that the third +time I loved was the last." + +A few days after that conversation, M. D---- R----- told me that +Madame F---- was not well, that he could not keep her company, and +that I ought to go to her, as he was sure she would be glad to see +me. I obeyed, and told Madame F---- what M. D---- R----- had said. +She was lying on a sofa. Without looking at me, she told me she was +feverish, and would not ask me to remain with her, because I would +feel weary. + +"I could not experience any weariness in your society, madam; at all +events, I can leave you only by your express command, and, in that +case, I must spend the next four hours in your ante-room, for M. D--- +R----- has told me to wait for him here." + +"If so, you may take a seat." + +Her cold and distant manner repelled me, but I loved her, and I had +never seen her so beautiful, a slight fever animating her complexion +which was then truly dazzling in its beauty. I kept where I was, +dumb and as motionless as a statue, for a quarter of an hour. Then +she rang for her maid, and asked me to leave her alone for a moment. +I was called back soon after, and she said to me, + +"What has become of your cheerfulness?" + +"If it has disappeared, madam, it can only be by your will. Call it +back, and you will see it return in full force." + +"What must I do to obtain that result?" + +"Only be towards me as you were when I returned from Casopo. I have +been disagreeable to you for the last four months, and as I do not +know why, I feel deeply grieved." + +"I am always the same: in what do you find me changed?" + +"Good heavens! In everything, except in beauty. But I have taken my +decision." + +"And what is it?" + +"To suffer in silence, without allowing any circumstance to alter the +feelings with which you have inspired me; to wish ardently to +convince you of my perfect obedience to your commands; to be ever +ready to give you fresh proofs of my devotion." + +"I thank you, but I cannot imagine what you can have to suffer in +silence on my account. I take an interest in you, and I always +listen with pleasure to your adventures. As a proof of it, I am +extremely curious to hear the history of your three loves." + +I invented on the spot three purely imaginary stories, making a great +display of tender sentiments and of ardent love, but without alluding +to amorous enjoyment, particularly when she seemed to expect me to do +so. Sometimes delicacy, sometimes respect or duty, interfered to +prevent the crowning pleasure, and I took care to observe, at such +moments of disappointment, that a true lover does not require that +all important item to feel perfectly happy. I could easily see that +her imagination was travelling farther than my narrative, and that my +reserve was agreeable to her. I believed I knew her nature well +enough to be certain that I was taking the best road to induce her to +follow me where I wished to lead her. She expressed a sentiment +which moved me deeply, but I was careful not to shew it. We were +talking of my third love, of the woman who, out of pity, had +undertaken to cure me, and she remarked, + +"If she truly loved you, she may have wished not to cure you, but to +cure herself." + +On the day following this partial reconciliation, M. F----, her +husband, begged my commanding officer, D---- R-----, to let me go +with him to Butintro for an excursion of three days, his own adjutant +being seriously ill. + +Butintro is seven miles from Corfu, almost opposite to that city; it +is the nearest point to the island from the mainland. It is not a +fortress, but only a small village of Epirus, or Albania, as it is +now called, and belonging to the Venetians. Acting on the political +axiom that "neglected right is lost right," the Republic sends every +year four galleys to Butintro with a gang of galley slaves to fell +trees, cut them, and load them on the galleys, while the military +keep a sharp look-out to prevent them from escaping to Turkey and +becoming Mussulmans. One of the four galleys was commanded by M. +F---- who, wanting an adjutant for the occasion, chose me. + +I went with him, and on the fourth day we came back to Corfu with a +large provision of wood. I found M. D---- R---- alone on the terrace +of his palace. It was Good Friday. He seemed thoughtful, and, after +a silence of a few minutes, he spoke the following words, which I can +never forget: + +"M. F-----, whose adjutant died yesterday, has just been entreating +me to give you to him until he can find another officer. I have told +him that I had no right to dispose of your person, and that he, ought +to apply to you, assuring him that, if you asked me leave to go with +him, I would not raise any objection, although I require two +adjutants. Has he not mentioned the matter to you?" + +"No, monsignor, he has only tendered me his thanks for having +accompanied him to Butintro, nothing else." + +"He is sure to speak to you about it. What do you intend to say?" + +"Simply that I will never leave the service of your excellency +without your express command to do so." + +"I never will give you such an order." + +As M. D---- R---- was saying the last word, M. and Madame F---- came +in. Knowing that the conversation would most likely turn upon the +subject which had just been broached, I hurried out of the room. In +less than a quarter of an hour I was sent for, and M. F---- said to +me, confidentially, + +"Well, M. Casanova, would you not be willing to live with me as my +adjutant?" + +"Does his excellency dismiss me from his service?" + +"Not at all," observed M. D---- R----, "but I leave you the choice." + +"My lord, I could not be guilty of ingratitude." + +And I remained there standing, uneasy, keeping my eyes on the ground, +not even striving to conceal my mortification, which was, after all, +very natural in such a position. I dreaded looking at Madame F----, +for I knew that she could easily guess all my feelings. An instant +after, her foolish husband coldly remarked that I should certainly +have a more fatiguing service with him than with M. D---- R----, and +that, of course, it was more honourable to serve the general governor +of the galeazze than a simple sopra-committo. I was on the point of +answering, when Madame F---- said, in a graceful and easy manner, +"M. Casanova is right," and she changed the subject. I left the +room, revolving in my mind all that had just taken place. + +My conclusion was that M. F---- had asked M. D---- R---- to let me go +with him at the suggestion of his wife, or, at least with her +consent, and it was highly flattering to my love and to my vanity. +But I was bound in honour not to accept the post, unless I had a +perfect assurance that it would not be disagreeable to my present +patron. "I will accept," I said to myself, "if M. D---- R----- tells +me positively that I shall please him by doing so. It is for M. F to +make him say it." + +On the same night I had the honour of offering my arm to Madame F--- +during the procession which takes place in commemoration of the death +of our Lord and Saviour, which was then attended on foot by all the +nobility. I expected she would mention the matter, but she did not. +My love was in despair, and through the night I could not close my +eyes. I feared she had been offended by my refusal, and was +overwhelmed with grief. I passed the whole of the next day without +breaking my fast, and did not utter a single word during the evening +reception. I felt very unwell, and I had an attack of fever which +kept me in bed on Easter Sunday. I was very weak on the Monday, and +intended to remain in my room, when a messenger from Madame F---- +came to inform me that she wished to see me. I told the messenger +not to say that he had found me in bed, and dressing myself rapidly I +hurried to her house. I entered her room, pale, looking very ill: +yet she did not enquire after my health, and kept silent a minute or +two, as if she had been trying to recollect what she had to say to +me. + +"Ah! yes, you are aware that our adjutant is dead, and that we want +to replace him. My husband, who has a great esteem for you, and +feels that M. D---- R----- leaves you perfectly free to make your +choice, has taken the singular fancy that you will come, if I ask you +myself to do us that pleasure. Is he mistaken? If you would come to +us, you would have that room." + +She was pointing to a room adjoining the chamber in which she slept, +and so situated that, to see her in every part of her room, I should +not even require to place myself at the window. + + +"M. D---- R----- ," she continued, "will not love you less, and as he +will see you here every, day, he will not be likely to forget his +interest in your welfare. Now, tell me, will you come or not?" + +"I wish I could, madam, but indeed I cannot." + +"You cannot? That is singular. Take a seat, and tell me what there +is to prevent you, when, in accepting my offer, you are sure to +please M. D---- R----- as well as us." + +"If I were certain of it, I would accept immediately; but all I have +heard from his lips was that he left me free to make a choice." + +"Then you are afraid to grieve him, if you come to us ?" + +"It might be, and for nothing on earth...." + +"I am certain of the contrary." + +"Will you be so good as to obtain that he says so to me himself?" + +"And then you will come?" + +"Oh, madam! that very minute!" + +But the warmth of my exclamation might mean a great deal, and I +turned my head round so as not to embarrass her. She asked me to +give her her mantle to go to church, and we went out. As we were +going down the stairs, she placed her ungloved hand upon mine. It +was the first time that she had granted me such a favour, and it +seemed to me a good omen. She took off her hand, asking me whether I +was feverish. "Your hand," she said, "is burning." + +When we left the church, M. D---- R-----'s carriage happened to pass, +and I assisted her to get in, and as soon as she had gone, hurried to +my room in order to breathe freely and to enjoy all the felicity +which filled my soul; for I no longer doubted her love for me, and I +knew that, in this case, M. D---- R----- was not likely to refuse her +anything. + +What is love? I have read plenty of ancient verbiage on that +subject, I have read likewise most of what has been said by modern +writers, but neither all that has been said, nor what I have thought +about it, when I was young and now that I am no longer so, nothing, +in fact, can make me agree that love is a trifling vanity. It is a +sort of madness, I grant that, but a madness over which philosophy is +entirely powerless; it is a disease to which man is exposed at all +times, no matter at what age, and which cannot be cured, if he is +attacked by it in his old age. Love being sentiment which cannot be +explained! God of all nature!--bitter and sweet feeling! Love!-- +charming monster which cannot be fathomed! God who, in the midst of +all the thorns with which thou plaguest us, strewest so many roses on +our path that, without thee, existence and death would be united and +blended together! + +Two days afterwards, M. D---- R-----, told me to go and take orders +from M. F---- on board his galley, which was ready for a five or six +days' voyage. I quickly packed a few things, and called for my new +patron who received me with great joy. We took our departure without +seeing madam, who was not yet visible. We returned on the sixth day, +and I went to establish myself in my new home, for, as I was +preparing to go to M. D---- R-----, to take his orders, after our +landing, he came himself, and after asking M. F---- and me whether we +were pleased with each other, he said to me, + +"Casanova, as you suit each other so well, you may be certain that +you will greatly please me by remaining in the service of M. F." + +I obeyed respectfully, and in less than one hour I had taken +possession of my new quarters. Madame F---- told me how delighted +she was to see that great affair ended according to her wishes, and I +answered with a deep reverence. + +I found myself like the salamander, in the very heart of the fire for +which I had been longing so ardently. + +Almost constantly in the presence of Madame F----, dining often alone +with her, accompanying her in her walks, even when M. D---- R----- +was not with us, seeing her from my room, or conversing with her in +her chamber, always reserved and attentive without pretension, the +first night passed by without any change being brought about by that +constant intercourse. Yet I was full of hope, and to keep up my +courage I imagined that love was not yet powerful enough to conquer +her pride. I expected everything from some lucky chance, which I +promised myself to improve as soon as it should present itself, for I +was persuaded that a lover is lost if he does not catch fortune by +the forelock. + +But there was one circumstance which annoyed me. In public, she +seized every opportunity of treating me with distinction, while, when +we were alone, it was exactly the reverse. In the eyes of the world +I had all the appearance of a happy lover, but I would rather have +had less of the appearance of happiness and more of the reality. My +love for her was disinterested; vanity had no share in my feelings. + +One day, being alone with me, she said, + +"You have enemies, but I silenced them last night." + +"They are envious, madam, and they would pity me if they could read +the secret pages of my heart. You could easily deliver me from those +enemies." + +"How can you be an object of pity for them, and how could I deliver +you from them?" + +"They believe me happy, and I am miserable; you would deliver me from +them by ill-treating me in their presence." + +"Then you would feel my bad treatment less than the envy of the +wicked?" + +"Yes, madam, provided your bad treatment in public were compensated +by your kindness when we are alone, for there is no vanity in the +happiness I feel in belonging to you. Let others pity me, I will be +happy on condition that others are mistaken." + +"That's a part that I can never play." + +I would often be indiscreet enough to remain behind the curtain of +the window in my room, looking at her when she thought herself +perfectly certain that nobody saw her; but the liberty I was thus +guilty of never proved of great advantage to me. Whether it was +because she doubted my discretion or from habitual reserve, she was +so particular that, even when I saw her in bed, my longing eyes never +could obtain a sight of anything but her head. + +One day, being present in her room while her maid was cutting off the +points of her long and beautiful hair, I amused myself in picking up +all those pretty bits, and put them all, one after the other, on her +toilettable, with the exception of one small lock which I slipped +into my pocket, thinking that she had not taken any notice of my +keeping it; but the moment we were alone she told me quietly, but +rather too seriously, to take out of my pocket the hair I had picked +up from the floor. Thinking she was going too far, and such rigour +appearing to me as cruel as it was unjust and absurd, I obeyed, but +threw the hair on the toilet-table with an air of supreme contempt. + +"Sir, you forget yourself." + +"No, madam, I do not, for you might have feigned not to have observed +such an innocent theft." + +"Feigning is tiresome." + +"Was such petty larceny a very great crime?" + +"No crime, but it was an indication of feelings which you have no +right to entertain for me." + +"Feelings which you are at liberty not to return, madam, but which +hatred or pride can alone forbid my heart to experience. If you had +a heart you would not be the victim of either of those two fearful +passions, but you have only head, and it must be a very wicked head, +judging by the care it takes to heap humiliation upon me. You have +surprised my secret, madam, you may use it as you think proper, but +in the meantime I have learned to know you thoroughly. That +knowledge will prove more useful than your discovery, for perhaps it +will help me to become wiser." + +After this violent tirade I left her, and as she did not call me back +retired to my room. In the hope that sleep would bring calm, I +undressed and went to bed. In such moments a lover hates the object +of his love, and his heart distils only contempt and hatred. I could +not go to sleep, and when I was sent for at supper-time I answered +that I was ill. The night passed off without my eyes being visited +by sleep, and feeling weak and low I thought I would wait to see what +ailed me, and refused to have my dinner, sending word that I was +still very unwell. Towards evening I felt my heart leap for joy when +I heard my beautiful lady-love enter my room. Anxiety, want of food +and sleep, gave me truly the appearance of being ill, and I was +delighted that it should be so. I sent her away very soon, by +telling her with perfect indifference that it was nothing but a bad +headache, to which I was subject, and that repose and diet would +effect a speedy cure. + +But at eleven o'clock she came back with her friend, M. D---- R-----, +and coming to my bed she said, affectionately, + +"What ails you, my poor Casanova?" + +"A very bad headache, madam, which will be cured to-morrow." + +"Why should you wait until to-morrow? You must get better at once. +I have ordered a basin of broth and two new-laid eggs for you." + +"Nothing, madam; complete abstinence can alone cure me." + +"He is right," said M. D---- R-----, "I know those attacks." + +I shook my head slightly. M. D---- R----- having just then turned +round to examine an engraving, she took my hand, saying that she +would like me to drink some broth, and I felt that she was giving me +a small parcel. She went to look at the engraving with M. D---- +R-----. + +I opened the parcel, but feeling that it contained hair, I hurriedly +concealed it under the bed-clothes: at the same moment the blood +rushed to my head with such violence that it actually frightened me. +I begged for some water, she came to me, with M. D---- R-----, and +then were both frightened to see me so red, when they had seen me +pale and weak only one minute before. + +Madame F---- gave me a glass of water in which she put some Eau des +carmes which instantly acted as a violent emetic. Two or three +minutes after I felt better, and asked for something to eat. Madame +F---- smiled. The servant came in with the broth and the eggs, and +while I was eating I told the history of Pandolfin. M. D---- R----- +thought it was all a miracle, and I could read, on the countenance of +the charming woman, love, affection, and repentance. If M. D---- +R----- had not been present, it would have been the moment of my +happiness, but I felt certain that I should not have long to wait. +M. D---- R----- told Madame F---- that, if he had not seen me so +sick, he would have believed my illness to be all sham, for he did +not think it possible for anyone to rally so rapidly. + +"It is all owing to my Eau des carmes," said Madame F-----, looking +at me, "and I will leave you my bottle." + +"No, madam, be kind enough to take it with you, for the water would +have no virtue without your presence." + +"I am sure of that," said M. D---- R-----, "so I will leave you here +with your patient." + +"No, no, he must go to sleep now." + +I slept all night, but in my happy dreams I was with her, and the +reality itself would hardly have procured me greater enjoyment than I +had during my happy slumbers. I saw I had taken a very long stride +forward, for twenty-four hours of abstinence gave me the right to +speak to her openly of my love, and the gift of her hair was an +irrefutable confession of her own feelings. + +On the following day, after presenting myself before M. F----, I went +to have a little chat with the maid, to wait until her mistress was +visible, which was not long, and I had the pleasure of hearing her +laugh when the maid told her I was there. As soon as I went in, +without giving me time to say a single word, she told me how +delighted she was to see me looking so well, and advised me to call +upon M. D---- R-----. + +It is not only in the eyes of a lover, but also in those of every man +of taste, that a woman is a thousand times more lovely at the moment +she comes out of the arms of Morpheus than when she has completed her +toilet. Around Madame F---- more brilliant beams were blazing than +around the sun when he leaves the embrace of Aurora. Yet the most +beautiful woman thinks as much of her toilet as the one who cannot do +without it--very likely because more human creatures possess the +more they want. + +In the order given to me by Madame F---- to call on M. D---- R-----, +I saw another reason to be certain of approaching happiness, for I +thought that, by dismissing me so quickly, she had only tried to +postpone the consummation which I might have pressed upon her, and +which she could not have refused. + +Rich in the possession of her hair, I held a consultation with my +love to decide what I ought to do with it, for Madame F----, very +likely in her wish to atone for the miserly sentiment which had +refused me a small bit, had given me a splendid lock, full a yard and +a half long. Having thought it over, I called upon a Jewish +confectioner whose daughter was a skilful embroiderer, and I made her +embroider before me, on a bracelet of green satin, the four initial +letters of our names, and make a very thin chain with the remainder. +I had a piece of black ribbon added to one end of the chain, in the +shape of a sliding noose, with which I could easily strangle myself +if ever love should reduce me to despair, and I passed it round my +neck. As I did not want to lose even the smallest particle of so +precious a treasure, I cut with a pair of scissors all the small bits +which were left, and devoutly gathered them together. Then I reduced +them into a fine powder, and ordered the Jewish confectioner to mix +the powder in my presence with a paste made of amber, sugar, vanilla, +angelica, alkermes and storax, and I waited until the comfits +prepared with that mixture were ready. I had some more made with the +same composition, but without any hair; I put the first in a +beautiful sweetmeat box of fine crystal, and the second in a +tortoise-shell box. + +From the day when, by giving me her hair, Madame F---- had betrayed +the secret feelings of her heart, I no longer lost my time in +relating stories or adventures; I only spoke to her of my cove, of +my ardent desires; I told her that she must either banish me from her +presence, or crown my happiness, but the cruel, charming woman would +not accept that alternative. She answered that happiness could not +be obtained by offending every moral law, and by swerving from our +duties. If I threw myself at her feet to obtain by anticipation her +forgiveness for the loving violence I intended to use against her, +she would repulse me more powerfully than if she had had the strength +of a female Hercules, for she would say, in a voice full of sweetness +and affection, + +"My friend, I do not entreat you to respect my weakness, but be +generous enough to spare me for the sake of all the love I feel for +you." + +"What! you love me, and you refuse to make me happy! It is +impossible! it is unnatural. You compel me to believe that you do +not love me. Only allow me to press my lips one moment upon your +lips, and I ask no more." + +"No, dearest, no; it would only excite the ardour of your desires, +shake my resolution, and we should then find ourselves more miserable +than we are now." + +Thus did she every day plunge me in despair, and yet she complained +that my wit was no longer brilliant in society, that I had lost that +elasticity of spirits which had pleased her so much after my arrival +from Constantinople. M. D---- R-----, who often jestingly waged war +against me, used to say that I was getting thinner and thinner every +day. Madame F---- told me one day that my sickly looks were very +disagreeable to her, because wicked tongues would not fail to say +that she treated me with cruelty. Strange, almost unnatural thought! +On it I composed an idyll which I cannot read, even now, without +feeling tears in my eyes. + +"What!" I answered, "you acknowledge your cruelty towards me? You +are afraid of the world guessing all your heartless rigour, and yet +you continue to enjoy it! You condemn me unmercifully to the +torments of Tantalus! You would be delighted to see me gay, +cheerful, happy, even at the expense of a judgment by which the world +would find you guilty of a supposed but false kindness towards me, +and yet you refuse me even the slightest favours!" + +"I do not mind people believing anything, provided it is not true." + +"What a contrast! Would it be possible for me not to love you, for +you to feel nothing for me? Such contradictions strike me as +unnatural. But you are growing thinner yourself, and I am dying. It +must be so; we shall both die before long, you of consumption, I of +exhausting decline; for I am now reduced to enjoying your shadow +during the day, during the night, always, everywhere, except when I +am in your presence." + +At that passionate declaration, delivered with all the ardour of an +excited lover, she was surprised, deeply moved, and I thought that +the happy hour had struck. I folded her in my arms, and was already +tasting the first fruits of enjoyment.... The sentinel knocked +twice!... Oh! fatal mischance! I recovered my composure and stood +in front of her.... M. D---- R----- made his appearance, and this +time he found me in so cheerful a mood that he remained with us until +one o'clock in the morning. + +My comfits were beginning to be the talk of our society. M. D---- +R-----, Madame F----, and I were the only ones who had a box full of +them. I was stingy with them, and no one durst beg any from me, +because I had said that they were very expensive, and that in all +Corfu there was no confectioner who could make or physician who could +analyse them. I never gave one out of my crystal box, and Madame F. +remarked it. I certainly did not believe them to be amorous philtre, +and I was very far from supposing that the addition of the hair made +them taste more delicious; but a superstition, the offspring of my +love, caused me to cherish them, and it made me happy to think that a +small portion of the woman I worshipped was thus becoming a part of +my being. + +Influenced perhaps by some secret sympathy, Madame F. was exceedingly +fond of the comfits. She asserted before all her friends that they +were the universal panacea, and knowing herself perfect mistress of +the inventor, she did not enquire after the secret of the +composition. But having observed that I gave away only the comfits +which I kept in my tortoise-shell box, and that I never eat any but +those from the crystal box, she one day asked me what reason I had +for that. Without taking time to think, I told her that in those I +kept for myself there was a certain ingredient which made the +partaker love her. + +"I do not believe it," she answered; "but are they different from +those I eat myself?" + +"They are exactly the same, with the exception of the ingredient I +have just mentioned, which has been put only in mine." + +"Tell me what the ingredient is." + +"It is a secret which I cannot reveal to you." + +"Then I will never eat any of your comfits." + +Saying which, she rose, emptied her box, and filled it again with +chocolate drops; and for the next few days she was angry with me, and +avoided my company. I felt grieved, I became low-spirited, but I +could not make up my mind to tell her that I was eating her hair! + +She enquired why I looked so sad. + +"Because you refuse to take my comfits." + +"You are master of your secret, and I am mistress of my diet." + +"That is my reward for having taken you into my confidence." + +And I opened my box, emptied its contents in my hand, and swallowed +the whole of them, saying, "Two more doses like this, and I shall die +mad with love for you. Then you will be revenged for my reserve. +Farewell, madam." + +She called me back, made me take a seat near her, and told me not to +commit follies which would make her unhappy; that I knew how much she +loved me, and that it was not owing to the effect of any drug. "To +prove to you," she added, "that you do not require anything of the +sort to be loved, here is a token of my affection." And she offered +me her lovely lips, and upon them mine remained pressed until I was +compelled to draw a breath. I threw myself at her feet, with tears +of love and gratitude blinding my eyes, and told her that I would +confess my crime, if she would promise to forgive me. + +"Your crime! You frighten me. Yes, I forgive you, but speak +quickly, and tell me all." + +"Yes, everything. My comfits contain your hair reduced to a powder. +Here on my arm, see this bracelet on which our names are written with +your hair, and round my neck this chain of the same material, which +will help me to destroy my own life when your love fails me. Such is +my crime, but I would not have been guilty of it, if I had not loved +you." + +She smiled, and, bidding me rise from my kneeling position, she told +me that I was indeed the most criminal of men, and she wiped away my +tears, assuring me that I should never have any reason to strangle +myself with the chain. + +After that conversation, in which I had enjoyed the sweet nectar of +my divinity's first kiss, I had the courage to behave in a very +different manner. She could see the ardour which consumed me; +perhaps the same fire burned in her veins, but I abstained from any +attack. + +"What gives you," she said one day, "the strength to control +yourself?" + +"After the kiss which you granted to me of your own accord, I felt +that I ought not to wish any favour unless your heart gave it as +freely. You cannot imagine the happiness that kiss has given me." + +"I not imagine it, you ungrateful man! Which of us has given that +happiness?" + +"Neither you nor I, angel of my soul! That kiss so tender, so sweet, +was the child of love!" + +"Yes, dearest, of love, the treasures of which are inexhaustible." + +The words were scarcely spoken, when our lips were engaged in happy +concert. She held me so tight against her bosom that I could not use +my hands to secure other pleasures, but I felt myself perfectly +happy. After that delightful skirmish, I asked her whether we were +never to go any further. + +"Never, dearest friend, never. Love is a child which must be amused +with trifles; too substantial food would kill it." + +"I know love better than you; it requires that substantial food, and +unless it can obtain it, love dies of exhaustion. Do not refuse me +the consolation of hope." + +"Hope as much as you please, if it makes you happy." + +"What should I do, if I had no hope? I hope, because I know you have +a heart." + +"Ah! yes. Do you recollect the day, when, in your anger, you told +me that I had only a head, but no heart, thinking you were insulting +me grossly!" + +"Oh! yes, I recollect it." + +"How heartily I laughed, when I had time to think! Yes, dearest, I +have a heart, or I should not feel as happy as I feel now. Let us +keep our happiness, and be satisfied with it, as it is, without +wishing for anything more." + +Obedient to her wishes, but every day more deeply enamoured, I was in +hope that nature at last would prove stronger than prejudice, and +would cause a fortunate crisis. But, besides nature, fortune was my +friend, and I owed my happiness to an accident. + +Madame F. was walking one day in the garden, leaning on M. D---- +R-----'s arm, and was caught by a large rose-bush, and the prickly +thorns left a deep cut on her leg. M. D---- R----- bandaged the +wound with his handkerchief, so as to stop the blood which was +flowing abundantly, and she had to be carried home in a palanquin. + +In Corfu, wounds on the legs are dangerous when they are not well +attended to, and very often the wounded are compelled to leave the +city to be cured. + +Madame F----- was confined to her bed, and my lucky position in the +house condemned me to remain constantly at her orders. I saw her +every minute; but, during the first three days, visitors succeeded +each other without intermission, and I never was alone with her. In +the evening, after everybody had gone, and her husband had retired to +his own apartment, M. D---- R----- remained another hour, and for the +sake of propriety I had to take my leave at the same time that he +did. I had much more liberty before the accident, and I told her so +half seriously, half jestingly. The next day, to make up for my +disappointment, she contrived a moment of happiness for me. + +An elderly surgeon came every morning to dress her wound, during +which operation her maid only was present, but I used to go, in my +morning dishabille, to the girl's room, and to wait there, so as to +be the first to hear how my dear one was. + +That morning, the girl came to tell me to go in as the surgeon was +dressing the wound. + +"See, whether my leg is less inflamed." + +"To give an opinion, madam, I ought to have seen it yesterday." + +"True. I feel great pain, and I am afraid of erysipelas." + +"Do not be afraid, madam," said the surgeon, "keep your bed, and I +answer for your complete recovery." + +The surgeon being busy preparing a poultice at the other end of the +room, and the maid out, I enquired whether she felt any hardness in +the calf of the leg, and whether the inflammation went up the limb; +and naturally, my eyes and my hands kept pace with my questions.... +I saw no inflammation, I felt no hardness, but.... and the lovely +patient hurriedly let the curtain fall, smiling, and allowing me to +take a sweet kiss, the perfume of which I had not enjoyed for many +days. It was a sweet moment; a delicious ecstacy. From her mouth my +lips descended to her wound, and satisfied in that moment that my +kisses were the best of medicines, I would have kept my lips there, +if the noise made by the maid coming back had not compelled me to +give up my delightful occupation. + +When we were left alone, burning with intense desires, I entreated +her to grant happiness at least to my eyes. + +"I feel humiliated," I said to her, "by the thought that the felicity +I have just enjoyed was only a theft." + +"But supposing you were mistaken?" + +The next day I was again present at the dressing of the wound, and as +soon as the surgeon had left, she asked me to arrange her pillows, +which I did at once. As if to make that pleasant office easier, she +raised the bedclothes to support herself, and she thus gave me a +sight of beauties which intoxicated my eyes, and I protracted the +easy operation without her complaining of my being too slow. + +When I had done I was in a fearful state, and I threw myself in an +arm-chair opposite her bed, half dead, in a sort of trance. I was +looking at that lovely being who, almost artless, was continually +granting me greater and still greater favours, and yet never allowed +me to reach the goal for which I was so ardently longing. + +"What are you thinking of?" she said. + +"Of the supreme felicity I have just been enjoying." + +"You are a cruel man." + +"No, I am not cruel, for, if you love me, you must not blush for your +indulgence. You must know, too, that, loving you passionately, I +must not suppose that it is to be a surprise that I am indebted for +my happiness in the enjoyment of the most ravishing sights, for if I +owed it only to mere chance I should be compelled to believe that any +other man in my position might have had the same happiness, and such +an idea would be misery to me. Let me be indebted to you for having +proved to me this morning how much enjoyment I can derive from one of +my senses. Can you be angry with my eyes?" + +"Yes." + +"They belong to you; tear them out." + +The next day, the moment the doctor had gone, she sent her maid out +to make some purchases. + +"Ah!" she said a few minutes after, "my maid has forgotten to change +my chemise." + +"Allow me to take her place." + +"Very well, but recollect that I give permission only to your eyes to +take a share in the proceedings." + +"Agreed!" + +She unlaced herself, took off her stays and her chemise, and told me +to be quick and put on the clean one, but I was not speedy enough, +being too much engaged by all I could see. + +"Give me my chemise," she exclaimed; "it is there on that small +table." + +"Where?" + +"There, near the bed. Well, I will take it myself." + +She leaned over towards the table, and exposed almost everything I +was longing for, and, turning slowly round, she handed me the chemise +which I could hardly hold, trembling all over with fearful +excitement. She took pity on me, my hands shared the happiness of my +eyes; I fell in her arms, our lips fastened together, and, in a +voluptuous, ardent pressure, we enjoyed an amorous exhaustion not +sufficient to allay our desires, but delightful enough to deceive +them for the moment. + +With greater control over herself than women have generally under +similar circumstances, she took care to let me reach only the porch +of the temple, without granting me yet a free entrance to the +sanctuary. + + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of MEMOIRES OF JACQUES CASANOVA +VENETION YEARS, Vol. 1c, MILITARY CAREER +by Jacques Casanova de Seingalt + diff --git a/old/jcmcr11.zip b/old/jcmcr11.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6c466fa --- /dev/null +++ b/old/jcmcr11.zip |