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diff --git a/old/jcfln10.txt b/old/jcfln10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3dbec8b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/jcfln10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3796 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of The False Nun by Jacques Casanova +#9 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 +TO PARIS AND PRISON, Volume 2d--The False Nun + + +THE RARE UNABRIDGED LONDON EDITION OF 1894 TRANSLATED BY ARTHUR +MACHEN TO WHICH HAS BEEN ADDED THE CHAPTERS DISCOVERED +BY ARTHUR SYMONS. + + + + +THE FALSE NUN + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +Supper at My Casino With M. M. and M. de Bernis, the French +Ambassador--A Proposal from M. M.; I Accept It--Consequences-- +C. C. is Unfaithful to Me, and I Cannot Complain + + +I felt highly pleased with the supper-party I had arranged with M---- +M----, and I ought to have been happy. Yet I was not so; but whence +came the anxiety which was a torment to me? Whence? From my fatal +habit of gambling. That passion was rooted in me; to live and to +play were to me two identical things, and as I could not hold the +bank I would go and punt at the ridotto, where I lost my money +morning and night. That state of things made me miserable. Perhaps +someone will say to me: + +"Why did you play, when there was no need of it, when you were in +want of nothing, when you had all the money you could wish to satisfy +your fancies?" + +That would be a troublesome question if I had not made it a law to +tell the truth. Well, then, dear inquisitive reader, if I played +with almost the certainty of losing, although no one, perhaps, was +more sensible than I was to the losses made in gambling, it is +because I had in me the evil spirit of avarice; it is because I loved +prodigality, and because my heart bled when I found myself compelled +to spend any money that I had not won at the gaming-table. It is an +ugly vice, dear reader, I do not deny it. However, all I can say is +that, during the four days previous to the supper, I lost all the +gold won for me by M---- M---- + +On the anxiously-expected day I went to my casino, where at the +appointed hour M---- M---- came with her friend, whom she introduced +to me as soon as he had taken off his mask. + +"I had an ardent wish, sir," said M. de Bernis to me, "to renew +acquaintance with you, since I heard from madame that we had known +each other in Paris." + +With these words he looked at me attentively, as people will do when +they are trying to recollect a person whom they have lost sight of. +I then told him that we had never spoken to one another, and that he +had not seen enough of me to recollect my features now. + +"I had the honour," I added, "to dine with your excellency at M. de +Mocenigo's house, but you talked all the time with Marshal Keith, the +Prussian ambassador, and I was not fortunate enough to attract your +attention. As you were on the point of leaving Paris to return to +Venice, you went away almost immediately after dinner, and I have +never had the honour of seeing you since that time." + +"Now I recollect you," he answered, "and I remember asking whether +you were not the secretary of the embassy. But from this day we +shall not forget each other again, for the mysteries which unite us +are of a nature likely to establish a lasting intimacy between us." + +The amiable couple were not long before they felt thoroughly at ease, +and we sat down to supper, of which, of course, I did the honours. +The ambassador, a fine connoisseur in wines, found mine excellent, +and was delighted to hear that I had them from Count Algarotti, who +was reputed as having the best cellar in Venice. + +My supper was delicate and abundant, and my manners towards my +handsome guests were those of a private individual receiving his +sovereign and his mistress. I saw that M---- M---- was charmed with +the respect with which I treated her, and with my conversation, which +evidently interested the ambassador highly. The serious character of +a first meeting did not prevent the utterance of witty jests, for in +that respect M. de Bernis was a true Frenchman. I have travelled +much, I have deeply studied men, individually and in a body, but I +have never met with true sociability except in Frenchmen; they alone +know how to jest, and it is rare, delicate, refined jesting, which +animates conversation and makes society charming. + +During our delightful supper wit was never wanting, and the amiable +M---- M---- led the conversation to the romantic combination which +had given her occasion to know me. Naturally, she proceeded to speak +of my passion for C---- C----, and she gave such an interesting +description of that young girl that the ambassador listened with as +much attention as if he had never seen the object of it. But that +was his part, for he was not aware that I had been informed of his +having witnessed from his hiding-place my silly interview with C---- +C----. He told M---- M---- that he would have been delighted if she +had brought her young friend to sup with us. + +"That would be running too great a risk," answered the cunning nun, +"but if you approve of it," she added, looking at me, "I can make you +sup with her at my casino, for we sleep in the same room." + +That offer surprised me much, but it was not the moment to shew it, +so I replied: + +"It is impossible, madam, to add anything to the pleasure of your +society, yet I confess I should be pleased if you could contrive to +do us that great favour:" + +"Well, I will think of it." + +"But," observed the ambassador, "if I am to be one of the party, I +think it would be right to apprize the young lady of it." + +"It is not necessary, for I will write to her to agree to whatever +madam may propose to her. I will do so to-morrow." + +I begged the ambassador to prepare himself with a good stock of +indulgence for a girl of fifteen who had no experience of the world. +In the course of the evening I related the history of O-Morphi, which +greatly amused him. He entreated me to let him see her portrait. He +informed me that she was still an inmate of the 'Parc-aux-cerfs', +where she continued to be the delight of Louis XV., to whom she had +given a child. My guests left me after midnight, highly pleased, and +I remained alone. + +The next morning, faithful to the promise I had made to my beautiful +nun, I wrote to C---- C---- without informing her that there would be +a fourth person at the projected supper, and having given my note to +Laura I repaired to Muran, where I found the following letter from +M---- M----: + +"I could not sleep soundly, my love, if I did not ease my conscience +of an unpleasant weight. Perhaps you did not approve of the 'partie +carree' with our young friend, and you may not have objected out of +mere politeness. Tell me the truth, dearest, for, should you not +look forward to that meeting with pleasure, I can contrive to undo it +without implicating you in any way; trust me for that. If, however, +you have no objection to the party, it will take place as agreed. +Believe me, I love your soul more than your heart--I mean than your +person. Adieu." + + +Her fear was very natural, but out of shamefacedness I did not like +to retract. M---- M---- knew me well, and as a skilful tactician she +attacked my weak side. + +Here is my answer: + +"I expected your letter, my best beloved, and you cannot doubt it, +because, as you know me thoroughly, you must be aware that I know you +as well. Yes, I know your mind, and I know what idea you must +entertain of mine, because I have exposed to you all my weakness and +irritability by my sophisms. I do penance for it, dearest, when I +think that having raised your suspicions your tenderness for me must +have been weakened. Forget my visions, I beg, and be quite certain +that for the future my soul will be in unison with yours. The supper +must take place, it will be a pleasure for me, but let me confess +that in accepting it I have shewn myself more grateful than polite. +C---- C---- is a novice, and I am not sorry to give her an +opportunity of seeing the world. In what school could she learn +better than yours? Therefore I recommend her to you, and you will +please me much by continuing to shew your care and friendship towards +her, and by increasing, if possible, the sum of your goodness. I +fear that you may entice her to take the veil, and if she did I would +never console myself. Your friend has quite captivated me; he is a +superior man, and truly charming." + +Thus did I wittingly deprive myself of the power of drawing back, but +I was able to realize the full force of the situation. I had no +difficulty in guessing that the ambassador was in love with C---- +C----, and that he had confessed as much to M---- M----, who, not +being in a position to object to it, was compelled to shew herself +compliant, and to assist him in everything that could render his +passion successful. She could certainly not do anything without my +consent, and she had evidently considered the affair too delicate to +venture upon proposing the party point-blank to me. They had, no +doubt, put their heads together, so that by bringing the conversation +on that subject I should find myself compelled, for the sake of +politeness and perhaps of my inward feelings, to fall into the snare. +The ambassador, whose profession it was to carry on intrigues +skilfully, had succeeded well, and I had taken the bait as he wished. +There was nothing left for me but to put a good face on the matter, +not only so as not to shew myself a very silly being, but also in +order not to prove myself shamefully ungrateful towards a man who had +granted me unheard-of privileges. Nevertheless, the consequence of +it all was likely to be some coolness in my feelings towards both my +mistresses. M---- M---- had become conscious of this after she had +returned to the convent, and wishing to screen herself from all +responsibility she had lost no time in writing to me that she would +cause the projected supper to be abandoned, in case I should +disapprove of it, but she knew very well that I would not accept her +offer. Self-love is a stronger passion even than jealousy; it does +not allow a man who has some pretension to wit to shew himself +jealous, particularly towards a person who is not tainted by that +base passion, and has proved it. + +The next day, having gone early to the casino, I found the ambassador +already there, and he welcomed me in the most friendly manner. He +told me that, if he had known me in Paris he would have introduced me +at the court, where I should certainly have made my fortune. Now, +when I think of that, I say to myself, "That might have been the +case, but of what good would it have been to me?" Perhaps I should +have fallen a victim of the Revolution, like so many others. M. de +Bernis himself would have been one of those victims if Fate had not +allowed him to die in Rome in 1794. He died there unhappy, although +wealthy, unless his feelings had undergone a complete change before +his death, and I do not believe it. + +I asked him whether he liked Venice, and he answered that he could +not do otherwise than like that city, in which he enjoyed excellent +health, and in which, with plenty of money, life could be enjoyed +better than anywhere else. + +"But I do not expect," he added, "to be allowed to keep this embassy +very long. Be kind enough to let that remain between us. I do not +wish to make M---- M----- unhappy." + +We were conversing in all confidence when M---- M---- arrived with +her young friend, who showed her surprise at seeing another man with +me, but I encouraged her by the most tender welcome; and she +recovered all her composure when she saw the delight of the stranger +at being answered by her in good French. It gave us both an +opportunity of paying the warmest compliments to the mistress who had +taught her so well. + +C---- C---- was truly charming; her looks, bright and modest at the +same time, seemed to say to me, "You must belong to me:" I wished to +see her shine before our friends; and I contrived to conquer a +cowardly feeling of jealousy which, in spite of myself, was beginning +to get hold of me. I took care to make her talk on such subjects as +I knew to be familiar to her. I developed her natural intelligence, +and had the satisfaction of seeing her admired. + +Applauded, flattered, animated by the satisfaction she could read in +my eyes, C---- C---- appeared a prodigy to M. de Bernis, and, oh! +what a contradiction of the human heart! I was pleased, yet I +trembled lest he should fall in love with her! What an enigma! I +was intent myself upon a work which would have caused me to murder +any man who dared to undertake it. + +During the supper, which was worthy of a king, the ambassador treated +C---- C---- with the most delicate attentions. Wit, cheerfulness, +decent manners, attended our delightful party, and did not expel the +gaiety and the merry jests with which a Frenchman knows how to season +every conversation. + +An observing critic who, without being acquainted with us, wished to +guess whether love was present at our happy party, might have +suspected, perhaps, but he certainly could not have affirmed, that it +was there. M---- M---- treated the ambassador as a friend. She +shewed no other feeling towards me than that of deep esteem, and she +behaved to C---- C---- with the tender affection of a sister. M. de +Bernis was kind, polite, and amiable with M---- M-----, but he never +ceased to take the greatest interest in every word uttered by C---- +C----, who played her part to perfection, because she had only to +follow her own nature, and, that nature being beautiful, C---- C---- +could not fail to be most charming. + +We had passed five delightful hours, and the ambassador seemed more +pleased even than any of us. M---- M---- had the air of a person +satisfied with her own work, and I was playing the part of an +approving spectator. C---- C---- looked highly pleased at having +secured the general approbation, and there was, perhaps, a slight +feeling of vanity in her arising from the special attention which the +ambassador had bestowed on her. She looked at me, smiling, and I +could easily understand the language of her soul, by which she wished +to tell me that she felt perfectly well the difference between the +society in which she was then, and that in which her brother had +given us such a disgusting specimen of his depravity. + +After midnight it was time to think of our departure, and M. de +Bernis undertook all the complimentary part. Thanking M---- M---- +for the most agreeable supper he had ever made in his life, he +contrived to make her offer a repetition of it for two days +afterwards, and he asked me, for the sake of appearance, whether I +should not find as much delight in that second meeting as himself. +Could he have any doubt of my answering affirmatively? I believe +not, for I had placed myself under the necessity of being compliant. +All being agreed, we parted company. + +The next day, when I thought of that exemplary supper, I had no +difficulty in guessing what the ultimate result would be. The +ambassador owed his great fortune entirely to the fair sex, because +he possessed to the highest degree the art of coddling love; and as +his nature was eminently voluptuous he found his advantage in it, +because he knew how to call desires into existence, and this procured +him enjoyments worthy of his delicate taste. I saw that he was +deeply in love with C---- C----, and I was far from supposing him the +man to be satisfied with looking at her lovely eyes. He certainly +had some plan arranged, and M---- M----, in spite of all her honesty, +was the prime manager of it. I knew that she would carry it on with +such delicate skill that I should not see any evidence of it. +Although I did not feel disposed to shew more compliance than was +strictly just, I foresaw that in the end I should be the dupe, and my +poor C---- C---- the victim, of a cunningly-contrived trick. I could +not make up my mind either to consent with a good grace, or to throw +obstacles in the way, and, believing my dear little wife incapable of +abandoning herself to anything likely to displease me, I allowed +myself to be taken off my guard, and to rely upon the difficulty of +seducing her. Stupid calculation! Self-love and shamefacedness +prevented me from using my common sense. At all events, that +intrigue kept me in a state of fever because I was afraid of its +consequences, and yet curiosity mastered me to such an extent that I +was longing for the result. I knew very well that a second edition +of the supper did not imply that the same play would be performed a +second time, and I foresaw that the changes would be strongly marked. +But I thought myself bound in honour not to retract. I could not +lead the intrigue, but I believed myself sufficiently skilful to +baffle all their manoeuvrings. + +After all those considerations, however, considerations which enabled +me to assume the countenance of false bravery, the inexperience of C- +--- C----, who, in spite of all the knowledge she had lately +acquired, was only a novice, caused me great anxiety. It was easy to +abuse her natural wish to be polite, but that fear gave way very soon +before the confidence I had in M---- M----s delicacy. I thought +that, having seen how I had spent six hours with that young girl, +knowing for a certainty that I intended to marry her, M---- M---- +would never be guilty of such base treason. All these thoughts, +worthy only of a weak and bashful jealousy, brought no conclusive +decision. I had to follow the current and watch events. + +At the appointed time I repaired to the casino, where I found my two +lovely friends sitting by the fire. + +"Good evening, my two divinities, where is our charming Frenchman?" + +"He has not arrived yet," answered M---- M----, "but he will +doubtless soon be here." + +I took off my mask, and sitting between them, I gave them a thousand +kisses, taking good care not to shew any preference, and although I +knew that they were aware of the unquestionable right I had upon both +of them, I kept within the limits of the utmost decency. I +congratulated them upon the mutual inclination they felt for each +other, and I saw that they were pleased not to have to blush on that +account. + +More than one hour was spent in gallant and friendly conversation, +without my giving any satisfaction to my burning desires. M--- M---- +attracted me more than C---- C----, but I would not for the world +have offended the charming girl. M---- M---- was beginning to shew +some anxiety about the absence of M. de Bernis, when the door-keeper +brought her a note from him. + +"A courier," he wrote, "who arrived two hours ago, prevents my being +happy to-night, for I am compelled to pass it in answering the +dispatches I have received. I trust that you will forgive and pity +me. May I hope that you will kindly grant me on Friday the pleasure +of which I am so unfortunately deprived to-day? Let me know your +answer by to-morrow. I wish ardently, in that case, to find you with +the same guests, to whom I beg you will present my affectionate +compliments." + +"Well," said M---- M----, "it is not his fault. We will sup without +him. Will you come on Friday?" + +"Yes, with the greatest pleasure. But what is the matter with you, +dear C---- C----? You look sad." + +"Sad, no, unless it should be for the sake of my friend, for I have +never seen a more polite and more obliging gentleman." + +"Very well, dear, I am glad he has rendered you so sensible." + +"What do you mean? Could anyone be insensible to his merit?" + +"Better still, but I agree with you. Only tell me if you love him?" + +"Well, even if I loved him, do you think I would go and tell him? +Besides, I am certain that he loves my friend." + +So saying, she sat down on M---- M----'s knee, calling her her own +little wife, and my two beauties began to bestow on one another +caresses which made me laugh heartily. Far from troubling their +sport, I excited them, in order to enjoy a spectacle with which I had +long been acquainted. + +M---- M---- took up a book full of the most lascivious engravings, +and said, with a significant glance in my direction: + +"Do you wish me to have a fire lighted in the alcove?" + +I understood her, and replied: + +"You would oblige me, for the bed being large we can all three sleep +comfortably in it." + +I guessed that she feared my suspecting the ambassador of enjoying +from the mysterious closet the sight of our amorous trio, and she +wished to destroy that suspicion by her proposal. + +The table having been laid in front of the alcove, supper was served, +and we all did honour to it. We were all blessed with a devouring +appetite. While M---- M---- was teaching her friend how to mix +punch, I was admiring with delight the progress made in beauty by +C---- C----. + +"Your bosom," I said to her, "must have become perfect during the +last nine months." + +"It is like mine," answered M---- M----, "would you like to see for +yourself?" + +Of course I did not refuse. M---- M---- unlaced her friend, who made +no resistance, and performing afterwards the same office upon +herself, in less than two minutes I was admiring four rivals +contending for the golden apple like the three goddesses, and which +would have set at defiance the handsome Paris himself to adjudge the +prize without injustice. Need I say what an ardent fire that +ravishing sight sent coursing through my veins? I placed immediately +an the table the Academie des Dames, and pointed out a certain +position to M---- M----, who, understanding my wishes, said to C---- +C----: + +"Will you, darling, represent that group with me?" + +A look of compliance was C---- C----'s only answer; she was not yet +inured to amorous pleasures as much as her lovely teacher. While I +was laughing with delight, the two friends were getting ready, and in +a few minutes we were all three in bed, and in a state of nature. At +first, satisfied with enjoying the sight of the barren contest of my +two bacchanalians, I was amused by their efforts and by the contrast +of colours, for one was dark and the other fair, but soon, excited +myself, and consumed by all the fire of voluptuousness, I threw +myself upon them, and I made them, one after the other, almost faint +away from the excess of love and enjoyment. + +Worn out and satiated with pleasure, I invited them to take some +rest. We slept until we were awakened by the alarum, which I had +taken care to set at four o'clock. We were certain of turning to +good account the two hours we had then to spare before parting +company, which we did at the dawn of day, humiliated at having to +confess our exhaustion, but highly pleased with each other, and +longing for a renewal of our delightful pleasures. + +The next day, however, when I came to think of that rather too lively +night, during which, as is generally the case, Love had routed +Reason, I felt some remorse. M---- M---- wanted to convince me of +her love, and for that purpose she had combined all the virtues which +I attached to my own affection--namely, honour, delicacy, and truth, +but her temperament, of which her mind was the slave, carried her +towards excess, and she prepared everything in order to give way to +it, while she awaited the opportunity of making me her accomplice. +She was coaxing love to make it compliant, and to succeed in +mastering it, because her heart, enslaved by her senses, never +reproached her. She likewise tried to deceive herself by +endeavouring to forget that I might complain of having been +surprised. She knew that to utter such a complaint I would have to +acknowledge myself weaker or less courageous than she was, and she +relied upon my being ashamed to make such a confession. I had no +doubt whatever that the absence of the ambassador had been arranged +and concerted beforehand. I could see still further, for it seemed +evident to me that the two conspirators had foreseen that I would +guess the artifice, and that, feeling stung to the quick, in spite of +all my regrets, I would not shew myself less generous than they had +been themselves. The ambassador having first procured me a +delightful night, how could I refuse to let him enjoy as pleasant a +one? My friends had argued very well, for, in spite of all the +objections of my mind, I saw that I could not on my side put any +obstacle in their way. C---- C---- was no impediment to them. They +were certain of conquering her the moment she was not hindered by my +presence. It rested entirely with M---- M----, who had perfect +control over her. Poor girl! I saw her on the high road to +debauchery, and it was my own doing! I sighed when I thought how +little I had spared them in our last orgie, and what would become of +me if both of them should happen to be, by my doing, in such a +position as to be compelled to run away from the convent? I could +imagine both of them thrown upon my hands, and the prospect was not +particularly agreeable. It would be an 'embarras de richesse'. In +this miserable contest between reason and prejudice, between nature +and sentiment, I could not make up my mind either to go to the supper +or to remain absent from it. "If I go," said I to myself, "that +night will pass with perfect decency, but I shall prove myself very +ridiculous, jealous, ungrateful, and even wanting in common +politeness: if I remain absent, C---- C---- is lost, at least, in my +estimation, for I feel that my love will no longer exist, and then +good-bye to all idea of a marriage with her." In the perplexity of +mind in which I found myself, I felt a want of something more certain +than mere probabilities to base my decision upon. I put on my mask, +and repaired to the mansion of the French ambassador. I addressed +myself to the gate-keeper, saying that I had a letter for Versailles, +and that I would thank him to deliver it to the courier when he went +back to France with his excellency's dispatches. + +"But, sir," answered the man, "we have not had a special courier for +the last two months:" + +"What? Did not a special cabinet messenger arrive here last night?" + +"Then he must have come in through the garret window or down the +chimney, for, on the word of an honest man, none entered through the +gate." + +"But the ambassador worked all night?" + +"That may be, sir, but not here, for his excellency dined with the +Spanish ambassador, and did not return till very late:" + +I had guessed rightly. I could no longer entertain any doubt. It +was all over; I could not draw back without shame. C---- C---- must +resist, if the game was distasteful to her; no violence would of +course be offered to her. The die was cast! + +Towards evening I went to the casino of Muran, and wrote a short note +to M---- M----, requesting her to excuse me if some important +business of M. de Bragadin's prevented me from spending the night +with her and with our two friends, to whom I sent my compliments as +well as my apologies. After that I returned to Venice, but in rather +an unpleasant mood; to divert myself I went to the gaming table, and +lost all night. + +Two days afterwards, being certain that a letter from M---- M---- +awaited me at Muran, I went over, and the door-keeper handed me a +parcel in which I found a note from my nun and a letter from C---- +C----, for everything was now in common between them. + +Here is C---- C ----'s letter" + +"We were very sorry, dearest friend, when we heard that we should not +have the happiness of seeing you. My dear M---- M----'s friend came +shortly afterwards, and when he read your note he likewise expressed +his deep regret. We expected to have a very dull supper, but the +witty sayings of that gentleman enlivened us and you cannot imagine +of what follies we were guilty after partaking of some champagne +punch. Our friend had become as gay as ourselves, and we spent the +night in trios, not very fatiguing, but very pleasant. I can assure +you that that man deserves to be loved, but he must acknowledge +himself inferior to you in everything. Believe me, dearest, I shall +ever love you, and you must for ever remain the master of my heart." + +In spite of all my vexation, that letter made me laugh, but the note +of M---- M---- was much more singular. Here are the contents of it: + +"I am certain, my own beloved, that you told a story out of pure +politeness, but you had guessed that I expected you to do so. You +have made our friend a splendid present in exchange for the one he +made you when he did not object to his M---- M---- bestowing her +heart upon you. You possess that heart entirely, dearest, and you +would possess it under all circumstances, but how sweet it is to +flavour the pleasures of love with the charms of friendship! I was +sorry not to see you, but I knew that if you had come we would not +have had much enjoyment; for our friend, notwithstanding all his wit, +is not exempt from some natural prejudices. As for C---- C-----, her +mind is now quite as free of them as our own, and I am glad she owes +it to me. You must feel thankful to me for having completed her +education, and for rendering her in every way worthy of you. I wish +you had been hiding in the closet, where I am certain you would have +spent some delightful hours. On Wednesday next I shall be yours, and +all alone with you in your casino in Venice; let me know whether you +will be at the usual hour near the statue of the hero Colleoni. In +case you should be prevented, name any other day." + +I had to answer those two letters in the same spirit in which they +had been written, and in spite of all the bitter feelings which were +then raging in my heart, my answers were to be as sweet as honey. I +was in need of great courage, but I said to myself: "George Dandin, +tu las voulu!" I could not refuse to pay the penalty of my own +deeds, and I have never been able to ascertain whether the shame I +felt was what is called shamefacedness. It is a problem which I +leave to others. + +In my letter to C---- C---- I had the courage, or the effrontery, to +congratulate her, and to encourage her to imitate M---- M----, the +best model, I said, I could propose to her. + +I wrote to my nun that I would be punctual at the appointment near +the statue, and amidst many false compliments, which ought to have +betrayed the true state of my heart, I told her that I admired the +perfect education she had given to C---- C-----, but that I +congratulated myself upon having escaped the torture I should have +suffered in the mysterious observatory, for I felt that I could not +have borne it. + +On the Wednesday I was punctual at the rendezvous, and I had not to +wait long for M---- M----, who came disguised in male attire. "No +theatre to-night," she said to me; "let us go to the 'ridotto', to +lose or double our money." She had six hundred sequins. I had about +one hundred. Fortune turned her back upon us, and we lost a11. I +expected that we would then leave that cutthroat place, but M---- +M----, having left me for a minute, came back with three hundred +sequins which had been given to her by her friend, whom she knew +where to find. That money given by love or by friendship brought her +luck for a short time, and she soon won back all we had lost, but in +our greediness or imprudence we continued to play, and finally we +lost our last sequin. + +When we could play no longer, M---- M---- said to me, + +"Now that we need not fear thieves, let us go to our supper." + +That woman, religious and a Free-thinker, a libertine and gambler, +was wonderful in all she did. She had just lost five hundred pounds, +and she was as completely at her ease as if she had won a very large +sum. It is true that the money she had just lost had not cost her +much. + +As soon as we were alone, she found me sad and low-spirited, although +I tried hard not to appear so, but, as for her, always the same, she +was handsome, brilliant, cheerful, and amorous. + +She thought she would bring back my spirits by giving me the fullest +particulars of the night she had passed with C---- C---- and her +friend, but she ought to have guessed that she was going the wrong +way. That is a very common error, it comes from the mind, because +people imagine that what they feel themselves others must feel +likewise. + +I was on thorns, and I tried everything to avoid that subject, and to +lead the conversation into a different channel, for the amorous +particulars, on which she was dwelling with apparent delight, vexed +me greatly, and spite causing coldness, I was afraid of not playing +my part very warmly in the amorous contest which was at hand. When a +lover doubts his own strength, he may almost always be sure that he +will fail in his efforts. + +After supper we went to bed in the alcove, where the beauty, the +mental and physical charms, the grace and the ardour of my lovely +nun, cast all my bad temper to the winds, and soon restored me to my +usual good-spirits. The nights being shorter we spent two hours in +the most delightful pleasures, and then parted, satisfied and full of +love. + +Before leaving, M---- M---- asked me to go to her casino, to take +some money and to play, taking her for my partner. I did so. I took +all the gold I found, and playing the martingale, and doubling my +stakes continuously, I won every day during the remainder of the +carnival. I was fortunate enough never to lose the sixth card, and, +if I had lost it, I should have been without money to play, for I had +two thousand sequins on that card. I congratulated myself upon +having increased the treasure of my dear mistress, who wrote to me +that, for the sake of civility, we ought to have a supper 'en partie +carree' on Shrove Monday. I consented. + +That supper was the last I ever had in my life with C---- C----. She +was in excellent spirits, but I had made up my mind, and as I paid +all my attentions to M---- M----, C---- C---- imitated my example +without difficulty, and she devoted herself wholly to her new lover. + +Foreseeing that we would, a little later, be all of us in each +other's way, I begged M---- M---- to arrange everything so that we +could be apart, and she contrived it marvellously well. + +After supper, the ambassador proposed a game of faro, which our +beauties did not know; he called for cards, and placed one hundred +Louis on the table before him; he dealt, and took care to make C---- +C---- win the whole of that sum. It was the best way to make her +accept it as pin-money. The young girl, dazzled by so much gold, and +not knowing what to do with it, asked her friend to take care of it +for her until such time as she should leave the convent to get +married. + +When the game was over, M---- M---- complained of a headache, and +said that she would go to bed in the alcove: she asked me to come and +lull her to sleep. We thus left the new lovers free to be as gay as +they chose. Six hours afterwards, when the alarum warned us that it +was time to part, we found them asleep in each other's embrace. I +had myself passed an amorous and quiet night, pleased with M---- +M----, and with out giving one thought to C---- C----. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +M. De Bernis Goes Away Leaving Me the Use of His Casino--His Good +Advice: How I Follow It--Peril of M. M. and Myself--Mr. Murray, the +English Ambassador--Sale of the Casino and End of Our Meetings-- +Serious Illness of M. M.--Zorzi and Condulmer--Tonnie + + +Though the infidelities of C---- C----made me look at her with other +eyes than before, and I had now no intention of making her the +companion of my life, I could not help feeling that it had rested +with me to stop her on the brink of the stream, and I therefore +considered it my duty always to be her friend. + +If I had been more logical, the resolution I took with respect to her +would doubtless have been of another kind. I should have said to +myself: After seducing her, I myself have set the example of +infidelity; I have bidden her to follow blindly the advice of her +friend, although I knew that the advice and the example of M--- M---- +would end in her ruin; I had insulted, in the most grievous manner, +the delicacy of my mistress, and that before her very eyes, and after +all this how could I ask a weak woman to do what a man, priding +himself on his strength, would shrink from at tempting? I should +have stood self-condemned, and have felt that it was my duty to +remain the same to her, but flattering myself that I was overcoming +mere prejudices, I was in fact that most degraded of slaves, he who +uses his strength to crush the weak. + +The day after Shrove Tuesday, going to the casino of Muran, I found +there a letter from M---- M----, who gave me two pieces of bad news: +that C---- C---- had lost her mother, and that the poor girl was in +despair; and that the lay-sister, whose rheum was cured, had returned +to take her place. Thus C---- C---- was deprived of her friend at a +time when she would have given her consolation, of which she stood in +great need. C---- C----, it seemed, had gone to share the rooms of +her aunt, who, being very fond of her, had obtained permission from +the superior. This circumstance would prevent the ambassador taking +any more suppers with her, and I should have been delighted if chance +had put this obstacle in his path a few days sooner. + +All these misfortunes seemed of small account com pared with what I +was afraid of, for C---- C---- might have to pay the price for her +pleasures, and I so far regarded myself as the origin of her +unhappiness as to feel bound never to abandon her, and this might +have involved me in terrible complications. + +M---- M---- asked me to sup with her and her lover on the following +Monday. I went and found them both sad--he for the loss of his new +mistress, and she because she had no longer a friend to make the +seclusion of the convent pleasant. + +About midnight M. de Bemis left us, saying in a melancholy manner +that he feared he should be obliged to pass several months in Vienna +on important diplomatic business. Before parting we agreed to sup +together every Friday. + +When we were alone M---- M---- told me that the ambassador would be +obliged to me if in the future I would come to the casino two hours +later. I understood that the good-natured and witty profligate had a +very natural prejudice against indulging his amorous feelings except +when he was certain of being alone. + +M. de Bemis came to all our suppers till he left for Vienna, and +always went away at midnight. He no longer made use of his hiding- +place, partly because we now only lay in the recess, and partly +because, having had time to make love before my arrival, his desires +were appeased. M---- M---- always found me amorous. My love, +indeed, was even hotter than it had been, since, only seeing her once +a week and remaining faithful to her, I had always an abundant +harvest to gather in. C---- C----'s letters which she brought to me +softened me to tears, for she said that after the loss of her mother +she could not count upon the friendship of any of her relations. She +called me her sole friend, her only protector, and in speaking of her +grief in not being able to see me any more whilst she remained in the +convent, she begged me to remain faithful to her dear friend. + +On Good Friday, when I got to the casino, I found the lovers over- +whelmed with grief. Supper was served, but the ambassador, downcast +and absent, neither ate nor spoke; and M---- M---- was like a statue +that moves at intervals by some mechanism. Good sense and ordinary +politeness prevented me from asking any questions, but on M---- M---- +leaving us together, M. de Bemis told me that she was distressed, +and with reason, since he was obliged to set out for Vienna fifteen +days after Easter. "I may tell you confidentially," he added, "that +I believe I shall scarcely be able to return, but she must not be +told, as she would be in despair." M---- M---- came back in a few +minutes, but it was easy to see that she had been weeping. + +After some commonplace conversation, M. de Bernis, seeing M----M---- +still low-spirited, said, + +"Do not grieve thus, sweetheart, go I must, but my return is a matter +of equal certainty when I have finished the important business which +summons me to Vienna. You will still have the casino, but, dearest, +both friendship and prudence make me advise you not to come here in +my absence, for after I have left Venice I cannot depend upon the +faith of the gondoliers in my service, and I suspect our friend here +cannot flatter himself on his ability to get reliable ones. I may +also tell you that I have strong reasons for suspecting that our +intercourse is known to the State Inquisitors, who conceal their +knowledge for political reasons, but I fancy the secret would soon +come to light when I am no longer here, and when the nun who connives +at your departure from the convent knows that it is no longer for me +that you leave it. The only people whom I would trust are the +housekeeper and his wife. I shall order them, before I go, to look +upon our friend here as myself, and you can make your arrangements +with them. I trust all will go well till my return, if you will only +behave discreetly. I will write to you under cover of the +housekeeper, his wife will give you my letters as before, and in the +same way you may reply. I must needs go, dearest one, but my heart +is with you, and I leave you, till my return, in the hands of a +friend, whom I rejoice to have known. He loves you, he has a heart +and knowledge of the world, and he will not let you make any +mistakes." + +M---- M---- was so affected by what the ambassador had said that she +entreated us to let her go, as she wished to be alone and to lie +down. As she went we agreed to sup together on the following +Thursday. + +As soon as we were alone the ambassador impressed me with the +absolute necessity of concealing from her that he was going to return +no more. "I am going," said he, "to work in concert with the +Austrian cabinet on a treaty which will be the talk of Europe. I +entreat you to write to me unreservedly, and as a friend, and if you +love our common mistress, have a care for her honour, and above all +have the strength of mind to resist all projects which are certain to +involve you in misfortune, and which will be equally fatal to both. +You know what happened to Madame de Riva, a nun in the convent of +St.----. She had to disappear after it became known that she was +with child, and M. de Frulai, my predecessor, went mad, and died +shortly after. J. J. Rousseau told me that he died of poison, but he +is a visionary who sees the black side of everything. For my part, I +believe that he died of grief at not being able to do anything for +the unfortunate woman, who afterwards procured a dispensation from +her vows from the Pope, and having got married is now living at Padua +without any position in society. + +"Let the prudent and loyal friend master the lover: go and see M---- +M---- sometimes in the parlour of the convent, but not here, or the +boatmen will betray you. The knowledge which we both have that the +girls are in a satisfactory condition is a great alleviation to my +distress, but you must confess that you have been very imprudent. +You have risked a terrible misfortune; consider the position you +would have been in, for I am sure you would not have abandoned her. +She had an idea that the danger might be overcome by means of drugs +but I convinced her that she was mistaken. "In God's name, be +discreet in the future, and write to me fully, for I shall always be +interested in her fate, both from duty and sentiment." + +We returned together to Venice, where we separated, and I passed the +rest of the night in great distress. In the morning I wrote to the +fair afflicted, and whilst endeavouring to console her to the best of +my ability, I tried to impress on her the necessity for prudence and +the avoidance of such escapades as might eventually ruin us. + +Next day I received her reply, every word of which spelt despair. +Nature had given her a disposition which had become so intensified by +indulgence that the cloister was unbearable to her, and I foresaw the +hard fights I should have to undergo. + +We saw each other the Thursday after Easter, and I told her that I +should not come to the casino before midnight. She had had four +hours to pass with her lover in tears and regrets, amongst which she +had often cursed her cruel fate and the foolish resolution which made +her take the veil. We supped together, and although the meal was a +rich and delicate one we did it little honour. When we had finished, +the ambassador left, entreating me to remain, which I did, without +thinking at all of the pleasures of a party of two, for Love lighteth +not his torch at the hearts of two lovers who are full of grief and +sorrow. M---- M---- had grown thin, and her condition excited my +pity and shut out all other feelings. I held her a long time in my +arms, covering her with tender and affectionate kisses, but I shewed +no intention of consoling her by amusements in which her spirit could +not have taken part. She said, before we parted, that I had shewn +myself a true lover, and she asked me to consider myself from +henceforth as her only friend and protector. + +Next week, when we were together as usual, M. de Bemis called the +housekeeper just before supper, and in his presence executed a deed +in my behalf, which he made him sign. In this document he +transferred to me all rights over the contents of the casino, and +charged him to consider me in all things as his master. + +We arranged to sup together two days after, to make our farewells, +but on my arrival I found by herself, standing up, and pale as death, +or rather as white as a statue of Carrara marble. + +"He is gone," she said, "and he leaves me to your care. Fatal being, +whom perchance I shall see no more, whom I thought I loved but as a +friend, now you are lost to me I see my mistake. Before I knew him I +was not happy, but neither was I unhappy as I now am." + +I passed the whole night beside her, striving by the most delicate +attentions to soften her grief, but with out success. Her character, +as abandoned to sorrow as to pleasure, was displayed to me during +that long and weary night. She told me at what hour I should come to +the convent parlour, the next day, and on my arrival I was delighted +to find her not quite so sad. She shewed me a letter which her lover +had written to her from Trevisa, and she then told me that I must +come and see her twice a week, warning me that she would be +accompanied sometimes by one nun and sometimes by another, for she +foresaw that my visits would become the talk of the convent, when it +became known that I was the individual who used to go to mass at +their church. She therefore told me to give in another name, to +prevent C---- C----'s aunt from becoming suspicious. + +"Nevertheless," she added, "this will not prevent my coming alone +when I nave any matter of importance to communicate to you. Promise +me, sweetheart, to sup and sleep at the casino at least once a week, +and write me a note each time by the housekeeper's wife." + +I made no difficulty in promising her that much. + +We thus passed a fortnight quietly enough, as she was happy again, +and her amorous inclinations had returned in full force. About this +time she gave me a piece of news which delighted me--namely, that +C---- C---- had no longer anything to fear. + +Full of amorous wishes and having to be content with the teasing +pleasure of seeing one another through a wretched grating, we racked +our brains to find out some way to be alone together to do what we +liked, without any risk. + +"I am assured," she said, "of the good faith of the gardener's +sister. I can go out and come in without fear of being seen, for the +little door leading to the convent is not overlooked by any window-- +indeed it is thought to be walled up. Nobody can see me crossing the +garden to the little stream, which is considered unnavigable. All we +want is a one-oared gondola, and I cannot believe that with the help +of money you will be unable to find a boatman on whom we may rely." + +I understood from these expressions that she suspected me of becoming +cold towards her, and this suspicion pierced me to the heart. + +"Listen," said I, "I will be the boatman myself. I will come to the +quay, pass by the little door, and you shall lead me to your room +where I will pass the whole night with you, and the day, too, if you +think you can hide me." + +"That plan," said she, "makes me shudder. I tremble at the danger to +which you might be exposed. No, I should be too unfortunate if I +were to be the cause of your misfortune, but, as you can row, come in +the boat, let me know the time as closely as possible; the trusty +woman will be on the watch, and I will not keep you four minutes +waiting. I will get into the boat, we will go to our beloved casino, +and then we shall be happy without fearing anything." + +"I will think it over" + +The way I took to satisfy her was as follows: I bought a small boat, +and without telling her I went one night all by myself round the +island to inspect the walls of the convent on the side of the lagune. +With some difficulty I made out a little door, which I judged to be +the only one by which she could pass, but to go from there to the +casino was no small matter, since one was obliged to fetch a wide +course, and with one oar I could not do the passage in less than a +quarter of an hour, and that with much toil. Nevertheless, feeling +sure of success, I told my pretty nun of the plan, and never was news +received with so much pleasure. We set our watches together, and +fixed our meeting for the Friday following. + +On the day appointed, an hour before sunset, I betook myself to St. +Francis de la Vigne, where I kept my boat, and having set it in order +and dressed myself as a boatman, I got upon the poop and held a +straight course for the little door, which opened the moment I +arrived. M---- M---- came out wrapped in a cloak, and someone +shutting the door after her she got on board my frail bark, and in a +quarter of an hour we were at the casino. M---- M---- made haste to +go in, but I stayed to belay my boat with a lock and chain against +thieves, who pass the night pleasantly by stealing whatever they can +lay hands on. + +Though I had rowed easily enough, I was in a bath of perspiration, +which, however, by no means hindered my charming mistress from +falling on my neck; the pleasure of meeting seemed to challenge her +love, and, proud of what I had done, I enjoyed her transports. + +Not dreaming that I should have any occasion for a change of linen, I +had brought none with me, but she soon found a cure for this defect; +for after having undressed me she dried me lovingly, gave me one of +her smocks, and I found myself dressed to admiration. + +We had been too long deprived of our amorous pleasures to think of +taking supper before we had offered a plenteous sacrifice to love. +We spent two hours in the sweetest of intoxications, our bliss +seeming more acute than at our first meeting. In spite of the fire +which consumed me, in spite of the ardour of my mistress, I was +sufficiently master of myself to disappoint her at the critical +moment, for the picture which our friend had drawn was always before +my eyes. M---- M----, joyous and wanton, having me for the first +time in the character of boatman, augmented our delights by her +amorous caprices, but it was useless for her to try to add fuel to my +flame, since I loved her better than myself. + +The night was short, for she was obliged to return at three in the +morning, and it struck one as we sat down to table. As the climax of +ill luck a storm came on whilst we were at supper. Our hair stood on +end; our only hope was founded in the nature of these squalls, which +seldom last more than an hour. We were in hopes, also, that it would +not leave behind it too strong a wind, as is sometimes the case, for +though I was strong and sturdy I was far from having the skill or +experience of a professional boatman. + +In less than half an hour the storm became violent, one flash of +lightning followed another, the thunder roared, and the wind grew to +a gale. Yet after a heavy rain, in less than an hour, the sky +cleared, but there was no moon, it being the day after the Ascension. +Two o'clock stuck. I put my head out at the window, but perceive +that a contrary gale is blowing. + + 'Ma tiranno del mar Libecchio resta.' + +This Libecchio which Ariosto calls--and with good reason--the tyrant +of the sea, is the southwesterly wind, which is commonly called +'Garbin' at Venice. I said nothing, but I was frightened. I told my +sweetheart that we must needs sacrifice an hour of pleasure, since +prudence would have it so. + +"Let us set out forthwith, for if the gale gets stronger I shall not +be able to double the island." + +She saw my advice was not to be questioned, and taking the key of her +strong box, whence she desired to get some money, she was delighted +to find her store increased fourfold. She thanked me for having told +her nothing about it, assuring me she would have of me nothing but my +heart, and following me she got into my boat and lay down at full +length so as not to hinder its motion, I got upon the poop, as full +of fear as courage, and in five minutes I had the good luck to double +the point. But there it was that the tyrant was waiting for me, and +it was not long before I felt that my strength would not outlast that +of the winds. I rowed with all my strength, but all I could do was +to prevent my boat from going back. For half an hour I was in this +pitiful state, and I felt my strength failing without daring to say a +word. I was out of breath, but could not rest a moment, since the +least relaxation would have let the boat slip a far way back, and +this would have been a distance hard to recover. M---- M---- lay +still and silent, for she perceived I had no breath wherewith to +answer her. I began to give ourselves up as lost. + +At that instant I saw in the distance a barque coming swiftly towards +us. What a piece of luck! I waited till she caught us up, for if I +had not done so I should not have been able to make myself heard, but +as soon as I saw her at my left hand, twelve feet off, I shouted, +"Help! I will give two sequins!" + +They lowered sail and came towards me, and on their hailing me I +asked for a man to take us to the opposite point of the island. They +asked a sequin in advance, I gave it them, and promised the other to +the man who would get on my poop and help me to make the point. In +less than ten minutes we were opposite to the little stream leading +to the convent, but the secret of it was too dear to be hazarded, so +as soon as we reached the point I paid my preserver and sent him +back. Henceforth the wind was in our favour, and we soon got to the +little door, where M---- M---- landed, saying to me, "Go and sleep in +the casino." I thought her advice wise, and I followed it, and +having the wind behind me I got to the casino without trouble, and +slept till broad day. As soon as I had risen I wrote to my dear +mistress that I was well, and that we should see each other at the +grating. Having taken my boat back to St. Francis, I put on my mask +and went to Liston. + +In the morning M---- M---- came to the grating by herself, and we +made all such observations as our adventures of the night would be +likely to suggest, but in place of deciding to follow the advice +which prudence should have given us-namely, not to expose ourselves +to danger for the future, we thought ourselves extremely prudent in +resolving that if we were again threatened by a storm we would set +out as soon as we saw it rising. All the same we had to confess that +if chance had not thrown the barque in our way we should have been +obliged to return to the casino, for M---- M---- could not have got +to the convent, and how could she ever have entered its walls again? +I should have been forced to leave Venice with her, and that for +ever. My life would have been finally and irretrievably linked with +hers, and, without doubt, the various adventures which at the age of +seventy-two years impel me to write these Memoirs, would never have +taken place. + +For the next three months we continued to meet each other once a +week, always amorous, and never disturbed by the slightest accidents. + +M---- M---- could not resist giving the ambassador a full account of +our adventures, and I had promised to write to him, and always to +write the whole truth. He replied by congratulating us on our good +fortune, but he prophesied inevitable disaster if we had not the +prudence to stop our intercourse. + +Mr. Murray, the English ambassador, a witty and handsome man, and a +great amateur of the fair sex, wine, and good cheer, then kept the +fair Ancilla, who introduced me to him. This fine fellow became my +friend in much the same way as M. de Bernis, the only difference +being that the Frenchman liked to look on while the Englishman +preferred to give the show. I was never unwelcome at their amorous +battles, and the voluptuous Ancilla was delighted to have me for a +witness. I never gave them the pleasure of mingling in the strife. +I loved M---- M----, but I should avow that my fidelity to her was +not entirely dependent on my love. Though Ancilla was handsome she +inspired me with repugnance, for she was always hoarse, and +complained of a sharp pain in the throat, and though her lover kept +well, I was afraid of her, and not without cause, for the disease +which ended the days of Francis I. of France brought her to the grave +in the following autumn. A quarter of an hour before she died, her +brave Briton, yielding to the lascivious requests of this new +Messalina, offered in my presence the last sacrifice, in spite of a +large sore on her face which made her look hideous. + +This truly heroic action was known all over the town, and it was +Murray himself who made it known, citing me as his witness. + +This famous courtezan, whose beauty was justly celebrated, feeling +herself eaten away by an internal disease, promised to give a hundred +louis to a doctor named Lucchesi, who by dint of mercury undertook to +cure her, but Ancilla specified on the agreement that she was not to +pay the aforesaid sum till Lucchesi had offered with her an amorous +sacrifice. + +The doctor having done his business as well as he could wished to be +paid without submitting to the conditions of the treaty, but Ancilla +held her ground, and the matter was brought before a magistrate. + +In England, where all agreements are binding, Ancilla would have won +her case, but at Venice she lost it. + +The judge, in giving sentence, said a condition, criminal per se, not +fulfilled, did not invalidate an agreement--a sentence abounding in +wisdom, especially in this instance. + +Two months before this woman had become disgusting, my friend M. +Memmo, afterwards procurator, asked me to take him to her house. In +the height of the conversation, what should come but a gondola, and +we saw Count Rosemberg, the ambassador from Vienna, getting out of +it. M. Memmo was thunderstruck (for a Venetian noble conversing with +a foreign ambassador becomes guilty of treason to the state), and ran +in hot haste from Ancilla's room, I after him, but on the stair he +met the ambassador, who, seeing his distress, burst into a laugh, and +passed on. I got directly into M. Memmo's gondola, and we went +forthwith to M. Cavalli, secretary to the State Inquisitors. +M. Memmo could have taken no better course to avoid the troublesome +consequences which this fatal meeting might have had, and he was very +glad that I was with him to testify to his innocence and to the +harmlessness of the occurrence. + +M. Cavalli received M. Memmo with a smile, and told him he did well +to come to confession without wasting any time. M. Memmo, much +astonished at this reception, told him the brief history of the +meeting, and the secretary replied with a grave air that he had no +doubt as to the truth of his story, as the circumstances were in +perfect correspondence with what he knew of the matter. + +We came away extremely puzzled at the secretary's reply, and +discussed the subject for some time, but then we came to the +conclusion that M. Cavalli could have had no positive knowledge of +the matter before we came, and that he only spoke as he did from the +instinct of an Inquisitor, who likes it to be understood that nothing +is hid from him for a moment. + +After the death of Ancilla, Mr. Murray remained without a titular +mistress, but, fluttering about like a butterfly, he had, one after +another, the prettiest girls in Venice. This good-natured Epicurean +set out for Constantinople two years later, and was for twenty years +the ambassador of the Court of St. James at the Sublime Porte. He +returned to Venice in 1778 with the intention of ending his days +there, far from affairs of state, but he died in the lazaretto eight +days before the completion of his quarantine. + +At play fortune continued to favour me; my commerce with M---- M---- +could not be discovered now that I was my own waterman ; and the nuns +who were in the secret were too deeply involved not to keep it. I +led them a merry life, but I foresaw that as soon as M. de Bernis +decided to let M---- M---- know that he would not return to Venice, +he would recall his people, and we should then have the casino no +longer. I knew, besides, that when the rough season came on it would +be impossible for me by myself to continue our voyages. + +The first Monday in October, when the theatres are opened and masks +may be worn, I went to St. Francis to get my boat, and thence to +Muran for my mistress, afterwards making for the casino. The nights +were now long enough for us to have ample time for enjoyment, so we +began by making an excellent supper, and then devoted ourselves to +the worship of Love and Sleep. Suddenly, in the midst of a moment of +ecstasy, I heard a noise in the direction of the canal, which aroused +my suspicions, and I rushed to the window. What was my astonishment +and anger to see a large boat taking mine in tow! Nevertheless, +without giving way to my passion, I shouted to the robbers that I +would give them ten sequins if they would be kind enough to return me +my boat. + +A shout of laughter was all the reply they made, and not believing +what I said they continued their course. What was I to do? I dared +not cry, "Stop thief!" and not being endued with the power of walking +on the water dry-footed, I could not give chase to the robbers. I +was in the utmost distress, and for the moment M---- M---- shewed +signs of terror, for she did not see how I could remedy this +disaster. + +I dressed myself hastily, giving no more thoughts to love, my only +comfort being that I had still two hours to get the indispensable +boat, should it cost me a hundred sequins. I should have been in no +perplexity if I had been able to take one, but the gondoliers would +infallibly make proclamation over the whole of Muran that they had +taken a nun to such a convent, and all would have been lost. + +The only way, then, that was open to me was either to buy a boat or +to steal one. I put my pistols and dagger in my pocket, took some +money, and with an oar on my shoulder set out. + +The robbers had filed the chain of my boat with a silent file; this I +could not do, and I could only reckon on having the good luck to find +a boat moored with cords. + +Coming to the large bridge I saw boats and to spare, but there were +people on the quay, and I would not risk taking one. Seeing a tavern +open at the end of the quay I ran like a madman, and asked if there +were any boatmen there; the drawer told me there were two, but that +they were drunk. I came up to them, and said, "Who will take me to +Venice for eighty sous?" + +"I," and "I"; and they began to quarrel as to who should go. I +quieted them by giving forty sous to the more drunken of the two, and +I went out with the other. + +As soon as we were on our way, I said, + +"You are too drunk to take me, lend me your boat, and I will give it +you back to-morrow." + +"I don't know you." + +"I will deposit ten sequins, but your boat is not worth that. Who +will be your surety?" + +He took me back to the tavern, and the drawer went bail for him. +Well pleased, I took my man to the boat, and having furnished it with +a second oar and two poles he went away, chuckling at having made a +good bargain, while I was as glad to have had the worst of it. I had +been an hour away, and on entering the casino found my dear M---- +M---- in an agony, but as soon as she saw my beaming face all the +laughter came back on hers. I took her to the convent, and then went +to St. Francis, where the keeper of the boathouse looked as if he +thought me a fool, when I told him that I had trucked away my boat +for the one I had with me. I put on my mask, and went forthwith to +my lodging and to bed, for these annoyances had been too much for me. + +About this time my destiny made me acquainted with a nobleman called +Mark Antony Zorzi, a man of parts and famous for his skill in writing +verses in the Venetian dialect. Zorzi, who was very fond of the +play, and desired to offer a sacrifice to Thalia, wrote a comedy +which the audience took the liberty of hissing; but having persuaded +himself that his piece only failed through the conspiracies of the +Abbe Chiari, who wrote for the Theatre of St. Angelo, he declared +open war against all the abbe's plays. + +I felt no reluctance whatever to visit M. Zorzi, for he possessed an +excellent cook and a charming wife. He knew that I did not care for +Chiari as an author, and M. Zorzi had in his pay people who, without +pity, rhyme, or reason, hissed all the compositions of the +ecclesiastical playwright. My part was to criticise them in hammer +verses--a kind of doggerel then much in fashion, and Zorzi took care +to distribute my lucubrations far and wide. These manoeuvres made me +a powerful enemy in the person of M. Condulmer, who liked me none the +better for having all the appearance of being in high favour with +Madame Zorzi, to whom before my appearance he had paid diligent +court. This M. Condulmer was to be excused for not caring for me, +for, having a large share in the St. Angelo Theatre, the failure of +the abbe's pieces was a loss to him, as the boxes had to be let at a +very low rent, and all men are governed by interested motives. + +This M. Condulmer was sixty years old, but with all the greenness of +youth he was still fond of women, gaming, and money, and he was, in +fact, a money-lender, but he knew how to pass for a saint, as he took +care to go to mass every morning at St. Mark's, and never omitted to +shed tears before the crucifix. The following year he was made a +councillor, and in that capacity he was for eight months a State +Inquisitor. Having thus attained this diabolically-eminent, or +eminently-diabolical, position, he had not much difficulty in shewing +his colleagues the necessity of putting me under The Leads as a +disturber of the peace of the Republic. In the beginning of the +winter the astounding news of the treaty between France and Austria +was divulged--a treaty by which the political balance was entirely +readjusted, and which was received with incredulity by the Powers. +The whole of Italy had reason to rejoice, for the treaty guarded that +fair land from becoming the theatre of war on the slightest +difference which might arise between the two Powers. What astonished +the most acute was that this wonderful treaty was conceived and +carried out by a young ambassador who had hitherto been famed only as +a wit. The first foundations had been laid in 1750 by Madame de +Pompadour, Count Canes (who was created a prince), and M. 1'Abbe de +Bernis, who was not known till the following year, when the king made +him ambassador to Venice. The House of Bourbon and the House of +Hapsburg had been foes for two hundred and forty years when this +famous treaty was concluded, but it only lasted for forty years, and +it is not likely that any treaty will last longer between two courts +so essentially opposed to one another. + +The Abbe de Bernis was created minister for foreign affairs some time +after the ratification of the treaty; three years after he re- +established the parliament, became a cardinal, was disgraced, and +finally sent to Rome, where he died. 'Mors ultimo linea rerum est'. + +Affairs fell out as I had foreseen, for nine months after he left +Venice he conveyed to M---- M---- the news of his recall, though he +did it in the most delicate manner. Nevertheless, M---- M---- felt +the blow so severely that she would very possibly have succumbed, had +I not been preparing her for it in every way I could think of M. de +Bernis sent me all instructions. + +He directed that all the contents of the casino should be sold and +the proceeds given to M---- M----, with the exception of the books +and prints which the housekeeper was ordered to bring to Paris. It +was a nice breviary for a cardinal, but would to God they had nothing +worse! + +Whilst M---- M---- abandoned herself to grief I carried out the +orders of M. de Bernis, and by the middle of January we had no longer +a casino. She kept by her two thousand sequins and her pearls, +intending to sell them later on to buy herself an annuity. + +We were now only able to see each other at the grating; and soon, +worn with grief, she fell dangerously ill, and on the 2nd of February +I recognized in her features the symptoms of approaching death. She +sent me her jewel-case, with all her diamonds and nearly all her +money, all the scandalous books she possessed, and all her letters, +telling me that if she did not die I was to return her the whole, but +that all belonged to me if, as she thought, she should succumb to the +disease. She also told me that C---- C---- was aware of her state, +and asked me to take pity on her and write to her, as my letters were +her only comfort, and that she hoped to have strength to read them +till her latest breath. + +I burst into tears, for I loved her passionately, and I promised her +to come and live in Muran until she recovered her health. + +Having placed the property in a gondola, I went to the Bragadin +Palace to deposit it, and then returned to Muran to get Laura to find +me a furnished room where I could live as I liked. "I know of a good +room, with meals provided," she said; "you will be quite comfortable +and will get it cheaply, and if you like to pay in advance, you need +not even say who you are. The old man to whom the house belongs +lives on the ground floor; he will give you all the keys and if you +like you need see no one." + +She gave me the address, and I went there on the spot, and having +found everything to my liking I paid a month in advance and the thing +was done. It was a little house at the end of a blind alley abutting +on the canal. I returned to Laura's house to tell her that I wanted +a servant to get my food and to make my bed, and she promised to get +me one by the next day. + +Having set all in order for my new lodging, I returned to Venice and +packed my mails as if I were about to make a long journey. After +supper I took leave of M. de Bragadin and of his two friends, +telling them that I was going to be away for several weeks on +important business. + +Next day, going to my new room, I was surprised to find there Tonine, +Laura's daughter, a pretty girl not more than fifteen years old, who +told me with a blush, but with more spirit than I gave her credit +for, that she would serve me as well as her mother would have done. + +I was in too much distress to thank Laura for this pretty present, +and I even determined that her daughter should not stay in my +service. We know how much such resolutions are commonly worth. In +the meanwhile I was kind to the girl: "I am sure," I said, "of your +goodwill, but I must talk to your mother. I must be alone," I added, +"as I have to write all day, and I shall not take anything till the +evening." She then gave me a letter, begging pardon for not having +given it me sooner. "You must never forget to deliver messages," +I said, "for if you had waited any longer before bringing me this +letter, it might have had the most serious consequences." She +blushed, begged pardon, and went out of the room. The letter was +from C---- C----, who told me that her friend was in bed, and that +the doctor had pronounced her illness to be fever. I passed the rest +of the day in putting my room in order, and in writing to C---- C---- +and her suffering friend. + +Towards evening Tonine brought in the candles, and told me that my +supper was ready. "Follow me," I said. Seeing that she had only +laid supper for one--a pleasing proof of her modesty, I told her to +get another knife and fork, as I wished her always to take her meals +with me. I can give no account of my motives. I only wished to be +kind to her, and I did everything in good faith. By and by, reader, +we shall see whether this is not one of the devices by which the +devil compasses his ends. + +Not having any appetite, I ate little, but I thought everything good +with the exception of the wine; but Tonine promised to get some +better by the next day, and when supper was over she went to sleep in +the ante-room. + +After sealing my letters, wishing to know whether the outer door was +locked, I went out and saw Tonine in bed, sleeping peacefully, or +pretending to do so. I might have suspected her thoughts, but I had +never been in a similar situation, and I measured the extremity of my +grief by the indifference with which I looked at this girl; she was +pretty, but for all that I felt that neither she nor I ran any risk. + +Next day, waking very early, I called her, and she came in neatly +dressed. I gave her my letter to C---- C----, which enclosed the +letter to M---- M----, telling her to take it to her mother and then +to return to make my coffee. + +"I shall dine at noon, Tonine," I said, "take care to get what is +necessary in good time." + +"Sir, I prepared yesterday's supper myself, and if you like I can +cook all your meals." + +"I am satisfied with your abilities, go on, and here is a sequin for +expenses." + +"I still have a hundred and twenty sous remaining from the one you +gave me yesterday, and that will be enough." + +"No, they are for yourself, and I shall give you as much every day." + +Her delight was so great that I could not prevent her covering my +hand with kisses. I took care to draw it back and not to kiss her in +return, for I felt as if I should be obliged to laugh, and this would +have dishonoured my grief. + +The second day passed like the first. Tonine was glad that I said no +more about speaking to her mother, and drew the conclusion that her +services were agreeable to me. Feeling tired and weak, and fearing +that I should not wake early enough to send the letter to the +convent, but not wishing to rouse Tonine if she were asleep, I called +her softly. She rose immediately and came into my room with nothing +on but a slight petticoat. Pretending to see nothing, I gave her my +letter, and told her to take it to her mother in the morning before +she came into my room. She went out, saying that my instructions +should be carried out, but as soon as she was gone I could not resist +saying to myself that she was very pretty; and I felt both sad and +ashamed at the reflection that this girl could very easily console +me. I hugged my grief, and I determined to separate myself from a +being who made me forget it. + +"In the morning," I said, "I will tell Laura to get me something less +seducing;" but the night brought counsel, and in the morning I put on +the armour of sophism, telling myself that my weakness was no fault +of the girl's, and that it would therefore be unjust to punish her +for it. We shall see, dear reader, how all this ended. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +Continues the Preceding Chapter--M. M. Recovers--I Return to Venice-- +Tonine Consoles Me--Decrease of My Love For M. M.--Doctor Righelini-- +Curious Conversation With Him--How This Conversation Affected M. M.-- +Mr. Murray Undeceived and Avenged + + +Tontine had what is called tact and common sense, and thinking these +qualities were required in our economy she behaved with great +delicacy, not going to bed before receiving my letters, and never +coming into my room except in a proper dress, and all this pleased +me. For a fortnight M---- M---- was so ill that I expected every +moment to hear the news of her death. On Shrove Tuesday C---- C---- +wrote that her friend was not strong enough to read my letter, and +that she was going to receive 'extreme unction'. This news so +shocked me that I could not rise, and passed the whole day in weeping +and writing, Tonine not leaving me till midnight. I could not sleep. +On Ash Wednesday I got a letter, in which C---- C---- told me that +the doctor had no hopes for her friend, and that he only gave her a +fortnight to live. A low fever was wasting her away, her weakness +was extreme, and she could scarcely swallow a little broth. She had +also the misfortune to be harassed by her confessor, who made her +foretaste all the terrors of death. I could only solace my grief by +writing, and Tonine now and again made bold to observe that I was +cherishing my grief, and that it would be the death of me. I knew +myself that I was making my anguish more poignant, and that keeping +to my bed, continued writing, and no food, would finally drive me +mad. I had told my grief to poor Tonine, whose chief duty was to +wipe away my tears. She had compassion on me. + +A few days later, after assuring C---- C---- that if our friend died +I should not survive her, I asked her to tell M---- M---- that if she +wanted me to take care of my life she must promise to let me carry +her off on her recovery. + +"I have," I said, "four thousand sequins and her diamonds, which are +worth six thousand; we should, therefore, have a sufficient sum to +enable us to live honourably in any part of Europe." + +C---- C---- wrote to me on the following day, and said that my +mistress, after hearing my letter read, had fallen into a kind of +convulsion, and, becoming delirious, she talked incessantly in French +for three whole hours in a fashion which would have made all the nuns +take to their heels, if they had understood her. I was in despair, +and was nearly raving as wildly as my poor nun. Her delirium lasted +three days, and as soon as she got back her reason she charged her +young friend to tell me that she was sure to get well if I promised +to keep to my word, and to carry her off as soon as her health would +allow. I hastened to reply that if I lived she might be sure my +promise would be fulfilled. + +Thus continuing to deceive each other in all good faith, we got +better, for every letter from C---- C----, telling me how the +convalescence of her friend was progressing, was to me as balm. And +as my mind grew more composed my appetite also grew better, and my +health improving day by day, I soon, though quite unconsciously, +began to take pleasure in the simple ways of Tonine, who now never +left me at night before she saw that I was asleep. + +Towards the end of March M---- M---- wrote to me herself, saying that +she believed herself out of danger, and that by taking care she hoped +to be able to leave her room after Easter. I replied that I should +not leave Muran till I had the pleasure of seeing her at the grating, +where, without hurrying ourselves, we could plan the execution of our +scheme. + +It was now seven weeks since M. de Bragadin had seen me, and thinking +that he would be getting anxious I resolved to go and see him that +very day. Telling Tonine that I should not be back till the evening, +I started for Venice without a cloak, for having gone to Muran masked +I had forgotten to take one. I had spent forty-eight days without +going out of my room, chiefly in tears and distress, and without +taking any food. I had just gone through an experience which +flattered my self-esteem. I had been served by a girl who would have +passed for a beauty anywhere in Europe. She was gentle, thoughtful, +and delicate, and without being taxed with foppishness I think I may +say that, if she was not in love with me, she was at all events +inclined to please me to the utmost of her ability; for all that I +had been able to withstand her youthful charms, and I now scarcely +dreaded them. Seeing her every day, I had dispersed my amorous +fancies, and friendship and gratitude seemed to have vanquished all +other feelings, for I was obliged to confess that this charming girl +had lavished on me the most tender and assiduous care. + +She had passed whole nights on a chair by my bedside, tending me like +a mother, and never giving me the slightest cause for complaint. + +Never had I given her a kiss, never had I allowed myself to undress +in her presence, and never (with one exception) had she come into my +room without being properly dressed. For all that, I knew that I had +fought a battle, and I felt inclined to boast at having won the +victory. There was only one circumstance that vexed me--namely, that +I was nearly certain that neither M. M. nor C. C. would consider such +continence to be within the bounds of possibility, if they heard of +it, and that Laura herself, to whom her daughter would tell the whole +story, would be sceptical, though she might out of kindness pretend +to believe it all. + +I got to M. de Bragadin's just as the soup was being served. He +welcomed me heartily, and was delighted at having foreseen that I +should thus surprise them. Besides my two other old friends, there +were De la Haye, Bavois, and Dr. Righelini at table. + +"What! you without a cloak!" said M. Dandolo. + +"Yes," said I ; "for having gone out with my mask on I forgot to +bring one:" + +At this they laughed, and, without putting myself out, I sat down. +No one asked where I had been so long, for it was understood that +that question should be left to me to answer or not. Nevertheless, +De la Haye, who was bursting with curiosity, could not refrain from +breaking some jests on me. + +"You have got so thin," said he, "that uncharitable people will be +rather hard on you." + +"I trust they will not say that I have been passing my time with the +Jesuits." + +"You are sarcastic. They may say, perhaps, that you have passed your +time in a hot-house under the influence of Mercury." + +"Don't be afraid, sir, for to escape this hasty judgment I shall go +back this evening." + +"No, no, I am quite sure you will not." + +"Believe me, sir," said I, with a bantering tone, "that I deem your +opinion of too much consequence not to be governed by it." + +Seeing that I was in earnest, my friends were angry with him; and the +Aristarchus was in some confusion. + +Righelini, who was one of Murray's intimate friends, said to me in a +friendly way that he had been longing to tell Murray of my re- +appearance, and of the falsity of all the reports about me. + +"We will go to sup with him," said I, "and I will return after +supper." + +Seeing that M. de Bragadin and his two friends were uneasy about me, +I promised to dine with them on April 25th, St. Mark's Day. + +As soon as Mr. Murray saw me, he fell on my neck and embraced me. He +introduced me to his wife, who asked me to supper with great +politeness. After Murray had told me the innumerable stories which +had been made about my disappearance, he asked me if I knew a little +story by the Abbe Chiari, which had come out at the end of the +carnival. As I said that I knew nothing about it, he gave me a copy, +telling me that I should like it. He was right. It was a satire in +which the Zorzi clique was pulled to pieces, and in which I played a +very poor part. I did not read it till some time after, and in the +mean time put it in my pocket. After a very good supper I took a +gondola to return to Muran. + +It was midnight and very dark, so that I did not perceive the gondola +to be ill covered and in wretched order. A fine rain was falling +when I got in, and the drops getting larger I was soon wet to the +skin. No great harm was done, as I was close to my quarters. I +groped my way upstairs and knocked at the door of the ante-room, +where Tonine, who had not waited for me, was sleeping. +Awake in a moment she came to open the door in her smock, and without +a light. As I wanted one, I told her to get the flint and steel, +which she did, warning me in a modest voice that she was not dressed. +"That's of no consequence," said I, "provided you are covered." She +said no more, and soon lighted a candle, but she could not help +laughing when she saw me dripping wet. + +"I only want you, my dear," said I, "to dry my hair." She quickly +set to work with powder and powder-puff in hand, but her smock was +short and loose at the top, and I repented, rather too late, that I +had not given her time to dress. I felt that all was lost, all the +more as having to use both her hands she could not hold her smock and +conceal two swelling spheres more seductive than the apples of the +Hesperides. How could I help seeing them? I shut my eyes and, said +"For shame!" but I gave in at last, and fixed such a hungry gaze upon +poor Tonine that she blushed. "Come," said I, "take your smock +between your teeth and then I shall see no more." But it was worse +than before, and I had only added fuel to the fire; for, as the veil +was short, I could see the bases and almost the frieze of two marble +columns; and at this sight I gave a voluptuous cry. Not knowing how +to conceal everything from my gaze, Tonine let herself fall on the +sofa, and I, my passions at fever-heat, stood beside her, not knowing +what to do. + +"Well," she said, "shall I go and dress myself and then do your +hair?" + +"No, come and sit on my knee, and cover my eyes with your hands." +She came obediently, but the die was cast, and my resistance +overcome. I clasped her between my arms, and without any more +thoughts of playing at blind man's buff I threw her on the bed and +covered her with kisses. And as I swore that I would always love +her, she opened her arms to receive me in a way that shewed how long +she had been waiting for this moment. + +I plucked the rose, and then, as ever, I thought it the rarest I had +ever gathered since I had laboured in the harvest of the fruitful +fields of love. + +When I awoke in the morning I found myself more deeply in love with +Tonine than I had been with any other woman. She had got up without +waking me, but as soon as she heard me stirring she came, and I +tenderly chid her for not waiting for me to give her good morrow. +Without answering she gave me M---- M---- 's letter. I thanked her, +but putting the letter on one side I took her in my arms, and set her +by my side. "What a wonder!" cried Tonine. "You are not in a hurry +to read that letter! Faithless man, why did you not let me cure you +six weeks ago. How lucky I am; thanks to the rain! I do not blame +you, dear, but love me as you love her who writes to you every day, +and I shall be satisfied." + +"Do you know who she is?" + +"She lives in a boarding-house, and is as beautiful as an angel; but +she is there, and I am here. You are my master, and I will be your +servant as long as you like." + +I was glad to leave her in error, and swore an ever-lasting love; but +during our conversation she had let herself drop down in the bottom +of the bed, and I entreated her to lie down again; but she said that +on the contrary it was time for me to get up for dinner, for she +wanted to give me a dainty meal cooked in the Venetian manner. + +"Who is the cook?" said I. + +"I am, and I have been using all my skill on it since five, when I +got up." + +"What time is it now, then?" + +"Past one." + +The girl astonished me. She was no longer the shy Tonine of last +night; she had that exultant air which happiness bestows, and the +look of pleasure which the delights of love give to a young beauty. +I could not understand how I had escaped from doing homage to her +beauty when I first saw her at her mother's house. But I was then +too deeply in love with C---- C----; I was in too great distress; +and, moreover, Tonine was then unformed. I got up, and making her +bring me a cup of coffee I asked her to keep the dinner back for a +couple of hours. + +I found M---- M----'s letter affectionate, but not so interesting as +it would have been the day before. I set myself to answer it, and +was almost thunderstruck to find the task, for the first time, a +painful one. However, my short journey to Venice supplied me with +talk which covered four pages. + +I had an exquisite dinner with my charming Tonine. Looking at her as +at the same time my wife, my mistress, and my housekeeper, I was +delighted to find myself made happy at such a cheap rate. We spent +the whole day at the table talking of our love, and giving each other +a thousand little marks of it; for there is no such rich and pleasant +matter for conversation as when they who talk are parties to an +amorous suit. She told with charming simplicity that she knew +perfectly well that she could not make me amorous of her, because I +loved another, and that her only hope was therefore in a surprise, +and that she had foreseen the happy moment when I told her that she +need not dress herself to light a candle. + +Tonine was naturally quick-witted, but she did not know either how to +read or to write. She was enchanted to see herself become rich (for +she thought herself so) without a soul at Muran being able to breathe +a word against her honour. I passed three weeks in the company of +this delightful girl--weeks which I still reckon among the happiest +of my life; and what embitters my old age is that, having a heart as +warm as ever, I have no longer the strength necessary to secure a +single day as blissful as those which I owed to this charming girl. + +Towards the end of April I saw M. M. at the grating, looking thin and +much changed, but out of danger. I therefore returned to Venice. In +my interview, calling my attachment and tender feelings to my aid, I +succeeded in behaving myself in such wise that she could not possibly +detect the change which a new love had worked in my heart. I shall +be, I trust, easily believed when I say that I was not imprudent +enough to let her suspect that I had given up the idea of escaping +with her, upon which she counted more than ever. I was afraid lest +she should fall ill again, if I took this hope away from her. I kept +my casino, which cost me little, and as I went to see M. M. twice a +week I slept there on those occasions, and made love with my dashing +Tonine. + +Having kept my word with my friends by dining with them on St. Mark's +Day, I went with Dr. Righelini to the parlour of the Vierges to see +the taking of the veil. + +The Convent of the Vierges is within the jurisdiction of the Doge, +whom the nuns style "Most Serene Father." They all belong to the +first families in Venice. + +While I was praising the beauty of Mother M---- E----- to Dr. +Righelini, he whispered to me that he could get her me for a money +payment, if I were curious in the matter. A hundred sequins for her +and ten sequins for the go-between was the price fixed on. He +assured me that Murray had had her, and could have her again. Seeing +my surprise, he added that there was not a nun whom one could not +have by paying for her: that Murray had the courage to disburse five +hundred sequins for a nun of Muran--a rare beauty, who was afterwards +the mistress of the French ambassador. + +Though my passion for M---- M---- was on the wane, I felt my heart +gripped as by a hand of ice, and it was with the greatest difficulty +that I made no sign. Notwithstanding, I took the story for an +atrocious calumny, but yet the matter was too near my heart for me to +delay in bringing it to light at the earliest opportunity. I +therefore replied to Righelini in the calmest manner possible, that +one or two nuns might be had for money, but that it could happen very +rarely on account of the difficulties in most convents. + +"As for the nun of Muran, justly famous for her beauty, if she be +M---- M----, nun of the convent..., I not only disbelieve that Murray +ever had her, but I am sure she was never the French ambassador's +mistress. If he knew her it could only have been at the grating, +where I really cannot say what happens." + +Righelini, who was an honourable and spirited man, answered me coldly +that the English ambassador was a man of his word, and that he had +the story from his own lips. + +"If Mr. Murray," he continued, "had not told it me under the seal of +secrecy I would make him tell it you himself. I shall be obliged if +you will take care that he never knows I told you of it." + +"You may rely on my discretion." + +The same evening, supping at Murray's casino with Righelini, having +the matter at heart, and seeing before me the two men who could clear +up everything to my satisfaction, I began to speak with enthusiasm of +the beauty of M---- E----, whom I had seen at the Vierges. + +Here the ambassador struck in, taking the ball on the hop: + +"Between friends," said he, "you can get yourself the enjoyment of +those charms, if you are willing to sacrifice a sum of money--not too +much, either, but you must have the key." + +"Do you think you have it?" + +"No, I am sure; and had less trouble than you might suppose." + +"If you are sure; I congratulate you, and doubt no more. I envy your +fortune, for I don't believe a more perfect beauty could be found in +all the convents of Venice." + +"There you are wrong. Mother M---- M----, at ---- in Muran, is +certainly handsomer." + +"I have heard her talked of and I have seen her once, but I do not +think it possible that she can be procured for money." + +"I think so," said he, laughing, "and when I think I mostly have good +reasons." + +"You surprise me; but all the same I don't mind betting you are +deceived." + +"You would lose. As you have only seen her once, I suppose you would +not recognize her portrait?" + +"I should, indeed, as her face left a strong impression on my mind." + +"Wait a minute." + +He got up from the table, went out, and returned a minute after with +a box containing eight or ten miniatures, all in the same style, +namely, with hair in disorder and bare necks. + +"These," said I, "are rare charms, with which you have doubtless a +near acquaintance?" + +"Yes, and if you recognize any of them be discreet." + +"You need not be afraid. Here are three I recognize, and this looks +like M---- M----; but confess that you may have been deceived--at +least, that you did not have her in the convent or here, for there +are women like her." + +"Why do you think I have been deceived? I have had her here in her +religious habit, and I have spent a whole night with her; and it was +to her individually that I sent a purse containing five hundred +sequins. I gave fifty to the good procurer." + +"You have, I suppose, visited her in the parlour, after having her +here?" + +"No, never, as she was afraid her titular lover might hear of it. +You know that was the French ambassador." + +"But she only saw him in the parlour;" + +"She used to go to his house in secular dress whenever he wanted her. +I was told that by the man who brought her here." + +"Have you had her several times?" + +"Only once and that was enough, but I can have her whenever I like +for a hundred sequins." + +"All that may be the truth, but I would wager five hundred sequins +that you have been deceived." + +"You shall have your answer in three days." + +I was perfectly certain, I repeat, that the whole affair was a piece +of knavery; but it was necessary to have it proved, and I shuddered +when the thought came into my head that after all it might be a true +story. In this case I should have been freed from a good many +obligations, but I was strongly persuaded of her innocence. At all +events, if I were to find her guilty (which was amongst possible +occurrences), I resigned myself to lose five hundred sequins as the +price of this horrible discovery and addition to my experience of +life. I was full of restless anguish--the worst, perhaps, of the +torments of the mind. If the honest Englishman had been the victim +of a mystification, or rather knavery, my regard for M---- M----'s +honour compelled me to find a way to undeceive him without +compromising her; and such was my plan, and thus fortune favoured me. +Three or four days after, Mr. Murray told the doctor that he wished +to see me. We went to him, and he greeted me thus: + +"I have won; for a hundred sequins I can have the fair nun! + +"Alas!" said I, "there go my five hundred sequins." + +"No, not five hundred, my dear fellow, for I should be ashamed to win +so much of you, but the hundred she would cost me. If I win, you +shall pay for my pleasure, and if I lose I shall give her nothing." + +"How is the problem to be solved?" "My Mercury tells me that we must +wait for a day when masks are worn. He is endeavouring at present to +find out a way to convince both of us; for otherwise neither you nor +I would feel compelled to pay the wager, and if I really have M. M. +my honour would not allow me to let her suspect that I had betrayed +the secret." + +"No, that would be an unpardonable crime. Hear my plan, which will +satisfy us both; for after it has been carried out each of us will be +sure that he has fairly won or fairly lost. + +"As soon as you have possessed yourself of the real or pretended nun, +leave her on some pretext, and meet me in a place to be agreed upon. +We will then go together to the convent, and I will ask for M. M. + +Will seeing her and speaking to her convince you that the woman you +have left at home is a mere impostor?" + +"Perfectly, and I shall pay my wager with the greatest willingness." + +"I may say the same. If, when I summon M. M. to the parlour, the +lay-sister tells us she is ill or busy, we will go, and the wager +will be yours; you will sup with the fair, and I will go elsewhere." + +"So be it; but since all this will be at nighttime, it is possible +that when you ask for her, the sister will tell you that no one can +be seen at such an hour." + +"Then I shall lose." + +"You are quite sure, then, that if she be in the convent she will +come down?" + +"That's my business. I repeat, if you don't speak to her, I shall +hold myself to have lost a hundred sequins, or a thousand if you +like." + +"One can't speak plainer than that, my dear fellow, and I thank you +beforehand." + +"The only thing I ask you is to come sharp to time; and not to come +too late for a convent." + +"Will an hour after sunset suit you?" + +"Admirably." + +"I shall also make it my business to compel my masked mistress to +stop where she is, even though it be M. M. herself." + +"Some won't have long to wait, if you will take her to a casino which +I myself possess at Muran, and where I secretly keep a girl of whom I +am amorous. I will take care that she shall not be there on the +appointed day, and I will give you the key of the casino. I shall +also see that you find a delicate cold supper ready." + +"That is admirable, but I must be able to point out the place to my +Mercury." + +"True! I will give you a supper to-morrow, the greatest secrecy to +be observed between us. We will go to my casino in a gondola, and +after supper we will go out by the street door; thus you will know +the way by land and water. You will only have to tell the procurer +the name of the canal and of the house, and on the day fixed you +shall have the key. You will only find there an old man who lives on +the ground floor, and he will see neither those who go out nor those +who come in. My sweetheart will see nothing and will not be seen; +and all, trust me, will turn out well." + +"I begin to think that I have lost my bet," said the Englishman, who +was delighted with the plan; "but it matters not, I can gaily +encounter either loss or gain." We made our appointment for the next +day, and separated. + +On the following morning I went to Muran to warn Tonine that I was +going to sup with her, and to bring two of my friends; and as my +English friend paid as great court to Bacchus as to Cupid, I took +care to send my little housekeeper several bottles of excellent wine. + +Charmed with the prospect of doing the honours of the table, Tonine +only asked me if my friends would go away after supper. I said yes, +and this reply made her happy; she only cared for the dessert. + +After leaving her I went to the convent and passed an hour with M. M. +in the parlour. I was glad to see that she was getting back her +health and her beauty every day, and having complimented her upon it +I returned to Venice. In the evening my two friends kept their +appointments to the minute, and we went to my little casino at two +hours after sunset. + +Our supper was delicious, and my Tonine charmed me with the +gracefulness of her carriage. I was delighted to see Righelini +enchanted, and the ambassador dumb with admiration. When I was in +love I did not encourage my friends to cajole my sweetheart, but I +became full of complaisance when time had cooled the heat of my +passion. + +We parted about midnight, and having taken Mr. Murray to the spot +where I was to wait for him on the day of trial, I returned to +compliment my charming Tonine as she deserved. She praised my two +friends, and could not express her surprise at seeing our English +friend going away, fresh and nimble on his feet, notwithstanding his +having emptied by himself six bottles of my best wine. Murray looked +like a fine Bacchus after Rubens. + +On Whit Sunday Righelini came to tell me that the English ambassador +had made all arrangements with the pretended procurer of M. M. for +Whit Tuesday. I gave him the keys of my abode at Muran, and told him +to assure Murray that I would keep the appointment at the exact time +arranged upon. + +My impatience brought on palpitation of the heart, which was +extremely painful, and I passed the two nights without closing an +eye; for although I was convinced of M---- M----'s innocence, my +agitation was extreme. But whence all this anxiety? Merely from a +desire to see the ambassador undeceived. M. M. must in his eyes have +seemed a common prostitute, and the moment in which he would be +obliged to confess himself the victim of roguery would re-establish +the honour of the nun. + +Mr. Murray was as impatient as myself, with this difference, that +whereas he, looking upon the adventure as a comic one, only laughed, +I who found it too tragic shuddered with indignation. + +On Tuesday morning I went to Muran to tell Tonine to get a cold +supper after my instruction, to lay the table for two, to get wax +lights ready, and having sent in several bottles of wine I bade her +keep to the room occupied by the old landlord, and not to come out +till the people who were coming in the evening were gone. She +promised to do so, and asked no questions. After leaving her I went +to the convent parlour, and asked to see M---- M----. Not expecting +to see me, she asked me why I had not gone to the pageant of the +Bucentaur, which, the weather being favourable, would set out on this +day. I do not know what I answered, but I know that she found my +words little to the purpose. I came at last to the important point, +and told her I was going to ask a favour of her, on which my peace of +mind depended, but which she must grant blindly without asking any +questions. + +"Tell me what I am to do, sweetheart," said she, "and be sure I will +refuse nothing which may be in my power." + +"I shall be here this evening an hour after sunset, and ask for you +at this grating; come. I shall be with another man, to whom I beg of +you to say a few words of politeness; you can then leave us. Let us +find some pretext to justify the unseasonable hour." + +"I will do what you ask, but you cannot imagine how troublesome it is +in a convent, for at six o'clock the parlours are shut up and the +keys are taken to the abbess' room. However, as you only want me for +five minutes, I will tell the abbess that I am expecting a letter +from my brother, and that it can be sent to me on this evening only. +You must give me a letter that the nun who will be with me may be +able to say that I have not been guilty of deception." + +"You will not come alone, then?" + +"I should not dare even to ask for such a privilege." + +"Very good, but try to come with some old nun who is short-sighted." + +"I will keep the light in the background." + +"Pray do not do so, my beloved; on the contrary, place it so that you +may be distinctly seen." + +"All this is very strange, but I have promised passive obedience, and +I will come down with two lights. May I hope that you will explain +this riddle to me at your next interview?" + +"By to-morrow, at latest, you shall know the whole story." + +"My curiosity will prevent me from sleeping." + +"Not so, dear heart; sleep peacefully, and be sure of my gratitude." + +The reader will think that after this conversation my heart was +perfectly at rest; but how far was I from resting! I returned to +Venice, tortured lest I should be told in the evening at the door of +the cathedral, where we were to meet, that the nun had been obliged +to put off her appointment. If that had happened, I should not have +exactly suspected M---- M----, but the ambassador would have thought +that I had caused the scheme to miscarry. It is certain that in that +case I should not have taken my man to the parlour, but should have +gone there sadly by myself. + +I passed the whole day in these torments, thinking it would never +come to an end, and in the evening I put a letter in my pocket, and +went to my post at the hour agreed upon. + +Fortunately, Murray kept the appointment exactly. + +"Is the nun there?" said I, as soon as he was near me. + +"Yes, my dear fellow. We will go, if you like, to the parlour; but +you will find that we shall be told she is ill or engaged. If you +like, the bet shall be off." + +"God forbid, my dear fellow! I cling to that hundred ducats. Let us +be gone." + +We presented ourselves at the wicket, and I asked for M---- M----, +and the doorkeeper made me breathe again by saying that I was +expected. I entered the parlour with my English friend, and saw that +it was lighted by four candles. I cannot recall these moments +without being in love with life. I take note not only of my noble +mistress's innocence, but also of the quickness of her wit. Murray +remained serious, without a smile on his face. Full of grace and +beauty, M---- M---- came into the room with a lay-sister, each of +them holding a candlestick. She paid me a compliment in good French; +I gave her the letter, and looking at the address and the seal she +put it in her pocket. After thanking me and saying she would reply +in due course, she turned towards my companion: + +"I shall, perhaps, make you lose the first act of the opera," said +she. + +"The pleasure of seeing you, madam, is worth all the operas in the +world." + +"You are English, I think?" + +"Yes, madam." + +"The English are now the greatest people in the world, because they +are free and powerful. Gentlemen, I wish you a very good evening." + +I had never seen M---- M---- looking so beautiful as then, and I went +out of the parlour ablaze with love, and glad as I had never been +before. I walked with long strides towards my casino, without taking +notice of the ambassador, who did not hurry himself in following me; +I waited for him at my door. + +"Well," said I, "are you convinced now that you have been cheated?" + +"Be quiet, we have time enough to talk about that. Let us go +upstairs." + +"Shall I come?" + +"Do. What do you think I could do by myself for four hours with that +creature who is waiting for me? We will amuse ourselves with her." + +"Had we not better turn her out?" + +"No; her master is coming for her at two o'clock in the morning. She +would go and warn him, and he would escape my vengeance. We will +throw them both out of the window." + +"Be moderate, for M---- M----s honour depends on the secrecy we +observe. Let us go upstairs. We shall have some fun. I should like +to see the hussy." + +Murray was the first to enter the room. As soon as the girl saw me, +she threw her handkerchief over her face, and told the ambassador +that such behaviour was unworthy of him. He made no answer. She was +not so tall as M---- M----, and she spoke bad French. + +Her cloak and mask were on the bed, but she was dressed as a nun. As +I wanted to see her face, I politely asked her to do me the favour of +shewing it. + +"I don't know you," said she; "who are you?" + +"You are in my house, and don't know who I am?" + +"I am in your house because I have been betrayed. I did not think +that I should have to do with a scoundrel." + +At this word Murray commanded her to be silent, calling her by the +name of her honourable business; and the slut got up to take her +cloak, saying she would go. Murray pushed her back, and told her +that she would have to wait for her worthy friend, warning her to +make no noise if she wanted to keep out of prison. + +"Put me in prison!" + +With this she directed her hand towards her dress, but I rushed +forward and seized one hand while Murray mastered the other. We +pushed her back on a chair while we possessed ourselves of the +pistols she carried in her pockets. + +Murray tore away the front of her holy habit, and I extracted a +stiletto eight inches long, the false nun weeping bitterly all the +time. + +"Will you hold your tongue, and keep quiet till Capsucefalo comes," +said the ambassador, "or go to prison?" + +"If I keep quiet what will become of me?" + +"I promise to let you go." + +"With him?" + +"Perhaps." + +"Very well, then, I will keep quiet." + +"Have you got any more weapons?" + +Hereupon the slut took off her habit and her petticoat, and if we had +allowed her she would have soon been in a state of nature, no doubt +in the expectation of our passions granting what our reason refused. +I was much astonished to find in her only a false resemblance to +M.M. I remarked as much to the ambassador, who agreed with me, but +made me confess that most men, prepossessed with the idea that they +were going to see M. M., would have fallen into the same trap. In +fact, the longing to possess one's self of a nun who has renounced +all the pleasures of the world, and especially that of cohabitation +with the other sex, is the very apple of Eve, and is more delightful +from the very difficulty of penetrating the convent grating. + +Few of my readers will fail to testify that the sweetest pleasures +are those which are hardest to be won, and that the prize, to obtain +which one would risk one's life, would often pass unnoticed if it +were freely offered without difficulty or hazard. + +In the following chapter, dear reader, you will see the end of this +farcical adventure. In the mean time, let us take a little breath. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +Pleasant Ending of the Adventure of the False Nun--M. M. Finds Out +That I Have d Mistress--She is Avenged on the Wretch Capsucefalo-- +I Ruin Myself at Play, and at the Suggestion of M. M. I Sell all Her +Diamonds, One After Another--I Hand Over Tonine to Murray, Who Makes +Provision for Her--Her Sister Barberine Takes Her Place. + + +How did you make this nice acquaintance?" I asked the ambassador. + +"Six months ago," he replied, "while standing at the convent gate +with Mr. Smith, our consul, in whose company I had been to see some +ceremony or other, I remarked to him, as we were talking over some +nuns we had noticed, 'I would gladly give five hundred sequins for a +few hours of Sister M---- M----s company.' Count Capsucefalo heard +what I said, but made no remark. Mr. Smith answered that one could +only see her at the grating as did the ambassador of France, who +often came to visit her. Capsucefalo called on me the next morning, +and said that if I had spoken in good faith he was sure he could get +me a night with the nun in whatever place I liked, if she could count +on my secrecy. 'I have just been speaking to her,' said he, 'and on +my mentioning your name she said she had noticed you with Mr. Smith, +and vowed she would sup with you more for love than money. 'I,' said +the rascal, 'am the only man she trusts, and I take her to the French +ambassador's casino in Venice whenever she wants to go there. You +need not be afraid of being cheated, as you will give the money to +her personally when you have possessed yourself of her.' With this +he took her portrait from his pocket and shewed it me; and here it +is. I bought it of him two days after I believed myself to have +spent a night with the charming nun, and a fortnight after our +conversation. This beauty here came masked in a nun's habit, and I +was fool enough to think I had got a treasure. I am vexed with +myself for not having suspected the cheat--at all events, when I saw +her hair, as I know that nuns' hair should be cut short. But when I +said something about it to the hussy, she told me they were allowed +to keep their hair under their caps, and I was weak enough to believe +her." + +I knew that on this particular Murray had not been deceived, but I +did not feel compelled to tell him so then and there. + +I held the portrait Murray had given me in my hand, and compared it +with the face before me. In the portrait the breast was bare, and as +I was remarking that painters did those parts as best they could, the +impudent wench seized the opportunity to shew me that the miniature +was faithful to nature. I turned my back upon her with an expression +of contempt which would have mortified her, if these creatures were +ever capable of shame. As we talked things over, I could not help +laughing at the axiom, Things which are equal to the same thing are +equal to one another, for the miniature was like M. M. and like the +courtezan, and yet the two women were not like each other. Murray +agreed with me, and we spent an hour in a philosophical discussion on +the matter. As the false M. M. was named Innocente, we expressed a +wish to know how her name agreed with her profession, and how the +knave had induced her to play the part she had taken; and she told us +the following story: + +"I have known Count Capsucefalo for two years, and have found him +useful, for, though he has given me no money, he has made me profit +largely through the people he has introduced to me. About the end of +last autumn he came to me one day, and said that if I could make up +as a nun with some clothes he would get me, and in that character +pass a night with an Englishman, I should be the better by five +hundred sequins. 'You need not be afraid of anything,' said he, 'as +I myself will take you to the casino where the dupe will be awaiting +you, and I will come and take you back to your imaginary convent +towards the end of the night. He shewed me how I must behave, and +told me what to reply if my lover asked any questions about the +discipline of the convent. + +"I liked the plot, gentlemen, and I told him I was ready to carry it +out. And be pleased to consider that there are not many women of my +profession who would hesitate over a chance of getting five hundred +sequins. Finding the scheme both agreeable and profitable, I +promised to play my part with the greatest skill. The bargain was +struck, and he gave me full instructions as to my dialogue. He told +me that the Englishman could only talk about my convent and any +lovers I might have had; that on the latter point I was to cut him +short, and to answer with a laugh that I did not know what he was +talking about, and even to tell him that I was a nun in appearance +only, and that in the course of toying I might let him see my hair. +'That,' said Capsucefalo, 'won't prevent him from thinking you a nun +--yes! and the very nun he is amorous of, for he will have made up +his mind that you cannot possibly be anyone else.' Seizing the point +of the jest, I did not take the trouble to find out the name of the +nun I was to represent, nor the convent whence I was to come; the +only thing in my head was the five hundred sequins. So little have I +troubled about aught else that, though I passed a delicious night +with you, and found you rather worthy of being paid for than paying, +I have not ascertained who and what you are, and I don't know at this +moment to whom I am speaking. You know what a night I had; I have +told you it was delicious, and I was happy in the idea that I was +going to have another. You have found everything out. I am sorry, +but I am not afraid of anything, since I can put on any disguise I +like, and can't prevent my lovers taking me for a saint if they like +to do so. You have found weapons in my possession, but everyone is +allowed to bear arms in self-defence. I plead not guilty on all +counts." + +"Do you know me?" said I. + +"No, but I have often seen you passing under my window. I live at +St. Roch, near the bridge." + +The way in which the woman told her yarn convinced us that she was an +adept in the science of prostitution, but we thought Capsucefalo, in +spite of the count, worthy of the pillory. The girl was about ten +years older than M. M., she was pretty, but light-complexioned, while +my beautiful nun had fine dark brown hair and was at least three +inches taller. + +After twelve o'clock we sat down to supper, and did honour to the +excellent meal which my dear Antoinette had prepared for us. We were +cruel enough to leave the poor wretch without offering her so much as +a glass of wine, but we thought it our duty. + +While we were talking, the jolly Englishman made some witty comments +on my eagerness to convince him that he had not enjoyed M. M.'s +favours. + +"I can't believe," said he, "that you have shewn so much interest +without being in love with the divine nun." + +I answered by saying that if I were her lover I was much to be pitied +in being condemned to go to the parlour, and no farther. + +"I would gladly give a hundred guineas a month," said he, "to have +the privilege of visiting her at the grating." + +So saying he gave me my hundred sequins, complimenting me on my +success, and I slipped them forthwith into my pocket. + +At two o'clock in the morning we heard a soft knock on the street +door. + +"Here is our friend," I said, "be discreet, and you will see that he +will make a full confession." + +He came in and saw Murray and the lady, but did not discover that a +third party was present till he heard the ante-room door being +locked. He turned round and saw me, and as he knew me, merely said, +without losing countenance: + +"Ah, you are here; you know, of course, that the secret must be +kept?" + +Murray laughed and calmly asked him to be seated, and he enquired, +with the lady's pistols in his hands, where he was going to take her +before day-break. + +"Home." + +"I think you may be mistaken, as it is very possible that when you +leave this place you will both of you be provided with a bed in +prison." + +"No, I am not afraid of that happening; the thing would make too much +noise, and the laugh would not be on your side. Come," said he to +his mate, "put on your cloak and let us be off." + +The ambassador, who like an Englishman kept quite cool the whole +time, poured him out a glass of Chambertin, and the blackguard drank +his health. Murray seeing he had on a fine ring set with brilliants, +praised it, and shewing some curiosity to see it more closely he drew +it off the fellow's finger, examined it, found it without flaw, and +asked how much it was worth. Capsucefalo, a little taken aback, said +it cost him four hundred sequins. + +"I will hold it as a pledge for that sum," said the ambassador, +putting the ring into his pocket. The other looked chop-fallen, and +Murray laughing at his retiring manners told the girl to put on her +cloak and to pack off with her worthy acolyte. She did so directly, +and with a low bow they disappeared. + +"Farewell, nun procurer!" said the ambassador, but the count made no +answer. + +As soon as they were gone I thanked Murray warmly for the moderation +he had shewn, as a scandal would have only injured three innocent +people. + +"Be sure," said he, "that the guilty parties shall be punished +without anyone's knowing the reason" + +I then made Tonine come upstairs, and my English friend offered her a +glass of wine, which she declined with much modesty and politeness. +Murray looked at her with flaming glances, and left after giving me +his heartiest thanks. + +Poor little Tonine had been resigned, and obedient for many hours, +and she had good cause to think I had been unfaithful to her; +however, I gave her the most unmistakable proofs of my fidelity. We +stayed in bed for six hours, and rose happy in the morning. + +After dinner I hurried off to my noble M---- M----, and told her the +whole story. She listened eagerly, her various feelings flitting +across her face. Fear, anger, wrath, approval of my method of +clearing up my natural suspicions, joy at discovering me still her +lover--all were depicted in succession in her glance, and in the play +of her features, and in the red and white which followed one another +on her cheeks and forehead. She was delighted to hear that the +masker who was with me in the parlour was the English ambassador, but +she became nobly disdainful when I told her that he would gladly give +a hundred guineas a month for the pleasure of visiting her in the +parlour. She was angry with him for fancying that she had been in +his power, and for finding a likeness between her and a portrait, +when, so she said, there was no likeness at all; I had given her the +portrait. She added, with a shrewd smile, that she was sure I had +not let my little maid see the false nun, as she might have been +mistaken. + +"You know, do you, that I have a young servant?" + +"Yes, and a pretty one, too. She is Laura's daughter, and if you +love her I am very glad, and so is C---- C----. I hope you will let +me have a sight of her. C---- C---- has seen her before." + +As I saw that she knew too much for me to be able to deceive her, I +took my cue directly and told her in detail the history of my amours. +She shewed her satisfaction too openly not to be sincere. Before I +left her she said her honour obliged her to get Capsucefalo +assassinated, for the wretch had wronged her beyond pardon. By way +of quieting her I promised that if the ambassador did not rid us of +him within the week I would charge myself with the execution of our +common vengeance. + +About this time died Bragadin the procurator, brother of my patron, +leaving M. de Bragadin sufficiently well off. However, as the family +threatened to become extinct, he desired a woman who had been his +mistress, and of whom he had had a natural son, to become his wife. +By this marriage the son would have become legitimate, and the family +renewed again. The College of Cardinals would have recognized the +wife for a small fee, and all would have gone admirably. + +The woman wrote to me, asking me to call on her; and I was going to, +curious to know what a woman, whom I did not know from Adam, could +want with me, when I received a summons from M. de Bragadin. He +begged me to ask Paralis if he ought to follow De la Haye's advice in +a matter he had promised not to confide to me, but of which the +oracle must be informed. The oracle, naturally opposed to the +Jesuit, told him to consult his own feelings and nothing else. After +this I went to the lady. + +She began by telling me the whole story. She introduced her son to +me, and told me that if the marriage could be performed, a deed would +be delivered in my favour by which, at the death of M. de Bragadin, +I should become entitled to an estate worth five thousand crowns per +annum. + +As I guessed without much trouble that this was the same matter which +De la Haye had proposed to M. de Bragadin, I answered without +hesitation that since De la Haye was before me I could do nothing, +and thereupon made her my bow. + +I could not help wondering at this Jesuit's continually intriguing to +marry my old friends without my knowledge. Two years ago, if I had +not set my face against it, he would have married M. Dandolo. I +cared not a whit whether the family of Bragadin became extinct or +not, but I did care for the life of my benefactor, and was quite sure +that marriage would shorten it by many years; he was already sixty- +three, and had recovered from a serious apoplectic stroke. + +I went to dine with Lady Murray (English-women who are daughters of +lords keep the title), and after dinner the ambassador told me that +he had told M. Cavalli the whole story of the false nun, and that the +secretary had informed him, the evening before, that everything had +been done to his liking. Count Capsucefalo had been sent to +Cephalonia, his native country, with the order never to return to +Venice, and the courtezan had disappeared. + +The fine part, or rather the fearful part, about these sentences is +that no one ever knows the reason why or wherefore, and that the lot +may fall on the innocent as well as the guilty. M. M. was delighted +with the event, and I was more pleased than she, for I should have +been sorry to have been obliged to soil my hands with the blood of +that rascally count. + +There are seasons in the life of men which may be called 'fasti' and +'nefasti'; I have proved this often in my long career, and on the +strength of the rubs and struggles I have had to encounter. I am +able, as well as any man, to verify the truth of this axiom. I had +just experienced a run of luck. Fortune had befriended me at play, I +had been happy in the society of men, and from love I had nothing to +ask; but now the reverse of the medal began to appear. Love was +still kind, but Fortune had quite left me, and you will soon see, +reader, that men used me no better than the blind goddess. +Nevertheless, since one's fate has phases as well as the moon, good +follows evil as disasters succeed to happiness. + +I still played on the martingale, but with such bad luck that I was +soon left without a sequin. As I shared my property with M. M. I was +obliged to tell her of my losses, and it was at her request that I +sold all her diamonds, losing what I got for them; she had now only +five hundred sequins by her. There was no more talk of her escaping +from the convent, for we had nothing to live on! I still gamed, but +for small stakes, waiting for the slow return of good luck. + +One day the English ambassador, after giving me a supper at his +casino with the celebrated Fanny Murray, asked me to let him sup at +my casino at Muran, which I now only kept up for the sake of Tonine. +I granted him the favour, but did not imitate his generosity. He +found my little mistress smiling and polite, but always keeping +within the bounds of decency, from which he would have very willingly +excused her. The next morning he wrote to me as follows: + +"I am madly in love with Tonine. If you like to hand her over to me +I will make the following provision for her: I will set her up in a +suitable lodging which I will furnish throughout, and which I will +give to her with all its contents, provided that I may visit her +whenever I please, and that she gives me all the rights of a +fortunate lover. I will give her a maid, a cook, and thirty sequins +a month as provision for two people, without reckoning the wine, +which I will procure myself. Besides this I will give her a life +income of two hundred crowns per annum, over which she will have full +control after living with me for a year. I give you a week to send +your answer." + +I replied immediately that I would let him know in three days whether +his proposal were accepted, for Tonine had a mother of whom she was +fond, and she would possibly not care to do anything without her +consent. I also informed him that in all appearance the girl was +with child. + +The business was an important one for Tonine. I loved her, but I +knew perfectly well that we could not pass the rest of our lives +together, and I saw no prospect of being able to make her as good a +provision as that offered by the ambassador. Consequently I had no +doubts on the question, and the very same day I went to Muran and +told her all. + +"You wish to leave me, then," said she, in tears. + +"I love you, dearest, and what I propose ought to convince you of my +love." + +"Not so; I cannot serve two masters." + +"You will only serve your new lover, sweetheart. I beg of you to +reflect that you will have a fine dowry, on the strength of which you +may marry well; and that however much I love you I cannot possibly +make so good a provision for you." + +"Leave me to-day for tears and reflection, and come to supper with me +to-morrow." + +I did not fail to keep the appointment. + +"I think your English friend is a very pretty man," she said, "and +when he speaks in the Venetian dialect it makes me die with laughter. +If my mother agrees, I might, perhaps, force myself to love him. +Supposing we did not agree we could part at the end of a year, and I +should be the richer by an income of two hundred crowns." + +"I am charmed with the sense of your arguments; speak about it to +your mother." + +"I daren't, sweetheart; this kind of thing is too delicate to be +discussed between a mother and her daughter speak to her yourself." + +"I will, indeed." + +Laura, whom I had not seen since she had given me her daughter, asked +for no time to think it over, but full of glee told me that now her +daughter would be able to soothe her declining years, and that she +would leave Muran of which she was tired. She shewed me a hundred +and thirty sequins which Tonine had gained in my service, and which +she had placed in her hands. + +Barberine, Tonine's younger sister, came to kiss my hand. I thought +her charming, and I gave her all the silver in my pocket. I then +left, telling Laura that I should expect her at my house. She soon +followed me, and gave her child a mother's blessing, telling her that +she and her family could go and live in Venice for sixty sous a day. +Tonine embraced her, and told her that she should have it. + +This important affair having been managed to everybody's +satisfaction, I went to see M---- M----, who came into the parlour +with C---- C----, whom I found looking sad, though prettier than +ever. She was melancholy, but none the less tender. She could not +stay for more than a quarter of an hour for fear of being seen, as +she was forbidden ever to go into the parlour. I told M. M. the +story of Tonine, who was going to live with Murray in Venice; she was +sorry to hear it, "for," said she, "now that you have no longer any +attraction at Muran, I shall see you less than ever." I promised to +come and see her often, but vain promises! The time was near which +parted us for ever. + +The same evening I went to tell the good news to my friend Murray. +He was in a transport of joy, and begged me to come and sup with him +at his casino the day after next, and to bring the girl with me, that +the surrender might be made in form. I did not fail him, for once +the matter was decided, I longed to bring it to an end. In my +presence he assigned to her the yearly income for her life of two +hundred Venetian ducats, and by a second deed he gave her all the +contents of the house with which he was going to provide her, +provided always that she lived with him for a year. He allowed her +to receive me as a friend, also to receive her mother and sisters, +and she was free to go and see them when she would. Tonine threw her +arms about his neck, and assured him that she would endeavour to +please him to the utmost of her ability. "I will see him," said she, +pointing to me, "but as his friend he shall have nothing more from +me." Throughout this truly affecting scene she kept back her tears, +but I could not conceal mine. Murray was happy, but I was not long a +witness of his good fortune, the reason of which I will explain a +little later. + +Three days afterwards Laura came to me, told me that she was living +in Venice, and asked me to take her to her daughter's. I owed this +woman too much to refuse her, and I took her there forthwith. Tonine +gave thanks to God, and also to me, and her mother took up the song, +for they were not quite sure whether they were more indebted to God +or to me. Tonine was eloquent in her praise of Murray, and made no +complaint at my not having come to see her, at which I was glad. As +I was going Laura asked me to take her back in my gondola, and as we +had to pass by the house in which she lived she begged me to come in +for a moment, and I could not hurt her feelings by refusing. I owe +it to my honour to remark here that I was thus polite without +thinking that I should see Barberine again. + +This girl, as pretty as her sister, though in another style, began by +awakening my curiosity--a weakness which usually renders the +profligate man inconstant. If all women were to have the same +features, the same disposition, and the same manners, men would not +only never be inconstant, but would never be in love. Under that +state of things one would choose a wife by instinct and keep to her +till death, but our world would then be under a different system to +the present. Novelty is the master of the soul. We know that what +we do not see is very nearly the same as what we have seen, but we +are curious, we like to be quite sure, and to attain our ends we give +ourselves as much trouble as if we were certain of finding some prize +beyond compare. + +Barberine, who looked upon me as an old friend--for her mother had +accustomed her to kiss my hand whenever I went there, who had +undressed more than once in my presence without troubling about me, +who knew I had made her sister's fortune and the family fortune as +well, and thought herself prettier than Tonine because her skin was +fairer, and because she had fine black eyes, desiring to take her +sister's place, knew that to succeed she must take me by storm. Her +common sense told her that as I hardly ever came to the house, I +should not be likely to become amorous of her unless she won me by +storm; and to this end she shewed the utmost complaisance when she +had the chance, so that I won her without any difficulty. All this +reasoning came from her own head, for I am sure her mother gave her +no instructions. Laura was a mother of a kind common the world over, +but especially in Italy. She was willing to take advantage of the +earnings of her daughters, but she would never have induced them to +take the path of evil. There her virtue stopped short. + +After I had inspected her two rooms and her little kitchen, and had +admired the cleanness which shone all around, Barberine asked me if I +would like to see their small garden. + +"With pleasure," I replied, "for a garden is a rarity in Venice." + +Her mother told her to give me some figs if there were any ripe ones. +The garden consisted of about thirty square feet, and grew only salad +herbs and a fine fig tree. It had not a good crop, and I told her +that I could not see any figs. + +"I can see some at the top," said Barberine, "and I will gather them +if you will hold me the ladder." + +"Yes, climb away; I will hold it quite firmly." + +She stepped up lightly, and stretching out an arm to get at some figs +to one side of her, she put her body off its balance, holding on to +the ladder with the other hand. + +"My dear Barberine, what do you think I can see?" + +"What you have often seen with my sister." + +"That's true! but you are prettier than she is." + +The girl made no reply, but, as if she could not reach the fruit, she +put her foot on a high branch, and spewed me the most seductive +picture. I was in an ecstasy, and Barberine, who saw it, did not +hurry herself. At last I helped her to come down, and letting my +hand wander indiscreetly, I asked her if the fruit I held had been +plucked, and she kept me a long time telling me it was quite fresh. +I took her within my arms, and already her captive, I pressed her +amorously to my heart, printing on her lips a fiery kiss, which she +gave me back with as much ardour. + +"Will you give me what I have caught, dearest?" + +"My mother is going to Muran to-morrow, and she will stay there all +the day; if you come, there is nothing I will refuse you." + +When speech like this proceeds from a mouth still innocent, the man +to whom it is addressed ought to be happy, for desires are but pain +and torment, and enjoyment is sweet because it delivers us from them. +This shews that those who prefer a little resistance to an easy +conquest are in the wrong; but a too easy conquest often points to a +depraved nature, and this men do not like, however depraved they +themselves may be. + +We returned to the house, and I gave Barberine a tender kiss before +Laura's eyes, telling her that she had a very jewel in her daughter-- +a compliment which made her face light up with pleasure. I gave the +dear girl ten sequins, and I went away congratulating myself, but +cursing my luck at not being able to make as good provision for +Barberine as Murray had made for her sister. + +Tonine had told me that for manners' sake I should sup once with her. +I went the same evening and found Righelini and Murray there. The +supper was delicious, and I was delighted with the excellent +understanding the two lovers had already come to. I complimented the +ambassador on the loss of one of his tastes, and he told me he should +be very sorry at such a loss, as it would warn him of his declining +powers. + +"But," said I, "you used to like to perform the mysterious sacrifice +of Love without a veil." + +"It was not I but Ancilla who liked it, and as I preferred pleasing +her to pleasing myself, I gave in to her taste without any +difficulty." + +"I am delighted with your answer, as I confess it would cost me +something to be the witness of your exploits with Tonine." + +Having casually remarked that I had no longer a house in Muran, +Righelini told me that if I liked he could get me a delightful house +at a low rent on the Tondamente Nuovo. + +As this quarter facing north, and as agreeable in summer as +disagreeable in winter, was opposite to Muran, where I should have to +go twice a week, I told the doctor I should be glad to look at the +house. + +I took leave of the rich and fortunate ambassador at midnight, and +before passing the day with my new prize I went to sleep so as to be +fresh and capable of running a good course. + +I went to Barberine at an early hour, and as soon as she saw me she +said, + +"My mother will not be back till the evening, and my brother will +take his dinner at the school. Here is a fowl, a ham, some cheese, +and two bottles of Scopolo wine. We will take our mess whenever you +like:" + +"You astonish me, sweetheart, for how did you manage to get such a +good dinner?" + +"We owe it to my mother, so to her be the praise." + +"You have told her, then, what we are going to do?" + +"No, not I, for I know nothing about it; but I told her you were +coming to see me, and at the same time I gave her the ten sequins." + +"And what did your mother say?" + +"She said she wouldn't be sorry if you were to love me as you loved +my sister." + +"I love you better, though I love her well." + +"You love her? Why have you left her, then?" + +"I have not left her, for we supped together yesterday evening; but +we no longer live together as lovers, that is all. I have yielded +her up to a rich friend of mine, who has made her fortune." + +"That is well, though I don't understand much about these affairs. I +hope you will tell Tonine that I have taken her place, and I should +be very pleased if you would let her know that you are quite sure you +are my first lover." + +"And supposing the news vexes her?" + +"So much the better. Will you do it for me? it's the first favour I +have asked of you." + +"I promise to do so." + +After this rapid dialogue we took breakfast, and then, perfectly +agreed, we went to bed, rather as if we were about to sacrifice to +Hymen than to love. + +The game was new to Barberine, and her transports, her green notions- +-which she told me openly--her inexperience, or rather her +awkwardness, enchanted me. I seemed for the first time to pluck the +fruit of the tree of knowledge, and never had I tasted fruit so +delicious. My little maid would have been ashamed to let me see how +the first thorn hurt her, and to convince me that she only smelt the +rose, she strove to make me think she experienced more pleasure than +is possible in a first trial, always more or less painful. She was +not yet a big girl, the roses on her swelling breasts were as yet but +buds, and she was a woman only in her heart. + +After more than one assault delivered and sustained with spirit, we +got up for dinner, and after we had refreshed ourselves we mounted +once more the altar of love, where we remained till the evening. +Laura found us dressed and well pleased with each other on her +return. I made Barberine another present of twenty sequins, I swore +to love her always, and went on my way. At the time I certainly +meant to keep to my oath, but that which destiny had in store for me +could not be reconciled with these promises which welled forth from +my soul in a moment of excitement. + +The next morning Righelini took me to see the lodging he had spoken +to me about. I liked it and took it on the spot, paying the first +quarter in advance. The house belonged to a widow with two +daughters, the elder of whom had just been blooded. Righelini was +her doctor, and had treated her for nine months without success. As +he was going to pay her a visit I went in with him, and found myself +in the presence of a fine waxen statue. Surprise drew from me these +words: + +"She is pretty, but the sculptor should give her some colour." + +On which the statue smiled in a manner which would have been charming +if her lips had but been red. + +"Her pallor," said Righelini, "will not astonish you when I tell you +she has just been blooded for the hundred and fourth time." + +I gave a very natural gesture of surprise. + +This fine girl had attained the age of eighteen years without +experiencing the monthly relief afforded by nature, the result being +that she felt a deathly faintness three or four times a week, and the +only relief was to open the vein. + +"I want to send her to the country," said the doctor, "where pure and +wholesome air, and, above all, more exercise, will do her more good +than all the drugs in the world." + +After I had been told that my bed should be made ready by the +evening, I went away with Righelini, who told me that the only cure +for the girl would be a good strong lover. + +"But my dear doctor," said I, "can't you make your own prescription?" + +"That would be too risky a game, for I might find myself compelled to +marry her, and I hate marriage like the devil." + +Though I was no better inclined towards marriage than the doctor, I +was too near the fire not to get burnt, and the reader will see in +the next chapter how I performed the miraculous cure of bringing the +colours of health into the cheeks of this pallid beauty. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +The Fair Invalid I Cure Her--A Plot Formed to Ruin Me--What Happened +at the House of the Young Countess Bonafede--The Erberia--Domiciliary +Visit--My Conversation with M. de Bragadin--I Am Arrested by Order of +the State Inquisitors. + +After leaving Dr. Righelini I went to sup with M. de Bragadin, and +gave the generous and worthy old man a happy evening. This was +always the case; I made him and his two good friends happy whenever I +took meals with them. + +Leaving them at an early hour, I went to my lodging and was greatly +surprised to find my bedroom balcony occupied. A young lady of an +exquisite figure rose as soon as she saw me, and gracefully asked me +pardon for the liberty she had taken. + +"I am," she said, "the statue you saw this morning. We do not light +the candles in the evening for fear of attracting the gnats, but when +you want to go to bed we will shut the door and go away. I beg to +introduce you to my younger sister, my mother has gone to bed." + +I answered her to the effect that the balcony was always at her +service, and that since it was still early I begged their permission +to put on my dressing-gown and to keep them company. Her +conversation was charming; she made me spend two most delightful +hours, and did not leave me till twelve o'clock. Her younger sister +lighted me a candle, and as they went they wished me a good night. + +I lay down full of this pretty girl, and I could not believe that she +was really ill. She spoke to the point, she was cheerful, clever, +and full of spirits. I could not understand how it came to pass that +she had not been already cured in a town like Venice, if her cure was +really only to be effected in the manner described by Dr. Righelini; +for in spite of her pallor she seemed to me quite fair enough to +charm a lover, and I believed her to be spirited enough to determine +to take the most agreeable medicine a doctor can prescribe. + +In the morning I rang the bell as I was getting up, and the younger +sister came into my room, and said that as they kept no servant she +had come to do what I wanted. I did not care to have a servant when +I was not at M. de Bragadin's, as I found myself more at liberty to +do what I liked. After she had done me some small services, I asked +her how her sister was. + +"Very well," said she, "for her pale complexion is not an illness, +and she only suffers when her breath fails her. She has a very good +appetite, and sleeps as well as I do." + +"Whom do I hear playing the violin?" + +"It's the dancing master giving my sister a lesson." + +I hurried over my dressing that I might see her; and I found her +charming, though her old dancing master allowed her to turn in her +toes. All that this young and beautiful girl wanted was the +Promethean spark, the colour of life; her whiteness was too like +snow, and was distressing to look at. + +The dancing master begged me to dance a minuet with his pupil, and I +assented, asking him to play larghissimo. "The signorina would find +it too tiring," said he; but she hastened to answer that she did not +feel weak, and would like to dance thus. She danced very well, but +when we had done she was obliged to throw herself in a chair. "In +future, my dear master," said she, "I will only dance like that, for +I think the rapid motion will do me good." + +When the master was gone, I told her that her lessons were too short, +and that her master was letting her get into bad habits. I then set +her feet, her shoulders, and her arms in the proper manner. I taught +her how to give her hand gracefully, to bend her knees in time; in +fine, I gave her a regular lesson for an hour, and seeing that she +was getting rather tired I begged her to sit down, and I went out to +pay a visit to M. M. + +I found her very sad, for C---- C----'s father was dead, and they had +taken her out of the convent to marry her to a lawyer. Before +leaving C---- C---- had left a letter for me, in which she said that +if I would promise to marry her at some time suitable to myself, she +would wait for me, and refuse all other offers. I answered her +straightforwardly that I had no property and no prospects, that I +left her free, advising her not to refuse any offer which might be to +her advantage. + +In spite of this dismissal C---- C---- did not marry N---- till after +my flight from The Leads, when nobody expected to see me again in +Venice. I did not see her for nineteen years, and then I was grieved +to find her a widow, and poorly off. If I went to Venice now I +should not marry her, for at my age marriage is an absurdity, but I +would share with her my little all, and live with her as with a dear +sister. + +When I hear women talking about the bad faith and inconstancy of men, +and maintaining that when men make promises of eternal constancy they +are always deceivers, I confess that they are right, and join in +their complaints. Still it cannot be helped, for the promises of +lovers are dictated by the heart, and consequently the lamentations +of women only make me want to laugh. Alas! we love without heeding +reason, and cease to love in the same manner. + +About this time I received a letter from the Abbe de Bernis, who +wrote also to M---- M----. He told me that I ought to do my utmost +to make our nun take a reasonable view of things, dwelling on the +risks I should run in carrying her off and bringing her to Paris, +where all his influence would be of no avail to obtain for us that +safety so indispensable to happiness. I saw M---- M----; we shewed +each other our letters, she had some bitter tears, and her grief +pierced me to the heart. I still had a great love for her in spite +of my daily infidelities, and when I thought of those moments in +which I had seen her given over to voluptuousness I could not help +pitying her fate as I thought of the days of despair in store for +her. But soon after this an event happened which gave rise to some +wholesome reflections. One day, when I had come to see her, she +said, + +"They have just been burying a nun who died of consumption the day +before yesterday in the odour of sanctity. She was called 'Maria +Concetta.' She knew you, and told C---- C---- your name when you +used to come to mass on feast days. C---- C---- begged her to be +discreet, but the nun told her that you were a dangerous man, whose +presence should be shunned by a young girl. C---- C---- told me all +this after the mask of Pierrot." + +"What was this saint's name when she was in the world?" + +"Martha." + +"I know her." + +I then told M---- M---- the whole history of my loves with Nanette +and Marton, ending with the letter she wrote me, in which she said +that she owed me, indirectly, that eternal salvation to which she +hoped to attain. + +In eight or ten days my conversation with my hostess' daughter-- +conversation which took place on the balcony, and which generally +lasted till midnight--and the lesson I gave her every morning, +produced the inevitable and natural results; firstly, that she no +longer complained of her breath failing, and, secondly, that I fell +in love with her. Nature's cure had not yet relieved her, but she no +longer needed to be let blood. Righelini came to visit her as usual, +and seeing that she was better he prophesied that nature's remedy, +without which only art could keep her alive, would make all right +before the autumn. Her mother looked upon me as an angel sent by God +to cure her daughter, who for her part shewed me that gratitude which +with women is the first step towards love. I had made her dismiss +her old dancing master, and I had taught her to dance with extreme +grace. + +At the end of these ten or twelve days, just as I was going to give +her her lesson, her breath failed instantaneously, and she fell back +into my arms like a dead woman. I was alarmed, but her mother, who +had become accustomed to see her thus, sent for the surgeon, and her +sister unlaced her. I was enchanted with her exquisite bosom, which +needed no colouring to make it more beautiful. I covered it up, +saying that the surgeon would make a false stroke if he were to see +her thus uncovered; but feeling that I laid my hand upon her with +delight, she gently repulsed me, looking at me with a languishing +gaze which made the deepest impression on me. + +The surgeon came and bled her in the arm, and almost instantaneously +she recovered full consciousness. At most only four ounces of blood +were taken from her, and her mother telling me that this was the +utmost extent to which she was blooded, I saw it was no such matter +for wonder as Righelini represented it, for being blooded twice a +week she lost three pounds of blood a month, which she would have +done naturally if the vessels had not been obstructed. + +The surgeon had hardly gone out of the door when to my astonishment +she told me that if I would wait for her a moment she would come back +and begin her dancing. This she did, and danced as if there had been +nothing the matter. + +Her bosom, on which two of my senses were qualified to give evidence, +was the last stroke, and made me madly in love with her. I returned +to the house in the evening, and found her in her room with the +sister. She told me that she was expecting her god-father, who was +an intimate friend of her father's, and had come every evening to +spend an hour with her for the last eighteen years. + +"How old is he?" + +"He is over fifty." + +"Is he a married man?" + +"Yes, his name is Count S----. He is as fond of me as a father would +be, and his affection has continued the same since my childhood. +Even his wife comes to see me sometimes, and to ask me to dinner. +Neat autumn I am going into the country with her, and I hope the +fresh air will do me good. My god-father knows you are staying with +us and is satisfied. He does not know you, but if you like you can +make his acquaintance." + +I was glad to hear all this, as I gained a good deal of useful +information without having to ask any awkward questions. The +friendship of this Greek looked very like love. He was the husband +of Countess S----, who had taken me to the convent at Muran two years +before. + +I found the count a very polite man. He thanked me in a paternal +manner for my kindness to his daughter, and begged me to do him the +honour of dining with him on the following day, telling me that he +would introduce me to his wife. I accepted his invitation with +pleasure, for I was fond of dramatic situations, and my meeting with +the countess promised to be an exciting one. This invitation bespoke +the courteous gentleman, and I charmed my pretty pupil by singing his +praises after he had gone. + +"My god-father," said she, "is in possession of all the necessary +documents for withdrawing from the house of Persico our family +fortune, which amounts to forty thousand crowns. A quarter of this +sum belongs to me,, and my mother has promised my sister and myself +to share her dowry between us." + +I concluded from this that she would bring her husband fifteen +thousand Venetian ducats. + +I guessed that she was appealing to me with her fortune, and wished +to make me in love with her by shewing herself chary of her favours; +for whenever I allowed myself any small liberties, she checked me +with words, of remonstrance to which I could find no answer. I +determined to make her pursue another course. + +Next day I took her with me to her god-father's without telling her +that I knew the countess. I fancied the lady would pretend not to +know me, but I was wrong, as she welcomed me in the handsomest manner +as if I were an old friend. This, no doubt, was a surprise for the +count, but he was too much a man of the world to, shew any +astonishment. He asked her when she had made my acquaintance, and +she, like a woman of experience, answered without the slightest +hesitation that we had seen each other two years ago at Mira. The +matter was settled, and we spent a very pleasant day. + +Towards evening I took the young lady in my gondola back to the +house, but wishing to shorten the journey I allowed myself to indulge +in a few caresses. I was hurt at being responded to by reproaches, +and for that reason, as soon as she had set foot on her own doorstep, +instead of getting out I went to Tonine's house, and spent nearly the +whole night there with the ambassador, who came a little after me. +Next day, as I did not get up till quite late, there was no dancing +lesson, and when I excused myself she told me not to trouble any more +about it. In the evening I sat on the balcony far into the night, +but she did not come. Vexed at this air of indifference I rose early +in the morning and went out, not returning till nightfall. She was +on the balcony, but as she kept me at a respectful distance I only +talked to her on commonplace subjects. In the morning I was roused +by a tremendous noise. I got up, and hurriedly putting on my +dressing-gown ran into her room to see what was the matter, only to +find her dying. I had no need to feign an interest in her, for I +felt the most tender concern. As it was at the beginning of July it +was extremely hot, and my fair invalid was only covered by a thin +sheet. She could only speak to me with her eyes, but though the lids +were lowered she looked upon me so lovingly! I asked her if she +suffered from palpitations, and laying my hand upon her heart I +pressed a fiery kiss upon her breast. This was the electric spark, +for she gave a sigh which did her good. She had not strength to +repulse the hand which I pressed amorously upon her heart, and +becoming bolder I fastened my burning lips upon her languid mouth. +I warmed her with my breath, and my audacious hand penetrated to the +very sanctuary of bliss. She made an effort to push me back, and +told me with her eyes, since she could not speak, how insulted she +felt. I drew back my hand, and at that moment the surgeon came. +Hardly was the vein opened when she drew a long breath, and by the +time the operation was over she wished to get up. I entreated her to +stay in bed, and her mother added her voice to mine; at last I +persuaded her, telling her that I would not leave her for a second, +and that I would have my dinner by her bedside. She then put on a +corset and asked her sister to draw a sarcenet coverlet over her, as +her limbs could be seen as plainly as through a crape veil. + +Having given orders for my dinner, I sat down by her bedside, burning +with love, and taking her hand and covering it with kisses I told her +that I was sure she would get better if she would let herself love. + +"Alas!" she said, "whom shall I love, not knowing whether I shall be +loved in return?" + +I did not leave this question unanswered, and continuing the amorous +discourse with animation I won a sigh and a lovelorn glance. I put +my hand on her knee, begging her to let me leave it there, and +promising to go no farther, but little by little I attained the +center, and strove to give her some pleasant sensations. + +"Let me alone," said she, in a sentimental voice, drawing away, "'tis +perchance the cause of my illness." + +"No, sweetheart," I replied, "that cannot be." And my mouth stopped +all her objections upon her lips. + +I was enchanted, for I was now in a fair way, and I saw the moment of +bliss in the distance, feeling certain that I could effect a cure if +the doctor was not mistaken. I spared her all indiscreet questions +out of regard for her modesty; but I declared myself her lover, +promising to ask nothing of her but what was necessary to feed the +fire of my love. They sent me up a very good dinner, and she did +justice to it; afterwards saying that she was quite well she got up, +and I went away to dress myself for going out. I came back early in +the evening, and found her on my balcony. There, as I sat close to +her looking into her face, speaking by turns the language of the eyes +and that of sighs, fixing my amorous gaze upon those charms which the +moonlight rendered sweeter, I made her share in the fire which +consumed me; and as I pressed her amorously to my bosom she completed +my bliss with such warmth that I could easily see that she thought +she was receiving a favour and not granting one. I sacrificed the +victim without staining the altar with blood. + +Her sister came to tell her that it grew late. + +"Do you go to bed," she answered; "the fresh air is doing me good, +and I want to enjoy it a little longer." + +As soon as we were alone we went to bed together as if we had been +doing it for a whole year, and we passed a glorious night, I full of +love and the desire of curing her, and she of tender and ardent +voluptuousness. At day-break she embraced me, her eyes dewy with +bliss, and went to lie down in her own bed. I, like her, stood in +need of a rest, and on that day there was no talk of a dancing +lesson. In spite of the fierce pleasure of enjoyment and the +transports of this delightful girl, I did not for a moment lay +prudence aside. We continued to pass such nights as these for three +weeks, and I had the pleasure of seeing her thoroughly cured. I +should doubtless have married her, if an event had not happened to me +towards the end of the month, of which I shall speak lower down. + +You will remember, dear reader, about a romance by the Abbe Chiari, a +satirical romance which Mr. Murray had given me, and in which I fared +badly enough at the author's hands I had small reason to be pleased +with him, and I let him know my opinion in such wise that the abbe +who dreaded a caning, kept upon his guard. About the same time I +received an anonymous letter, the writer of which told me that I +should be better occupied in taking care of myself than in thoughts +of chastising the abbe, for I was threatened by an imminent danger. +Anonymous letter-writers should be held in contempt, but one ought to +know how, on occasion, to make the best of advice given in that way. +I did nothing, and made a great mistake. + +About the same time a man named Manuzzi, a stone setter for his first +trade, and also a spy, a vile agent of the State Inquisitors--a man +of whom I knew nothing--found a way to make my acquaintance by +offering to let me have diamonds on credit, and by this means he got +the entry of my house. As he was looking at some books scattered +here and there about the room, he stopped short at the manuscripts +which were on magic. Enjoying foolishly enough, his look of +astonishment, I shewed him the books which teach one how to summon +the elementary spirits. My readers will, I hope, do me the favour to +believe that I put no faith in these conjuring books, but I had them +by me and used to amuse myself with them as one does amuse one's self +with the multitudinous follies which proceed from the heads of +visionaries. A few days after, the traitor came to see me and told +me that a collector, whose name he might not tell me, was ready to +give me a thousand sequins for my five books, but that he would like +to examine them first to see if they were genuine. As he promised to +let me have them back in twenty-four hours, and not thinking much +about the matter, I let him have them. He did not fail to bring them +back the next day, telling me that the collector thought them +forgeries. I found out, some years after, that he had taken them to +the State Inquisitors, who thus discovered that I was a notable +magician. + +Everything that happened throughout this fatal month tended to my +ruin, for Madame Memmo, mother of Andre, Bernard, and Laurent Memmo, +had taken it into her head that I had inclined her sons to atheistic +opinions, and took counsel with the old knight Antony Mocenigo, +M. de Bragadin's uncle, who was angry with me, because, as he said, +I had conspired to seduce his nephew. The matter was a serious one, +and an auto-da-fe was very possible, as it came under the +jurisdiction of the Holy Office--a kind of wild beast, with which it +is not good to quarrel. Nevertheless, as there would be some +difficulty in shutting me up in the ecclesiastical prisons of the +Holy Office, it was determined to carry my case before the State +Inquisitors, who took upon themselves the provisional duty of putting +a watch upon my manner of living. + +M. Antony Condulmer, who as a friend of Abbe Chiari's was an enemy of +mine, was then an Inquisitor of State, and he took the opportunity of +looking upon me in the light of a disturber of the peace of the +commonwealth. A secretary of an embassy, whom I knew some years +after, told me that a paid informer, with two other witnesses, also, +doubtless, in the pay of this grand tribunal, had declared that I was +guilty of only believing in the devil, as if this absurd belief, if +it were possible, did not necessarily connote a belief in God! These +three honest fellows testified with an oath that when I lost money at +play, on which occasion all the faithful are wont to blaspheme, I was +never heard to curse the devil. I was further accused of eating meat +all the year round, of only going to hear fine masses, and I was +vehemently suspected of being a Freemason. It was added that I +frequented the society of foreign ministers, and that living as I did +with three noblemen, it was certain that I revealed, for the large +sums which I was seen to lose, as many state secrets as I could worm +out of them. + +All these accusations, none of which had any foundation in fact, +served the Tribunal as a pretext to treat me as an enemy of the +commonwealth and as a prime conspirator. For several weeks I was +counselled by persons whom I might have trusted to go abroad whilst +the Tribunal was engaged on my case. This should have been enough, +for the only people who can live in peace at Venice are those whose +existence the Tribunal is ignorant of, but I obstinately despised all +these hints. If I had listened to the indirect advice which was +given me, I should have become anxious, and I was the sworn foe of +all anxiety. I kept saying to myself, "I feel remorse for nothing +and I am therefore guilty of nothing, and the innocent have nothing +to fear." I was a fool, for I argued as if I had been a free man in +a free country. I must also confess that what to a great extent kept +me from thinking of possible misfortune was the actual misfortune +which oppressed me from morning to night. I lost every day, I owed +money everywhere, I had pawned all my jewels, and even my portrait +cases, taking the precaution, however, of removing the portraits, +which with my important papers and my amorous letters I had placed in +the hands of Madame Manzoni. I found myself avoided in society. An +old senator told me, one day, that it was known that the young +Countess Bonafede had become mad in consequence of the love philtres +I had given her. She was still at the asylum, and in her moments of +delirium she did nothing but utter my name with curses. I must let +my readers into the secret of this small history. + +This young Countess Bonafede, to whom I had given some sequins a few +days after my return to Venice, thought herself capable of making me +continue my visits, from which she had profited largely. Worried by +her letters I went to see her several times, and always left her a +few sequins, but with the exception of my first visit I was never +polite enough to give her any proofs of my affection. My coldness +had baulked all her endeavours for a year, when she played a criminal +part, of which, though I was never able absolutely to convict her, I +had every reason to believe her guilty. + +She wrote me a letter, in which she importuned me to come and see her +at a certain hour on important business. + +My curiosity, as well as a desire to be of service to her, took me +there at the appointed time; but as soon as she saw me she flung her +arms round my neck, and told me that the important business was love. +This made me laugh heartily, and I was pleased to find her looking +neater than usual, which, doubtless, made me find her looking +prettier. She reminded me of St. Andre, and succeeded so well in her +efforts that I was on the point of satisfying her desires. I took +off my cloak, and asked her if her father were in. She told me he +had gone out. Being obliged to go out for a minute, in coming back I +mistook the door, and I found myself in the next room, where I was +much astonished to see the count and two villainous-looking fellows +with him. + +"My dear count," I said, "your daughter has just told me that you +were out." + +"I myself told her to do so, as I have some business with these +gentlemen, which, however, can wait for another day." + +I would have gone, but he stopped me, and having dismissed the two +men he told me that he was delighted to see me, and forthwith began +the tale of his troubles, which were of more than one kind. The +State Inquisitors had stopped his slender pension, and he was on the +eve of seeing himself driven out with his family into the streets to +beg his bread. He said that he had not been able to pay his landlord +anything for three years, but if he could pay only a quarter's rent, +he would obtain a respite, or if he persisted in turning him out, he +could make a night-flitting of it, and take up his abode somewhere +else. As he only wanted twenty ducats, I took out six sequins and +gave them to him. He embraced me, and shed tears of joy; then, +taking his poor cloak, he called his daughter, told her to keep me +company, and went out. + +Alone with the countess, I examined the door of communication between +the two rooms and found it slightly open. + +"Your father," I said, "would have surprised me, and it is easy to +guess what he would have done with the two sbirri who were with him. +The plot is clear, and I have only escaped from it by the happiest of +chances." + +She denied, wept, called God to witness, threw herself on her knees; +but I turned my head away, and taking my cloak went away without a +word. She kept on writing to me, but her letters remained +unanswered, and I saw her no more. + +It was summer-time, and between the heat, her passions, hunger, and +wretchedness, her head was turned, and she became so mad that she +went out of the house stark naked, and ran up and down St. Peter's +Place, asking those who stopped her to take her to my house. This +sad story went all over the town and caused me a great deal of +annoyance. The poor wretch was sent to an asylum, and did not +recover her reason for five years. When she came out she found +herself reduced to beg her bread in the streets, like all her +brothers, except one, whom I found a cadet in the guards of the King +of Spain twelve years afterwards. + +At the time of which I am speaking all this had happened a year ago, +but the story was dug up against me, and dressed out in the attire of +fiction, and thus formed part of those clouds which were to discharge +their thunder upon me to my destruction. + +In the July of 1755 the hateful court gave Messer-Grande instructions +to secure me, alive or dead. In this furious style all orders for +arrests proceeding from the Three were issued, for the least of their +commands carried with it the penalty of death. + +Three or four days before the Feast of St. James, my patron saint, +M---- M---- made me a present of several ells of silver lace to trim +a sarcenet dress which I was going to wear on the eve of the feast. +I went to see her, dressed in my fine suit, and I told her that I +should come again on the day following to ask her to lend me some +money, as I did not know where to turn to find some. She was still +in possession of the five hundred sequins which she had put aside +when I had sold her diamonds. + +As I was sure of getting the money in the morning I passed the night +at play, and I lost the five hundred sequins in advance. At day- +break, being in need of a little quiet, I went to the Erberia, a +space of ground on the quay of the Grand Canal. Here is held the +herb, fruit, and flower market. + +People in good society who come to walk in the Erberia at a rather +early hour usually say that they come to see the hundreds of boats +laden with vegetables, fruit and flowers, which hail from the +numerous islands near the town; but everyone knows that they are men +and women who have been spending the night in the excesses of Venus +or Bacchus, or who have lost all hope at the gaming-table, and come +here to breath a purer air and to calm their minds. The fashion of +walking in this place shews how the character of a nation changes. +The Venetians of old time who made as great a mystery of love as of +state affairs, have been replaced by the modern Venetians, whose most +prominent characteristic is to make a mystery of nothing. Those who +come to the Erberia with women wish to excite the envy of their +friends by thus publishing their good fortune. Those who come alone +are on the watch for discoveries, or on the look-out for materials to +make wives or husbands jealous, the women only come to be seen, glad +to let everybody know that they are without any restraint upon their +actions. There was certainly no question of smartness there, +considering the disordered style of dress worn. The women seemed to +have agreed to shew all the signs of disorder imaginable, to give +those who saw them something to talk about. As for the men, on whose +arms they leaned, their careless and lounging airs were intended to +give the idea of a surfeit of pleasure, and to make one think that +the disordered appearance of their companions was a sure triumph they +had enjoyed. In short it was the correct thing to look tired out, +and as if one stood in need of sleep. + +This veracious description, reader, will not give you a very high +opinion of the morals of my dear fellow citizens; but what object +should I have at my age for deceiving? Venice is not at the world's +end, but is well enough known to those whose curiosity brings them +into Italy; and everyone can see for himself if my pictures are +overdrawn. + +After walking up and down for half an hour, I came away, and thinking +the whole house still a-bed I drew my key out to open the door, but +what was my astonishment to find it useless, as the door was open, +and what is more, the lock burst off. I ran upstairs, and found them +all up, and my landlady uttering bitter lamentations. + +"Messer-Grande," she told me, "has entered my house forcibly, +accompanied by a band of sbirri. He turned everything upside down, +on the pretext that he was in search of a portmanteau full of salt--a +highly contraband article. He said he knew that a portmanteau had +been landed there the evening before, which was quite true; but it +belonged to Count S----, and only contained linen and clothes. +Messer-Grande, after inspecting it, went out without saying a word." + +He had also paid my room a visit. She told me that she must have +some reparation made her, and thinking she was in the right I +promised to speak to M. de Bragadin on the matter the same day. +Needing rest above all things, I lay down, but my nervous excitement, +which I attributed to my heavy losses at play, made me rise after +three or four hours, and I went to see M. de Bragadin, to whom I told +the whole story begging him to press for some signal amends. I made +a lively representation to him of all the grounds on which my +landlady required proportionate amends to be made, since the laws +guaranteed the peace of all law-abiding people. + +I saw that the three friends were greatly saddened by what I said, +and the wise old man, quietly but sadly, told me that I should have +my answer after dinner. + +De la Haye dined with us, but all through the meal, which was a +melancholy one, he spoke not a word. His silence should have told me +all, if I had not been under the influence of some malevolent genii +who would not allow me to exercise my common sense: as to the sorrow +of my three friends, I put that down to their friendship for me. +My connection with these worthy men had always been the talk of the +town, and as all were agreed that it could not be explained on +natural grounds, it was deemed to be the effect of some sorcery +exercised by me. These three men were thoroughly religious and +virtuous citizens; I was nothing if not irreligious, and Venice did +not contain a greater libertine. Virtue, it was said, may have +compassion on vice, but cannot become its friend. + +After dinner M. de Bragadin took me into his closet with his two +friends, from whom he had no secrets. He told me with wonderful +calmness that instead of meditating vengeance on Messer-Grande I +should be thinking of putting myself in a place of safety. +"The portmanteau," said he, "was a mere pretext; it was you they +wanted and thought to find. Since your good genius has made them +miss you, look out for yourself; perhaps by to-morrow it may be too +late. I have been a State Inquisitor for eight months, and I know +the way in which the arrests ordered by the court are carried out. +They would not break open a door to look for a box of salt. Indeed, +it is possible that they knew you were out, and sought to warn you to +escape in this manner. Take my advice, my dear son, and set out +directly for Fusina, and thence as quickly as you can make your way +to Florence, where you can remain till I write to you that you may +return with safety. If you have no money I will give you a hundred +sequins for present expenses. Believe me that prudence bids you go." + +Blinded by my folly, I answered him that being guilty of nothing I +had nothing to fear, and that consequently, although I knew his +advice was good, I could not follow it. + +"The high court," said he, "may deem you guilty of crimes real or +imaginary; but in any case it will give you no account of the +accusations against you. Ask your oracle if you shall follow my +advice or not." I refused because I knew the folly of such a +proceeding, but by way of excuse I said that I only consulted it when +I was in doubt. Finally, I reasoned that if I fled I should be +shewing fear, and thus confessing my guilt, for an innocent man, +feeling no remorse, cannot reasonably be afraid of anything. + +"If secrecy," said I, "is of the essence of the Court, you cannot +possibly judge, after my escape, whether I have done so rightly or +wrongly. The same reasons, which, according to your excellence, bid +me go, would forbid my return. Must I then say good-bye for ever to +my country, and all that is dear to me?" As a last resource he tried +to persuade me to pass the following day and night, at least, at the +palace. I am still ashamed of having refused the worthy old man to +whom I owed so much this favour; for the palace of a noble is sacred +to the police who dare not cross its threshold without a special +order from the Tribunal, which is practically never given; by +yielding to his request I should have avoided a grievous misfortune, +and spared the worthy old man some acute grief. + +I was moved to see M. de Bragadin weeping, and perhaps I might have +granted to his tears that which I had obstinately refused to his +arguments and entreaties. "For Heaven's sake!" said I, "spare me the +harrowing sight of your tears." In an instant he summoned all his +strength to his assistance, made some indifferent remarks, and then, +with a smile full of good nature, he embraced me, saying, "Perhaps I +may be fated never to see you again, but 'Fata viam invenient'." + +I embraced him affectionately, and went away, but his prediction was +verified, for I never saw him again; he died eleven years afterwards. +I found myself in the street without feeling the slightest fear, but +I was in a good deal of trouble about my debts. I had not the heart +to go to Muran to take away from M. M. her last five hundred sequins, +which sum I owed to the man who won it from me in the night; I +preferred asking him to wait eight days, and I did so. After +performing this unpleasant piece of business I returned home, and, +having consoled my landlady to the utmost of my power, I kissed the +daughter, and lay down to sleep. The date was July 25th, 1755. + +Next morning at day-break who should enter my room but the awful +Messer-Grande. To awake, to see him, and to hear him asking if I +were Jacques Casanova, was the work of a moment. At my "yes, I am +Casanova," he told me to rise, to put on my clothes, to give him all +the papers and manuscripts in my possession, and to follow him. + +"On whose authority do you order me to do this?" + +"By the authority of the Tribunal." + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of MEMOIRES OF JACQUES CASANOVA +TO PARIS AND PRISON, Vol. 2d, THE FALSE NUN +by Jacques Casanova de Seingalt diff --git a/old/jcfln10.zip b/old/jcfln10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c9b43e4 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/jcfln10.zip diff --git a/old/jcfln11.txt b/old/jcfln11.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8acfc09 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/jcfln11.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3843 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of The False Nun, by Casanova +#9 in our series by Jacques Casanova de Seingalt + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. 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C. is Unfaithful to Me, and I Cannot Complain + + +I felt highly pleased with the supper-party I had arranged with M---- +M----, and I ought to have been happy. Yet I was not so; but whence +came the anxiety which was a torment to me? Whence? From my fatal +habit of gambling. That passion was rooted in me; to live and to +play were to me two identical things, and as I could not hold the +bank I would go and punt at the ridotto, where I lost my money +morning and night. That state of things made me miserable. Perhaps +someone will say to me: + +"Why did you play, when there was no need of it, when you were in +want of nothing, when you had all the money you could wish to satisfy +your fancies?" + +That would be a troublesome question if I had not made it a law to +tell the truth. Well, then, dear inquisitive reader, if I played +with almost the certainty of losing, although no one, perhaps, was +more sensible than I was to the losses made in gambling, it is +because I had in me the evil spirit of avarice; it is because I loved +prodigality, and because my heart bled when I found myself compelled +to spend any money that I had not won at the gaming-table. It is an +ugly vice, dear reader, I do not deny it. However, all I can say is +that, during the four days previous to the supper, I lost all the +gold won for me by M---- M---- + +On the anxiously-expected day I went to my casino, where at the +appointed hour M---- M---- came with her friend, whom she introduced +to me as soon as he had taken off his mask. + +"I had an ardent wish, sir," said M. de Bernis to me, "to renew +acquaintance with you, since I heard from madame that we had known +each other in Paris." + +With these words he looked at me attentively, as people will do when +they are trying to recollect a person whom they have lost sight of. +I then told him that we had never spoken to one another, and that he +had not seen enough of me to recollect my features now. + +"I had the honour," I added, "to dine with your excellency at M. de +Mocenigo's house, but you talked all the time with Marshal Keith, the +Prussian ambassador, and I was not fortunate enough to attract your +attention. As you were on the point of leaving Paris to return to +Venice, you went away almost immediately after dinner, and I have +never had the honour of seeing you since that time." + +"Now I recollect you," he answered, "and I remember asking whether +you were not the secretary of the embassy. But from this day we +shall not forget each other again, for the mysteries which unite us +are of a nature likely to establish a lasting intimacy between us." + +The amiable couple were not long before they felt thoroughly at ease, +and we sat down to supper, of which, of course, I did the honours. +The ambassador, a fine connoisseur in wines, found mine excellent, +and was delighted to hear that I had them from Count Algarotti, who +was reputed as having the best cellar in Venice. + +My supper was delicate and abundant, and my manners towards my +handsome guests were those of a private individual receiving his +sovereign and his mistress. I saw that M---- M---- was charmed with +the respect with which I treated her, and with my conversation, which +evidently interested the ambassador highly. The serious character of +a first meeting did not prevent the utterance of witty jests, for in +that respect M. de Bernis was a true Frenchman. I have travelled +much, I have deeply studied men, individually and in a body, but I +have never met with true sociability except in Frenchmen; they alone +know how to jest, and it is rare, delicate, refined jesting, which +animates conversation and makes society charming. + +During our delightful supper wit was never wanting, and the amiable +M---- M---- led the conversation to the romantic combination which +had given her occasion to know me. Naturally, she proceeded to speak +of my passion for C---- C----, and she gave such an interesting +description of that young girl that the ambassador listened with as +much attention as if he had never seen the object of it. But that +was his part, for he was not aware that I had been informed of his +having witnessed from his hiding-place my silly interview with C---- +C----. He told M---- M---- that he would have been delighted if she +had brought her young friend to sup with us. + +"That would be running too great a risk," answered the cunning nun, +"but if you approve of it," she added, looking at me, "I can make you +sup with her at my casino, for we sleep in the same room." + +That offer surprised me much, but it was not the moment to shew it, +so I replied: + +"It is impossible, madam, to add anything to the pleasure of your +society, yet I confess I should be pleased if you could contrive to +do us that great favour:" + +"Well, I will think of it." + +"But," observed the ambassador, "if I am to be one of the party, I +think it would be right to apprize the young lady of it." + +"It is not necessary, for I will write to her to agree to whatever +madam may propose to her. I will do so to-morrow." + +I begged the ambassador to prepare himself with a good stock of +indulgence for a girl of fifteen who had no experience of the world. +In the course of the evening I related the history of O-Morphi, which +greatly amused him. He entreated me to let him see her portrait. He +informed me that she was still an inmate of the 'Parc-aux-cerfs', +where she continued to be the delight of Louis XV., to whom she had +given a child. My guests left me after midnight, highly pleased, and +I remained alone. + +The next morning, faithful to the promise I had made to my beautiful +nun, I wrote to C---- C---- without informing her that there would be +a fourth person at the projected supper, and having given my note to +Laura I repaired to Muran, where I found the following letter from +M---- M----: + +"I could not sleep soundly, my love, if I did not ease my conscience +of an unpleasant weight. Perhaps you did not approve of the 'partie +carree' with our young friend, and you may not have objected out of +mere politeness. Tell me the truth, dearest, for, should you not +look forward to that meeting with pleasure, I can contrive to undo it +without implicating you in any way; trust me for that. If, however, +you have no objection to the party, it will take place as agreed. +Believe me, I love your soul more than your heart--I mean than your +person. Adieu." + + +Her fear was very natural, but out of shamefacedness I did not like +to retract. M---- M---- knew me well, and as a skilful tactician she +attacked my weak side. + +Here is my answer: + +"I expected your letter, my best beloved, and you cannot doubt it, +because, as you know me thoroughly, you must be aware that I know you +as well. Yes, I know your mind, and I know what idea you must +entertain of mine, because I have exposed to you all my weakness and +irritability by my sophisms. I do penance for it, dearest, when I +think that having raised your suspicions your tenderness for me must +have been weakened. Forget my visions, I beg, and be quite certain +that for the future my soul will be in unison with yours. The supper +must take place, it will be a pleasure for me, but let me confess +that in accepting it I have shewn myself more grateful than polite. +C---- C---- is a novice, and I am not sorry to give her an +opportunity of seeing the world. In what school could she learn +better than yours? Therefore I recommend her to you, and you will +please me much by continuing to shew your care and friendship towards +her, and by increasing, if possible, the sum of your goodness. I +fear that you may entice her to take the veil, and if she did I would +never console myself. Your friend has quite captivated me; he is a +superior man, and truly charming." + +Thus did I wittingly deprive myself of the power of drawing back, but +I was able to realize the full force of the situation. I had no +difficulty in guessing that the ambassador was in love with C---- +C----, and that he had confessed as much to M---- M----, who, not +being in a position to object to it, was compelled to shew herself +compliant, and to assist him in everything that could render his +passion successful. She could certainly not do anything without my +consent, and she had evidently considered the affair too delicate to +venture upon proposing the party point-blank to me. They had, no +doubt, put their heads together, so that by bringing the conversation +on that subject I should find myself compelled, for the sake of +politeness and perhaps of my inward feelings, to fall into the snare. +The ambassador, whose profession it was to carry on intrigues +skilfully, had succeeded well, and I had taken the bait as he wished. +There was nothing left for me but to put a good face on the matter, +not only so as not to shew myself a very silly being, but also in +order not to prove myself shamefully ungrateful towards a man who had +granted me unheard-of privileges. Nevertheless, the consequence of +it all was likely to be some coolness in my feelings towards both my +mistresses. M---- M---- had become conscious of this after she had +returned to the convent, and wishing to screen herself from all +responsibility she had lost no time in writing to me that she would +cause the projected supper to be abandoned, in case I should +disapprove of it, but she knew very well that I would not accept her +offer. Self-love is a stronger passion even than jealousy; it does +not allow a man who has some pretension to wit to shew himself +jealous, particularly towards a person who is not tainted by that +base passion, and has proved it. + +The next day, having gone early to the casino, I found the ambassador +already there, and he welcomed me in the most friendly manner. He +told me that, if he had known me in Paris he would have introduced me +at the court, where I should certainly have made my fortune. Now, +when I think of that, I say to myself, "That might have been the +case, but of what good would it have been to me?" Perhaps I should +have fallen a victim of the Revolution, like so many others. M. de +Bernis himself would have been one of those victims if Fate had not +allowed him to die in Rome in 1794. He died there unhappy, although +wealthy, unless his feelings had undergone a complete change before +his death, and I do not believe it. + +I asked him whether he liked Venice, and he answered that he could +not do otherwise than like that city, in which he enjoyed excellent +health, and in which, with plenty of money, life could be enjoyed +better than anywhere else. + +"But I do not expect," he added, "to be allowed to keep this embassy +very long. Be kind enough to let that remain between us. I do not +wish to make M---- M----- unhappy." + +We were conversing in all confidence when M---- M---- arrived with +her young friend, who showed her surprise at seeing another man with +me, but I encouraged her by the most tender welcome; and she +recovered all her composure when she saw the delight of the stranger +at being answered by her in good French. It gave us both an +opportunity of paying the warmest compliments to the mistress who had +taught her so well. + +C---- C---- was truly charming; her looks, bright and modest at the +same time, seemed to say to me, "You must belong to me:" I wished to +see her shine before our friends; and I contrived to conquer a +cowardly feeling of jealousy which, in spite of myself, was beginning +to get hold of me. I took care to make her talk on such subjects as +I knew to be familiar to her. I developed her natural intelligence, +and had the satisfaction of seeing her admired. + +Applauded, flattered, animated by the satisfaction she could read in +my eyes, C---- C---- appeared a prodigy to M. de Bernis, and, oh! +what a contradiction of the human heart! I was pleased, yet I +trembled lest he should fall in love with her! What an enigma! I +was intent myself upon a work which would have caused me to murder +any man who dared to undertake it. + +During the supper, which was worthy of a king, the ambassador treated +C---- C---- with the most delicate attentions. Wit, cheerfulness, +decent manners, attended our delightful party, and did not expel the +gaiety and the merry jests with which a Frenchman knows how to season +every conversation. + +An observing critic who, without being acquainted with us, wished to +guess whether love was present at our happy party, might have +suspected, perhaps, but he certainly could not have affirmed, that it +was there. M---- M---- treated the ambassador as a friend. She +shewed no other feeling towards me than that of deep esteem, and she +behaved to C---- C---- with the tender affection of a sister. M. de +Bernis was kind, polite, and amiable with M---- M-----, but he never +ceased to take the greatest interest in every word uttered by C---- +C----, who played her part to perfection, because she had only to +follow her own nature, and, that nature being beautiful, C---- C---- +could not fail to be most charming. + +We had passed five delightful hours, and the ambassador seemed more +pleased even than any of us. M---- M---- had the air of a person +satisfied with her own work, and I was playing the part of an +approving spectator. C---- C---- looked highly pleased at having +secured the general approbation, and there was, perhaps, a slight +feeling of vanity in her arising from the special attention which the +ambassador had bestowed on her. She looked at me, smiling, and I +could easily understand the language of her soul, by which she wished +to tell me that she felt perfectly well the difference between the +society in which she was then, and that in which her brother had +given us such a disgusting specimen of his depravity. + +After midnight it was time to think of our departure, and M. de +Bernis undertook all the complimentary part. Thanking M---- M---- +for the most agreeable supper he had ever made in his life, he +contrived to make her offer a repetition of it for two days +afterwards, and he asked me, for the sake of appearance, whether I +should not find as much delight in that second meeting as himself. +Could he have any doubt of my answering affirmatively? I believe +not, for I had placed myself under the necessity of being compliant. +All being agreed, we parted company. + +The next day, when I thought of that exemplary supper, I had no +difficulty in guessing what the ultimate result would be. The +ambassador owed his great fortune entirely to the fair sex, because +he possessed to the highest degree the art of coddling love; and as +his nature was eminently voluptuous he found his advantage in it, +because he knew how to call desires into existence, and this procured +him enjoyments worthy of his delicate taste. I saw that he was +deeply in love with C---- C----, and I was far from supposing him the +man to be satisfied with looking at her lovely eyes. He certainly +had some plan arranged, and M---- M----, in spite of all her honesty, +was the prime manager of it. I knew that she would carry it on with +such delicate skill that I should not see any evidence of it. +Although I did not feel disposed to shew more compliance than was +strictly just, I foresaw that in the end I should be the dupe, and my +poor C---- C---- the victim, of a cunningly-contrived trick. I could +not make up my mind either to consent with a good grace, or to throw +obstacles in the way, and, believing my dear little wife incapable of +abandoning herself to anything likely to displease me, I allowed +myself to be taken off my guard, and to rely upon the difficulty of +seducing her. Stupid calculation! Self-love and shamefacedness +prevented me from using my common sense. At all events, that +intrigue kept me in a state of fever because I was afraid of its +consequences, and yet curiosity mastered me to such an extent that I +was longing for the result. I knew very well that a second edition +of the supper did not imply that the same play would be performed a +second time, and I foresaw that the changes would be strongly marked. +But I thought myself bound in honour not to retract. I could not +lead the intrigue, but I believed myself sufficiently skilful to +baffle all their manoeuvrings. + +After all those considerations, however, considerations which enabled +me to assume the countenance of false bravery, the inexperience of C- +--- C----, who, in spite of all the knowledge she had lately +acquired, was only a novice, caused me great anxiety. It was easy to +abuse her natural wish to be polite, but that fear gave way very soon +before the confidence I had in M---- M----s delicacy. I thought +that, having seen how I had spent six hours with that young girl, +knowing for a certainty that I intended to marry her, M---- M---- +would never be guilty of such base treason. All these thoughts, +worthy only of a weak and bashful jealousy, brought no conclusive +decision. I had to follow the current and watch events. + +At the appointed time I repaired to the casino, where I found my two +lovely friends sitting by the fire. + +"Good evening, my two divinities, where is our charming Frenchman?" + +"He has not arrived yet," answered M---- M----, "but he will +doubtless soon be here." + +I took off my mask, and sitting between them, I gave them a thousand +kisses, taking good care not to shew any preference, and although I +knew that they were aware of the unquestionable right I had upon both +of them, I kept within the limits of the utmost decency. I +congratulated them upon the mutual inclination they felt for each +other, and I saw that they were pleased not to have to blush on that +account. + +More than one hour was spent in gallant and friendly conversation, +without my giving any satisfaction to my burning desires. M--- M---- +attracted me more than C---- C----, but I would not for the world +have offended the charming girl. M---- M---- was beginning to shew +some anxiety about the absence of M. de Bernis, when the door-keeper +brought her a note from him. + +"A courier," he wrote, "who arrived two hours ago, prevents my being +happy to-night, for I am compelled to pass it in answering the +dispatches I have received. I trust that you will forgive and pity +me. May I hope that you will kindly grant me on Friday the pleasure +of which I am so unfortunately deprived to-day? Let me know your +answer by to-morrow. I wish ardently, in that case, to find you with +the same guests, to whom I beg you will present my affectionate +compliments." + +"Well," said M---- M----, "it is not his fault. We will sup without +him. Will you come on Friday?" + +"Yes, with the greatest pleasure. But what is the matter with you, +dear C---- C----? You look sad." + +"Sad, no, unless it should be for the sake of my friend, for I have +never seen a more polite and more obliging gentleman." + +"Very well, dear, I am glad he has rendered you so sensible." + +"What do you mean? Could anyone be insensible to his merit?" + +"Better still, but I agree with you. Only tell me if you love him?" + +"Well, even if I loved him, do you think I would go and tell him? +Besides, I am certain that he loves my friend." + +So saying, she sat down on M---- M----'s knee, calling her her own +little wife, and my two beauties began to bestow on one another +caresses which made me laugh heartily. Far from troubling their +sport, I excited them, in order to enjoy a spectacle with which I had +long been acquainted. + +M---- M---- took up a book full of the most lascivious engravings, +and said, with a significant glance in my direction: + +"Do you wish me to have a fire lighted in the alcove?" + +I understood her, and replied: + +"You would oblige me, for the bed being large we can all three sleep +comfortably in it." + +I guessed that she feared my suspecting the ambassador of enjoying +from the mysterious closet the sight of our amorous trio, and she +wished to destroy that suspicion by her proposal. + +The table having been laid in front of the alcove, supper was served, +and we all did honour to it. We were all blessed with a devouring +appetite. While M---- M---- was teaching her friend how to mix +punch, I was admiring with delight the progress made in beauty by +C---- C----. + +"Your bosom," I said to her, "must have become perfect during the +last nine months." + +"It is like mine," answered M---- M----, "would you like to see for +yourself?" + +Of course I did not refuse. M---- M---- unlaced her friend, who made +no resistance, and performing afterwards the same office upon +herself, in less than two minutes I was admiring four rivals +contending for the golden apple like the three goddesses, and which +would have set at defiance the handsome Paris himself to adjudge the +prize without injustice. Need I say what an ardent fire that +ravishing sight sent coursing through my veins? I placed immediately +an the table the Academie des Dames, and pointed out a certain +position to M---- M----, who, understanding my wishes, said to C---- +C----: + +"Will you, darling, represent that group with me?" + +A look of compliance was C---- C----'s only answer; she was not yet +inured to amorous pleasures as much as her lovely teacher. While I +was laughing with delight, the two friends were getting ready, and in +a few minutes we were all three in bed, and in a state of nature. At +first, satisfied with enjoying the sight of the barren contest of my +two bacchanalians, I was amused by their efforts and by the contrast +of colours, for one was dark and the other fair, but soon, excited +myself, and consumed by all the fire of voluptuousness, I threw +myself upon them, and I made them, one after the other, almost faint +away from the excess of love and enjoyment. + +Worn out and satiated with pleasure, I invited them to take some +rest. We slept until we were awakened by the alarum, which I had +taken care to set at four o'clock. We were certain of turning to +good account the two hours we had then to spare before parting +company, which we did at the dawn of day, humiliated at having to +confess our exhaustion, but highly pleased with each other, and +longing for a renewal of our delightful pleasures. + +The next day, however, when I came to think of that rather too lively +night, during which, as is generally the case, Love had routed +Reason, I felt some remorse. M---- M---- wanted to convince me of +her love, and for that purpose she had combined all the virtues which +I attached to my own affection--namely, honour, delicacy, and truth, +but her temperament, of which her mind was the slave, carried her +towards excess, and she prepared everything in order to give way to +it, while she awaited the opportunity of making me her accomplice. +She was coaxing love to make it compliant, and to succeed in +mastering it, because her heart, enslaved by her senses, never +reproached her. She likewise tried to deceive herself by +endeavouring to forget that I might complain of having been +surprised. She knew that to utter such a complaint I would have to +acknowledge myself weaker or less courageous than she was, and she +relied upon my being ashamed to make such a confession. I had no +doubt whatever that the absence of the ambassador had been arranged +and concerted beforehand. I could see still further, for it seemed +evident to me that the two conspirators had foreseen that I would +guess the artifice, and that, feeling stung to the quick, in spite of +all my regrets, I would not shew myself less generous than they had +been themselves. The ambassador having first procured me a +delightful night, how could I refuse to let him enjoy as pleasant a +one? My friends had argued very well, for, in spite of all the +objections of my mind, I saw that I could not on my side put any +obstacle in their way. C---- C---- was no impediment to them. They +were certain of conquering her the moment she was not hindered by my +presence. It rested entirely with M---- M----, who had perfect +control over her. Poor girl! I saw her on the high road to +debauchery, and it was my own doing! I sighed when I thought how +little I had spared them in our last orgie, and what would become of +me if both of them should happen to be, by my doing, in such a +position as to be compelled to run away from the convent? I could +imagine both of them thrown upon my hands, and the prospect was not +particularly agreeable. It would be an 'embarras de richesse'. In +this miserable contest between reason and prejudice, between nature +and sentiment, I could not make up my mind either to go to the supper +or to remain absent from it. "If I go," said I to myself, "that +night will pass with perfect decency, but I shall prove myself very +ridiculous, jealous, ungrateful, and even wanting in common +politeness: if I remain absent, C---- C---- is lost, at least, in my +estimation, for I feel that my love will no longer exist, and then +good-bye to all idea of a marriage with her." In the perplexity of +mind in which I found myself, I felt a want of something more certain +than mere probabilities to base my decision upon. I put on my mask, +and repaired to the mansion of the French ambassador. I addressed +myself to the gate-keeper, saying that I had a letter for Versailles, +and that I would thank him to deliver it to the courier when he went +back to France with his excellency's dispatches. + +"But, sir," answered the man, "we have not had a special courier for +the last two months:" + +"What? Did not a special cabinet messenger arrive here last night?" + +"Then he must have come in through the garret window or down the +chimney, for, on the word of an honest man, none entered through the +gate." + +"But the ambassador worked all night?" + +"That may be, sir, but not here, for his excellency dined with the +Spanish ambassador, and did not return till very late:" + +I had guessed rightly. I could no longer entertain any doubt. It +was all over; I could not draw back without shame. C---- C---- must +resist, if the game was distasteful to her; no violence would of +course be offered to her. The die was cast! + +Towards evening I went to the casino of Muran, and wrote a short note +to M---- M----, requesting her to excuse me if some important +business of M. de Bragadin's prevented me from spending the night +with her and with our two friends, to whom I sent my compliments as +well as my apologies. After that I returned to Venice, but in rather +an unpleasant mood; to divert myself I went to the gaming table, and +lost all night. + +Two days afterwards, being certain that a letter from M---- M---- +awaited me at Muran, I went over, and the door-keeper handed me a +parcel in which I found a note from my nun and a letter from C---- +C----, for everything was now in common between them. + +Here is C---- C ----'s letter" + +"We were very sorry, dearest friend, when we heard that we should not +have the happiness of seeing you. My dear M---- M----'s friend came +shortly afterwards, and when he read your note he likewise expressed +his deep regret. We expected to have a very dull supper, but the +witty sayings of that gentleman enlivened us and you cannot imagine +of what follies we were guilty after partaking of some champagne +punch. Our friend had become as gay as ourselves, and we spent the +night in trios, not very fatiguing, but very pleasant. I can assure +you that that man deserves to be loved, but he must acknowledge +himself inferior to you in everything. Believe me, dearest, I shall +ever love you, and you must for ever remain the master of my heart." + +In spite of all my vexation, that letter made me laugh, but the note +of M---- M---- was much more singular. Here are the contents of it: + +"I am certain, my own beloved, that you told a story out of pure +politeness, but you had guessed that I expected you to do so. You +have made our friend a splendid present in exchange for the one he +made you when he did not object to his M---- M---- bestowing her +heart upon you. You possess that heart entirely, dearest, and you +would possess it under all circumstances, but how sweet it is to +flavour the pleasures of love with the charms of friendship! I was +sorry not to see you, but I knew that if you had come we would not +have had much enjoyment; for our friend, notwithstanding all his wit, +is not exempt from some natural prejudices. As for C---- C-----, her +mind is now quite as free of them as our own, and I am glad she owes +it to me. You must feel thankful to me for having completed her +education, and for rendering her in every way worthy of you. I wish +you had been hiding in the closet, where I am certain you would have +spent some delightful hours. On Wednesday next I shall be yours, and +all alone with you in your casino in Venice; let me know whether you +will be at the usual hour near the statue of the hero Colleoni. In +case you should be prevented, name any other day." + +I had to answer those two letters in the same spirit in which they +had been written, and in spite of all the bitter feelings which were +then raging in my heart, my answers were to be as sweet as honey. I +was in need of great courage, but I said to myself: "George Dandin, +tu las voulu!" I could not refuse to pay the penalty of my own +deeds, and I have never been able to ascertain whether the shame I +felt was what is called shamefacedness. It is a problem which I +leave to others. + +In my letter to C---- C---- I had the courage, or the effrontery, to +congratulate her, and to encourage her to imitate M---- M----, the +best model, I said, I could propose to her. + +I wrote to my nun that I would be punctual at the appointment near +the statue, and amidst many false compliments, which ought to have +betrayed the true state of my heart, I told her that I admired the +perfect education she had given to C---- C-----, but that I +congratulated myself upon having escaped the torture I should have +suffered in the mysterious observatory, for I felt that I could not +have borne it. + +On the Wednesday I was punctual at the rendezvous, and I had not to +wait long for M---- M----, who came disguised in male attire. "No +theatre to-night," she said to me; "let us go to the 'ridotto', to +lose or double our money." She had six hundred sequins. I had about +one hundred. Fortune turned her back upon us, and we lost a11. I +expected that we would then leave that cutthroat place, but M---- +M----, having left me for a minute, came back with three hundred +sequins which had been given to her by her friend, whom she knew +where to find. That money given by love or by friendship brought her +luck for a short time, and she soon won back all we had lost, but in +our greediness or imprudence we continued to play, and finally we +lost our last sequin. + +When we could play no longer, M---- M---- said to me, + +"Now that we need not fear thieves, let us go to our supper." + +That woman, religious and a Free-thinker, a libertine and gambler, +was wonderful in all she did. She had just lost five hundred pounds, +and she was as completely at her ease as if she had won a very large +sum. It is true that the money she had just lost had not cost her +much. + +As soon as we were alone, she found me sad and low-spirited, although +I tried hard not to appear so, but, as for her, always the same, she +was handsome, brilliant, cheerful, and amorous. + +She thought she would bring back my spirits by giving me the fullest +particulars of the night she had passed with C---- C---- and her +friend, but she ought to have guessed that she was going the wrong +way. That is a very common error, it comes from the mind, because +people imagine that what they feel themselves others must feel +likewise. + +I was on thorns, and I tried everything to avoid that subject, and to +lead the conversation into a different channel, for the amorous +particulars, on which she was dwelling with apparent delight, vexed +me greatly, and spite causing coldness, I was afraid of not playing +my part very warmly in the amorous contest which was at hand. When a +lover doubts his own strength, he may almost always be sure that he +will fail in his efforts. + +After supper we went to bed in the alcove, where the beauty, the +mental and physical charms, the grace and the ardour of my lovely +nun, cast all my bad temper to the winds, and soon restored me to my +usual good-spirits. The nights being shorter we spent two hours in +the most delightful pleasures, and then parted, satisfied and full of +love. + +Before leaving, M---- M---- asked me to go to her casino, to take +some money and to play, taking her for my partner. I did so. I took +all the gold I found, and playing the martingale, and doubling my +stakes continuously, I won every day during the remainder of the +carnival. I was fortunate enough never to lose the sixth card, and, +if I had lost it, I should have been without money to play, for I had +two thousand sequins on that card. I congratulated myself upon +having increased the treasure of my dear mistress, who wrote to me +that, for the sake of civility, we ought to have a supper 'en partie +carree' on Shrove Monday. I consented. + +That supper was the last I ever had in my life with C---- C----. She +was in excellent spirits, but I had made up my mind, and as I paid +all my attentions to M---- M----, C---- C---- imitated my example +without difficulty, and she devoted herself wholly to her new lover. + +Foreseeing that we would, a little later, be all of us in each +other's way, I begged M---- M---- to arrange everything so that we +could be apart, and she contrived it marvellously well. + +After supper, the ambassador proposed a game of faro, which our +beauties did not know; he called for cards, and placed one hundred +Louis on the table before him; he dealt, and took care to make C---- +C---- win the whole of that sum. It was the best way to make her +accept it as pin-money. The young girl, dazzled by so much gold, and +not knowing what to do with it, asked her friend to take care of it +for her until such time as she should leave the convent to get +married. + +When the game was over, M---- M---- complained of a headache, and +said that she would go to bed in the alcove: she asked me to come and +lull her to sleep. We thus left the new lovers free to be as gay as +they chose. Six hours afterwards, when the alarum warned us that it +was time to part, we found them asleep in each other's embrace. I +had myself passed an amorous and quiet night, pleased with M---- +M----, and with out giving one thought to C---- C----. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +M. De Bernis Goes Away Leaving Me the Use of His Casino--His Good +Advice: How I Follow It--Peril of M. M. and Myself--Mr. Murray, the +English Ambassador--Sale of the Casino and End of Our Meetings-- +Serious Illness of M. M.--Zorzi and Condulmer--Tonnie + + +Though the infidelities of C---- C----made me look at her with other +eyes than before, and I had now no intention of making her the +companion of my life, I could not help feeling that it had rested +with me to stop her on the brink of the stream, and I therefore +considered it my duty always to be her friend. + +If I had been more logical, the resolution I took with respect to her +would doubtless have been of another kind. I should have said to +myself: After seducing her, I myself have set the example of +infidelity; I have bidden her to follow blindly the advice of her +friend, although I knew that the advice and the example of M--- M---- +would end in her ruin; I had insulted, in the most grievous manner, +the delicacy of my mistress, and that before her very eyes, and after +all this how could I ask a weak woman to do what a man, priding +himself on his strength, would shrink from at tempting? I should +have stood self-condemned, and have felt that it was my duty to +remain the same to her, but flattering myself that I was overcoming +mere prejudices, I was in fact that most degraded of slaves, he who +uses his strength to crush the weak. + +The day after Shrove Tuesday, going to the casino of Muran, I found +there a letter from M---- M----, who gave me two pieces of bad news: +that C---- C---- had lost her mother, and that the poor girl was in +despair; and that the lay-sister, whose rheum was cured, had returned +to take her place. Thus C---- C---- was deprived of her friend at a +time when she would have given her consolation, of which she stood in +great need. C---- C----, it seemed, had gone to share the rooms of +her aunt, who, being very fond of her, had obtained permission from +the superior. This circumstance would prevent the ambassador taking +any more suppers with her, and I should have been delighted if chance +had put this obstacle in his path a few days sooner. + +All these misfortunes seemed of small account com pared with what I +was afraid of, for C---- C---- might have to pay the price for her +pleasures, and I so far regarded myself as the origin of her +unhappiness as to feel bound never to abandon her, and this might +have involved me in terrible complications. + +M---- M---- asked me to sup with her and her lover on the following +Monday. I went and found them both sad--he for the loss of his new +mistress, and she because she had no longer a friend to make the +seclusion of the convent pleasant. + +About midnight M. de Bemis left us, saying in a melancholy manner +that he feared he should be obliged to pass several months in Vienna +on important diplomatic business. Before parting we agreed to sup +together every Friday. + +When we were alone M---- M---- told me that the ambassador would be +obliged to me if in the future I would come to the casino two hours +later. I understood that the good-natured and witty profligate had a +very natural prejudice against indulging his amorous feelings except +when he was certain of being alone. + +M. de Bemis came to all our suppers till he left for Vienna, and +always went away at midnight. He no longer made use of his hiding- +place, partly because we now only lay in the recess, and partly +because, having had time to make love before my arrival, his desires +were appeased. M---- M---- always found me amorous. My love, +indeed, was even hotter than it had been, since, only seeing her once +a week and remaining faithful to her, I had always an abundant +harvest to gather in. C---- C----'s letters which she brought to me +softened me to tears, for she said that after the loss of her mother +she could not count upon the friendship of any of her relations. She +called me her sole friend, her only protector, and in speaking of her +grief in not being able to see me any more whilst she remained in the +convent, she begged me to remain faithful to her dear friend. + +On Good Friday, when I got to the casino, I found the lovers over- +whelmed with grief. Supper was served, but the ambassador, downcast +and absent, neither ate nor spoke; and M---- M---- was like a statue +that moves at intervals by some mechanism. Good sense and ordinary +politeness prevented me from asking any questions, but on M---- M---- +leaving us together, M. de Bemis told me that she was distressed, +and with reason, since he was obliged to set out for Vienna fifteen +days after Easter. "I may tell you confidentially," he added, "that +I believe I shall scarcely be able to return, but she must not be +told, as she would be in despair." M---- M---- came back in a few +minutes, but it was easy to see that she had been weeping. + +After some commonplace conversation, M. de Bernis, seeing M----M---- +still low-spirited, said, + +"Do not grieve thus, sweetheart, go I must, but my return is a matter +of equal certainty when I have finished the important business which +summons me to Vienna. You will still have the casino, but, dearest, +both friendship and prudence make me advise you not to come here in +my absence, for after I have left Venice I cannot depend upon the +faith of the gondoliers in my service, and I suspect our friend here +cannot flatter himself on his ability to get reliable ones. I may +also tell you that I have strong reasons for suspecting that our +intercourse is known to the State Inquisitors, who conceal their +knowledge for political reasons, but I fancy the secret would soon +come to light when I am no longer here, and when the nun who connives +at your departure from the convent knows that it is no longer for me +that you leave it. The only people whom I would trust are the +housekeeper and his wife. I shall order them, before I go, to look +upon our friend here as myself, and you can make your arrangements +with them. I trust all will go well till my return, if you will only +behave discreetly. I will write to you under cover of the +housekeeper, his wife will give you my letters as before, and in the +same way you may reply. I must needs go, dearest one, but my heart +is with you, and I leave you, till my return, in the hands of a +friend, whom I rejoice to have known. He loves you, he has a heart +and knowledge of the world, and he will not let you make any +mistakes." + +M---- M---- was so affected by what the ambassador had said that she +entreated us to let her go, as she wished to be alone and to lie +down. As she went we agreed to sup together on the following +Thursday. + +As soon as we were alone the ambassador impressed me with the +absolute necessity of concealing from her that he was going to return +no more. "I am going," said he, "to work in concert with the +Austrian cabinet on a treaty which will be the talk of Europe. I +entreat you to write to me unreservedly, and as a friend, and if you +love our common mistress, have a care for her honour, and above all +have the strength of mind to resist all projects which are certain to +involve you in misfortune, and which will be equally fatal to both. +You know what happened to Madame de Riva, a nun in the convent of +St.----. She had to disappear after it became known that she was +with child, and M. de Frulai, my predecessor, went mad, and died +shortly after. J. J. Rousseau told me that he died of poison, but he +is a visionary who sees the black side of everything. For my part, I +believe that he died of grief at not being able to do anything for +the unfortunate woman, who afterwards procured a dispensation from +her vows from the Pope, and having got married is now living at Padua +without any position in society. + +"Let the prudent and loyal friend master the lover: go and see M---- +M---- sometimes in the parlour of the convent, but not here, or the +boatmen will betray you. The knowledge which we both have that the +girls are in a satisfactory condition is a great alleviation to my +distress, but you must confess that you have been very imprudent. +You have risked a terrible misfortune; consider the position you +would have been in, for I am sure you would not have abandoned her. +She had an idea that the danger might be overcome by means of drugs +but I convinced her that she was mistaken. In God's name, be +discreet in the future, and write to me fully, for I shall always be +interested in her fate, both from duty and sentiment." + +We returned together to Venice, where we separated, and I passed the +rest of the night in great distress. In the morning I wrote to the +fair afflicted, and whilst endeavouring to console her to the best of +my ability, I tried to impress on her the necessity for prudence and +the avoidance of such escapades as might eventually ruin us. + +Next day I received her reply, every word of which spelt despair. +Nature had given her a disposition which had become so intensified by +indulgence that the cloister was unbearable to her, and I foresaw the +hard fights I should have to undergo. + +We saw each other the Thursday after Easter, and I told her that I +should not come to the casino before midnight. She had had four +hours to pass with her lover in tears and regrets, amongst which she +had often cursed her cruel fate and the foolish resolution which made +her take the veil. We supped together, and although the meal was a +rich and delicate one we did it little honour. When we had finished, +the ambassador left, entreating me to remain, which I did, without +thinking at all of the pleasures of a party of two, for Love lighteth +not his torch at the hearts of two lovers who are full of grief and +sorrow. M---- M---- had grown thin, and her condition excited my +pity and shut out all other feelings. I held her a long time in my +arms, covering her with tender and affectionate kisses, but I shewed +no intention of consoling her by amusements in which her spirit could +not have taken part. She said, before we parted, that I had shewn +myself a true lover, and she asked me to consider myself from +henceforth as her only friend and protector. + +Next week, when we were together as usual, M. de Bemis called the +housekeeper just before supper, and in his presence executed a deed +in my behalf, which he made him sign. In this document he +transferred to me all rights over the contents of the casino, and +charged him to consider me in all things as his master. + +We arranged to sup together two days after, to make our farewells, +but on my arrival I found by herself, standing up, and pale as death, +or rather as white as a statue of Carrara marble. + +"He is gone," she said, "and he leaves me to your care. Fatal being, +whom perchance I shall see no more, whom I thought I loved but as a +friend, now you are lost to me I see my mistake. Before I knew him I +was not happy, but neither was I unhappy as I now am." + +I passed the whole night beside her, striving by the most delicate +attentions to soften her grief, but with out success. Her character, +as abandoned to sorrow as to pleasure, was displayed to me during +that long and weary night. She told me at what hour I should come to +the convent parlour, the next day, and on my arrival I was delighted +to find her not quite so sad. She shewed me a letter which her lover +had written to her from Trevisa, and she then told me that I must +come and see her twice a week, warning me that she would be +accompanied sometimes by one nun and sometimes by another, for she +foresaw that my visits would become the talk of the convent, when it +became known that I was the individual who used to go to mass at +their church. She therefore told me to give in another name, to +prevent C---- C----'s aunt from becoming suspicious. + +"Nevertheless," she added, "this will not prevent my coming alone +when I nave any matter of importance to communicate to you. Promise +me, sweetheart, to sup and sleep at the casino at least once a week, +and write me a note each time by the housekeeper's wife." + +I made no difficulty in promising her that much. + +We thus passed a fortnight quietly enough, as she was happy again, +and her amorous inclinations had returned in full force. About this +time she gave me a piece of news which delighted me--namely, that +C---- C---- had no longer anything to fear. + +Full of amorous wishes and having to be content with the teasing +pleasure of seeing one another through a wretched grating, we racked +our brains to find out some way to be alone together to do what we +liked, without any risk. + +"I am assured," she said, "of the good faith of the gardener's +sister. I can go out and come in without fear of being seen, for the +little door leading to the convent is not overlooked by any window-- +indeed it is thought to be walled up. Nobody can see me crossing the +garden to the little stream, which is considered unnavigable. All we +want is a one-oared gondola, and I cannot believe that with the help +of money you will be unable to find a boatman on whom we may rely." + +I understood from these expressions that she suspected me of becoming +cold towards her, and this suspicion pierced me to the heart. + +"Listen," said I, "I will be the boatman myself. I will come to the +quay, pass by the little door, and you shall lead me to your room +where I will pass the whole night with you, and the day, too, if you +think you can hide me." + +"That plan," said she, "makes me shudder. I tremble at the danger to +which you might be exposed. No, I should be too unfortunate if I +were to be the cause of your misfortune, but, as you can row, come in +the boat, let me know the time as closely as possible; the trusty +woman will be on the watch, and I will not keep you four minutes +waiting. I will get into the boat, we will go to our beloved casino, +and then we shall be happy without fearing anything." + +"I will think it over" + +The way I took to satisfy her was as follows: I bought a small boat, +and without telling her I went one night all by myself round the +island to inspect the walls of the convent on the side of the lagune. +With some difficulty I made out a little door, which I judged to be +the only one by which she could pass, but to go from there to the +casino was no small matter, since one was obliged to fetch a wide +course, and with one oar I could not do the passage in less than a +quarter of an hour, and that with much toil. Nevertheless, feeling +sure of success, I told my pretty nun of the plan, and never was news +received with so much pleasure. We set our watches together, and +fixed our meeting for the Friday following. + +On the day appointed, an hour before sunset, I betook myself to St. +Francis de la Vigne, where I kept my boat, and having set it in order +and dressed myself as a boatman, I got upon the poop and held a +straight course for the little door, which opened the moment I +arrived. M---- M---- came out wrapped in a cloak, and someone +shutting the door after her she got on board my frail bark, and in a +quarter of an hour we were at the casino. M---- M---- made haste to +go in, but I stayed to belay my boat with a lock and chain against +thieves, who pass the night pleasantly by stealing whatever they can +lay hands on. + +Though I had rowed easily enough, I was in a bath of perspiration, +which, however, by no means hindered my charming mistress from +falling on my neck; the pleasure of meeting seemed to challenge her +love, and, proud of what I had done, I enjoyed her transports. + +Not dreaming that I should have any occasion for a change of linen, I +had brought none with me, but she soon found a cure for this defect; +for after having undressed me she dried me lovingly, gave me one of +her smocks, and I found myself dressed to admiration. + +We had been too long deprived of our amorous pleasures to think of +taking supper before we had offered a plenteous sacrifice to love. +We spent two hours in the sweetest of intoxications, our bliss +seeming more acute than at our first meeting. In spite of the fire +which consumed me, in spite of the ardour of my mistress, I was +sufficiently master of myself to disappoint her at the critical +moment, for the picture which our friend had drawn was always before +my eyes. M---- M----, joyous and wanton, having me for the first +time in the character of boatman, augmented our delights by her +amorous caprices, but it was useless for her to try to add fuel to my +flame, since I loved her better than myself. + +The night was short, for she was obliged to return at three in the +morning, and it struck one as we sat down to table. As the climax of +ill luck a storm came on whilst we were at supper. Our hair stood on +end; our only hope was founded in the nature of these squalls, which +seldom last more than an hour. We were in hopes, also, that it would +not leave behind it too strong a wind, as is sometimes the case, for +though I was strong and sturdy I was far from having the skill or +experience of a professional boatman. + +In less than half an hour the storm became violent, one flash of +lightning followed another, the thunder roared, and the wind grew to +a gale. Yet after a heavy rain, in less than an hour, the sky +cleared, but there was no moon, it being the day after the Ascension. +Two o'clock stuck. I put my head out at the window, but perceive +that a contrary gale is blowing. + + 'Ma tiranno del mar Libecchio resta.' + +This Libecchio which Ariosto calls--and with good reason--the tyrant +of the sea, is the southwesterly wind, which is commonly called +'Garbin' at Venice. I said nothing, but I was frightened. I told my +sweetheart that we must needs sacrifice an hour of pleasure, since +prudence would have it so. + +"Let us set out forthwith, for if the gale gets stronger I shall not +be able to double the island." + +She saw my advice was not to be questioned, and taking the key of her +strong box, whence she desired to get some money, she was delighted +to find her store increased fourfold. She thanked me for having told +her nothing about it, assuring me she would have of me nothing but my +heart, and following me she got into my boat and lay down at full +length so as not to hinder its motion, I got upon the poop, as full +of fear as courage, and in five minutes I had the good luck to double +the point. But there it was that the tyrant was waiting for me, and +it was not long before I felt that my strength would not outlast that +of the winds. I rowed with all my strength, but all I could do was +to prevent my boat from going back. For half an hour I was in this +pitiful state, and I felt my strength failing without daring to say a +word. I was out of breath, but could not rest a moment, since the +least relaxation would have let the boat slip a far way back, and +this would have been a distance hard to recover. M---- M---- lay +still and silent, for she perceived I had no breath wherewith to +answer her. I began to give ourselves up as lost. + +At that instant I saw in the distance a barque coming swiftly towards +us. What a piece of luck! I waited till she caught us up, for if I +had not done so I should not have been able to make myself heard, but +as soon as I saw her at my left hand, twelve feet off, I shouted, +"Help! I will give two sequins!" + +They lowered sail and came towards me, and on their hailing me I +asked for a man to take us to the opposite point of the island. They +asked a sequin in advance, I gave it them, and promised the other to +the man who would get on my poop and help me to make the point. In +less than ten minutes we were opposite to the little stream leading +to the convent, but the secret of it was too dear to be hazarded, so +as soon as we reached the point I paid my preserver and sent him +back. Henceforth the wind was in our favour, and we soon got to the +little door, where M---- M---- landed, saying to me, "Go and sleep in +the casino." I thought her advice wise, and I followed it, and +having the wind behind me I got to the casino without trouble, and +slept till broad day. As soon as I had risen I wrote to my dear +mistress that I was well, and that we should see each other at the +grating. Having taken my boat back to St. Francis, I put on my mask +and went to Liston. + +In the morning M---- M---- came to the grating by herself, and we +made all such observations as our adventures of the night would be +likely to suggest, but in place of deciding to follow the advice +which prudence should have given us-namely, not to expose ourselves +to danger for the future, we thought ourselves extremely prudent in +resolving that if we were again threatened by a storm we would set +out as soon as we saw it rising. All the same we had to confess that +if chance had not thrown the barque in our way we should have been +obliged to return to the casino, for M---- M---- could not have got +to the convent, and how could she ever have entered its walls again? +I should have been forced to leave Venice with her, and that for +ever. My life would have been finally and irretrievably linked with +hers, and, without doubt, the various adventures which at the age of +seventy-two years impel me to write these Memoirs, would never have +taken place. + +For the next three months we continued to meet each other once a +week, always amorous, and never disturbed by the slightest accidents. + +M---- M---- could not resist giving the ambassador a full account of +our adventures, and I had promised to write to him, and always to +write the whole truth. He replied by congratulating us on our good +fortune, but he prophesied inevitable disaster if we had not the +prudence to stop our intercourse. + +Mr. Murray, the English ambassador, a witty and handsome man, and a +great amateur of the fair sex, wine, and good cheer, then kept the +fair Ancilla, who introduced me to him. This fine fellow became my +friend in much the same way as M. de Bernis, the only difference +being that the Frenchman liked to look on while the Englishman +preferred to give the show. I was never unwelcome at their amorous +battles, and the voluptuous Ancilla was delighted to have me for a +witness. I never gave them the pleasure of mingling in the strife. +I loved M---- M----, but I should avow that my fidelity to her was +not entirely dependent on my love. Though Ancilla was handsome she +inspired me with repugnance, for she was always hoarse, and +complained of a sharp pain in the throat, and though her lover kept +well, I was afraid of her, and not without cause, for the disease +which ended the days of Francis I. of France brought her to the grave +in the following autumn. A quarter of an hour before she died, her +brave Briton, yielding to the lascivious requests of this new +Messalina, offered in my presence the last sacrifice, in spite of a +large sore on her face which made her look hideous. + +This truly heroic action was known all over the town, and it was +Murray himself who made it known, citing me as his witness. + +This famous courtezan, whose beauty was justly celebrated, feeling +herself eaten away by an internal disease, promised to give a hundred +louis to a doctor named Lucchesi, who by dint of mercury undertook to +cure her, but Ancilla specified on the agreement that she was not to +pay the aforesaid sum till Lucchesi had offered with her an amorous +sacrifice. + +The doctor having done his business as well as he could wished to be +paid without submitting to the conditions of the treaty, but Ancilla +held her ground, and the matter was brought before a magistrate. + +In England, where all agreements are binding, Ancilla would have won +her case, but at Venice she lost it. + +The judge, in giving sentence, said a condition, criminal per se, not +fulfilled, did not invalidate an agreement--a sentence abounding in +wisdom, especially in this instance. + +Two months before this woman had become disgusting, my friend M. +Memmo, afterwards procurator, asked me to take him to her house. In +the height of the conversation, what should come but a gondola, and +we saw Count Rosemberg, the ambassador from Vienna, getting out of +it. M. Memmo was thunderstruck (for a Venetian noble conversing with +a foreign ambassador becomes guilty of treason to the state), and ran +in hot haste from Ancilla's room, I after him, but on the stair he +met the ambassador, who, seeing his distress, burst into a laugh, and +passed on. I got directly into M. Memmo's gondola, and we went +forthwith to M. Cavalli, secretary to the State Inquisitors. +M. Memmo could have taken no better course to avoid the troublesome +consequences which this fatal meeting might have had, and he was very +glad that I was with him to testify to his innocence and to the +harmlessness of the occurrence. + +M. Cavalli received M. Memmo with a smile, and told him he did well +to come to confession without wasting any time. M. Memmo, much +astonished at this reception, told him the brief history of the +meeting, and the secretary replied with a grave air that he had no +doubt as to the truth of his story, as the circumstances were in +perfect correspondence with what he knew of the matter. + +We came away extremely puzzled at the secretary's reply, and +discussed the subject for some time, but then we came to the +conclusion that M. Cavalli could have had no positive knowledge of +the matter before we came, and that he only spoke as he did from the +instinct of an Inquisitor, who likes it to be understood that nothing +is hid from him for a moment. + +After the death of Ancilla, Mr. Murray remained without a titular +mistress, but, fluttering about like a butterfly, he had, one after +another, the prettiest girls in Venice. This good-natured Epicurean +set out for Constantinople two years later, and was for twenty years +the ambassador of the Court of St. James at the Sublime Porte. He +returned to Venice in 1778 with the intention of ending his days +there, far from affairs of state, but he died in the lazaretto eight +days before the completion of his quarantine. + +At play fortune continued to favour me; my commerce with M---- M---- +could not be discovered now that I was my own waterman ; and the nuns +who were in the secret were too deeply involved not to keep it. I +led them a merry life, but I foresaw that as soon as M. de Bernis +decided to let M---- M---- know that he would not return to Venice, +he would recall his people, and we should then have the casino no +longer. I knew, besides, that when the rough season came on it would +be impossible for me by myself to continue our voyages. + +The first Monday in October, when the theatres are opened and masks +may be worn, I went to St. Francis to get my boat, and thence to +Muran for my mistress, afterwards making for the casino. The nights +were now long enough for us to have ample time for enjoyment, so we +began by making an excellent supper, and then devoted ourselves to +the worship of Love and Sleep. Suddenly, in the midst of a moment of +ecstasy, I heard a noise in the direction of the canal, which aroused +my suspicions, and I rushed to the window. What was my astonishment +and anger to see a large boat taking mine in tow! Nevertheless, +without giving way to my passion, I shouted to the robbers that I +would give them ten sequins if they would be kind enough to return me +my boat. + +A shout of laughter was all the reply they made, and not believing +what I said they continued their course. What was I to do? I dared +not cry, "Stop thief!" and not being endued with the power of walking +on the water dry-footed, I could not give chase to the robbers. I +was in the utmost distress, and for the moment M---- M---- shewed +signs of terror, for she did not see how I could remedy this +disaster. + +I dressed myself hastily, giving no more thoughts to love, my only +comfort being that I had still two hours to get the indispensable +boat, should it cost me a hundred sequins. I should have been in no +perplexity if I had been able to take one, but the gondoliers would +infallibly make proclamation over the whole of Muran that they had +taken a nun to such a convent, and all would have been lost. + +The only way, then, that was open to me was either to buy a boat or +to steal one. I put my pistols and dagger in my pocket, took some +money, and with an oar on my shoulder set out. + +The robbers had filed the chain of my boat with a silent file; this I +could not do, and I could only reckon on having the good luck to find +a boat moored with cords. + +Coming to the large bridge I saw boats and to spare, but there were +people on the quay, and I would not risk taking one. Seeing a tavern +open at the end of the quay I ran like a madman, and asked if there +were any boatmen there; the drawer told me there were two, but that +they were drunk. I came up to them, and said, "Who will take me to +Venice for eighty sous?" + +"I," and "I"; and they began to quarrel as to who should go. I +quieted them by giving forty sous to the more drunken of the two, and +I went out with the other. + +As soon as we were on our way, I said, + +"You are too drunk to take me, lend me your boat, and I will give it +you back to-morrow." + +"I don't know you." + +"I will deposit ten sequins, but your boat is not worth that. Who +will be your surety?" + +He took me back to the tavern, and the drawer went bail for him. +Well pleased, I took my man to the boat, and having furnished it with +a second oar and two poles he went away, chuckling at having made a +good bargain, while I was as glad to have had the worst of it. I had +been an hour away, and on entering the casino found my dear M---- +M---- in an agony, but as soon as she saw my beaming face all the +laughter came back on hers. I took her to the convent, and then went +to St. Francis, where the keeper of the boathouse looked as if he +thought me a fool, when I told him that I had trucked away my boat +for the one I had with me. I put on my mask, and went forthwith to +my lodging and to bed, for these annoyances had been too much for me. + +About this time my destiny made me acquainted with a nobleman called +Mark Antony Zorzi, a man of parts and famous for his skill in writing +verses in the Venetian dialect. Zorzi, who was very fond of the +play, and desired to offer a sacrifice to Thalia, wrote a comedy +which the audience took the liberty of hissing; but having persuaded +himself that his piece only failed through the conspiracies of the +Abbe Chiari, who wrote for the Theatre of St. Angelo, he declared +open war against all the abbe's plays. + +I felt no reluctance whatever to visit M. Zorzi, for he possessed an +excellent cook and a charming wife. He knew that I did not care for +Chiari as an author, and M. Zorzi had in his pay people who, without +pity, rhyme, or reason, hissed all the compositions of the +ecclesiastical playwright. My part was to criticise them in hammer +verses--a kind of doggerel then much in fashion, and Zorzi took care +to distribute my lucubrations far and wide. These manoeuvres made me +a powerful enemy in the person of M. Condulmer, who liked me none the +better for having all the appearance of being in high favour with +Madame Zorzi, to whom before my appearance he had paid diligent +court. This M. Condulmer was to be excused for not caring for me, +for, having a large share in the St. Angelo Theatre, the failure of +the abbe's pieces was a loss to him, as the boxes had to be let at a +very low rent, and all men are governed by interested motives. + +This M. Condulmer was sixty years old, but with all the greenness of +youth he was still fond of women, gaming, and money, and he was, in +fact, a money-lender, but he knew how to pass for a saint, as he took +care to go to mass every morning at St. Mark's, and never omitted to +shed tears before the crucifix. The following year he was made a +councillor, and in that capacity he was for eight months a State +Inquisitor. Having thus attained this diabolically-eminent, or +eminently-diabolical, position, he had not much difficulty in shewing +his colleagues the necessity of putting me under The Leads as a +disturber of the peace of the Republic. In the beginning of the +winter the astounding news of the treaty between France and Austria +was divulged--a treaty by which the political balance was entirely +readjusted, and which was received with incredulity by the Powers. +The whole of Italy had reason to rejoice, for the treaty guarded that +fair land from becoming the theatre of war on the slightest +difference which might arise between the two Powers. What astonished +the most acute was that this wonderful treaty was conceived and +carried out by a young ambassador who had hitherto been famed only as +a wit. The first foundations had been laid in 1750 by Madame de +Pompadour, Count Canes (who was created a prince), and M. l'Abbe de +Bernis, who was not known till the following year, when the king made +him ambassador to Venice. The House of Bourbon and the House of +Hapsburg had been foes for two hundred and forty years when this +famous treaty was concluded, but it only lasted for forty years, and +it is not likely that any treaty will last longer between two courts +so essentially opposed to one another. + +The Abbe de Bernis was created minister for foreign affairs some time +after the ratification of the treaty; three years after he re- +established the parliament, became a cardinal, was disgraced, and +finally sent to Rome, where he died. 'Mors ultimo linea rerum est'. + +Affairs fell out as I had foreseen, for nine months after he left +Venice he conveyed to M---- M---- the news of his recall, though he +did it in the most delicate manner. Nevertheless, M---- M---- felt +the blow so severely that she would very possibly have succumbed, had +I not been preparing her for it in every way I could think of M. de +Bernis sent me all instructions. + +He directed that all the contents of the casino should be sold and +the proceeds given to M---- M----, with the exception of the books +and prints which the housekeeper was ordered to bring to Paris. It +was a nice breviary for a cardinal, but would to God they had nothing +worse! + +Whilst M---- M---- abandoned herself to grief I carried out the +orders of M. de Bernis, and by the middle of January we had no longer +a casino. She kept by her two thousand sequins and her pearls, +intending to sell them later on to buy herself an annuity. + +We were now only able to see each other at the grating; and soon, +worn with grief, she fell dangerously ill, and on the 2nd of February +I recognized in her features the symptoms of approaching death. She +sent me her jewel-case, with all her diamonds and nearly all her +money, all the scandalous books she possessed, and all her letters, +telling me that if she did not die I was to return her the whole, but +that all belonged to me if, as she thought, she should succumb to the +disease. She also told me that C---- C---- was aware of her state, +and asked me to take pity on her and write to her, as my letters were +her only comfort, and that she hoped to have strength to read them +till her latest breath. + +I burst into tears, for I loved her passionately, and I promised her +to come and live in Muran until she recovered her health. + +Having placed the property in a gondola, I went to the Bragadin +Palace to deposit it, and then returned to Muran to get Laura to find +me a furnished room where I could live as I liked. "I know of a good +room, with meals provided," she said; "you will be quite comfortable +and will get it cheaply, and if you like to pay in advance, you need +not even say who you are. The old man to whom the house belongs +lives on the ground floor; he will give you all the keys and if you +like you need see no one." + +She gave me the address, and I went there on the spot, and having +found everything to my liking I paid a month in advance and the thing +was done. It was a little house at the end of a blind alley abutting +on the canal. I returned to Laura's house to tell her that I wanted +a servant to get my food and to make my bed, and she promised to get +me one by the next day. + +Having set all in order for my new lodging, I returned to Venice and +packed my mails as if I were about to make a long journey. After +supper I took leave of M. de Bragadin and of his two friends, +telling them that I was going to be away for several weeks on +important business. + +Next day, going to my new room, I was surprised to find there Tonine, +Laura's daughter, a pretty girl not more than fifteen years old, who +told me with a blush, but with more spirit than I gave her credit +for, that she would serve me as well as her mother would have done. + +I was in too much distress to thank Laura for this pretty present, +and I even determined that her daughter should not stay in my +service. We know how much such resolutions are commonly worth. In +the meanwhile I was kind to the girl: "I am sure," I said, "of your +goodwill, but I must talk to your mother. I must be alone," I added, +"as I have to write all day, and I shall not take anything till the +evening." She then gave me a letter, begging pardon for not having +given it me sooner. "You must never forget to deliver messages," +I said, "for if you had waited any longer before bringing me this +letter, it might have had the most serious consequences." She +blushed, begged pardon, and went out of the room. The letter was +from C---- C----, who told me that her friend was in bed, and that +the doctor had pronounced her illness to be fever. I passed the rest +of the day in putting my room in order, and in writing to C---- C---- +and her suffering friend. + +Towards evening Tonine brought in the candles, and told me that my +supper was ready. "Follow me," I said. Seeing that she had only +laid supper for one--a pleasing proof of her modesty, I told her to +get another knife and fork, as I wished her always to take her meals +with me. I can give no account of my motives. I only wished to be +kind to her, and I did everything in good faith. By and by, reader, +we shall see whether this is not one of the devices by which the +devil compasses his ends. + +Not having any appetite, I ate little, but I thought everything good +with the exception of the wine; but Tonine promised to get some +better by the next day, and when supper was over she went to sleep in +the ante-room. + +After sealing my letters, wishing to know whether the outer door was +locked, I went out and saw Tonine in bed, sleeping peacefully, or +pretending to do so. I might have suspected her thoughts, but I had +never been in a similar situation, and I measured the extremity of my +grief by the indifference with which I looked at this girl; she was +pretty, but for all that I felt that neither she nor I ran any risk. + +Next day, waking very early, I called her, and she came in neatly +dressed. I gave her my letter to C---- C----, which enclosed the +letter to M---- M----, telling her to take it to her mother and then +to return to make my coffee. + +"I shall dine at noon, Tonine," I said, "take care to get what is +necessary in good time." + +"Sir, I prepared yesterday's supper myself, and if you like I can +cook all your meals." + +"I am satisfied with your abilities, go on, and here is a sequin for +expenses." + +"I still have a hundred and twenty sous remaining from the one you +gave me yesterday, and that will be enough." + +"No, they are for yourself, and I shall give you as much every day." + +Her delight was so great that I could not prevent her covering my +hand with kisses. I took care to draw it back and not to kiss her in +return, for I felt as if I should be obliged to laugh, and this would +have dishonoured my grief. + +The second day passed like the first. Tonine was glad that I said no +more about speaking to her mother, and drew the conclusion that her +services were agreeable to me. Feeling tired and weak, and fearing +that I should not wake early enough to send the letter to the +convent, but not wishing to rouse Tonine if she were asleep, I called +her softly. She rose immediately and came into my room with nothing +on but a slight petticoat. Pretending to see nothing, I gave her my +letter, and told her to take it to her mother in the morning before +she came into my room. She went out, saying that my instructions +should be carried out, but as soon as she was gone I could not resist +saying to myself that she was very pretty; and I felt both sad and +ashamed at the reflection that this girl could very easily console +me. I hugged my grief, and I determined to separate myself from a +being who made me forget it. + +"In the morning," I said, "I will tell Laura to get me something less +seducing;" but the night brought counsel, and in the morning I put on +the armour of sophism, telling myself that my weakness was no fault +of the girl's, and that it would therefore be unjust to punish her +for it. We shall see, dear reader, how all this ended. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +Continues the Preceding Chapter--M. M. Recovers--I Return to Venice-- +Tonine Consoles Me--Decrease of My Love For M. M.--Doctor Righelini-- +Curious Conversation With Him--How This Conversation Affected M. M.-- +Mr. Murray Undeceived and Avenged + + +Tontine had what is called tact and common sense, and thinking these +qualities were required in our economy she behaved with great +delicacy, not going to bed before receiving my letters, and never +coming into my room except in a proper dress, and all this pleased +me. For a fortnight M---- M---- was so ill that I expected every +moment to hear the news of her death. On Shrove Tuesday C---- C---- +wrote that her friend was not strong enough to read my letter, and +that she was going to receive 'extreme unction'. This news so +shocked me that I could not rise, and passed the whole day in weeping +and writing, Tonine not leaving me till midnight. I could not sleep. +On Ash Wednesday I got a letter, in which C---- C---- told me that +the doctor had no hopes for her friend, and that he only gave her a +fortnight to live. A low fever was wasting her away, her weakness +was extreme, and she could scarcely swallow a little broth. She had +also the misfortune to be harassed by her confessor, who made her +foretaste all the terrors of death. I could only solace my grief by +writing, and Tonine now and again made bold to observe that I was +cherishing my grief, and that it would be the death of me. I knew +myself that I was making my anguish more poignant, and that keeping +to my bed, continued writing, and no food, would finally drive me +mad. I had told my grief to poor Tonine, whose chief duty was to +wipe away my tears. She had compassion on me. + +A few days later, after assuring C---- C---- that if our friend died +I should not survive her, I asked her to tell M---- M---- that if she +wanted me to take care of my life she must promise to let me carry +her off on her recovery. + +"I have," I said, "four thousand sequins and her diamonds, which are +worth six thousand; we should, therefore, have a sufficient sum to +enable us to live honourably in any part of Europe." + +C---- C---- wrote to me on the following day, and said that my +mistress, after hearing my letter read, had fallen into a kind of +convulsion, and, becoming delirious, she talked incessantly in French +for three whole hours in a fashion which would have made all the nuns +take to their heels, if they had understood her. I was in despair, +and was nearly raving as wildly as my poor nun. Her delirium lasted +three days, and as soon as she got back her reason she charged her +young friend to tell me that she was sure to get well if I promised +to keep to my word, and to carry her off as soon as her health would +allow. I hastened to reply that if I lived she might be sure my +promise would be fulfilled. + +Thus continuing to deceive each other in all good faith, we got +better, for every letter from C---- C----, telling me how the +convalescence of her friend was progressing, was to me as balm. And +as my mind grew more composed my appetite also grew better, and my +health improving day by day, I soon, though quite unconsciously, +began to take pleasure in the simple ways of Tonine, who now never +left me at night before she saw that I was asleep. + +Towards the end of March M---- M---- wrote to me herself, saying that +she believed herself out of danger, and that by taking care she hoped +to be able to leave her room after Easter. I replied that I should +not leave Muran till I had the pleasure of seeing her at the grating, +where, without hurrying ourselves, we could plan the execution of our +scheme. + +It was now seven weeks since M. de Bragadin had seen me, and thinking +that he would be getting anxious I resolved to go and see him that +very day. Telling Tonine that I should not be back till the evening, +I started for Venice without a cloak, for having gone to Muran masked +I had forgotten to take one. I had spent forty-eight days without +going out of my room, chiefly in tears and distress, and without +taking any food. I had just gone through an experience which +flattered my self-esteem. I had been served by a girl who would have +passed for a beauty anywhere in Europe. She was gentle, thoughtful, +and delicate, and without being taxed with foppishness I think I may +say that, if she was not in love with me, she was at all events +inclined to please me to the utmost of her ability; for all that I +had been able to withstand her youthful charms, and I now scarcely +dreaded them. Seeing her every day, I had dispersed my amorous +fancies, and friendship and gratitude seemed to have vanquished all +other feelings, for I was obliged to confess that this charming girl +had lavished on me the most tender and assiduous care. + +She had passed whole nights on a chair by my bedside, tending me like +a mother, and never giving me the slightest cause for complaint. + +Never had I given her a kiss, never had I allowed myself to undress +in her presence, and never (with one exception) had she come into my +room without being properly dressed. For all that, I knew that I had +fought a battle, and I felt inclined to boast at having won the +victory. There was only one circumstance that vexed me--namely, that +I was nearly certain that neither M. M. nor C. C. would consider such +continence to be within the bounds of possibility, if they heard of +it, and that Laura herself, to whom her daughter would tell the whole +story, would be sceptical, though she might out of kindness pretend +to believe it all. + +I got to M. de Bragadin's just as the soup was being served. He +welcomed me heartily, and was delighted at having foreseen that I +should thus surprise them. Besides my two other old friends, there +were De la Haye, Bavois, and Dr. Righelini at table. + +"What! you without a cloak!" said M. Dandolo. + +"Yes," said I; "for having gone out with my mask on I forgot to +bring one:" + +At this they laughed, and, without putting myself out, I sat down. +No one asked where I had been so long, for it was understood that +that question should be left to me to answer or not. Nevertheless, +De la Haye, who was bursting with curiosity, could not refrain from +breaking some jests on me. + +"You have got so thin," said he, "that uncharitable people will be +rather hard on you." + +"I trust they will not say that I have been passing my time with the +Jesuits." + +"You are sarcastic. They may say, perhaps, that you have passed your +time in a hot-house under the influence of Mercury." + +"Don't be afraid, sir, for to escape this hasty judgment I shall go +back this evening." + +"No, no, I am quite sure you will not." + +"Believe me, sir," said I, with a bantering tone, "that I deem your +opinion of too much consequence not to be governed by it." + +Seeing that I was in earnest, my friends were angry with him; and the +Aristarchus was in some confusion. + +Righelini, who was one of Murray's intimate friends, said to me in a +friendly way that he had been longing to tell Murray of my re- +appearance, and of the falsity of all the reports about me. + +"We will go to sup with him," said I, "and I will return after +supper." + +Seeing that M. de Bragadin and his two friends were uneasy about me, +I promised to dine with them on April 25th, St. Mark's Day. + +As soon as Mr. Murray saw me, he fell on my neck and embraced me. He +introduced me to his wife, who asked me to supper with great +politeness. After Murray had told me the innumerable stories which +had been made about my disappearance, he asked me if I knew a little +story by the Abbe Chiari, which had come out at the end of the +carnival. As I said that I knew nothing about it, he gave me a copy, +telling me that I should like it. He was right. It was a satire in +which the Zorzi clique was pulled to pieces, and in which I played a +very poor part. I did not read it till some time after, and in the +mean time put it in my pocket. After a very good supper I took a +gondola to return to Muran. + +It was midnight and very dark, so that I did not perceive the gondola +to be ill covered and in wretched order. A fine rain was falling +when I got in, and the drops getting larger I was soon wet to the +skin. No great harm was done, as I was close to my quarters. I +groped my way upstairs and knocked at the door of the ante-room, +where Tonine, who had not waited for me, was sleeping. +Awake in a moment she came to open the door in her smock, and without +a light. As I wanted one, I told her to get the flint and steel, +which she did, warning me in a modest voice that she was not dressed. +"That's of no consequence," said I, "provided you are covered." She +said no more, and soon lighted a candle, but she could not help +laughing when she saw me dripping wet. + +"I only want you, my dear," said I, "to dry my hair." She quickly +set to work with powder and powder-puff in hand, but her smock was +short and loose at the top, and I repented, rather too late, that I +had not given her time to dress. I felt that all was lost, all the +more as having to use both her hands she could not hold her smock and +conceal two swelling spheres more seductive than the apples of the +Hesperides. How could I help seeing them? I shut my eyes and, said +"For shame!" but I gave in at last, and fixed such a hungry gaze upon +poor Tonine that she blushed. "Come," said I, "take your smock +between your teeth and then I shall see no more." But it was worse +than before, and I had only added fuel to the fire; for, as the veil +was short, I could see the bases and almost the frieze of two marble +columns; and at this sight I gave a voluptuous cry. Not knowing how +to conceal everything from my gaze, Tonine let herself fall on the +sofa, and I, my passions at fever-heat, stood beside her, not knowing +what to do. + +"Well," she said, "shall I go and dress myself and then do your +hair?" + +"No, come and sit on my knee, and cover my eyes with your hands." +She came obediently, but the die was cast, and my resistance +overcome. I clasped her between my arms, and without any more +thoughts of playing at blind man's buff I threw her on the bed and +covered her with kisses. And as I swore that I would always love +her, she opened her arms to receive me in a way that shewed how long +she had been waiting for this moment. + +I plucked the rose, and then, as ever, I thought it the rarest I had +ever gathered since I had laboured in the harvest of the fruitful +fields of love. + +When I awoke in the morning I found myself more deeply in love with +Tonine than I had been with any other woman. She had got up without +waking me, but as soon as she heard me stirring she came, and I +tenderly chid her for not waiting for me to give her good morrow. +Without answering she gave me M---- M---- 's letter. I thanked her, +but putting the letter on one side I took her in my arms, and set her +by my side. "What a wonder!" cried Tonine. "You are not in a hurry +to read that letter! Faithless man, why did you not let me cure you +six weeks ago. How lucky I am; thanks to the rain! I do not blame +you, dear, but love me as you love her who writes to you every day, +and I shall be satisfied." + +"Do you know who she is?" + +"She lives in a boarding-house, and is as beautiful as an angel; but +she is there, and I am here. You are my master, and I will be your +servant as long as you like." + +I was glad to leave her in error, and swore an ever-lasting love; but +during our conversation she had let herself drop down in the bottom +of the bed, and I entreated her to lie down again; but she said that +on the contrary it was time for me to get up for dinner, for she +wanted to give me a dainty meal cooked in the Venetian manner. + +"Who is the cook?" said I. + +"I am, and I have been using all my skill on it since five, when I +got up." + +"What time is it now, then?" + +"Past one." + +The girl astonished me. She was no longer the shy Tonine of last +night; she had that exultant air which happiness bestows, and the +look of pleasure which the delights of love give to a young beauty. +I could not understand how I had escaped from doing homage to her +beauty when I first saw her at her mother's house. But I was then +too deeply in love with C---- C----; I was in too great distress; +and, moreover, Tonine was then unformed. I got up, and making her +bring me a cup of coffee I asked her to keep the dinner back for a +couple of hours. + +I found M---- M----'s letter affectionate, but not so interesting as +it would have been the day before. I set myself to answer it, and +was almost thunderstruck to find the task, for the first time, a +painful one. However, my short journey to Venice supplied me with +talk which covered four pages. + +I had an exquisite dinner with my charming Tonine. Looking at her as +at the same time my wife, my mistress, and my housekeeper, I was +delighted to find myself made happy at such a cheap rate. We spent +the whole day at the table talking of our love, and giving each other +a thousand little marks of it; for there is no such rich and pleasant +matter for conversation as when they who talk are parties to an +amorous suit. She told with charming simplicity that she knew +perfectly well that she could not make me amorous of her, because I +loved another, and that her only hope was therefore in a surprise, +and that she had foreseen the happy moment when I told her that she +need not dress herself to light a candle. + +Tonine was naturally quick-witted, but she did not know either how to +read or to write. She was enchanted to see herself become rich (for +she thought herself so) without a soul at Muran being able to breathe +a word against her honour. I passed three weeks in the company of +this delightful girl--weeks which I still reckon among the happiest +of my life; and what embitters my old age is that, having a heart as +warm as ever, I have no longer the strength necessary to secure a +single day as blissful as those which I owed to this charming girl. + +Towards the end of April I saw M. M. at the grating, looking thin and +much changed, but out of danger. I therefore returned to Venice. In +my interview, calling my attachment and tender feelings to my aid, I +succeeded in behaving myself in such wise that she could not possibly +detect the change which a new love had worked in my heart. I shall +be, I trust, easily believed when I say that I was not imprudent +enough to let her suspect that I had given up the idea of escaping +with her, upon which she counted more than ever. I was afraid lest +she should fall ill again, if I took this hope away from her. I kept +my casino, which cost me little, and as I went to see M. M. twice a +week I slept there on those occasions, and made love with my dashing +Tonine. + +Having kept my word with my friends by dining with them on St. Mark's +Day, I went with Dr. Righelini to the parlour of the Vierges to see +the taking of the veil. + +The Convent of the Vierges is within the jurisdiction of the Doge, +whom the nuns style "Most Serene Father." They all belong to the +first families in Venice. + +While I was praising the beauty of Mother M---- E----- to Dr. +Righelini, he whispered to me that he could get her me for a money +payment, if I were curious in the matter. A hundred sequins for her +and ten sequins for the go-between was the price fixed on. He +assured me that Murray had had her, and could have her again. Seeing +my surprise, he added that there was not a nun whom one could not +have by paying for her: that Murray had the courage to disburse five +hundred sequins for a nun of Muran--a rare beauty, who was afterwards +the mistress of the French ambassador. + +Though my passion for M---- M---- was on the wane, I felt my heart +gripped as by a hand of ice, and it was with the greatest difficulty +that I made no sign. Notwithstanding, I took the story for an +atrocious calumny, but yet the matter was too near my heart for me to +delay in bringing it to light at the earliest opportunity. I +therefore replied to Righelini in the calmest manner possible, that +one or two nuns might be had for money, but that it could happen very +rarely on account of the difficulties in most convents. + +"As for the nun of Muran, justly famous for her beauty, if she be +M---- M----, nun of the convent..., I not only disbelieve that Murray +ever had her, but I am sure she was never the French ambassador's +mistress. If he knew her it could only have been at the grating, +where I really cannot say what happens." + +Righelini, who was an honourable and spirited man, answered me coldly +that the English ambassador was a man of his word, and that he had +the story from his own lips. + +"If Mr. Murray," he continued, "had not told it me under the seal of +secrecy I would make him tell it you himself. I shall be obliged if +you will take care that he never knows I told you of it." + +"You may rely on my discretion." + +The same evening, supping at Murray's casino with Righelini, having +the matter at heart, and seeing before me the two men who could clear +up everything to my satisfaction, I began to speak with enthusiasm of +the beauty of M---- E----, whom I had seen at the Vierges. + +Here the ambassador struck in, taking the ball on the hop: + +"Between friends," said he, "you can get yourself the enjoyment of +those charms, if you are willing to sacrifice a sum of money--not too +much, either, but you must have the key." + +"Do you think you have it?" + +"No, I am sure; and had less trouble than you might suppose." + +"If you are sure; I congratulate you, and doubt no more. I envy your +fortune, for I don't believe a more perfect beauty could be found in +all the convents of Venice." + +"There you are wrong. Mother M---- M----, at ---- in Muran, is +certainly handsomer." + +"I have heard her talked of and I have seen her once, but I do not +think it possible that she can be procured for money." + +"I think so," said he, laughing, "and when I think I mostly have good +reasons." + +"You surprise me; but all the same I don't mind betting you are +deceived." + +"You would lose. As you have only seen her once, I suppose you would +not recognize her portrait?" + +"I should, indeed, as her face left a strong impression on my mind." + +"Wait a minute." + +He got up from the table, went out, and returned a minute after with +a box containing eight or ten miniatures, all in the same style, +namely, with hair in disorder and bare necks. + +"These," said I, "are rare charms, with which you have doubtless a +near acquaintance?" + +"Yes, and if you recognize any of them be discreet." + +"You need not be afraid. Here are three I recognize, and this looks +like M---- M----; but confess that you may have been deceived--at +least, that you did not have her in the convent or here, for there +are women like her." + +"Why do you think I have been deceived? I have had her here in her +religious habit, and I have spent a whole night with her; and it was +to her individually that I sent a purse containing five hundred +sequins. I gave fifty to the good procurer." + +"You have, I suppose, visited her in the parlour, after having her +here?" + +"No, never, as she was afraid her titular lover might hear of it. +You know that was the French ambassador." + +"But she only saw him in the parlour;" + +"She used to go to his house in secular dress whenever he wanted her. +I was told that by the man who brought her here." + +"Have you had her several times?" + +"Only once and that was enough, but I can have her whenever I like +for a hundred sequins." + +"All that may be the truth, but I would wager five hundred sequins +that you have been deceived." + +"You shall have your answer in three days." + +I was perfectly certain, I repeat, that the whole affair was a piece +of knavery; but it was necessary to have it proved, and I shuddered +when the thought came into my head that after all it might be a true +story. In this case I should have been freed from a good many +obligations, but I was strongly persuaded of her innocence. At all +events, if I were to find her guilty (which was amongst possible +occurrences), I resigned myself to lose five hundred sequins as the +price of this horrible discovery and addition to my experience of +life. I was full of restless anguish--the worst, perhaps, of the +torments of the mind. If the honest Englishman had been the victim +of a mystification, or rather knavery, my regard for M---- M----'s +honour compelled me to find a way to undeceive him without +compromising her; and such was my plan, and thus fortune favoured me. +Three or four days after, Mr. Murray told the doctor that he wished +to see me. We went to him, and he greeted me thus: + +"I have won; for a hundred sequins I can have the fair nun! + +"Alas!" said I, "there go my five hundred sequins." + +"No, not five hundred, my dear fellow, for I should be ashamed to win +so much of you, but the hundred she would cost me. If I win, you +shall pay for my pleasure, and if I lose I shall give her nothing." + +"How is the problem to be solved?" "My Mercury tells me that we must +wait for a day when masks are worn. He is endeavouring at present to +find out a way to convince both of us; for otherwise neither you nor +I would feel compelled to pay the wager, and if I really have M. M. +my honour would not allow me to let her suspect that I had betrayed +the secret." + +"No, that would be an unpardonable crime. Hear my plan, which will +satisfy us both; for after it has been carried out each of us will be +sure that he has fairly won or fairly lost. + +"As soon as you have possessed yourself of the real or pretended nun, +leave her on some pretext, and meet me in a place to be agreed upon. +We will then go together to the convent, and I will ask for M. M. + +"Will seeing her and speaking to her convince you that the woman you +have left at home is a mere impostor?" + +"Perfectly, and I shall pay my wager with the greatest willingness." + +"I may say the same. If, when I summon M. M. to the parlour, the +lay-sister tells us she is ill or busy, we will go, and the wager +will be yours; you will sup with the fair, and I will go elsewhere." + +"So be it; but since all this will be at nighttime, it is possible +that when you ask for her, the sister will tell you that no one can +be seen at such an hour." + +"Then I shall lose." + +"You are quite sure, then, that if she be in the convent she will +come down?" + +"That's my business. I repeat, if you don't speak to her, I shall +hold myself to have lost a hundred sequins, or a thousand if you +like." + +"One can't speak plainer than that, my dear fellow, and I thank you +beforehand." + +"The only thing I ask you is to come sharp to time; and not to come +too late for a convent." + +"Will an hour after sunset suit you?" + +"Admirably." + +"I shall also make it my business to compel my masked mistress to +stop where she is, even though it be M. M. herself." + +"Some won't have long to wait, if you will take her to a casino which +I myself possess at Muran, and where I secretly keep a girl of whom I +am amorous. I will take care that she shall not be there on the +appointed day, and I will give you the key of the casino. I shall +also see that you find a delicate cold supper ready." + +"That is admirable, but I must be able to point out the place to my +Mercury." + +"True! I will give you a supper to-morrow, the greatest secrecy to +be observed between us. We will go to my casino in a gondola, and +after supper we will go out by the street door; thus you will know +the way by land and water. You will only have to tell the procurer +the name of the canal and of the house, and on the day fixed you +shall have the key. You will only find there an old man who lives on +the ground floor, and he will see neither those who go out nor those +who come in. My sweetheart will see nothing and will not be seen; +and all, trust me, will turn out well." + +"I begin to think that I have lost my bet," said the Englishman, who +was delighted with the plan; "but it matters not, I can gaily +encounter either loss or gain." We made our appointment for the next +day, and separated. + +On the following morning I went to Muran to warn Tonine that I was +going to sup with her, and to bring two of my friends; and as my +English friend paid as great court to Bacchus as to Cupid, I took +care to send my little housekeeper several bottles of excellent wine. + +Charmed with the prospect of doing the honours of the table, Tonine +only asked me if my friends would go away after supper. I said yes, +and this reply made her happy; she only cared for the dessert. + +After leaving her I went to the convent and passed an hour with M. M. +in the parlour. I was glad to see that she was getting back her +health and her beauty every day, and having complimented her upon it +I returned to Venice. In the evening my two friends kept their +appointments to the minute, and we went to my little casino at two +hours after sunset. + +Our supper was delicious, and my Tonine charmed me with the +gracefulness of her carriage. I was delighted to see Righelini +enchanted, and the ambassador dumb with admiration. When I was in +love I did not encourage my friends to cajole my sweetheart, but I +became full of complaisance when time had cooled the heat of my +passion. + +We parted about midnight, and having taken Mr. Murray to the spot +where I was to wait for him on the day of trial, I returned to +compliment my charming Tonine as she deserved. She praised my two +friends, and could not express her surprise at seeing our English +friend going away, fresh and nimble on his feet, notwithstanding his +having emptied by himself six bottles of my best wine. Murray looked +like a fine Bacchus after Rubens. + +On Whit Sunday Righelini came to tell me that the English ambassador +had made all arrangements with the pretended procurer of M. M. for +Whit Tuesday. I gave him the keys of my abode at Muran, and told him +to assure Murray that I would keep the appointment at the exact time +arranged upon. + +My impatience brought on palpitation of the heart, which was +extremely painful, and I passed the two nights without closing an +eye; for although I was convinced of M---- M----'s innocence, my +agitation was extreme. But whence all this anxiety? Merely from a +desire to see the ambassador undeceived. M. M. must in his eyes have +seemed a common prostitute, and the moment in which he would be +obliged to confess himself the victim of roguery would re-establish +the honour of the nun. + +Mr. Murray was as impatient as myself, with this difference, that +whereas he, looking upon the adventure as a comic one, only laughed, +I who found it too tragic shuddered with indignation. + +On Tuesday morning I went to Muran to tell Tonine to get a cold +supper after my instruction, to lay the table for two, to get wax +lights ready, and having sent in several bottles of wine I bade her +keep to the room occupied by the old landlord, and not to come out +till the people who were coming in the evening were gone. She +promised to do so, and asked no questions. After leaving her I went +to the convent parlour, and asked to see M---- M----. Not expecting +to see me, she asked me why I had not gone to the pageant of the +Bucentaur, which, the weather being favourable, would set out on this +day. I do not know what I answered, but I know that she found my +words little to the purpose. I came at last to the important point, +and told her I was going to ask a favour of her, on which my peace of +mind depended, but which she must grant blindly without asking any +questions. + +"Tell me what I am to do, sweetheart," said she, "and be sure I will +refuse nothing which may be in my power." + +"I shall be here this evening an hour after sunset, and ask for you +at this grating; come. I shall be with another man, to whom I beg of +you to say a few words of politeness; you can then leave us. Let us +find some pretext to justify the unseasonable hour." + +"I will do what you ask, but you cannot imagine how troublesome it is +in a convent, for at six o'clock the parlours are shut up and the +keys are taken to the abbess' room. However, as you only want me for +five minutes, I will tell the abbess that I am expecting a letter +from my brother, and that it can be sent to me on this evening only. +You must give me a letter that the nun who will be with me may be +able to say that I have not been guilty of deception." + +"You will not come alone, then?" + +"I should not dare even to ask for such a privilege." + +"Very good, but try to come with some old nun who is short-sighted." + +"I will keep the light in the background." + +"Pray do not do so, my beloved; on the contrary, place it so that you +may be distinctly seen." + +"All this is very strange, but I have promised passive obedience, and +I will come down with two lights. May I hope that you will explain +this riddle to me at your next interview?" + +"By to-morrow, at latest, you shall know the whole story." + +"My curiosity will prevent me from sleeping." + +"Not so, dear heart; sleep peacefully, and be sure of my gratitude." + +The reader will think that after this conversation my heart was +perfectly at rest; but how far was I from resting! I returned to +Venice, tortured lest I should be told in the evening at the door of +the cathedral, where we were to meet, that the nun had been obliged +to put off her appointment. If that had happened, I should not have +exactly suspected M---- M----, but the ambassador would have thought +that I had caused the scheme to miscarry. It is certain that in that +case I should not have taken my man to the parlour, but should have +gone there sadly by myself. + +I passed the whole day in these torments, thinking it would never +come to an end, and in the evening I put a letter in my pocket, and +went to my post at the hour agreed upon. + +Fortunately, Murray kept the appointment exactly. + +"Is the nun there?" said I, as soon as he was near me. + +"Yes, my dear fellow. We will go, if you like, to the parlour; but +you will find that we shall be told she is ill or engaged. If you +like, the bet shall be off." + +"God forbid, my dear fellow! I cling to that hundred ducats. Let us +be gone." + +We presented ourselves at the wicket, and I asked for M---- M----, +and the doorkeeper made me breathe again by saying that I was +expected. I entered the parlour with my English friend, and saw that +it was lighted by four candles. I cannot recall these moments +without being in love with life. I take note not only of my noble +mistress's innocence, but also of the quickness of her wit. Murray +remained serious, without a smile on his face. Full of grace and +beauty, M---- M---- came into the room with a lay-sister, each of +them holding a candlestick. She paid me a compliment in good French; +I gave her the letter, and looking at the address and the seal she +put it in her pocket. After thanking me and saying she would reply +in due course, she turned towards my companion: + +"I shall, perhaps, make you lose the first act of the opera," said +she. + +"The pleasure of seeing you, madam, is worth all the operas in the +world." + +"You are English, I think?" + +"Yes, madam." + +"The English are now the greatest people in the world, because they +are free and powerful. Gentlemen, I wish you a very good evening." + +I had never seen M---- M---- looking so beautiful as then, and I went +out of the parlour ablaze with love, and glad as I had never been +before. I walked with long strides towards my casino, without taking +notice of the ambassador, who did not hurry himself in following me; +I waited for him at my door. + +"Well," said I, "are you convinced now that you have been cheated?" + +"Be quiet, we have time enough to talk about that. Let us go +upstairs." + +"Shall I come?" + +"Do. What do you think I could do by myself for four hours with that +creature who is waiting for me? We will amuse ourselves with her." + +"Had we not better turn her out?" + +"No; her master is coming for her at two o'clock in the morning. She +would go and warn him, and he would escape my vengeance. We will +throw them both out of the window." + +"Be moderate, for M---- M----s honour depends on the secrecy we +observe. Let us go upstairs. We shall have some fun. I should like +to see the hussy." + +Murray was the first to enter the room. As soon as the girl saw me, +she threw her handkerchief over her face, and told the ambassador +that such behaviour was unworthy of him. He made no answer. She was +not so tall as M---- M----, and she spoke bad French. + +Her cloak and mask were on the bed, but she was dressed as a nun. As +I wanted to see her face, I politely asked her to do me the favour of +shewing it. + +"I don't know you," said she; "who are you?" + +"You are in my house, and don't know who I am?" + +"I am in your house because I have been betrayed. I did not think +that I should have to do with a scoundrel." + +At this word Murray commanded her to be silent, calling her by the +name of her honourable business; and the slut got up to take her +cloak, saying she would go. Murray pushed her back, and told her +that she would have to wait for her worthy friend, warning her to +make no noise if she wanted to keep out of prison. + +"Put me in prison!" + +With this she directed her hand towards her dress, but I rushed +forward and seized one hand while Murray mastered the other. We +pushed her back on a chair while we possessed ourselves of the +pistols she carried in her pockets. + +Murray tore away the front of her holy habit, and I extracted a +stiletto eight inches long, the false nun weeping bitterly all the +time. + +"Will you hold your tongue, and keep quiet till Capsucefalo comes," +said the ambassador, "or go to prison?" + +"If I keep quiet what will become of me?" + +"I promise to let you go." + +"With him?" + +"Perhaps." + +"Very well, then, I will keep quiet." + +"Have you got any more weapons?" + +Hereupon the slut took off her habit and her petticoat, and if we had +allowed her she would have soon been in a state of nature, no doubt +in the expectation of our passions granting what our reason refused. +I was much astonished to find in her only a false resemblance to +M.M. I remarked as much to the ambassador, who agreed with me, but +made me confess that most men, prepossessed with the idea that they +were going to see M. M., would have fallen into the same trap. In +fact, the longing to possess one's self of a nun who has renounced +all the pleasures of the world, and especially that of cohabitation +with the other sex, is the very apple of Eve, and is more delightful +from the very difficulty of penetrating the convent grating. + +Few of my readers will fail to testify that the sweetest pleasures +are those which are hardest to be won, and that the prize, to obtain +which one would risk one's life, would often pass unnoticed if it +were freely offered without difficulty or hazard. + +In the following chapter, dear reader, you will see the end of this +farcical adventure. In the mean time, let us take a little breath. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +Pleasant Ending of the Adventure of the False Nun--M. M. Finds Out +That I Have d Mistress--She is Avenged on the Wretch Capsucefalo-- +I Ruin Myself at Play, and at the Suggestion of M. M. I Sell all Her +Diamonds, One After Another--I Hand Over Tonine to Murray, Who Makes +Provision for Her--Her Sister Barberine Takes Her Place. + + +How did you make this nice acquaintance?" I asked the ambassador. + +"Six months ago," he replied, "while standing at the convent gate +with Mr. Smith, our consul, in whose company I had been to see some +ceremony or other, I remarked to him, as we were talking over some +nuns we had noticed, 'I would gladly give five hundred sequins for a +few hours of Sister M---- M----s company.' Count Capsucefalo heard +what I said, but made no remark. Mr. Smith answered that one could +only see her at the grating as did the ambassador of France, who +often came to visit her. Capsucefalo called on me the next morning, +and said that if I had spoken in good faith he was sure he could get +me a night with the nun in whatever place I liked, if she could count +on my secrecy. 'I have just been speaking to her,' said he, 'and on +my mentioning your name she said she had noticed you with Mr. Smith, +and vowed she would sup with you more for love than money. 'I,' said +the rascal, 'am the only man she trusts, and I take her to the French +ambassador's casino in Venice whenever she wants to go there. You +need not be afraid of being cheated, as you will give the money to +her personally when you have possessed yourself of her.' With this +he took her portrait from his pocket and shewed it me; and here it +is. I bought it of him two days after I believed myself to have +spent a night with the charming nun, and a fortnight after our +conversation. This beauty here came masked in a nun's habit, and I +was fool enough to think I had got a treasure. I am vexed with +myself for not having suspected the cheat--at all events, when I saw +her hair, as I know that nuns' hair should be cut short. But when I +said something about it to the hussy, she told me they were allowed +to keep their hair under their caps, and I was weak enough to believe +her." + +I knew that on this particular Murray had not been deceived, but I +did not feel compelled to tell him so then and there. + +I held the portrait Murray had given me in my hand, and compared it +with the face before me. In the portrait the breast was bare, and as +I was remarking that painters did those parts as best they could, the +impudent wench seized the opportunity to shew me that the miniature +was faithful to nature. I turned my back upon her with an expression +of contempt which would have mortified her, if these creatures were +ever capable of shame. As we talked things over, I could not help +laughing at the axiom, Things which are equal to the same thing are +equal to one another, for the miniature was like M. M. and like the +courtezan, and yet the two women were not like each other. Murray +agreed with me, and we spent an hour in a philosophical discussion on +the matter. As the false M. M. was named Innocente, we expressed a +wish to know how her name agreed with her profession, and how the +knave had induced her to play the part she had taken; and she told us +the following story: + +"I have known Count Capsucefalo for two years, and have found him +useful, for, though he has given me no money, he has made me profit +largely through the people he has introduced to me. About the end of +last autumn he came to me one day, and said that if I could make up +as a nun with some clothes he would get me, and in that character +pass a night with an Englishman, I should be the better by five +hundred sequins. 'You need not be afraid of anything,' said he, 'as +I myself will take you to the casino where the dupe will be awaiting +you, and I will come and take you back to your imaginary convent +towards the end of the night. He shewed me how I must behave, and +told me what to reply if my lover asked any questions about the +discipline of the convent. + +"I liked the plot, gentlemen, and I told him I was ready to carry it +out. And be pleased to consider that there are not many women of my +profession who would hesitate over a chance of getting five hundred +sequins. Finding the scheme both agreeable and profitable, I +promised to play my part with the greatest skill. The bargain was +struck, and he gave me full instructions as to my dialogue. He told +me that the Englishman could only talk about my convent and any +lovers I might have had; that on the latter point I was to cut him +short, and to answer with a laugh that I did not know what he was +talking about, and even to tell him that I was a nun in appearance +only, and that in the course of toying I might let him see my hair. +'That,' said Capsucefalo, 'won't prevent him from thinking you a nun +--yes! and the very nun he is amorous of, for he will have made up +his mind that you cannot possibly be anyone else.' Seizing the point +of the jest, I did not take the trouble to find out the name of the +nun I was to represent, nor the convent whence I was to come; the +only thing in my head was the five hundred sequins. So little have I +troubled about aught else that, though I passed a delicious night +with you, and found you rather worthy of being paid for than paying, +I have not ascertained who and what you are, and I don't know at this +moment to whom I am speaking. You know what a night I had; I have +told you it was delicious, and I was happy in the idea that I was +going to have another. You have found everything out. I am sorry, +but I am not afraid of anything, since I can put on any disguise I +like, and can't prevent my lovers taking me for a saint if they like +to do so. You have found weapons in my possession, but everyone is +allowed to bear arms in self-defence. I plead not guilty on all +counts." + +"Do you know me?" said I. + +"No, but I have often seen you passing under my window. I live at +St. Roch, near the bridge." + +The way in which the woman told her yarn convinced us that she was an +adept in the science of prostitution, but we thought Capsucefalo, in +spite of the count, worthy of the pillory. The girl was about ten +years older than M. M., she was pretty, but light-complexioned, while +my beautiful nun had fine dark brown hair and was at least three +inches taller. + +After twelve o'clock we sat down to supper, and did honour to the +excellent meal which my dear Antoinette had prepared for us. We were +cruel enough to leave the poor wretch without offering her so much as +a glass of wine, but we thought it our duty. + +While we were talking, the jolly Englishman made some witty comments +on my eagerness to convince him that he had not enjoyed M. M.'s +favours. + +"I can't believe," said he, "that you have shewn so much interest +without being in love with the divine nun." + +I answered by saying that if I were her lover I was much to be pitied +in being condemned to go to the parlour, and no farther. + +"I would gladly give a hundred guineas a month," said he, "to have +the privilege of visiting her at the grating." + +So saying he gave me my hundred sequins, complimenting me on my +success, and I slipped them forthwith into my pocket. + +At two o'clock in the morning we heard a soft knock on the street +door. + +"Here is our friend," I said, "be discreet, and you will see that he +will make a full confession." + +He came in and saw Murray and the lady, but did not discover that a +third party was present till he heard the ante-room door being +locked. He turned round and saw me, and as he knew me, merely said, +without losing countenance: + +"Ah, you are here; you know, of course, that the secret must be +kept?" + +Murray laughed and calmly asked him to be seated, and he enquired, +with the lady's pistols in his hands, where he was going to take her +before day-break. + +"Home." + +"I think you may be mistaken, as it is very possible that when you +leave this place you will both of you be provided with a bed in +prison." + +"No, I am not afraid of that happening; the thing would make too much +noise, and the laugh would not be on your side. Come," said he to +his mate, "put on your cloak and let us be off." + +The ambassador, who like an Englishman kept quite cool the whole +time, poured him out a glass of Chambertin, and the blackguard drank +his health. Murray seeing he had on a fine ring set with brilliants, +praised it, and shewing some curiosity to see it more closely he drew +it off the fellow's finger, examined it, found it without flaw, and +asked how much it was worth. Capsucefalo, a little taken aback, said +it cost him four hundred sequins. + +"I will hold it as a pledge for that sum," said the ambassador, +putting the ring into his pocket. The other looked chop-fallen, and +Murray laughing at his retiring manners told the girl to put on her +cloak and to pack off with her worthy acolyte. She did so directly, +and with a low bow they disappeared. + +"Farewell, nun procurer!" said the ambassador, but the count made no +answer. + +As soon as they were gone I thanked Murray warmly for the moderation +he had shewn, as a scandal would have only injured three innocent +people. + +"Be sure," said he, "that the guilty parties shall be punished +without anyone's knowing the reason" + +I then made Tonine come upstairs, and my English friend offered her a +glass of wine, which she declined with much modesty and politeness. +Murray looked at her with flaming glances, and left after giving me +his heartiest thanks. + +Poor little Tonine had been resigned, and obedient for many hours, +and she had good cause to think I had been unfaithful to her; +however, I gave her the most unmistakable proofs of my fidelity. We +stayed in bed for six hours, and rose happy in the morning. + +After dinner I hurried off to my noble M---- M----, and told her the +whole story. She listened eagerly, her various feelings flitting +across her face. Fear, anger, wrath, approval of my method of +clearing up my natural suspicions, joy at discovering me still her +lover--all were depicted in succession in her glance, and in the play +of her features, and in the red and white which followed one another +on her cheeks and forehead. She was delighted to hear that the +masker who was with me in the parlour was the English ambassador, but +she became nobly disdainful when I told her that he would gladly give +a hundred guineas a month for the pleasure of visiting her in the +parlour. She was angry with him for fancying that she had been in +his power, and for finding a likeness between her and a portrait, +when, so she said, there was no likeness at all; I had given her the +portrait. She added, with a shrewd smile, that she was sure I had +not let my little maid see the false nun, as she might have been +mistaken. + +"You know, do you, that I have a young servant?" + +"Yes, and a pretty one, too. She is Laura's daughter, and if you +love her I am very glad, and so is C---- C----. I hope you will let +me have a sight of her. C---- C---- has seen her before." + +As I saw that she knew too much for me to be able to deceive her, I +took my cue directly and told her in detail the history of my amours. +She shewed her satisfaction too openly not to be sincere. Before I +left her she said her honour obliged her to get Capsucefalo +assassinated, for the wretch had wronged her beyond pardon. By way +of quieting her I promised that if the ambassador did not rid us of +him within the week I would charge myself with the execution of our +common vengeance. + +About this time died Bragadin the procurator, brother of my patron, +leaving M. de Bragadin sufficiently well off. However, as the family +threatened to become extinct, he desired a woman who had been his +mistress, and of whom he had had a natural son, to become his wife. +By this marriage the son would have become legitimate, and the family +renewed again. The College of Cardinals would have recognized the +wife for a small fee, and all would have gone admirably. + +The woman wrote to me, asking me to call on her; and I was going to, +curious to know what a woman, whom I did not know from Adam, could +want with me, when I received a summons from M. de Bragadin. He +begged me to ask Paralis if he ought to follow De la Haye's advice in +a matter he had promised not to confide to me, but of which the +oracle must be informed. The oracle, naturally opposed to the +Jesuit, told him to consult his own feelings and nothing else. After +this I went to the lady. + +She began by telling me the whole story. She introduced her son to +me, and told me that if the marriage could be performed, a deed would +be delivered in my favour by which, at the death of M. de Bragadin, +I should become entitled to an estate worth five thousand crowns per +annum. + +As I guessed without much trouble that this was the same matter which +De la Haye had proposed to M. de Bragadin, I answered without +hesitation that since De la Haye was before me I could do nothing, +and thereupon made her my bow. + +I could not help wondering at this Jesuit's continually intriguing to +marry my old friends without my knowledge. Two years ago, if I had +not set my face against it, he would have married M. Dandolo. I +cared not a whit whether the family of Bragadin became extinct or +not, but I did care for the life of my benefactor, and was quite sure +that marriage would shorten it by many years; he was already sixty- +three, and had recovered from a serious apoplectic stroke. + +I went to dine with Lady Murray (English-women who are daughters of +lords keep the title), and after dinner the ambassador told me that +he had told M. Cavalli the whole story of the false nun, and that the +secretary had informed him, the evening before, that everything had +been done to his liking. Count Capsucefalo had been sent to +Cephalonia, his native country, with the order never to return to +Venice, and the courtezan had disappeared. + +The fine part, or rather the fearful part, about these sentences is +that no one ever knows the reason why or wherefore, and that the lot +may fall on the innocent as well as the guilty. M. M. was delighted +with the event, and I was more pleased than she, for I should have +been sorry to have been obliged to soil my hands with the blood of +that rascally count. + +There are seasons in the life of men which may be called 'fasti' and +'nefasti'; I have proved this often in my long career, and on the +strength of the rubs and struggles I have had to encounter. I am +able, as well as any man, to verify the truth of this axiom. I had +just experienced a run of luck. Fortune had befriended me at play, I +had been happy in the society of men, and from love I had nothing to +ask; but now the reverse of the medal began to appear. Love was +still kind, but Fortune had quite left me, and you will soon see, +reader, that men used me no better than the blind goddess. +Nevertheless, since one's fate has phases as well as the moon, good +follows evil as disasters succeed to happiness. + +I still played on the martingale, but with such bad luck that I was +soon left without a sequin. As I shared my property with M. M. I was +obliged to tell her of my losses, and it was at her request that I +sold all her diamonds, losing what I got for them; she had now only +five hundred sequins by her. There was no more talk of her escaping +from the convent, for we had nothing to live on! I still gamed, but +for small stakes, waiting for the slow return of good luck. + +One day the English ambassador, after giving me a supper at his +casino with the celebrated Fanny Murray, asked me to let him sup at +my casino at Muran, which I now only kept up for the sake of Tonine. +I granted him the favour, but did not imitate his generosity. He +found my little mistress smiling and polite, but always keeping +within the bounds of decency, from which he would have very willingly +excused her. The next morning he wrote to me as follows: + +"I am madly in love with Tonine. If you like to hand her over to me +I will make the following provision for her: I will set her up in a +suitable lodging which I will furnish throughout, and which I will +give to her with all its contents, provided that I may visit her +whenever I please, and that she gives me all the rights of a +fortunate lover. I will give her a maid, a cook, and thirty sequins +a month as provision for two people, without reckoning the wine, +which I will procure myself. Besides this I will give her a life +income of two hundred crowns per annum, over which she will have full +control after living with me for a year. I give you a week to send +your answer." + +I replied immediately that I would let him know in three days whether +his proposal were accepted, for Tonine had a mother of whom she was +fond, and she would possibly not care to do anything without her +consent. I also informed him that in all appearance the girl was +with child. + +The business was an important one for Tonine. I loved her, but I +knew perfectly well that we could not pass the rest of our lives +together, and I saw no prospect of being able to make her as good a +provision as that offered by the ambassador. Consequently I had no +doubts on the question, and the very same day I went to Muran and +told her all. + +"You wish to leave me, then," said she, in tears. + +"I love you, dearest, and what I propose ought to convince you of my +love." + +"Not so; I cannot serve two masters." + +"You will only serve your new lover, sweetheart. I beg of you to +reflect that you will have a fine dowry, on the strength of which you +may marry well; and that however much I love you I cannot possibly +make so good a provision for you." + +"Leave me to-day for tears and reflection, and come to supper with me +to-morrow." + +I did not fail to keep the appointment. + +"I think your English friend is a very pretty man," she said, "and +when he speaks in the Venetian dialect it makes me die with laughter. +If my mother agrees, I might, perhaps, force myself to love him. +Supposing we did not agree we could part at the end of a year, and I +should be the richer by an income of two hundred crowns." + +"I am charmed with the sense of your arguments; speak about it to +your mother." + +"I daren't, sweetheart; this kind of thing is too delicate to be +discussed between a mother and her daughter speak to her yourself." + +"I will, indeed." + +Laura, whom I had not seen since she had given me her daughter, asked +for no time to think it over, but full of glee told me that now her +daughter would be able to soothe her declining years, and that she +would leave Muran of which she was tired. She shewed me a hundred +and thirty sequins which Tonine had gained in my service, and which +she had placed in her hands. + +Barberine, Tonine's younger sister, came to kiss my hand. I thought +her charming, and I gave her all the silver in my pocket. I then +left, telling Laura that I should expect her at my house. She soon +followed me, and gave her child a mother's blessing, telling her that +she and her family could go and live in Venice for sixty sous a day. +Tonine embraced her, and told her that she should have it. + +This important affair having been managed to everybody's +satisfaction, I went to see M---- M----, who came into the parlour +with C---- C----, whom I found looking sad, though prettier than +ever. She was melancholy, but none the less tender. She could not +stay for more than a quarter of an hour for fear of being seen, as +she was forbidden ever to go into the parlour. I told M. M. the +story of Tonine, who was going to live with Murray in Venice; she was +sorry to hear it, "for," said she, "now that you have no longer any +attraction at Muran, I shall see you less than ever." I promised to +come and see her often, but vain promises! The time was near which +parted us for ever. + +The same evening I went to tell the good news to my friend Murray. +He was in a transport of joy, and begged me to come and sup with him +at his casino the day after next, and to bring the girl with me, that +the surrender might be made in form. I did not fail him, for once +the matter was decided, I longed to bring it to an end. In my +presence he assigned to her the yearly income for her life of two +hundred Venetian ducats, and by a second deed he gave her all the +contents of the house with which he was going to provide her, +provided always that she lived with him for a year. He allowed her +to receive me as a friend, also to receive her mother and sisters, +and she was free to go and see them when she would. Tonine threw her +arms about his neck, and assured him that she would endeavour to +please him to the utmost of her ability. "I will see him," said she, +pointing to me, "but as his friend he shall have nothing more from +me." Throughout this truly affecting scene she kept back her tears, +but I could not conceal mine. Murray was happy, but I was not long a +witness of his good fortune, the reason of which I will explain a +little later. + +Three days afterwards Laura came to me, told me that she was living +in Venice, and asked me to take her to her daughter's. I owed this +woman too much to refuse her, and I took her there forthwith. Tonine +gave thanks to God, and also to me, and her mother took up the song, +for they were not quite sure whether they were more indebted to God +or to me. Tonine was eloquent in her praise of Murray, and made no +complaint at my not having come to see her, at which I was glad. As +I was going Laura asked me to take her back in my gondola, and as we +had to pass by the house in which she lived she begged me to come in +for a moment, and I could not hurt her feelings by refusing. I owe +it to my honour to remark here that I was thus polite without +thinking that I should see Barberine again. + +This girl, as pretty as her sister, though in another style, began by +awakening my curiosity--a weakness which usually renders the +profligate man inconstant. If all women were to have the same +features, the same disposition, and the same manners, men would not +only never be inconstant, but would never be in love. Under that +state of things one would choose a wife by instinct and keep to her +till death, but our world would then be under a different system to +the present. Novelty is the master of the soul. We know that what +we do not see is very nearly the same as what we have seen, but we +are curious, we like to be quite sure, and to attain our ends we give +ourselves as much trouble as if we were certain of finding some prize +beyond compare. + +Barberine, who looked upon me as an old friend--for her mother had +accustomed her to kiss my hand whenever I went there, who had +undressed more than once in my presence without troubling about me, +who knew I had made her sister's fortune and the family fortune as +well, and thought herself prettier than Tonine because her skin was +fairer, and because she had fine black eyes, desiring to take her +sister's place, knew that to succeed she must take me by storm. Her +common sense told her that as I hardly ever came to the house, I +should not be likely to become amorous of her unless she won me by +storm; and to this end she shewed the utmost complaisance when she +had the chance, so that I won her without any difficulty. All this +reasoning came from her own head, for I am sure her mother gave her +no instructions. Laura was a mother of a kind common the world over, +but especially in Italy. She was willing to take advantage of the +earnings of her daughters, but she would never have induced them to +take the path of evil. There her virtue stopped short. + +After I had inspected her two rooms and her little kitchen, and had +admired the cleanness which shone all around, Barberine asked me if I +would like to see their small garden. + +"With pleasure," I replied, "for a garden is a rarity in Venice." + +Her mother told her to give me some figs if there were any ripe ones. +The garden consisted of about thirty square feet, and grew only salad +herbs and a fine fig tree. It had not a good crop, and I told her +that I could not see any figs. + +"I can see some at the top," said Barberine, "and I will gather them +if you will hold me the ladder." + +"Yes, climb away; I will hold it quite firmly." + +She stepped up lightly, and stretching out an arm to get at some figs +to one side of her, she put her body off its balance, holding on to +the ladder with the other hand. + +"My dear Barberine, what do you think I can see?" + +"What you have often seen with my sister." + +"That's true! but you are prettier than she is." + +The girl made no reply, but, as if she could not reach the fruit, she +put her foot on a high branch, and spewed me the most seductive +picture. I was in an ecstasy, and Barberine, who saw it, did not +hurry herself. At last I helped her to come down, and letting my +hand wander indiscreetly, I asked her if the fruit I held had been +plucked, and she kept me a long time telling me it was quite fresh. +I took her within my arms, and already her captive, I pressed her +amorously to my heart, printing on her lips a fiery kiss, which she +gave me back with as much ardour. + +"Will you give me what I have caught, dearest?" + +"My mother is going to Muran to-morrow, and she will stay there all +the day; if you come, there is nothing I will refuse you." + +When speech like this proceeds from a mouth still innocent, the man +to whom it is addressed ought to be happy, for desires are but pain +and torment, and enjoyment is sweet because it delivers us from them. +This shews that those who prefer a little resistance to an easy +conquest are in the wrong; but a too easy conquest often points to a +depraved nature, and this men do not like, however depraved they +themselves may be. + +We returned to the house, and I gave Barberine a tender kiss before +Laura's eyes, telling her that she had a very jewel in her daughter-- +a compliment which made her face light up with pleasure. I gave the +dear girl ten sequins, and I went away congratulating myself, but +cursing my luck at not being able to make as good provision for +Barberine as Murray had made for her sister. + +Tonine had told me that for manners' sake I should sup once with her. +I went the same evening and found Righelini and Murray there. The +supper was delicious, and I was delighted with the excellent +understanding the two lovers had already come to. I complimented the +ambassador on the loss of one of his tastes, and he told me he should +be very sorry at such a loss, as it would warn him of his declining +powers. + +"But," said I, "you used to like to perform the mysterious sacrifice +of Love without a veil." + +"It was not I but Ancilla who liked it, and as I preferred pleasing +her to pleasing myself, I gave in to her taste without any +difficulty." + +"I am delighted with your answer, as I confess it would cost me +something to be the witness of your exploits with Tonine." + +Having casually remarked that I had no longer a house in Muran, +Righelini told me that if I liked he could get me a delightful house +at a low rent on the Tondamente Nuovo. + +As this quarter facing north, and as agreeable in summer as +disagreeable in winter, was opposite to Muran, where I should have to +go twice a week, I told the doctor I should be glad to look at the +house. + +I took leave of the rich and fortunate ambassador at midnight, and +before passing the day with my new prize I went to sleep so as to be +fresh and capable of running a good course. + +I went to Barberine at an early hour, and as soon as she saw me she +said, + +"My mother will not be back till the evening, and my brother will +take his dinner at the school. Here is a fowl, a ham, some cheese, +and two bottles of Scopolo wine. We will take our mess whenever you +like:" + +"You astonish me, sweetheart, for how did you manage to get such a +good dinner?" + +"We owe it to my mother, so to her be the praise." + +"You have told her, then, what we are going to do?" + +"No, not I, for I know nothing about it; but I told her you were +coming to see me, and at the same time I gave her the ten sequins." + +"And what did your mother say?" + +"She said she wouldn't be sorry if you were to love me as you loved +my sister." + +"I love you better, though I love her well." + +"You love her? Why have you left her, then?" + +"I have not left her, for we supped together yesterday evening; but +we no longer live together as lovers, that is all. I have yielded +her up to a rich friend of mine, who has made her fortune." + +"That is well, though I don't understand much about these affairs. I +hope you will tell Tonine that I have taken her place, and I should +be very pleased if you would let her know that you are quite sure you +are my first lover." + +"And supposing the news vexes her?" + +"So much the better. Will you do it for me? it's the first favour I +have asked of you." + +"I promise to do so." + +After this rapid dialogue we took breakfast, and then, perfectly +agreed, we went to bed, rather as if we were about to sacrifice to +Hymen than to love. + +The game was new to Barberine, and her transports, her green notions- +-which she told me openly--her inexperience, or rather her +awkwardness, enchanted me. I seemed for the first time to pluck the +fruit of the tree of knowledge, and never had I tasted fruit so +delicious. My little maid would have been ashamed to let me see how +the first thorn hurt her, and to convince me that she only smelt the +rose, she strove to make me think she experienced more pleasure than +is possible in a first trial, always more or less painful. She was +not yet a big girl, the roses on her swelling breasts were as yet but +buds, and she was a woman only in her heart. + +After more than one assault delivered and sustained with spirit, we +got up for dinner, and after we had refreshed ourselves we mounted +once more the altar of love, where we remained till the evening. +Laura found us dressed and well pleased with each other on her +return. I made Barberine another present of twenty sequins, I swore +to love her always, and went on my way. At the time I certainly +meant to keep to my oath, but that which destiny had in store for me +could not be reconciled with these promises which welled forth from +my soul in a moment of excitement. + +The next morning Righelini took me to see the lodging he had spoken +to me about. I liked it and took it on the spot, paying the first +quarter in advance. The house belonged to a widow with two +daughters, the elder of whom had just been blooded. Righelini was +her doctor, and had treated her for nine months without success. As +he was going to pay her a visit I went in with him, and found myself +in the presence of a fine waxen statue. Surprise drew from me these +words: + +"She is pretty, but the sculptor should give her some colour." + +On which the statue smiled in a manner which would have been charming +if her lips had but been red. + +"Her pallor," said Righelini, "will not astonish you when I tell you +she has just been blooded for the hundred and fourth time." + +I gave a very natural gesture of surprise. + +This fine girl had attained the age of eighteen years without +experiencing the monthly relief afforded by nature, the result being +that she felt a deathly faintness three or four times a week, and the +only relief was to open the vein. + +"I want to send her to the country," said the doctor, "where pure and +wholesome air, and, above all, more exercise, will do her more good +than all the drugs in the world." + +After I had been told that my bed should be made ready by the +evening, I went away with Righelini, who told me that the only cure +for the girl would be a good strong lover. + +"But my dear doctor," said I, "can't you make your own prescription?" + +"That would be too risky a game, for I might find myself compelled to +marry her, and I hate marriage like the devil." + +Though I was no better inclined towards marriage than the doctor, I +was too near the fire not to get burnt, and the reader will see in +the next chapter how I performed the miraculous cure of bringing the +colours of health into the cheeks of this pallid beauty. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +The Fair Invalid I Cure Her--A Plot Formed to Ruin Me--What Happened +at the House of the Young Countess Bonafede--The Erberia--Domiciliary +Visit--My Conversation with M. de Bragadin--I Am Arrested by Order of +the State Inquisitors. + +After leaving Dr. Righelini I went to sup with M. de Bragadin, and +gave the generous and worthy old man a happy evening. This was +always the case; I made him and his two good friends happy whenever I +took meals with them. + +Leaving them at an early hour, I went to my lodging and was greatly +surprised to find my bedroom balcony occupied. A young lady of an +exquisite figure rose as soon as she saw me, and gracefully asked me +pardon for the liberty she had taken. + +"I am," she said, "the statue you saw this morning. We do not light +the candles in the evening for fear of attracting the gnats, but when +you want to go to bed we will shut the door and go away. I beg to +introduce you to my younger sister, my mother has gone to bed." + +I answered her to the effect that the balcony was always at her +service, and that since it was still early I begged their permission +to put on my dressing-gown and to keep them company. Her +conversation was charming; she made me spend two most delightful +hours, and did not leave me till twelve o'clock. Her younger sister +lighted me a candle, and as they went they wished me a good night. + +I lay down full of this pretty girl, and I could not believe that she +was really ill. She spoke to the point, she was cheerful, clever, +and full of spirits. I could not understand how it came to pass that +she had not been already cured in a town like Venice, if her cure was +really only to be effected in the manner described by Dr. Righelini; +for in spite of her pallor she seemed to me quite fair enough to +charm a lover, and I believed her to be spirited enough to determine +to take the most agreeable medicine a doctor can prescribe. + +In the morning I rang the bell as I was getting up, and the younger +sister came into my room, and said that as they kept no servant she +had come to do what I wanted. I did not care to have a servant when +I was not at M. de Bragadin's, as I found myself more at liberty to +do what I liked. After she had done me some small services, I asked +her how her sister was. + +"Very well," said she, "for her pale complexion is not an illness, +and she only suffers when her breath fails her. She has a very good +appetite, and sleeps as well as I do." + +"Whom do I hear playing the violin?" + +"It's the dancing master giving my sister a lesson." + +I hurried over my dressing that I might see her; and I found her +charming, though her old dancing master allowed her to turn in her +toes. All that this young and beautiful girl wanted was the +Promethean spark, the colour of life; her whiteness was too like +snow, and was distressing to look at. + +The dancing master begged me to dance a minuet with his pupil, and I +assented, asking him to play larghissimo. "The signorina would find +it too tiring," said he; but she hastened to answer that she did not +feel weak, and would like to dance thus. She danced very well, but +when we had done she was obliged to throw herself in a chair. "In +future, my dear master," said she, "I will only dance like that, for +I think the rapid motion will do me good." + +When the master was gone, I told her that her lessons were too short, +and that her master was letting her get into bad habits. I then set +her feet, her shoulders, and her arms in the proper manner. I taught +her how to give her hand gracefully, to bend her knees in time; in +fine, I gave her a regular lesson for an hour, and seeing that she +was getting rather tired I begged her to sit down, and I went out to +pay a visit to M. M. + +I found her very sad, for C---- C----'s father was dead, and they had +taken her out of the convent to marry her to a lawyer. Before +leaving C---- C---- had left a letter for me, in which she said that +if I would promise to marry her at some time suitable to myself, she +would wait for me, and refuse all other offers. I answered her +straightforwardly that I had no property and no prospects, that I +left her free, advising her not to refuse any offer which might be to +her advantage. + +In spite of this dismissal C---- C---- did not marry N---- till after +my flight from The Leads, when nobody expected to see me again in +Venice. I did not see her for nineteen years, and then I was grieved +to find her a widow, and poorly off. If I went to Venice now I +should not marry her, for at my age marriage is an absurdity, but I +would share with her my little all, and live with her as with a dear +sister. + +When I hear women talking about the bad faith and inconstancy of men, +and maintaining that when men make promises of eternal constancy they +are always deceivers, I confess that they are right, and join in +their complaints. Still it cannot be helped, for the promises of +lovers are dictated by the heart, and consequently the lamentations +of women only make me want to laugh. Alas! we love without heeding +reason, and cease to love in the same manner. + +About this time I received a letter from the Abbe de Bernis, who +wrote also to M---- M----. He told me that I ought to do my utmost +to make our nun take a reasonable view of things, dwelling on the +risks I should run in carrying her off and bringing her to Paris, +where all his influence would be of no avail to obtain for us that +safety so indispensable to happiness. I saw M---- M----; we shewed +each other our letters, she had some bitter tears, and her grief +pierced me to the heart. I still had a great love for her in spite +of my daily infidelities, and when I thought of those moments in +which I had seen her given over to voluptuousness I could not help +pitying her fate as I thought of the days of despair in store for +her. But soon after this an event happened which gave rise to some +wholesome reflections. One day, when I had come to see her, she +said, + +"They have just been burying a nun who died of consumption the day +before yesterday in the odour of sanctity. She was called 'Maria +Concetta.' She knew you, and told C---- C---- your name when you +used to come to mass on feast days. C---- C---- begged her to be +discreet, but the nun told her that you were a dangerous man, whose +presence should be shunned by a young girl. C---- C---- told me all +this after the mask of Pierrot." + +"What was this saint's name when she was in the world?" + +"Martha." + +"I know her." + +I then told M---- M---- the whole history of my loves with Nanette +and Marton, ending with the letter she wrote me, in which she said +that she owed me, indirectly, that eternal salvation to which she +hoped to attain. + +In eight or ten days my conversation with my hostess' daughter-- +conversation which took place on the balcony, and which generally +lasted till midnight--and the lesson I gave her every morning, +produced the inevitable and natural results; firstly, that she no +longer complained of her breath failing, and, secondly, that I fell +in love with her. Nature's cure had not yet relieved her, but she no +longer needed to be let blood. Righelini came to visit her as usual, +and seeing that she was better he prophesied that nature's remedy, +without which only art could keep her alive, would make all right +before the autumn. Her mother looked upon me as an angel sent by God +to cure her daughter, who for her part shewed me that gratitude which +with women is the first step towards love. I had made her dismiss +her old dancing master, and I had taught her to dance with extreme +grace. + +At the end of these ten or twelve days, just as I was going to give +her her lesson, her breath failed instantaneously, and she fell back +into my arms like a dead woman. I was alarmed, but her mother, who +had become accustomed to see her thus, sent for the surgeon, and her +sister unlaced her. I was enchanted with her exquisite bosom, which +needed no colouring to make it more beautiful. I covered it up, +saying that the surgeon would make a false stroke if he were to see +her thus uncovered; but feeling that I laid my hand upon her with +delight, she gently repulsed me, looking at me with a languishing +gaze which made the deepest impression on me. + +The surgeon came and bled her in the arm, and almost instantaneously +she recovered full consciousness. At most only four ounces of blood +were taken from her, and her mother telling me that this was the +utmost extent to which she was blooded, I saw it was no such matter +for wonder as Righelini represented it, for being blooded twice a +week she lost three pounds of blood a month, which she would have +done naturally if the vessels had not been obstructed. + +The surgeon had hardly gone out of the door when to my astonishment +she told me that if I would wait for her a moment she would come back +and begin her dancing. This she did, and danced as if there had been +nothing the matter. + +Her bosom, on which two of my senses were qualified to give evidence, +was the last stroke, and made me madly in love with her. I returned +to the house in the evening, and found her in her room with the +sister. She told me that she was expecting her god-father, who was +an intimate friend of her father's, and had come every evening to +spend an hour with her for the last eighteen years. + +"How old is he?" + +"He is over fifty." + +"Is he a married man?" + +"Yes, his name is Count S----. He is as fond of me as a father would +be, and his affection has continued the same since my childhood. +Even his wife comes to see me sometimes, and to ask me to dinner. +Neat autumn I am going into the country with her, and I hope the +fresh air will do me good. My god-father knows you are staying with +us and is satisfied. He does not know you, but if you like you can +make his acquaintance." + +I was glad to hear all this, as I gained a good deal of useful +information without having to ask any awkward questions. The +friendship of this Greek looked very like love. He was the husband +of Countess S----, who had taken me to the convent at Muran two years +before. + +I found the count a very polite man. He thanked me in a paternal +manner for my kindness to his daughter, and begged me to do him the +honour of dining with him on the following day, telling me that he +would introduce me to his wife. I accepted his invitation with +pleasure, for I was fond of dramatic situations, and my meeting with +the countess promised to be an exciting one. This invitation bespoke +the courteous gentleman, and I charmed my pretty pupil by singing his +praises after he had gone. + +"My god-father," said she, "is in possession of all the necessary +documents for withdrawing from the house of Persico our family +fortune, which amounts to forty thousand crowns. A quarter of this +sum belongs to me, and my mother has promised my sister and myself +to share her dowry between us." + +I concluded from this that she would bring her husband fifteen +thousand Venetian ducats. + +I guessed that she was appealing to me with her fortune, and wished +to make me in love with her by shewing herself chary of her favours; +for whenever I allowed myself any small liberties, she checked me +with words, of remonstrance to which I could find no answer. I +determined to make her pursue another course. + +Next day I took her with me to her god-father's without telling her +that I knew the countess. I fancied the lady would pretend not to +know me, but I was wrong, as she welcomed me in the handsomest manner +as if I were an old friend. This, no doubt, was a surprise for the +count, but he was too much a man of the world to, shew any +astonishment. He asked her when she had made my acquaintance, and +she, like a woman of experience, answered without the slightest +hesitation that we had seen each other two years ago at Mira. The +matter was settled, and we spent a very pleasant day. + +Towards evening I took the young lady in my gondola back to the +house, but wishing to shorten the journey I allowed myself to indulge +in a few caresses. I was hurt at being responded to by reproaches, +and for that reason, as soon as she had set foot on her own doorstep, +instead of getting out I went to Tonine's house, and spent nearly the +whole night there with the ambassador, who came a little after me. +Next day, as I did not get up till quite late, there was no dancing +lesson, and when I excused myself she told me not to trouble any more +about it. In the evening I sat on the balcony far into the night, +but she did not come. Vexed at this air of indifference I rose early +in the morning and went out, not returning till nightfall. She was +on the balcony, but as she kept me at a respectful distance I only +talked to her on commonplace subjects. In the morning I was roused +by a tremendous noise. I got up, and hurriedly putting on my +dressing-gown ran into her room to see what was the matter, only to +find her dying. I had no need to feign an interest in her, for I +felt the most tender concern. As it was at the beginning of July it +was extremely hot, and my fair invalid was only covered by a thin +sheet. She could only speak to me with her eyes, but though the lids +were lowered she looked upon me so lovingly! I asked her if she +suffered from palpitations, and laying my hand upon her heart I +pressed a fiery kiss upon her breast. This was the electric spark, +for she gave a sigh which did her good. She had not strength to +repulse the hand which I pressed amorously upon her heart, and +becoming bolder I fastened my burning lips upon her languid mouth. +I warmed her with my breath, and my audacious hand penetrated to the +very sanctuary of bliss. She made an effort to push me back, and +told me with her eyes, since she could not speak, how insulted she +felt. I drew back my hand, and at that moment the surgeon came. +Hardly was the vein opened when she drew a long breath, and by the +time the operation was over she wished to get up. I entreated her to +stay in bed, and her mother added her voice to mine; at last I +persuaded her, telling her that I would not leave her for a second, +and that I would have my dinner by her bedside. She then put on a +corset and asked her sister to draw a sarcenet coverlet over her, as +her limbs could be seen as plainly as through a crape veil. + +Having given orders for my dinner, I sat down by her bedside, burning +with love, and taking her hand and covering it with kisses I told her +that I was sure she would get better if she would let herself love. + +"Alas!" she said, "whom shall I love, not knowing whether I shall be +loved in return?" + +I did not leave this question unanswered, and continuing the amorous +discourse with animation I won a sigh and a lovelorn glance. I put +my hand on her knee, begging her to let me leave it there, and +promising to go no farther, but little by little I attained the +center, and strove to give her some pleasant sensations. + +"Let me alone," said she, in a sentimental voice, drawing away, "'tis +perchance the cause of my illness." + +"No, sweetheart," I replied, "that cannot be." And my mouth stopped +all her objections upon her lips. + +I was enchanted, for I was now in a fair way, and I saw the moment of +bliss in the distance, feeling certain that I could effect a cure if +the doctor was not mistaken. I spared her all indiscreet questions +out of regard for her modesty; but I declared myself her lover, +promising to ask nothing of her but what was necessary to feed the +fire of my love. They sent me up a very good dinner, and she did +justice to it; afterwards saying that she was quite well she got up, +and I went away to dress myself for going out. I came back early in +the evening, and found her on my balcony. There, as I sat close to +her looking into her face, speaking by turns the language of the eyes +and that of sighs, fixing my amorous gaze upon those charms which the +moonlight rendered sweeter, I made her share in the fire which +consumed me; and as I pressed her amorously to my bosom she completed +my bliss with such warmth that I could easily see that she thought +she was receiving a favour and not granting one. I sacrificed the +victim without staining the altar with blood. + +Her sister came to tell her that it grew late. + +"Do you go to bed," she answered; "the fresh air is doing me good, +and I want to enjoy it a little longer." + +As soon as we were alone we went to bed together as if we had been +doing it for a whole year, and we passed a glorious night, I full of +love and the desire of curing her, and she of tender and ardent +voluptuousness. At day-break she embraced me, her eyes dewy with +bliss, and went to lie down in her own bed. I, like her, stood in +need of a rest, and on that day there was no talk of a dancing +lesson. In spite of the fierce pleasure of enjoyment and the +transports of this delightful girl, I did not for a moment lay +prudence aside. We continued to pass such nights as these for three +weeks, and I had the pleasure of seeing her thoroughly cured. I +should doubtless have married her, if an event had not happened to me +towards the end of the month, of which I shall speak lower down. + +You will remember, dear reader, about a romance by the Abbe Chiari, a +satirical romance which Mr. Murray had given me, and in which I fared +badly enough at the author's hands I had small reason to be pleased +with him, and I let him know my opinion in such wise that the abbe +who dreaded a caning, kept upon his guard. About the same time I +received an anonymous letter, the writer of which told me that I +should be better occupied in taking care of myself than in thoughts +of chastising the abbe, for I was threatened by an imminent danger. +Anonymous letter-writers should be held in contempt, but one ought to +know how, on occasion, to make the best of advice given in that way. +I did nothing, and made a great mistake. + +About the same time a man named Manuzzi, a stone setter for his first +trade, and also a spy, a vile agent of the State Inquisitors--a man +of whom I knew nothing--found a way to make my acquaintance by +offering to let me have diamonds on credit, and by this means he got +the entry of my house. As he was looking at some books scattered +here and there about the room, he stopped short at the manuscripts +which were on magic. Enjoying foolishly enough, his look of +astonishment, I shewed him the books which teach one how to summon +the elementary spirits. My readers will, I hope, do me the favour to +believe that I put no faith in these conjuring books, but I had them +by me and used to amuse myself with them as one does amuse one's self +with the multitudinous follies which proceed from the heads of +visionaries. A few days after, the traitor came to see me and told +me that a collector, whose name he might not tell me, was ready to +give me a thousand sequins for my five books, but that he would like +to examine them first to see if they were genuine. As he promised to +let me have them back in twenty-four hours, and not thinking much +about the matter, I let him have them. He did not fail to bring them +back the next day, telling me that the collector thought them +forgeries. I found out, some years after, that he had taken them to +the State Inquisitors, who thus discovered that I was a notable +magician. + +Everything that happened throughout this fatal month tended to my +ruin, for Madame Memmo, mother of Andre, Bernard, and Laurent Memmo, +had taken it into her head that I had inclined her sons to atheistic +opinions, and took counsel with the old knight Antony Mocenigo, +M. de Bragadin's uncle, who was angry with me, because, as he said, +I had conspired to seduce his nephew. The matter was a serious one, +and an auto-da-fe was very possible, as it came under the +jurisdiction of the Holy Office--a kind of wild beast, with which it +is not good to quarrel. Nevertheless, as there would be some +difficulty in shutting me up in the ecclesiastical prisons of the +Holy Office, it was determined to carry my case before the State +Inquisitors, who took upon themselves the provisional duty of putting +a watch upon my manner of living. + +M. Antony Condulmer, who as a friend of Abbe Chiari's was an enemy of +mine, was then an Inquisitor of State, and he took the opportunity of +looking upon me in the light of a disturber of the peace of the +commonwealth. A secretary of an embassy, whom I knew some years +after, told me that a paid informer, with two other witnesses, also, +doubtless, in the pay of this grand tribunal, had declared that I was +guilty of only believing in the devil, as if this absurd belief, if +it were possible, did not necessarily connote a belief in God! These +three honest fellows testified with an oath that when I lost money at +play, on which occasion all the faithful are wont to blaspheme, I was +never heard to curse the devil. I was further accused of eating meat +all the year round, of only going to hear fine masses, and I was +vehemently suspected of being a Freemason. It was added that I +frequented the society of foreign ministers, and that living as I did +with three noblemen, it was certain that I revealed, for the large +sums which I was seen to lose, as many state secrets as I could worm +out of them. + +All these accusations, none of which had any foundation in fact, +served the Tribunal as a pretext to treat me as an enemy of the +commonwealth and as a prime conspirator. For several weeks I was +counselled by persons whom I might have trusted to go abroad whilst +the Tribunal was engaged on my case. This should have been enough, +for the only people who can live in peace at Venice are those whose +existence the Tribunal is ignorant of, but I obstinately despised all +these hints. If I had listened to the indirect advice which was +given me, I should have become anxious, and I was the sworn foe of +all anxiety. I kept saying to myself, "I feel remorse for nothing +and I am therefore guilty of nothing, and the innocent have nothing +to fear." I was a fool, for I argued as if I had been a free man in +a free country. I must also confess that what to a great extent kept +me from thinking of possible misfortune was the actual misfortune +which oppressed me from morning to night. I lost every day, I owed +money everywhere, I had pawned all my jewels, and even my portrait +cases, taking the precaution, however, of removing the portraits, +which with my important papers and my amorous letters I had placed in +the hands of Madame Manzoni. I found myself avoided in society. An +old senator told me, one day, that it was known that the young +Countess Bonafede had become mad in consequence of the love philtres +I had given her. She was still at the asylum, and in her moments of +delirium she did nothing but utter my name with curses. I must let +my readers into the secret of this small history. + +This young Countess Bonafede, to whom I had given some sequins a few +days after my return to Venice, thought herself capable of making me +continue my visits, from which she had profited largely. Worried by +her letters I went to see her several times, and always left her a +few sequins, but with the exception of my first visit I was never +polite enough to give her any proofs of my affection. My coldness +had baulked all her endeavours for a year, when she played a criminal +part, of which, though I was never able absolutely to convict her, I +had every reason to believe her guilty. + +She wrote me a letter, in which she importuned me to come and see her +at a certain hour on important business. + +My curiosity, as well as a desire to be of service to her, took me +there at the appointed time; but as soon as she saw me she flung her +arms round my neck, and told me that the important business was love. +This made me laugh heartily, and I was pleased to find her looking +neater than usual, which, doubtless, made me find her looking +prettier. She reminded me of St. Andre, and succeeded so well in her +efforts that I was on the point of satisfying her desires. I took +off my cloak, and asked her if her father were in. She told me he +had gone out. Being obliged to go out for a minute, in coming back I +mistook the door, and I found myself in the next room, where I was +much astonished to see the count and two villainous-looking fellows +with him. + +"My dear count," I said, "your daughter has just told me that you +were out." + +"I myself told her to do so, as I have some business with these +gentlemen, which, however, can wait for another day." + +I would have gone, but he stopped me, and having dismissed the two +men he told me that he was delighted to see me, and forthwith began +the tale of his troubles, which were of more than one kind. The +State Inquisitors had stopped his slender pension, and he was on the +eve of seeing himself driven out with his family into the streets to +beg his bread. He said that he had not been able to pay his landlord +anything for three years, but if he could pay only a quarter's rent, +he would obtain a respite, or if he persisted in turning him out, he +could make a night-flitting of it, and take up his abode somewhere +else. As he only wanted twenty ducats, I took out six sequins and +gave them to him. He embraced me, and shed tears of joy; then, +taking his poor cloak, he called his daughter, told her to keep me +company, and went out. + +Alone with the countess, I examined the door of communication between +the two rooms and found it slightly open. + +"Your father," I said, "would have surprised me, and it is easy to +guess what he would have done with the two sbirri who were with him. +The plot is clear, and I have only escaped from it by the happiest of +chances." + +She denied, wept, called God to witness, threw herself on her knees; +but I turned my head away, and taking my cloak went away without a +word. She kept on writing to me, but her letters remained +unanswered, and I saw her no more. + +It was summer-time, and between the heat, her passions, hunger, and +wretchedness, her head was turned, and she became so mad that she +went out of the house stark naked, and ran up and down St. Peter's +Place, asking those who stopped her to take her to my house. This +sad story went all over the town and caused me a great deal of +annoyance. The poor wretch was sent to an asylum, and did not +recover her reason for five years. When she came out she found +herself reduced to beg her bread in the streets, like all her +brothers, except one, whom I found a cadet in the guards of the King +of Spain twelve years afterwards. + +At the time of which I am speaking all this had happened a year ago, +but the story was dug up against me, and dressed out in the attire of +fiction, and thus formed part of those clouds which were to discharge +their thunder upon me to my destruction. + +In the July of 1755 the hateful court gave Messer-Grande instructions +to secure me, alive or dead. In this furious style all orders for +arrests proceeding from the Three were issued, for the least of their +commands carried with it the penalty of death. + +Three or four days before the Feast of St. James, my patron saint, +M---- M---- made me a present of several ells of silver lace to trim +a sarcenet dress which I was going to wear on the eve of the feast. +I went to see her, dressed in my fine suit, and I told her that I +should come again on the day following to ask her to lend me some +money, as I did not know where to turn to find some. She was still +in possession of the five hundred sequins which she had put aside +when I had sold her diamonds. + +As I was sure of getting the money in the morning I passed the night +at play, and I lost the five hundred sequins in advance. At day- +break, being in need of a little quiet, I went to the Erberia, a +space of ground on the quay of the Grand Canal. Here is held the +herb, fruit, and flower market. + +People in good society who come to walk in the Erberia at a rather +early hour usually say that they come to see the hundreds of boats +laden with vegetables, fruit and flowers, which hail from the +numerous islands near the town; but everyone knows that they are men +and women who have been spending the night in the excesses of Venus +or Bacchus, or who have lost all hope at the gaming-table, and come +here to breath a purer air and to calm their minds. The fashion of +walking in this place shews how the character of a nation changes. +The Venetians of old time who made as great a mystery of love as of +state affairs, have been replaced by the modern Venetians, whose most +prominent characteristic is to make a mystery of nothing. Those who +come to the Erberia with women wish to excite the envy of their +friends by thus publishing their good fortune. Those who come alone +are on the watch for discoveries, or on the look-out for materials to +make wives or husbands jealous, the women only come to be seen, glad +to let everybody know that they are without any restraint upon their +actions. There was certainly no question of smartness there, +considering the disordered style of dress worn. The women seemed to +have agreed to shew all the signs of disorder imaginable, to give +those who saw them something to talk about. As for the men, on whose +arms they leaned, their careless and lounging airs were intended to +give the idea of a surfeit of pleasure, and to make one think that +the disordered appearance of their companions was a sure triumph they +had enjoyed. In short it was the correct thing to look tired out, +and as if one stood in need of sleep. + +This veracious description, reader, will not give you a very high +opinion of the morals of my dear fellow citizens; but what object +should I have at my age for deceiving? Venice is not at the world's +end, but is well enough known to those whose curiosity brings them +into Italy; and everyone can see for himself if my pictures are +overdrawn. + +After walking up and down for half an hour, I came away, and thinking +the whole house still a-bed I drew my key out to open the door, but +what was my astonishment to find it useless, as the door was open, +and what is more, the lock burst off. I ran upstairs, and found them +all up, and my landlady uttering bitter lamentations. + +"Messer-Grande," she told me, "has entered my house forcibly, +accompanied by a band of sbirri. He turned everything upside down, +on the pretext that he was in search of a portmanteau full of salt--a +highly contraband article. He said he knew that a portmanteau had +been landed there the evening before, which was quite true; but it +belonged to Count S----, and only contained linen and clothes. +Messer-Grande, after inspecting it, went out without saying a word." + +He had also paid my room a visit. She told me that she must have +some reparation made her, and thinking she was in the right I +promised to speak to M. de Bragadin on the matter the same day. +Needing rest above all things, I lay down, but my nervous excitement, +which I attributed to my heavy losses at play, made me rise after +three or four hours, and I went to see M. de Bragadin, to whom I told +the whole story begging him to press for some signal amends. I made +a lively representation to him of all the grounds on which my +landlady required proportionate amends to be made, since the laws +guaranteed the peace of all law-abiding people. + +I saw that the three friends were greatly saddened by what I said, +and the wise old man, quietly but sadly, told me that I should have +my answer after dinner. + +De la Haye dined with us, but all through the meal, which was a +melancholy one, he spoke not a word. His silence should have told me +all, if I had not been under the influence of some malevolent genii +who would not allow me to exercise my common sense: as to the sorrow +of my three friends, I put that down to their friendship for me. +My connection with these worthy men had always been the talk of the +town, and as all were agreed that it could not be explained on +natural grounds, it was deemed to be the effect of some sorcery +exercised by me. These three men were thoroughly religious and +virtuous citizens; I was nothing if not irreligious, and Venice did +not contain a greater libertine. Virtue, it was said, may have +compassion on vice, but cannot become its friend. + +After dinner M. de Bragadin took me into his closet with his two +friends, from whom he had no secrets. He told me with wonderful +calmness that instead of meditating vengeance on Messer-Grande I +should be thinking of putting myself in a place of safety. +"The portmanteau," said he, "was a mere pretext; it was you they +wanted and thought to find. Since your good genius has made them +miss you, look out for yourself; perhaps by to-morrow it may be too +late. I have been a State Inquisitor for eight months, and I know +the way in which the arrests ordered by the court are carried out. +They would not break open a door to look for a box of salt. Indeed, +it is possible that they knew you were out, and sought to warn you to +escape in this manner. Take my advice, my dear son, and set out +directly for Fusina, and thence as quickly as you can make your way +to Florence, where you can remain till I write to you that you may +return with safety. If you have no money I will give you a hundred +sequins for present expenses. Believe me that prudence bids you go." + +Blinded by my folly, I answered him that being guilty of nothing I +had nothing to fear, and that consequently, although I knew his +advice was good, I could not follow it. + +"The high court," said he, "may deem you guilty of crimes real or +imaginary; but in any case it will give you no account of the +accusations against you. Ask your oracle if you shall follow my +advice or not." I refused because I knew the folly of such a +proceeding, but by way of excuse I said that I only consulted it when +I was in doubt. Finally, I reasoned that if I fled I should be +shewing fear, and thus confessing my guilt, for an innocent man, +feeling no remorse, cannot reasonably be afraid of anything. + +"If secrecy," said I, "is of the essence of the Court, you cannot +possibly judge, after my escape, whether I have done so rightly or +wrongly. The same reasons, which, according to your excellence, bid +me go, would forbid my return. Must I then say good-bye for ever to +my country, and all that is dear to me?" As a last resource he tried +to persuade me to pass the following day and night, at least, at the +palace. I am still ashamed of having refused the worthy old man to +whom I owed so much this favour; for the palace of a noble is sacred +to the police who dare not cross its threshold without a special +order from the Tribunal, which is practically never given; by +yielding to his request I should have avoided a grievous misfortune, +and spared the worthy old man some acute grief. + +I was moved to see M. de Bragadin weeping, and perhaps I might have +granted to his tears that which I had obstinately refused to his +arguments and entreaties. "For Heaven's sake!" said I, "spare me the +harrowing sight of your tears." In an instant he summoned all his +strength to his assistance, made some indifferent remarks, and then, +with a smile full of good nature, he embraced me, saying, "Perhaps I +may be fated never to see you again, but 'Fata viam invenient'." + +I embraced him affectionately, and went away, but his prediction was +verified, for I never saw him again; he died eleven years afterwards. +I found myself in the street without feeling the slightest fear, but +I was in a good deal of trouble about my debts. I had not the heart +to go to Muran to take away from M. M. her last five hundred sequins, +which sum I owed to the man who won it from me in the night; I +preferred asking him to wait eight days, and I did so. After +performing this unpleasant piece of business I returned home, and, +having consoled my landlady to the utmost of my power, I kissed the +daughter, and lay down to sleep. The date was July 25th, 1755. + +Next morning at day-break who should enter my room but the awful +Messer-Grande. To awake, to see him, and to hear him asking if I +were Jacques Casanova, was the work of a moment. At my "yes, I am +Casanova," he told me to rise, to put on my clothes, to give him all +the papers and manuscripts in my possession, and to follow him. + +"On whose authority do you order me to do this?" + +"By the authority of the Tribunal." + + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of MEMOIRES OF JACQUES CASANOVA +TO PARIS AND PRISON, Vol. 2d, THE FALSE NUN +by Jacques Casanova de Seingalt + diff --git a/old/jcfln11.zip b/old/jcfln11.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..49125fe --- /dev/null +++ b/old/jcfln11.zip |