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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 +THE ETERNAL QUEST, Volume 3a--PARIS AND HOLLAND + + +THE RARE UNABRIDGED LONDON EDITION OF 1894 TRANSLATED BY ARTHUR +MACHEN TO WHICH HAS BEEN ADDED THE CHAPTERS DISCOVERED +BY ARTHUR SYMONS. + + + + +PARIS AND HOLLAND + + + + + +CHAPTER I + +Count Tiretta of Trevisa Abbe Coste--Lambertini, the Pope's Niece Her +Nick--Name for Tiretta The Aunt and Niece--Our Talk by the Fireside-- +Punishment of Damien--Tiretta's Mistake Anger of Madame*** --Their +Reconciliation--My Happiness with Mdlle. de la Meure Silvia's +Daughter--Mdlle, de la Meure Marries My Despair and Jealousy--A +Change far the Better + + +In the beginning of March, 1757, I received a letter from my friend +Madame Manzoni, which she sent to me by a young man of good +appearance, with a frank and high-born air, whom I recognized as a +Venetian by his accent. He was young Count Tiretta de Trevisa, +recommended to my care by Madame Manzoni, who said that he would tell +me his story, which I might be sure would be a true one. The kind +woman sent to me by him a small box in which she told me I should +find all my manuscripts, as she did not think she would ever see me +again. + +I gave Tiretta the heartiest of welcomes, telling him that he could +not have found a better way to my favour than through a woman to whom +I was under the greatest obligations. + +"And now, that you may be at your ease with me, I should like to know +in what manner I can be of service to you?" + +"I have need of your friendship, perhaps of your purse, but at any +rate of your protection." + +"You have my friendship and my protection already, and my purse is at +your service." + +After expressing his gratitude to me, Tiretta said, + +"A year ago the Supreme Council of my country entrusted me with an +employment dangerous to one of my years. I was made, with some other +young gentlemen of my own age, a keeper of the Mont de Piete. The +pleasures of the carnival having put us to a good deal of expense, we +were short of money, and borrowed from the till hoping to be able to +make up the money before balancing-day, but hoping all in vain. + +"The fathers of my two companions, richer than mine, paid the sums +they had taken, and I, not being able to pay, took the part of +escaping by flight from the shame and the punishment I should have +undergone. + +"Madame Manzoni advised me to throw myself on your mercy, and she +gave me a little box which you shall have to-day. I only got to +Paris yesterday, and have only two louis, a little linen, and the +clothes on my back. I am twenty-five, have an iron constitution, and +a determination to do all in my power to make an honest living; but I +can do nothing. I have not cultivated any one talent in a manner to +make use of it now. I can play on the flute, but only as an amateur. +I only know my own language, and I have no taste for literature. So +what can you make of me? I must add that I have not a single +expectation, least of all from my father, for to save the honour of +the family he will be obliged to sell my portion of the estate, to +which I shall have to bid an eternal farewell." + +If the count's story had surprised me, the simplicity with which he +told it had given me pleasure; and I was resolved to do honour to +Madame Manzoni's introduction, feeling that it was my duty to serve a +fellow-countryman, who was really guilty of nothing worse than gross +thoughtlessness. + +"Begin," said I, "by bringing your small belongings to the room next +to mine, and get your meals there. I will pay for everything while I +am looking out for something which may do for you. + +"We will talk of business to-morrow, for as I never dine here I +rarely if ever come home till late, and I do not expect to have the +honour of seeing you again today. Leave me for the present, as I +have got some work to do; and if you go out to walk, beware of bad +company, and whatever you do keep your own counsel. You are fond of +gaming, I suppose?" + +"I hate it, as it has been the cause of half my troubles." + +"And the other half, I'll wager, was caused by women." + +"You have guessed aright--oh, those women!" + +"Well, don't be angry with them, but make them pay for the ill they +have done you." + +"I will, with the greatest pleasure, if I can." + +"If you are not too particular in your goods, you will find Paris +rich in such commodities." + +"What do you mean by particular? I would never be a prince's +pathic." + +"No, no, I was not thinking of that. I mean by 'particular' a man +who cannot be affectionate unless be is in love. The man who...." + +"I see what you mean, and I can lay no claim to such a character. +Any hag with golden eyes will always find me as affectionate as a +Celadon." + +"Well said! I shall soon be able to arrange matters for you." + +"I hope you will." + +"Are you going to the ambassador's?" + +"Good God!--no! What should I do when I got there? Tell him my +story? He might make things unpleasant for me." + +"Not without your going to see him, but I expect he is not concerning +himself with your case." + +"That's all I ask him." + +"Everybody, my dear count, is in mourning in Paris, so go to my +tailor's and get yourself a black suit. Tell him you come from me, +and say you want it by tomorrow. Good bye." + +I went out soon after, and did not come back till midnight. I found +the box which Madame Manzoni had sent me in my room, and in it my +manuscripts and my beloved portraits, for I never pawned a snuff-box +without taking the portrait out. + +Next day Tiretta made his appearance all in black, and thanked me for +his transformation. + +"They are quick, you see, at Paris. It would have taken a week at +Trevisa." + +"Trevisa, my dear fellow, is not Paris." + +As I said this, the Abbe de la Coste was announced. I did not know +the name, but I gave orders for him to be admitted; and there +presently appeared the same little priest with whom I had dined at +Versailles after leaving the Abbe de la Ville. + +After the customary greetings he began by complimenting me on the +success of my lottery, and then remarked that I had distributed +tickets for more than six thousand francs. + +"Yes," I said, "and I have tickets left for several thousands more." + +"Very good, then I will invest a thousand crowns in it." + +"Whenever you please. If you call at my office you can choose the +numbers." + +"No, I don't think I'll trouble to do so; give me any numbers just as +they come." + +"Very good; here is the list you can choose from." + +He chose numbers to the amount of three thousand francs, and then +asked me for a piece of paper to write an acknowledgment. + +"Why so? I can't do business that way, as I only dispose of my +tickets for cash." + +"But you may be certain that you will have the money to-morrow." + +"I am quite sure I should, but you ought to be certain that you will +have the tickets to-morrow. They are registered at my office, and I +can dispose of them in no other manner." + +"Give me some which are not registered." + +"Impossible; I could not do it." + +"Why not?" + +"Because if they proved to be winning numbers I should have to pay +out of my own pocket an honour I do not desire." + +"Well, I think you might run the risk." + +"I think not, if I wish to remain an honest man, at all events." + +The abbe, who saw he could get nothing out of me, turned to Tiretta, +and began to speak to him in bad Italian, and at last offered to +introduce him to Madame de Lambertini, the widow of one of the Pope's +nephews. Her name, her relationship to the Pope, and the abbe's +spontaneous offer, made me curious to know more, so I said that my +friend would accept his offer, and that I would have the honour to be +of the party; whereupon we set out. + +We got down at the door of the supposed niece of the Holy Father in +the Rue Christine, and we proceeded to go upstairs. We saw a woman +who, despite her youthful air, was, I am sure, not a day under forty. +She was rather thin, had fine black eyes, a good complexion, lively +but giddy manners, was a great laugher, and still capable of exciting +a passing fancy. I soon made myself at home with her, and found out, +when she began to talk, that she was neither a widow nor the niece of +the Pope. She came from Modena, and was a mere adventuress. This +discovery shewed me what sort of a man the abbe was. + +I thought from his expression that the count had taken a fancy to +her, and when she asked us to dinner I refused on the plea of an +engagement; but Tiretta, who took my meaning, accepted. Soon after I +went away with the abbe, whom I dropped at the Quai de la Ferraille, +and I then went to beg a dinner at Calsabigi's. + +After dinner Calsabigi took me on one side, and told me that M. du +Vernai had commissioned him to warn me that I could not dispose of +tickets on account. + +"Does M. du Vernai take me for a fool or a knave? As I am neither, +I shall complain to M. de Boulogne." + +"You will be wrong; he merely wanted to warn you and not offend you." + +"You offend me very much yourself, sir, in talking to me in that +fashion; and you may make up your mind that no one shall talk to me +thus a second time." + +Calsabigi did all in his power to quiet me down, and at last +persuaded me to go with him to M. du Vernai's. The worthy old +gentleman seeing the rage I was in apologized to me for what he had +said, and told me that a certain Abbe de la Coste had informed him +that I did so. At this I was highly indignant, and I told him what +had happened that morning, which let M. du Vernai know what kind of a +man the abbe was. I never saw him again, either because he got wind +of my discovery, or because a happy chance kept him out of my way; +but I heard, three years after, that he had been condemned to the +hulks for selling tickets of a Trevaux lottery which was non- +existent, and in the hulks he died. + +Next day Tiretta came in, and said he had only just returned. + +"You have been sleeping out, have you, master profligate?" + +"Yes, I was so charmed with the she-pope that I kept her company all +the night." + +"You were not afraid of being in the way?" + +"On the contrary, I think she was thoroughly satisfied with my +conversation." + +"As far as I can see, you had to bring into play all your powers of +eloquence." + +"She is so well pleased with my fluency that she has begged me to +accept a room in her house, and to allow her to introduce me as a +cousin to M. le Noir, who, I suppose, is her lover." + +"You will be a trio, then; and how do you think you will get on +together?" + +"That's her business. She says this gentleman will give me a good +situation in the Inland Revenue." + +"Have you accepted her offer?" + +"I did not refuse it, but I told her that I could do nothing without +your advice. She entreated me to get you to come to dinner with her +on Sunday." + +"I shall be happy to go." + +I went with my friend, and as soon as the harebrain saw us she fell +on Tiretta's neck, calling him dear Count "Six-times"--a name which +stuck to him all the time he was at Paris. + +"What has gained my friend so fine a title, madam?" + +"His erotic achievements. He is lord of an honour of which little is +known in France, and I am desirous of being the lady." + +"I commend you for so noble an ambition." + +After telling me of his feats with a freedom which chewed her +exemption from vulgar prejudice, she informed me that she wished her +cousin to live in the same house, and had already obtained M. le +Noir's permission, which was given freely. + +"M. le Noir," added the fair Lambertini, "will drop in after. +dinner, and I am dying to introduce Count 'Sixtimes' to him." + +After dinner she kept on speaking of the mighty deeds of my +countryman, and began to stir him up, while he, no doubt, pleased to +have a witness to his exploits, reduced her to silence. I confess +that I witnessed the scene without excitement, but as I could not +help seeing the athletic person of the count, I concluded that he +might fare well everywhere with the ladies. + +About three o'clock two elderly women arrived, to whom the Lambertini +eagerly introduced Count "Six-times." In great astonishment they +enquired the origin of his title, and the heroine of the story having +whispered it to them, my friend became an object of interest. + +"I can't believe it," said one of these ladies, ogling the count, +while his face seemed to say, + +"Would you like to try?" + +Shortly after, a coach stopped at the door, and a fat woman of +middle-aged appearance and a very pretty ,girl were ushered in; after +them came a pale man in a black suit and a long wig. After greeting +them in a manner which implied intimacy, the Pope's niece introduced +her cousin Count "Six-strokes". The elderly woman seemed to be +astonished at such a name, but the Lambertini gave no explanation. +Nevertheless, people seemed to think it rather curious that a man who +did not know a word of French should be living in Paris, and that in +spite of his ignorance he continued to jabber away in an easy manner, +though nobody could understand what he was talking about. + +After some foolish conversation, the Pope's niece proposed a game at +Loo. She asked me to play but on my refusing did not make a point of +it, but she insisted on her cousin being her partner. + +"He knows nothing about cards," said she; "but that's no matter, he +will learn, and I will undertake to instruct him." + +As the girl, by whose beauty I was struck, did not understand the +game, I offered her a seat by the fire, asking her to grant me the +honour of keeping her company, whereupon the elderly woman who had +brought her began to laugh, and said I should have some difficulty in +getting her niece to talk about anything, adding, in a polite manner, +that she hoped I would be lenient with her as she had only just left +a convent. I assured her that I should have no difficulty in amusing +myself with one so amiable, and the game having begun I took up my +position near the pretty niece. + +I had been near her for several minutes, and solely occupied in mute +admiration of her beauty, when she asked me who was that handsome +gentleman who talked so oddly. + +"He is a nobleman, and a fellow-countryman of mine, whom an affair of +honour has banished from his country." + +"He speaks a curious dialect." + +"Yes, but the fact is that French is very little spoken in Italy; he +will soon pick it up in Paris, and then he will be laughed at no +longer. I am sorry to have brought him here, for in less than +twenty-four hours he was spoiled." + +"How spoiled?" + +"I daren't tell you as, perhaps, your aunt would not like it." + +"I don't think I should tell her, but, perhaps, I should not have +asked." + +"Oh, yes! you should; and as you wish to know I will make no mystery +of it. Madame Lambertini took a fancy to him; they passed the night +together, and in token of the satisfaction he gave her she has given +him the ridiculous nickname of 'Count Sixtimes.' That's all. I am +vexed about it, as my friend was no profligate." + +Astonishment--and very reasonable astonishment--will be expressed +that I dared to talk in this way to a girl fresh from a convent; but +I should have been astonished myself at the bare idea of any +respectable girl coming to Lambertini's house. I fixed my gaze on my +fair companion, and saw the blush of shame mounting over her pretty +face; but I thought that might have more than one meaning. + +Judge of my surprise when, two minutes afterwards, I heard this +question: + +"But what has 'Sixtimes' got to do with sleeping with Madame +Lambertini?" + +"My dear young lady, the explanation is perfectly simple: my friend +in a single night did what a husband often takes six weeks to do." + +"And you think me silly enough to tell my aunt of what we have been +talking? Don't believe it." + +"But there's another thing I am sorry about." + +"You shall tell me what that is directly." + +The reason which obliged the charming niece to retire for a few +minutes may be guessed without our going into explanations. When she +came back she went behind her aunt's chair, her eyes fixed on +Tiretta, and then came up to me, and taking her seat again, said: + +"Now, what else is it that you are sorry about?" her eyes sparkling +as she asked the question. + +"May I tell you, do you think?" + +"You have said so much already, that I don't think you need have any +scruples in telling me the rest." + +"Very good: you must know, then, that this very day and in my +presence he ------ her." + +"If that displeased you, you must be jealous." + +"Possibly, but the fact is that I was humbled by a circumstance I +dare not tell you." + +"I think you are laughing at me with your 'dare not tell you.'" + +"God forbid, mademoiselle! I will confess, then, that I was humbled +because Madame Lambertini made me see that my friend was taller than +myself by two inches." + +"Then she imposed on you, for you are taller than your friend." + +"I am not speaking of that kind of tallness, but another; you know +what I mean, and there my friend is really monstrous." + +"Monstrous! then what have you to be sorry about? Isn't it better +not to be monstrous?" + +"Certainly; but in the article we are discussing, some women, unlike +you, prefer monstrosity." + +"I think that's absurd of them, or rather mad; or perhaps, I have not +sufficiently clear ideas on the subject to imagine what size it would +be to be called monstrous; and I think it is odd that such a thing +should humble you." + +"You would not have thought it of me, to see me?" + +"Certainly not, for when I came into the room I thought you looked a +well-proportioned man, but if you are not I am sorry for you." + +"I won't leave you in doubt on the subject; look for yourself, and +tell me what you think." + +"Why, it's you who are the monster! I declare you make me feel quite +afraid." + +At this she began to perspire violently, and went behind her aunt's +chair. I did not stir, as I was sure she would soon come back, +putting her down in my own mind as very far removed from silliness or +innocence either. I supposed she wished to affect what she did not +possess. I was, moreover, delighted at having taken the opportunity +so well. I had punished her for having tried to impose on me; and as +I had taken a great fancy to her, I was pleased that she seemed to +like her punishment. As for her possession of wit, there could be no +doubt on that point, for it was she who had sustained the chief part +in our dialogue, and my sayings and doings were all prompted by her +questions, and the persevering way in which she kept to the subject. + +She had not been behind her aunt's chair for five minutes when the +latter was looed. She, not knowing whom to attack, turned on her +niece and said, "Get you gone, little silly, you are bringing me bad +luck! Besides, it is bad manners to leave the gentleman who so +kindly offered to keep you company all by himself." + +The amiable niece made not answer, and came back to me smiling. "If +my aunt knew," said she, "what you had done to me, she would not have +accused me of bad manners." + +"I can't tell you how sorry I am. I want you to have some evidence +of my repentance, but all that I can do is to go. Will you be +offended if I do?" + +"If you leave me, my aunt will call me a dreadful stupid, and will +say that I have tired you out." + +"Would you like me to stay, then?" + +"You can't go." + +"Had you no idea what I shewed you was like till just now?" + +"My ideas on the subject were inaccurate. My aunt only took me out +of the convent a month ago, and I had been there since I was seven." + +"How old are you now?" + +"Seventeen. They tried to make me take the veil, but not having any +relish for the fooleries of the cloister I refused." + +"Are you vexed with me?" + +"I ought to be very angry with you, but I know it was my fault, so I +will only ask you to be discreet." + +"Don't be afraid, if I were indiscreet I should be the first to +suffer." + +"You have given me a lesson which will come in useful. Stop! stop! +or I will go away." + +"No, keep quiet; it's done now." + +I had taken her pretty hand, with which she let me do as I liked, and +at last when she drew it back she was astonished to find it wanted +wiping. + +"What is that?" + +"The most pleasant of substances, which renovates the world." + +"I see you are an excellent master. Your pupils make rapid progress, +and you give your lessons with such a learned air." + +"Now don't be angry with me for what has happened. I should never +have dared to go so far if your beauty had not inspired me." + +"Am I to take that speech as a declaration of love?" + +"Yes, it is bold, sweetheart, but it is sincere. If it were not, I +should be unworthy both of you and of myself." + +"Can I believe you?" + +"Yes, with all your heart. But tell me if I may hope for your love?" + +"I don't know. All I know at present is that I ought to hate you, +for in the space of a quarter of an hour you have taught me what I +thought I should never know till I was married." + +"Are you sorry?" + +"I ought to be, although I feel that I have nothing more to learn on +a matter which I never dared to think about. But how is it that you +have got so quiet?" + +"Because we are talking reasonably and after the rapture love +requires some repose. But look at this!" + +"What! again? Is that the rest of the lesson?" + +"It is the natural result of it." + +"How is it that you don't frighten me now?" + +"The soldier gets used to fire." + +"I see our fire is going out." + +With these words she took up a stick to poke the fire, and as she was +stooping down in a favourable position my rash hand dared to approach +the porch of the temple, and found the door closed in such sort that +it would be necessary to break it open if one wished to enter the +sanctuary. She got up in a dignified way, and told me in a polite +and feeling manner that she was a well-born girl and worthy of +respect. Pretending to be confused I made a thousand excuses, and I +soon saw the amiable expression return to the face which it became so +well. I said that in spite of my repentance I was glad to know that +she had never made another man happy. + +"Believe me," she said, "that if I make anyone happy it will be my +husband, to whom I have given my hand and heart." + +I took her hand, which she abandoned to my rapturous kisses. I had +reached this pleasant stage in the proceedings when M. le Noir was +announced, he having come to enquire what the Pope's niece had to say +to him. + +M. le Noir, a man of a certain age and of a simple appearance, begged +the company to remain seated. The Lambertini introduced me to him, +and he asked if I were the artist; but on being informed that I was +his elder brother, he congratulated me on my lottery and the esteem +in which M. du Vernai held me. But what interested him most was the +cousin whom the fair niece of the Pope introduced to him under his +real name of Tiretta, thinking, doubtless, that his new title would +not carry much weight with M. le Noir. Taking up the discourse, I +told him that the count was commanded to me by a lady whom I greatly +esteemed, and that he had been obliged to leave his country for the +present on account of an affair of honour. The Lambertini added that +she wished to accommodate him, but had not liked to do so till she +had consulted M. le Noir. "Madam," said the worthy man, "you have +sovereign power in your house, and I shall be delighted to see the +count in your society." + +As M. le Noir spoke Italian very well, Tiretta left the table, and we +sat down all four of us by the fire, where my fresh conquest had an +opportunity of shewing her wit. M. le Noir was a man of much +intelligence and great experience. He made her talk of the convent +where she had been, and as soon as he knew her name he began to speak +of her father, with whom he had been well acquainted. He was a +councillor of the Parliament of Rouen, and had enjoyed a great +reputation during his lifetime. + +My sweetheart was above the ordinary height, her hair was a fine +golden colour, and her regular features, despite the brilliance of +her eyes, expressed candour and modesty. Her dress allowed me to +follow all the lines of her figure, and the eyes dwelt pleasantly on +the beauty of her form, and on the two spheres which seemed to lament +their too close confinement. Although M. le Noir said nothing of all +this, it was easy to see that in his own way he admired her +perfections no less than I. He left us at eight o'clock, and half an +hour afterwards the fat aunt went away followed by her charming niece +and the pale man who had come with them. I lost no time in taking +leave with Tiretta, who promised the Pope's niece to join her on the +morrow, which he did. + +Three or four days later I received at my office a letter from Mdlle. +de la Meure--the pretty niece. It ran as follows: "Madame, my aunt, +my late mother's sister, is a devotee, fond of gaming, rich, stingy, +and unjust. She does not like me, and not having succeeded in +persuading me to take the veil, she wants to marry me to a wealthy +Dunkirk merchant, whom I do not know, but (mark this) whom she does +not know any more than I do. The matrimonial agent has praised him +very much, and very naturally, as a man must praise his own goods. +This gentleman is satisfied with an income of twelve hundred francs +per annum, but he promises to leave me in his will no less than a +hundred and fifty thousand francs. You must know that by my mother's +will my aunt is obliged to pay me on my wedding day twenty-five +thousand crowns. + +"If what has taken place between us has not made me contemptible in +your sight, I offer you my hand and heart with sixty-five thousand +francs, and as much more on my aunt's death. + +"Don't send me any answer, as I don't know how or by whom to receive +your letter. You can answer me in your own person next Sunday at +Madame Lambertini's. You will thus have four days whereon to +consider this most important question. I do not exactly know whether +I love you, but I am quite sure that I prefer you to any other man. +I know that each of us has still to gain the other's esteem, but I am +sure you would make my life a happy one, and that I should be a +faithful wife. If you think that the happiness I seek can add to +your own, I must warn you that you will need the aid of a lawyer, as +my aunt is miserly, and will stick at trifles. + +"If you decide in the affirmative you must find a convent for me to +take refuge in before I commit myself to anything, as otherwise I +should be exposed to the harsh treatment I wish to avoid. If, on the +other hand, my proposal does not meet your views, I have one favour +to ask by granting which you will earn my everlasting gratitude. +This is that you will endeavour to see me no more, and will take care +not to be present in any company in which you think I am to be found. +Thus you will help me to forget you, and this is the least you can do +for me. You may guess that I shall never be happy till I have become +your wife or have forgotten you. Farewell! I reckon upon seeing you +on Sunday." + +This letter affected me. I felt that it was dictated by prudent, +virtuous, and honourable feelings, and I found even more merit in the +intellectual endowments of the girl than in her beauty. I blushed at +having in a manner led her astray, and I should have thought myself +worthy of punishment if I had been capable of refusing the hand +offered to me with so much nobility of feeling. And a second but +still a powerful consideration made me look complacently upon a +fortune larger than I could reasonably expect to win. Nevertheless, +the idea of the marriage state, for which I felt I had no vocation, +made me tremble. + +I knew myself too well not to be aware that as a married man I should +be unhappy, and, consequently, with the best intentions I should fail +in making the woman's life a happy one. My uncertainty in the four +days which she had wisely left me convinced me that I was not in love +with her. In spite of that, so weak was I that I could not summon up +courage to reject her offer--still less to tell her so frankly, which +would have made her esteem me. + +During these four days I was entirely absorbed in this one subject. +I bitterly repented of having outraged her modesty, for I now +esteemed and respected her, but yet I could not make up my mind to +repair the wrong I had done her. I could not bear to incur her +dislike, but the idea of tying myself down was dreadful to me; and +such is the condition of a man who has to choose between two +alternatives, and cannot make up his mind. + +Fearing lest my evil genius should take me to the opera or elsewhere, +and in spite of myself make me miss my appointment, I resolved to +dine with the Lambertini without having come to any decision. The +pious niece of the Pope was at mass when I reached her house. I +found Tiretta engaged in playing on the flute, but as soon as he saw +me he dropped the instrument, ran up to me, embraced me, and gave me +back the money his suit had cost me. + +"I see you are in cash, old fellow; I congratulate you." + +"It's a grievous piece of luck to me, for the money is stolen, and I +am sorry I have got it though I was an accomplice in the theft." + +"What! the money is stolen?" + +"Yes, sharping is done here, and I have been taught to help. I share +in their ill-gotten gains because I have not the strength of mind to +refuse. My landlady and two or three women of the same sort pluck +the pigeons. The business does not suit me, and I am thinking of +leaving it. Sooner or later I shall kill or be killed, and either +event will be the death of me, so I am thinking of leaving this +cutthroat place as soon as possible." + +"I advise you--nay, I bid you do so by all means, and I should think +you had better be gone to-day than to-morrow." + +"I don't want to do anything suddenly, as M. le Noir is a gentleman +and my friend, and he thinks me a cousin to this wretched woman. As +he knows nothing of the infamous trade she carries on, he would +suspect something, and perhaps would leave her after learning the +reason of my departure. I shall find some excuse or other in the +course of the next five or six days, and then I will make haste and +return to you." + +The Lambertini thanked me for coming to dinner in a friendly manner, +and told me that we should have the company of Mdlle. de la Meure and +her aunt. I asked her if she was still satisfied with my friend +"Sixtimes," and she told me that though the count did not always +reside on his manor, she was for all that delighted with him; and +said she, + +"I am too good a monarch to ask too much of my vassals." + +I congratulated her, and we continued to jest till the arrival of the +two other guests. + +As soon as Mdlle. de la Meure saw me she could scarcely conceal her +pleasure. She was in half mourning, and looked so pretty in this +costume, which threw up the whiteness of her skin, that I still +wonder why that instant did not determine my fate. + +Tiretta, who had been making his toilette, rejoined us, and as +nothing prevented me from shewing the liking I had taken for the +amiable girl I paid her all possible attention. I told the aunt that +I found her niece so pretty that I would renounce my bachelorhood if +I could find such a mate. + +"My niece is a virtuous and sweet-tempered 'girl, sir, but she is +utterly devoid either of intelligence or piety." + +"Never mind the intelligence," said the niece, "but I was never found +wanting in piety at the convent." + +"I dare say the nuns are of the jesuitical party." + +"What has that got to do with it, aunt?" + +"Very much, child; the Jesuits and their adherents are well known to +have no vital religion. But let us talk of something else. All that +I want you to do is to know how to please your future husband." + +"Is mademoiselle about to marry, then?" + +"Her intended will probably arrive at the beginning of next month." + +"Is he a lawyer?" + +"No, sir; he is a well-to-do merchant." + +"M. le Noir told me that your niece was the daughter of a councillor, +and I did not imagine that you would sanction her marrying beneath +her." + +"There will be no question of such a thing in this instance, sir; +and, after all, what is marrying beneath one? My niece's intended +is an honest, and therefore a noble, man, and I am sure it will be +her fault if she does not lead a life of perfect happiness with him" + +"Quite so, supposing she loves him." + +"Oh! love and all that kind of thing will come in good time, you +know." + +As these remarks could only give pain to the young lady, who listened +in silence, I changed the conversation to the enormous crowd which +would be present at the execution of Damien, and finding them +extremely desirous of witnessing this horrible sight I offered them a +large window with an excellent view. The ladies accepted with great +pleasure, and I promised to escort them in good time. + +I had no such thing as a window, but I knew that in Paris, as +everywhere, money will procure anything. After dinner I went out on +the plea of business, and, taking the first coach I came across, in a +quarter of an hour I succeeded in renting a first floor window in +excellent position for three louis. I paid in advance, taking care +to have a receipt. + +My business over, I hastened to rejoin the company, and found them +engaged in piquet. Mdlle. de la Meure, who knew nothing about it, +was tired of looking on. I came up to her, and having something to +say we went to the other end of the room. + +"Your letter, dearest, has made me the happiest of men. You have +displayed in it such intelligence and such admirable characteristics +as would win you the fervent adoration of every man of good sense." + +"I only want one man's love. I will be content with the esteem of +the rest." + +"My angel, I will make you my wife, and I shall bless till my latest +breath the lucky audacity to which I owe my being chosen before other +men who would not have refused your hand, even without the fifty +thousand crowns, which are nothing in comparison with your beauty and +your wit." + +"I am very glad you like me so much." + +"Could I do otherwise? And now that you know my heart, do nothing +hastily, but trust in me." + +"You will not forget how I am placed." + +"I will bear it in mind. Let me have time to take a house, to +furnish it and to put myself in a position in which I shall be worthy +of your hand. You must remember that I am only in furnished +apartments; that you are well connected, and that I should not like +to be regarded as a fortune-hunter." + +"You know that my intended husband will soon arrive?" + +"Yes, I will take care of that." + +"When he does come, you know, matters will be pushed on rapidly." + +"Not too rapidly for me to be able to set you free in twenty-four +hours, and without letting your aunt know that the blow comes from +me. You may rest assured, dearest, that the minister for foreign +affairs, on being assured that you wish to marry me, and me only, +will get you an inviolable asylum in the best convent in Paris. He +will also retain counsel on your behalf, and if your mother's will is +properly drawn out your aunt will soon be obliged to hand over your +dowry, and to give security for the rest of the property. Do not +trouble yourself about the matter, but let the Dunkirk merchant come +when he likes. At all hazards, you may reckon upon me, and you may +be sure you will not be in your aunt's house on the day fixed for the +wedding." + +"I confide in you entirely, but for goodness' sake say no more on a +circumstance which wounds my sense of modesty. You said that I +offered you marriage because you took liberties with me?" + +"Was I wrong?" + +"Yes, partly, at all events; and you ought to know that if I had not +good reasons I should have done a very foolish thing in offering to +marry you, but I may as well tell you that, liberties or no +liberties, I should always have liked you better than anyone." + +I was beside myself with joy, and seizing her hand I covered it with +tender and respectful kisses; and I feel certain that if a notary and +priest had been then and there available, I should have married her +without the smallest hesitation. + +Full of each other, like all lovers, we paid no attention to the +horrible racket that was going on at the other end of the room. At +last I thought it my duty to see what was happening, and leaving my +intended I rejoined the company to quiet Tiretta. + +I saw on the table a casket, its lid open, and full of all sorts of +jewels; close by were two men who were disputing with Tiretta, who +held a book in one hand. I saw at once that they were talking about +a lottery, but why were they disputing? Tiretta told me they were a +pair of knaves who had won thirty or forty louis of him by means of +the book, which he handed to me. + +"Sir," said one of the gamesters, "this book treats of a lottery in +which all the calculations are made in the fairest manner possible. +It contains twelve hundred leaves, two hundred being winning leaves, +while the rest are blanks. Anyone who wants to play has only to pay +a crown, and then to put a pin's point at random between two leaves +of the closed book. The book is then opened at the place where the +pin is, and if the leaf is blank the player loses; but if, on the +other hand, the leaf bears a number, he is given the corresponding +ticket, and an article of the value indicated on the ticket is then +handed to him. Please to observe, sir, that the lowest prize is +twelve francs, and there are some numbers worth as much as six +hundred francs, and even one to the value of twelve hundred. We have +been playing for an hour, and have lost several costly articles, and +madam," pointing to my sweetheart's aunt, "has won a ring worth six +louis, but as she preferred cash, she continued playing and lost the +money she had gained." + +"Yes," said the aunt, "and these gentlemen have won everybody's money +with their accursed game; which proves it is all a mere cheat." + +"It proves they are rogues," said Tiretta. + +"But gentlemen," answered one of them, "in that case the receivers of +the Government lottery are rogues too"; whereon Tiretta gave him a +box on the ear. I threw myself between the two combatants, and told +them not to speak a word. + +"All lotteries," said I, "are advantageous to the holders, but the +king is at the head of the Government lottery, and I am the principal +receiver, in which character I shall proceed to confiscate this +casket, and give you the choice of the following alternatives: You +can, if you like, return to the persons present the money you have +unlawfully won from them, whereupon I will let you go with your box. +If you refuse to do so, I shall send for a policeman, who will take +you to prison, and to-morrow you will be tried by M. Berier, to whom +I shall take this book in the morning. We shall soon see whether we +are rogues as well as they." + +Seeing that they had to do with a man of determination, and that +resistance would only result in their losing all, they resolved with +as good a grace as they could muster to return all their winnings, +and for all I know double the sum, for they were forced to return +forty louis, though they swore they had only won twenty. The company +was too select for me to venture to decide between them. In point of +fact I was rather inclined to believe the rascals, but I was angry +with them, and I wanted them to pay a good price for having made a +comparison, quite right in the main, but odious to me in the extreme. +The same reason, doubtless, prevented me from giving them back their +book, which I had no earthly right to keep, and which they asked me +in vain to return to them. My firmness and my threats, and perhaps +also the fear of the police, made them think themselves lucky to get +off with their jewel-box. As soon as they were gone the ladies, like +the kindly creatures they were, began to pity them. "You might have +given them back their book," they said to me. + +"And you, ladies, might have let them keep their money." + +"But they cheated us of it." + +"Did they? Well, their cheating was done with the book, and I have +done them a kindness by taking it from them." + +They felt the force of my remarks, and the conversation took another +turn. + +Early next morning the two gamesters paid me a visit bringing with +them as a bribe a beautiful casket containing twenty-four lovely +pieces of Dresden china. I found this argument irresistible, and I +felt obliged to return them the book, threatening them at the same +time with imprisonment if they dared to carry on their business in +Paris for the future. They promised me to abstain from doing so--no +doubt with a mental reservation, but I cared nothing about that. + +I resolved to offer this beautiful gift to Mdlle. de la Meure, and I +took it to her the same day. I had a hearty welcome, and the aunt +loaded me with thanks. + +On March the 28th, the day of Damien's martyrdom, I went to fetch the +ladies in good time; and as the carriage would scarcely hold us all, +no objection was made to my taking my sweetheart on my knee, and in +this order we reached the Place de Greve. The three ladies packing +themselves together as tightly as possible took up their positions at +the window, leaning forward on their elbows, so as to prevent us +seeing from behind. The window had two steps to it, and they stood +on the second; and in order to see we had to stand on the same step, +for if we had stood on the first we should not have been able to see +over their heads. I have my reasons for giving these minutiae, as +otherwise the reader would have some difficulty in guessing at the +details which I am obliged to pass over in silence. + +We had the courage to watch the dreadful sight for four hours. The +circumstances of Damien's execution are too well known to render it +necessary for me to speak of them; indeed, the account would be too +long a one, and in my opinion such horrors are an offence to our +common humanity. + +Damien was a fanatic, who, with the idea of doing a good work and +obtaining a heavenly reward, had tried to assassinate Louis XV.; and +though the attempt was a failure, and he only gave the king a slight +wound, he was torn to pieces as if his crime had been consummated. + +While this victim of the Jesuits was being executed, I was several +times obliged to turn away my face and to stop my ears as I heard his +piercing shrieks, half of his body having been torn from him, but the +Lambertini and the fat aunt did not budge an inch. Was it because +their hearts were hardened? They told me, and I pretended to +believe them, that their horror at the wretch's wickedness prevented +Them feeling that compassion which his unheard-of torments should +have excited. The fact was that Tiretta kept the pious aunt +curiously engaged during the whole time of the execution, and this, +perhaps, was what prevented the virtuous lady from moving or even +turning her head round. + +Finding himself behind her, he had taken the precaution to lift up +her dress to avoid treading on it. That, no doubt, was according to +the rule; but soon after, on giving an involuntary glance in their +direction, I found that Tiretta had carried his precautions rather +far, and, not wishing to interrupt my friend or to make the lady feel +awkward, I turned my head and stood in such a way that my sweetheart +could see nothing of what was going on; this put the good lady at her +ease. For two hours after I heard a continuous rustling, and +relishing the joke I kept quiet the whole time. I admired Tiretta's +hearty appetite still more than his courage, but what pleased me most +was the touching resignation with which the pious aunt bore it all. + +At the end of this long session I saw Madame turn round, and doing +the same I fixed my gaze on Tiretta, and found him looking as fresh +and cool as if nothing had happened, but the aunt seemed to me to +have a rather pensive appearance. She had been under the fatal +necessity of keeping quiet and letting Tiretta do what he liked for +fear of the Lambertini's jests, and lest her niece might be +scandalized by the revelation of mysteries of which she was supposed +to know nothing. + +We set out, and having dropped the Pope's niece at her door, I begged +her to lend me Tiretta for a few hours, and I then took Madame to her +house in the Rue St. Andre-des-Arts. She asked me to come and see +her the following day as she had something to tell me, and I remarked +that she took no notice of my friend as she left us. We went to the +"Hotel de Russie," where they gave you an excellent dinner for six +francs a head, and I thought my mad friend stood in need of +recruiting his strength. + +"What were you doing behind Madame--?" said I. + +"I am sure you saw nothing, or anybody else either." + +"No, because when I saw the beginning of your manoeuvres, and guessed +what was coming, I stood in such a way that neither the Lambertini or +the pretty niece could see you. I can guess what your goal was, and +I must say I admire your hearty appetite. But your wretched victim +appears to be rather angry." + +"Oh! my dear fellow, that's all the affectation of an old maid. She +may pretend to be put out, but as she kept quiet the whole time I am +certain she would be glad to begin all over again." + +"I think so, too, in her heart of hearts; but her pride might suggest +that you had been lacking in respect, and the suggestion would be by +no means groundless." + +"Respect, you say; but must one not always be lacking in respect to +women when one wants to come to the point?" + +"Quite so, but there's a distinction between what lovers may do when +they are together, and what is proper in the presence of a mixed +company." + +"Yes, but I snatched four distinct favours from her, without the +least opposition; had I not therefore good reasons for taking her +consent for granted?" + +"You reason well, but you see she is out of humour with you. She +wants to speak to me to-morrow, and I have no doubt that you will be +the subject of our conversation." + +"Possibly, but still I should think she would not speak to you of the +comic piece of business; it would be very silly of her." + +"Why so? You don't know these pious women. They are brought up by +Jesuits, who often give them some good lessons on the subject, and +they are delighted to confess to a third party; and these confessions +with a seasoning of tears gives them in their own eyes quite a halo +of saintliness." + +"Well, let her tell you if she likes. We shall see what comes of +it." + +"Possibly she may demand satisfaction; in which case I shall be glad +to do my best for her." + +"You make me laugh! I can't imagine what sort of satisfaction she +could claim, unless she wants to punish me by the 'Lex talionis', +which would be hardly practicable without a repetition of the +original offence. If she had not liked the game, all she had to do +was to give me a push which would have sent me backwards." + +"Yes, but that would have let us know what you had been trying to +do." + +"Well, if it comes to that, the slightest movement would have +rendered the whole process null and void; but as it was she stood in +the proper position as quiet as a lamb; nothing could be easier." + +"It's an amusing business altogether. But did you notice that the +Lambertini was angry with you, too? She, perhaps, saw what you were +doing, and felt hurt." + +"Oh! she has got another cause of complaint against me. We have +fallen out, and I am leaving her this evening." + +"Really?" + +"Yes, I will tell you all about it. Yesterday evening, a young +fellow in the Inland Revenue who had been seduced to sup with us by a +hussy of Genoa, after losing forty louis, threw, the cards in the +face of my landlady and called her a thief. On the impulse of the +moment I took a candle and put it out on his face. I might have +destroyed one of his eyes, but I fortunately hit him on the cheek. +He immediately ran for his sword, mine was ready, and if the Genoese +had not thrown herself between us murder might have been committed. +When the poor wretch saw his cheek in the glass, he became so furious +that nothing short of the return of all his money would appease him. +They gave it him back, in spite of my advice, for in doing so they +admitted, tacitly at all events, that it had been won by cheating. +This caused a sharp dispute between the Lambertini and myself after +he had gone. She said we should have kept the forty louis, and +nothing would have happened except for my interference, that it was +her and not me whom the young man had insulted. The Genoese added +that if we had kept cool we should have had the plucking of him, but +that God alone knew what he would do now with the mark of the burn on +his face. Tired of the talk of these infamous women, I was about to +leave them, but my landlady began to ride the high horse, and went so +far as to call me a beggar. + +"If M. le Noir had not come in just then, she would have had a bad +time of it, as my stick was already in my hand. As soon as they saw +him they told me to hold my tongue, but my blood was up; and turning +towards the worthy man I told him that his mistress had called me a +beggar, that she was a common prostitute, that I was not her cousin, +nor in any way related to her, and that I should leave her that very +day. As soon as I had come to the end of this short and swift +discourse, I went out and shut myself up in my room. In the course +of the next two hours I shall go and fetch my linen, and I hope to +breakfast with you to-morrow." + +Tiretta did well. His heart was in the right place, and he was wise +not to allow the foolish impulses of youth to plunge him in the sink +of corruption. As long as a man has not committed a dishonourable +action, as long as his heart is sound, though his head may go astray, +the path of duty is still open to him. I should say the same of +women if prejudice were not so strong in their case, and if they were +not much more under the influence of the heart than the head. + +After a good dinner washed down by some delicious Sillery we parted, +and I spent the evening in writing. Next morning I did some +business, and at noon went to see the distressed devotee, whom I +found at home with her charming niece. We talked a few minutes about +the weather, and she then told my sweetheart to leave us as she +wanted to speak to me. I was prepared for what was coming and I +waited for her to break the silence which all women of her position +observe. "You will be surprised, sir, at what I am going to tell +you, for I have determined to bring before you a complaint of an +unheard-of character. The case is really of the most delicate +nature, and I am impelled to make a confidant of you by the +impression you made on me when I first saw you. I consider you to be +a man of discretion, of honour, and above all a moral man; in short, +I believe you have experienced religion, and if I am making a mistake +it will be a pity, for though I have been insulted I don't lack means +of avenging myself, and as you are his friend you will be sorry for +him." + +"Is Tiretta the guilty party, madam?" + +"The same." + +"And what is his crime?" + +"He is a villain; he has insulted me in the most monstrous manner." + +"I should not have thought him capable of doing so." + +"I daresay not, but then you are a moral man." + +"But what was the nature of his offence? You may confide in my +secrecy." + +"I really couldn't tell you, it's quite out of the question; but I +trust you will be able to guess it. Yesterday, during the execution +of the wretched Damien, he strongly abused the position in which he +found himself behind me." + +"I see; I understand what you mean; you need say no more. You have +cause for anger, and he is to blame for acting in such a manner. But +allow me to say that the case is not unexampled or even uncommon, and +I think you might make some allowance for the strength of love, the +close quarters, and above all for the youth and passion of the +sinner. Moreover, the offence is one which may be expiated in a +number of ways, provided the parties come to an agreement. Tiretta +is young and a perfect gentleman, he is handsome and at bottom a good +fellow; could not a marriage be arranged?" + +I waited for a reply, but perceiving that the injured party kept +silence (a circumstance which seemed to me a good omen) I went on. + +"If marriage should not meet your views, we might try a lasting +friendship, in which he could shew his repentance and prove himself +deserving of pardon. Remember, madam, that Tiretta is only a man, +and therefore subject to all the weaknesses of our poor human nature; +and even you have your share of the blame." + +"I, sir?" + +"Involuntarily, madam, involuntarily; not you but your charms led him +astray. Nevertheless, without this incentive the circumstance would +never have taken place, and I think you should consider your beauty +as a mitigation of the offence." + +"You plead your cause well, sir, but I will do you justice and +confess that all your remarks have been characterized by much +Christian feeling. However, you are reasoning on false premises; you +are ignorant of his real crime, yet how should you guess it?" + +With this she burst into tears, leading me completely off the scent, +and not knowing what to think. + +"He can't have stolen her purse," said I to myself, "as I don't think +him capable of such an action; and if I did I'd blow his brains out." + +The afflicted lady soon dried her tears, and went on as follows: + +"You are thinking of a deed which one might possibly succeed in +reconciling with reason, and in making amends for; but the crime of +which that brute has been guilty I dare scarcely imagine, as it is +almost enough to drive me mad." + +"Good heavens! you can't mean it? This is dreadful; do I hear you +aright?" + +"Yes. You are moved, I see, but such are the circumstances of the +case. Pardon my tears, which flow from anger and the shame with +which I am covered." + +"Yes, and from outraged religion, too." + +"Certainly, certainly. That is the chief source of my grief, and I +should have mentioned it if I had not feared you were not so strongly +attached to religion as myself." + +"Nobody, God be praised! could be more strongly attached to religion +than I, and nothing can ever unloose the ties which bind me to it:" + +"You will be grieved, then, to hear that I am destined to suffer +eternal punishment, for I must and will be avenged." + +"Not so, madam, perish the thought, as I could not become your +accomplice in such a design, and if you will not abandon it at least +say nothing to me on the subject. I will promise you to tell him +nothing, although as he lives with me the sacred laws of hospitality +oblige me to give him due warning." + +"I thought he lived with the Lambertini" + +"He left her yesterday. The connection between them was a criminal +one, and I have drawn him back from the brink of the precipice." + +"You don't mean to say so!" + +"Yes, upon my word of honour:" + +"You astonish one. This is very edifying. I don't wish the young +man's death, but you must confess he owes me some reparation." + +"He does indeed. A charming Frenchwoman is not to be handled in the +Italian manner without signal amends, but I can think of nothing at +all commensurate with the offence. There is only one plan, which I +will endeavour to carry out if you will agree to it." + +"What is that?" + +"I will put the guilty party in your power without his knowing what +is to happen, and I will leave you alone, so that you can wreak all +your wrath upon him, provided you will allow me to be, unknown to +him, in the next room, as I shall regard myself as responsible for +his safety." + +"I consent. You will stay in this room, and he must be left in the +other where I shall receive you, but take care he has no suspicion of +your presence." + +"He shan't dream of it. He will not even know where I am taking him, +for he must not think that I have been informed of his misdoings. As +soon as we be there, and the conversation becomes general, I shall +leave the room, pretending to be going away." + +"When will you bring him? I long to cover him with confusion. I +will make him tremble. I am curious to hear how he will justify +himself for such an offence." + +"I can't say, but I think and hope that your presence will make him +eloquent, as I should like to see your differences adjusted." + +At one o'clock the Abbe des Forges arrived, and she made me sit down +to dinner with them. This abbe was a pupil of the famous Bishop of +Auxerre, who was still living. I talked so well on the subject of +grace, and made so many quotations from St. Augustine, that the abbe +and the devotee took me for a zealous Jansenista character with which +my dress and appearance did not at all correspond. My sweetheart did +not give me a single glance while the meal was going on, and thinking +she had some motives I abstained from speaking to her. + +After dinner, which, by the way, was a very good one, I promised the +offended lady to bring her the culprit bound hand and foot next day, +after the play was over. To put her at her ease I said I should +walk, as I was certain that he would not recognize the house in the +dark. + +As soon as I saw Tiretta, I began with a seriocomic air to reproach +him for the dreadful crime he had committed on the body of a lady in +every way virtuous and respectable, but the mad fellow began to +laugh, and it would have been waste of time for me to try to stop +him. + +"What!" said he, "she has had the courage to tell you all?" + +"You don't deny the fact, then?" + +"If she says it is so, I don't think I can give her the lie, but I am +ready to swear that I don't know how the land lay. In the position I +was in it was impossible for me to say where I took up my dwelling. +However, I will quiet her indignation, as I shall come to the point +quickly, and not let her wait." + +"You will ruin the business if you don't take care; be as long as you +can; she will like that best, and it will be to your interest. Don't +hurry yourself, and never mind me, as I am sure to get on all right +while you are changing anger into a softer passion. Remember not to +know that I am in the house, and if you only stay with her a short +time (which I don't think will be the case) take a coach and be off. +You know the least a pious woman like her can do will be to provide +me with fire and company. Don't forget that she is well-born like +yourself. These women of quality are, no doubt, as immoral as any +other women, since they are constructed of the same material, but +they like to have their pride flattered by certain attentions. She +is rich, a devote, and, what is more, inclined to pleasure; strive to +gain her friendship 'faciem ad faciem', as the King of Prussia says. +You may, perhaps, make your fortune." + +"If she asks you why you have left the Pope's niece, take care not to +tell her the reason. She will be pleased with your discretion. In +short, do your best to expiate the enormity of your offence." + +"I have only to speak the truth. I went in in the dark." + +"That's an odd reason, but it may seem convincing to a Frenchwoman." + +I need not tell the reader that I gave Tiretta a full account of my +conversation with the lady. If any complain of this breach of +honour, I must tell them that I had made a mental reservation not to +keep my promise, and those who are acquainted with the morality of +the children of Ignatius will understand that I was completely at my +ease. + +Next day we went to the opera, and afterwards, our plans made out, we +walked to the house of the insulted and virtuous lady. She received +us with great dignity, but yet there was an agreeable undercurrent in +her voice and manner which I thought very promising. + +"I never take supper," she said, "but if you had forewarned me of +your visit I should have got something for you:" + +After telling her all the news I had heard in the theatre, I +pretended to be obliged to go, and begged her to let me leave the +count with her for a few minutes. + +"If I am more than a quarter of an hour," said I to the count, "don't +wait. Take a coach home and we shall see each other to-morrow." + +Instead of going downstairs I went into the next room, and two +minutes after who should enter but my sweetheart, who looked charmed +and yet puzzled at my appearance. + +"I think I must be dreaming," said she, "but my aunt has charged me +not to leave you alone, and to tell her woman not to come upstairs +unless she rings the bell. Your friend is with her, and she told me +to speak low as he is not to know that you are here. What does it +all mean?" + +"You are curious, are you?" + +"I confess I am in this instance, for all this mystery seems designed +to excite curiosity." + +"Dearest, you shall know all; but how cold it is." + +"My aunt has told me to make a good fire, she has become liberal or +rather lavish all of a sudden; look at the wax candles." + +"That's a new thing, is it?" + +"Oh, quite new." + +As soon as we were seated in front of the fire I began to tell her +the story, to which she listened with all the attention a young girl +can give to such a matter; but as I had thought it well to pass over +some of the details, she could not properly understand what crime it +was that Tiretta had committed. I was not sorry to be obliged to +tell her the story in plain language, and to give more expression I +employed the language of gesture, which made her blush and laugh at +the same time. I then told her that, having taken up the question of +the reparation that was due to her aunt, I had so arranged matters +that I was certain of being alone with her all the time my friend was +engaged. Thereupon I began to cover her pretty face with kisses, and +as I allowed myself no other liberties she received my caresses as a +proof of the greatness of my love and the purity of my feelings. + +"Dearest," she said, "what you say puzzles me; there are two things +which I can't understand. How could Tiretta succeed in committing +this crime with my aunt, which I think would only be possible with +the consent of the party attacked, but quite impossible without it; +and this makes me believe that if the thing was done it was done with +her hearty good will." + +"Very true, for if she did not like it she had only to change her +position." + +"Not so much as that; she need only have kept the door shut." + +"There, sweetheart, you are wrong, for a properly-made man only asks +you to keep still and he will overcome all obstacles. Moreover, I +don't expect that your aunt's door is so well shut as yours." + +"I believe that I could defy all the Tirettas in the world. + +"There's another thing I don't understand, and that is how my blessed +aunt came to tell you all about it; for if she had any sense she +might have known that it would only make you laugh. And what +satisfaction does she expect to get from a brute like that, who +possibly thinks the affair a matter of no consequence. I should +think he would do the same to any woman who occupied the same +position as my aunt." + +"You are right, for he told me he went in like a blind man, not +knowing where he was going." + +"Your friend is a queer fellow, and if other men are like him I am +sure I should have no feeling but contempt for them." + +"She has told me nothing about the satisfaction she is thinking of, +and which she possibly feels quite sure of attaining; but I think I +can guess what it will benamely, a formal declaration of love; and I +suppose he will expiate his crime by becoming her lover, and +doubtless this will be their wedding night." + +"The affair is getting amusing. I can't believe it. My dear aunt is +too anxious about her salvation; and how do you imagine the young man +can ever fall in love with her, or play the part with such a face as +hers before his eyes. Have you ever seen a countenance as disgusting +as my aunt's? Her skin is covered with pimples, her eyes distil +humours, and her teeth and breath are enough to discourage any man. +She's hideous." + +"All that is nothing to a young spark of twenty-five; one is always +ready for an assault at that age; not like me who only feel myself a +man in presence of charms like yours, of which I long to be the +lawful possessor." + +"You will find me the most affectionate of wives, and I feel quite +sure that I shall have your heart in such good keeping that I shall +never be afraid of losing it." + +We had talked thus pleasantly for an hour, and Tiretta was still with +the aunt. I thought things pointed towards a reconciliation, and +judged the matter was getting serious. I told my sweetheart my +opinion, and asked her to give me something to eat. + +"I can only give you," said she, "some bread and cheese, a slice of +ham, and some wine which my aunt pronounces excellent." + +"Bring them quick, then; I am fainting with hunger." + +She soon laid the table for two, and put on it all the food she had. +The cheese was Roquefort, and the ham had been covered with jelly. +About ten persons with reasonable appetites should have been able to +sup on what there was; but (how I know not) the whole disappeared, +and also two bottles of Chambertin, which I seem to taste now. My +sweetheart's eyes gleamed with pleasure: truly Chambertin and +Roquefort are excellent thinks to restore an old love and to ripen a +young one. + +"Don't you want to know what your aunt has been doing the last two +hours with M. Sixtimes?" + +"They are playing, perhaps; but there is a small hole in the wall, +and I will look and see. I can only see the two candles, and the +wicks are an inch long." + +"Didn't I say so? Give me a coverlet and I will sleep on the sofa +here, and do you go to bed. But let me look at it first:" + +She made me come into her little room, where I saw a pretty bed, a +prayer desk, and a large crucifix. + +"Your bed is too small for you, dear heart." + +"Oh, not at all! I am very comfortable"; and so saying she laid down +at full length. + +"What a beautiful wife I shall have! Nay, don't move, let me look at +you so." My hand began to press the bosom of her dress, where were +imprisoned two spheres which seemed to lament their captivity. I +went farther, I began to untie strings . . . for where does desire +stop short? + +"Sweetheart, I cannot resist, but you will not love me afterwards." + +"I will always love you:" + +Soon her beautiful breasts were exposed to my burning kisses. The +flame of my love lit another in her heart, and forgetting her former +self she opened her arms to me, making me promise not to despise her, +and what would one not promise! The modesty inherent in the sex, the +fear of results, perhaps a kind of instinct which reveals to them the +natural faithlessness of men make women ask for such promises, but +what mistress, if really amorous, would even think of asking her +lover to respect her in the moment of delirious ecstacy, when all +one's being is centred on the fulfilment of desire? + +After we had passed an hour in these amorous toyings, which set my +sweetheart on fire, her charms having never before been exposed to +the burning lips or the free caresses of a man, I said to her, + +"I grieve to leave you without having rendered to your beauty the +greatest homage which it deserves so well." + +A sigh was her only answer. + +It was cold, the fire was out, and I had to spend the night on the +sofa. + +"Give me a coverlet, dearest, that I may go away from you, for I +should die here between love and cold if you made me abstain." + +"Lie where I have been, sweetheart. I will get up and rekindle the +fire." + +She got up in all her naked charms, and as she put a stick to the +fire the flame leapt up; I rose, I found her standing so as to +display all her beauties, and I could refrain no longer. I pressed +her to my heart, she returned my caresses, and till day-break we gave +ourselves up to an ecstacy of pleasure. + +We had spent four or five delicious hours on the sofa. She then left +me, and after making a good fire she went to her room, and I remained +on the sofa and slept till noon. I was awakened by Madame, who wore +a graceful undress. + +"Still asleep, M. Casanova?" + +"Ah! good morning, madam, good morning. And what has become of my +friend?" + +"He has become mine, I have forgiven him." + +"What has he done to be worthy of so generous a pardon?" + +"He proved to me that he made a mistake." + +"I am delighted to hear it; where is he?" + +"He has gone home, where you will find him; but don't say anything +about your spending the night here, or he will think it was spent +with my niece. I am very much obliged to you for what you have done, +and I have only to ask you to be discreet." + +"You can count on me entirely, for I am grateful to you for having +forgiven my friend." + +"Who would not do so? The dear young man is something more than +mortal. If you knew how he loved me! I am grateful to him, and I +have taken him to board for a year; he will be well lodged, well fed, +and so on." + +"What a delightful plan! You have arranged the terms, I suppose." + +"All that will be settled in a friendly way, and we shall not need to +have recourse to arbitration. We shall set out to-day for Villette, +where I have a nice little house; for you know that it is necessary, +at first, to act in such a way as to give no opportunity to +slanderers. My lover will have all he wants, and whenever you, sir, +honour us with your presence you will find a pretty room and a good +bed at your disposal. All I am sorry for is that you will find it +tedious; my poor niece is so dull." + +"Madam, your niece is delightful; she gave me yesterday evening an +excellent supper and kept me company till three o'clock this +morning." + +"Really? I can't make it out how she gave you anything, as there was +nothing in the house." + +"At any rate, madam, she gave me an excellent supper, of which there +are no remains, and after keeping me company she went to bed, and I +have had a good night on this comfortable sofa." + +"I am glad that you, like myself, were pleased with everything, but I +did not think my niece so clever." + +"She is very clever, madam--in my eyes, at all events:" + +"Oh, sir! you are a judge of wit, let us go and see her. She has +locked her door. Come open the door, why have you shut yourself up, +you little prude? what are you afraid of. My Casanova is incapable +of hurting you." + +The niece opened her door and apologized for the disorder of her +dress, but what costume could have suited her better? Her costume +was dazzling." + +"There she is," said the aunt, "and she is not so bad looking after +all, but it is a pity she is so stupid. You were very right to give +this gentleman a supper. I am much obliged to you for doing so. +I have been playing all night, and when one is playing one only +thinks of the game. I have determined on taking young Tiretta to +board with us. He is an excellent and clever young man, and I am +sure he will learn to speak French before long. Get dressed, my +dear, as we must begin to pack. We shall set out this afternoon for +Villette, and shall spend there the whole of the spring. There is no +need, you know, to say anything about this to my sister:" + +"I, aunt? Certainly not. Did I ever tell her anything on the other +occasions?" + +"Other occasions! You see what a silly girl it is. Do you mean by +'other occasions,' that I have been circumstanced like this before?" + +"No, aunt. I only meant to say that I had never told her anything of +what you did." + +"That's right, my dear, but you must learn to express yourself +properly. We dine at two, and I hope to have the pleasure of M. +Casanova's company at dinner; we will start immediately after the +meal. Tiretta promised to bring his small portmanteau with him, and +it will go with our luggage." + +After promising to dine with them, I bade the ladies good-bye; and I +went home as fast as I could walk, for I was as curious as a woman to +know what arrangements had been made. + +"Well," said I to Tiretta, "I find you have got a place. Tell me all +about it" + +"My dear fellow, I have sold myself for a year. My pay is to be +twenty-five louis a month, a good table, good lodging, etc., etc." + +"I congratulate you." + +"Do you think it is worth the trouble?" + +"There's no rose without a thorn. She told me you were something +more than mortal." + +"I worked hard all night to prove it to her; but I am quite sure your +time was better employed than mine." + +"I slept like a king. Dress yourself, as I am coming to dinner, and +I want to see you set out for Villette. I shall come and see you +there now and then, as your sweetheart has told me that a room shall +be set apart for my convenience." + +We arrived at two o'clock. Madame dressed in a girlish style +presented a singular appearance, but Mdlle. de la Meure's beauty +shone like a star. Love and pleasure had given her a new life, a new +being. We had a capital dinner, as the good lady had made the repast +dainty like herself; but in the dishes there was nothing absurd, +while her whole appearance was comic in the highest degree. At four +they all set out, and I spent my evening at the Italian comedy. + +I was in love with Mdlle. de la Meure, but Silvia's daughter, whose +company at supper was all I had of her, weakened a love which now +left nothing more to desire. + +We complain of women who, though loving us and sure of our love, +refuse us their favours; but we are wrong in doing so, for if they +love they have good reason to fear lest they lose us in the moment of +satisfying our desires. Naturally they should do all in their power +to retain our hearts, and the best way to do so is to cherish our +desire of possessing them; but desire is only kept alive by being +denied: enjoyment kills it, since one cannot desire what one has got. +I am, therefore, of opinion that women are quite right to refuse us. +But if it be granted that the passions of the two sexes are of equal +strength, how comes it that a man never refuses to gratify a woman +who loves him and entreats him to be kind? + +We cannot receive the argument founded on the fear of results, as +that is a particular and not a general consideration. Our +conclusion, then, will be that the reason lies in the fact that a man +thinks more of the pleasure he imparts than that which he receives, +and is therefore eager to impart his bliss to another. We know, +also, that, as a general rule, women, when once enjoyed, double their +love and affection. On the other hand, women think more of the +pleasure they receive than of that which they impart, and therefore +put off enjoyment as long as possible, since they fear that in giving +themselves up they lose their chief good--their own pleasure. This +feeling is peculiar to the sex, and is the only cause of coquetry, +pardonable in a woman, detestable in a man. + +Silvia's daughter loved me, and she knew I loved her, although I had +never said so, but women's wit is keen. At the same time she +endeavoured not to let me know her feelings, as she was afraid of +encouraging me to ask favours of her, and she did not feel sure of +her strength to refuse them; and she knew my inconstant nature. Her +relations intended her for Clement, who had been teaching her the +clavichord for the last three years. She knew of the arrangement and +had no objection, for though she did not love him she liked him very +well. Most girls are wedded without love, and they are not sorry for +it afterwards. They know that by marriage they become of some +consequence in the world, and they marry to have a house of their own +and a good position in society. They seem to know that a husband and +a lover need not be synonymous terms. At Paris men are actuated by +the same views, and most marriages are matters of convenience. The +French are jealous of their mistresses, but never of their wives. + +There could be no doubt that M. Clement was very much in love, and +Mdlle. Baletti was delighted that I noticed it, as she thought this +would bring me to a declaration, and she was quite right. The +departure of Mdlle. de la Meure had a good deal to do with my +determination to declare myself; and I was very sorry to have done so +afterwards, for after I had told her I loved her Clement was +dismissed, and my position was worse than before. The man who +declares his love for a woman in words wants to be sent to school +again. + +Three days after the departure of Tiretta, I took him what small +belongings he had, and Madame seemed very glad to see me. The Abbe +des Forges arrived just as we were sitting down to dinner, and though +he had been very friendly to me at Paris he did not so much as look +at me all through the meal, and treated Tiretta in the same way. +I, for my part, took no notice of him, but Tiretta, not so patient as +I, at last lost his temper and got up, begging Madame to tell him +when she was going to have that fellow to dine with her. We rose +from table without saying a word, and the silent abbe went with madam +into another room. + +Tiretta took me to see his room, which was handsomely furnished, and, +as was right, adjoined his sweetheart's. Whilst he was putting his +things in order, Mdlle. de la Meure made me come and see my +apartment. It was a very nice room on the ground floor, and facing +hers. I took care to point out to her how easily I could pay her a +visit after everyone was in bed, but she said we should not be +comfortable in her room, and that she would consequently save me the +trouble of getting out of bed. It will be guessed that I had no +objections to make to this arrangement. + +She then told me of her aunt's folly about Tiretta. + +"She believes," said she, "that we do not know he sleeps with her." + +"Believes, or pretends to believe." + +"Possibly. She rang for me at eleven o'clock this morning and told +me to go and ask him what kind of night he had passed. I did so, but +seeing his bed had not been slept in I asked him if he had not been +to sleep. + +"'No,' said he, 'I have been writing all night, but please don't say +anything about it to your aunt: I promised with all my heart to be as +silent as the grave." + +"Does he make sheep's eyes at you?" + +"No, but if he did it would be all the same. Though he is not over +sharp he knows, I think, what I think of him." + +"Why have you such a poor opinion of him?" + +"Why? My aunt pays him. I think selling one's self is a dreadful +idea." + +"But you pay me." + +"Yes, but in the same coin as you give me." + +The old aunt was always calling her niece stupid, but on the contrary +I thought her very clever, and as virtuous as clever. I should never +have seduced her if she had not been brought up in a convent. + +I went back to Tiretta, and had some pleasant conversation with him. +I asked him how he liked his place. + +"I don't like it much, but as it costs me nothing I am not absolutely +wretched." + +"But her face!" + +"I don't look at it, and there's one thing I like about her--she is +so clean." + +"Does she take good care of you?" + +"O yes, she is full of feeling for me. This morning she refused the +greeting I offered her. 'I am sure,' said she, 'that my refusal will +pain you, but your health is so dear to me that I feel bound to look +after it." + +As soon as the gloomy Abbe des Forges was gone and Madame was alone, +we rejoined her. She treated me as her gossip, and played the timid +child for Tiretta's benefit, and he played up to her admirably, much +to my admiration. + +"I shall see no more of that foolish priest," said she; "for after +telling me that I was lost both in this world and the next he +threatened to abandon me, and I took him at his word." + +An actress named Quinault, who had left the stage and lived close by, +came to call, and soon after Madame Favart and the Abbe de Voisenon +arrived, followed by Madame Amelin with a handsome lad named Calabre, +whom she called her nephew. He was as like her as two peas, but she +did not seem to think that a sufficient reason for confessing she was +his mother. M. Patron, a Piedmontese, who also came with her, made a +bank at faro and in a couple of hours won everybody's money with the +exception of mine, as I knew better than to play. My time was better +occupied in the company of my sweet mistress. I saw through the +Piedmontese, and had put him down as a knave; but Tiretta was not so +sharp, and consequently lost all the money he had in his pockets and +a hundred louis besides. The banker having reaped a good harvest put +down the cards, and Tiretta told him in good Italian that he was a +cheat, to which the Piedmontese replied with the greatest coolness +that he lied. Thinking that the quarrel might have an unpleasant +ending, I told him that Tiretta was only jesting, and I made my +friend say so, too. He then left the company and went to his room. + +Eight years afterwards I saw this Patron at St. Petersburg, and in +the year 1767 he was assassinated in Poland. + +The same evening I preached Tiretta a severe yet friendly sermon. +I pointed out to him that when he played he was at the mercy of the +banker, who might be a rogue but a man of courage too, and so in +calling him a cheat he was risking his life. + +"Am I to let myself be robbed, then?" + +"Yes, you have a free choice in the matter; nobody will make you +play." + +"I certainly will not pay him that hundred louis." + +"I advise you to do so, and to do so before you are asked." + +"You have a knack of persuading one to do what you will, even though +one be disposed to take no notice of your advice." + +"That's because I speak from heart and head at once, and have some +experience in these affairs as well." + +Three quarters of an hour afterwards I went to bed and my mistress +came to me before long. We spent a sweeter night than before, for it +is often a matter of some difficulty to pluck the first flower; and +the price which most men put on this little trifle is founded more on +egotism than any feeling of pleasure. + +Next day, after dining with the family and admiring the roses on my +sweetheart's cheeks, I returned to Paris. Three or four days later +Tiretta came to tell me that the Dunkirk merchant had arrived, that +he was coming to dine at Madame's, and that she requested me to make +one of the party. I was prepared for the news, but the blood rushed +into my face. Tiretta saw it, and to a certain extent divined my +feelings. "You are in love with the niece," said he. + +"Why do you think so?" + +"By the mystery you make about her; but love betrays itself even by +its silence." + +"You are a knowing fellow, Tiretta. I will come to dinner, but don't +say a word to anybody." + +My heart was rent in twain. Possibly if the merchant had put off his +arrival for a month I should have welcomed it; but to have only just +lifted the nectar to my lips, and to see the precious vessel escape +from my hands! To this day I can recall my feelings, and the very +recollection is not devoid of bitterness. + +I was in a fearful state of perplexity, as I always was whenever it +was necessary for me to resolve, and I felt that I could not do so. +If the reader has been placed in the same position he will understand +my feelings. I could not make up my mind to consent to her marrying, +nor could I resolve to wed her myself and gain certain happiness. + +I went to Villette and was a little surprised to find Mdlle. de la +Meure more elaborately dressed than usual. + +"Your intended," I said, "would have pronounced you charming without +all that." + +"My aunt doesn't think so" + +"You have not seen him yet?" + +"No, but I should like to, although I trust with your help never to +become his wife." + +Soon after, she arrived with Corneman, the banker, who had been the +agent in this business transaction. The merchant was a fine man, +about forty, with a frank and open face. His dress was good though +not elaborate. He introduced himself simply but in a polite manner +to Madame, and he did not look at his future wife till the aunt +presented her to him. His manner immediately became more pleasing; +and without making use of flowers of speech he said in a very feeling +way that he trusted the impression he had made on her was equal to +that which she had made on him. Her only answer was a low curtsy, +but she studied him carefully. + +Dinner was served, and in the course of the meal we talked of almost +everything--except marriage. The happy pair only caught each other's +eyes by chance, and did not speak to one another. After dinner +Mdlle. de la Meure went to her room, and the aunt went into her +closet with the banker and the merchant, and they were in close +conversation for two hours. At the end of that time the gentlemen +were obliged to return to Paris, and Madame, after summoning her +niece, told the merchant she would expect him to dinner on the day +following, and that she was sure that her niece would be glad to see +him again. + +"Won't you, my dear?" + +"Yes, aunt, I shall be very glad to see the gentleman again." + +If she had not answered thus, the merchant would have gone away +without hearing his future bride speak. + +"Well," said the aunt, "what do you think of your husband?" + +"Allow me to put off my answer till to-morrow; but be good enough, +when we are at table, to draw me into the conversation, for it is +very possible that my face has not repelled him, but so far he knows +nothing of my mental powers; possibly my want of wit may destroy any +slight impression my face may have made." + +"Yes, I am afraid you will begin to talk nonsense, and make him lose +the good opinion he seems to have formed of you." + +"It is not right to deceive anybody. If he is disabused of his +fictitious ideas by the appearance of the truth, so much the better +for him; and so much the worse for both of us, if we decide on +marrying without the slightest knowledge of each other's habits and +ways of thought." + +"What do you think of him?" + +"I think he is rather nice-looking, and his manners are kind and +polite; but let us wait till to-morrow." + +"Perhaps he will have nothing more to say to me; I am so stupid." + +"I know very well that you think yourself very clever, and that's +where your fault lies; it's your self-conceit which makes you stupid, +although M. Casanova takes you for a wit." + +"Perhaps he may know what he is talking about." + +"My poor dear, he is only laughing at you." + +"I have good reasons for thinking otherwise, aunt." + +"There you go; you will never get any sense." + +"Pardon me, madam, if I cannot be of your opinion. Mademoiselle is +quite right in saying that I do not laugh at her. I dare to say that +to-morrow she will shine in the conversation." + +"You think so? I am glad to hear it. Now let us have a game at +piquet, and I will play against you and my niece, for she must learn +the game." + +Tiretta asked leave of his darling to go to the play, and we played +on till supper-time. On his return, Tiretta made us almost die of +laughing with his attempts to tell us in his broken French the plot +of the play he had seen. + +I had been in my bedroom for a quarter of an hour, expecting to see +my sweetheart in some pretty kind of undress, when all of a sudden I +saw her come in with all her clothes on. I was surprised at this +circumstance, and it seemed to me of evil omen. + +"You are astonished to see me thus," said she, "but I want to speak +to you for a moment, and then I will take off my clothes. Tell me +plainly whether I am to consent to this marriage or no?" + +"How do you like him?" + +"Fairly well." + +"Consent, then!" + +"Very good; farewell! From this moment our love ends, and our +friendship begins. Get you to bed, and I will go and do the same. +Farewell!" + +"No, stay, and let our friendship begin to-morrow." + +"Not so, were my refusal to cost the lives of both of us. You know +what it must cost me to speak thus, but it is my irrevocable +determination. If I am to become another's wife, I must take care to +be worthy of him; perhaps I may be happy. Do not hold me, let me go. +You know how well I love you." + +"At least, let us have one final embrace." + +"Alas! no." + +"You are weeping." + +"No, I am not. In God's name let me go." + +"Dear heart, you go but to weep in your chamber; stay here. I will +marry you." + +"Nay, no more of that." + +With these words she made an effort, escaped from my hands, and fled +from the room. I was covered with shame and regret, and could not +sleep. I hated myself, for I knew not whether I had sinned most +grievously in seducing her or in abandoning her to another. + +I stayed to dinner next day in spite of my heartbreak and my sadness. +Mdlle. de la Meure talked so brilliantly and sensibly to her intended +that one could easily see he was enchanted with her. As for me, +feeling that I had nothing pleasant to say, I pretended to have the +toothache as an excuse for not talking. Sick at heart, absent- +minded, and feeling the effects of a sleepless night, I was well-nigh +mad with love, jealousy, and despair. Mdlle. de la Meure did not +speak to me once, did not so much as look at me. She was quite +right, but I did not think so then. I thought the dinner would never +come to an end, and I do not think I was ever present at so painful a +meal. + +As we rose from the table, Madame went into her closet with her niece +and nephew that was to be, and the niece came out in the course of an +hour and bade us congratulate her, as she was to be married in a +week, and after the wedding she would accompany her husband to +Dunkirk. "To-morrow," she added, "we are all to dine with M. +Corneman, where the deed of settlement will be signed." + +I cannot imagine how it was I did not fall dead on the spot. My +anguish cannot be expressed. + +Before long it was proposed that we should go to the play, but +excusing myself on the plea of business I returned to Paris. As I +got to my door I seemed to be in a fever, and I lay down on my bed, +but instead of the rest I needed I experienced only remorse and +fruitless repentance-the torments of the damned. I began to think it +was my duty to stop the marriage or die. I was sure that Mdlle. de +la Meure loved me, and I fancied she would not say no if I told her +that her refusal to marry me would cost me my life. Full of that +idea I rose and wrote her a letter, strong with all the strength of +tumultuous passion. This was some relief, and getting into bed I +slept till morning. As soon as I was awake I summoned a messenger +and promised him twelve francs if he would deliver my letter, and +report its receipt in an hour and a half. My letter was under cover +of a note addressed to Tiretta, in which I told him that I should not +leave the house till I had got an answer. I had my answer four hours +after; it ran as follows: "Dearest, it is too late; you have decided +on my destiny, and I cannot go back from my word. Come to dinner at +M. Corneman's, and be sure that in a few weeks we shall be +congratulating ourselves on having won a great victory. Our love, +crowned all too soon, will soon live only in our memories. I beg of +you to write to me no more." + +Such was my fate. Her refusal, with the still more cruel charge not +to write to her again, made me furious. In it I only saw +inconstancy. I thought she had fallen in love with the merchant. My +state of mind may be judged from the fact that I determined to kill +my rival. The most savage plans, the most cruel designs, ran a race +through my bewildered brain. I was jealous, in love, a different +being from my ordinary self; anger, vanity, and shame had destroyed +my powers of reasoning. The charming girl whom I was forced to +admire, whom I should have esteemed all the more for the course she +had taken, whom I had regarded as an angel, became in my eyes a +hateful monster, a meet object for punishment. At last I determined +on a sure method of revenge, which I knew to be both dishonourable +and cowardly, but in my blind passion I did not hesitate for a +moment. I resolved to go to the merchant at M. Corneman's, where he +was staying, to tell him all that had passed between the lady and +myself, and if that did not make him renounce the idea of marrying +her I would tell him that one of us must die, and if he refused my +challenge I determined to assassinate him. + +With this terrible plan in my brain, which makes me shudder now when +I think of it, I ate with the appetite of a wild beast, lay down and +slept till day. I was in the same mind when I awoke, and dressed +myself hastily yet carefully, put two good pistols in my pocket and +went to M. Corneman's. My rival was still asleep; I waited for him, +and for a quarter of an hour my thoughts only grew more bitter and my +determination more fixed. All at once he came into the room, in his +dressing-gown, and received me with open arms, telling me in the +kindest of voices that he had been expecting me to call, as he could +guess what feelings I, a friend of his future wife's, could have for +him, and saying that his friendship for me should always be as warm +as hers. His honest open face, his straightforward words, +overwhelmed me, and I was silent for a few minutes--in fact I did not +know what to say. Luckily he gave me enough time to recollect +myself, as he talked on for a quarter of an hour without noticing +that I did not open my lips. + +M. Corneman then came in; coffee was served, and my speech returned +to me; but I am happy to say I refrained from playing the +dishonourable part I had intended; the crisis was passed. + +It may be remarked that the fiercest spirits are like a cord +stretched too tight, which either breaks or relaxes. I have known +several persons of that temperament--the Chevalier L----,amongst +others, who in a fit of passion used to feel his soul escaping by +every pore. If at the moment when his anger burst forth he was able +to break something and make a great noise, he calmed down in a +moment; reason resumed her sway, and the raging lion became as mild +as a lamb. + +After I had taken a cup of coffee, I felt myself calmed but yet dizzy +in the head, so I bade them good morning and went out. I was +astonished but delighted that I had not carried my detestable scheme +into effect. I was humbled by being forced to confess to myself that +chance and chance alone had saved me from becoming a villain. As I +was reflecting on what had happened I met my brother, and he +completed my cure. I took him to dine at Silvia's and stayed there +till midnight. I saw that Mdlle. Baletti would make me forget the +fair inconstant, whom I wisely determined not to see again before the +wedding. To make sure I set out the next day for Versailles, to look +after my interests with the Government. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +The Abby de la Ville--The Abby Galiani--The Neapolitan Dialect--I Set +Out for Dunkirk on a Secret Mission I Succeed--I Return to Paris by +Amiens--My Adventure by the Way--M. de la Bretonniere--My Report +Gives Satisfaction--I Am Paid Five Hundred Louis--Reflections. + + +A new career was opening before me. Fortune was still my friend, and +I had all the necessary qualities to second the efforts of the blind +goddess on my behalf save one--perseverance. My immoderate life of +pleasure annulled the effect of all my other qualities. + +M. de Bernis received me in his usual manner, that is more like a +friend than a minister. He asked me if I had any inclination for a +secret mission. + +"Have I the necessary talents?" + +"I think so." + +"I have an inclination for all honest means of earning a livelihood, +and as for my talents I will take your excellency's opinion for +granted." + +This last observation made him smile, as I had intended. + +After a few words spoken at random on the memories of bygone years +which time had not entirely defaced, the minister told me to go to +the Abbe de la Ville and use his name. + +This abbe, the chief permanent official of the foreign office, was a +man of cold temperament, a profound diplomatist, and the soul of the +department, and high in favour with his excellency the minister. He +had served the state well as an agent at The Hague, and his grateful +king rewarded him by giving him a bishopric on the day of his death. +It was a little late, but kings have not always sufficient leisure to +remember things. His heir was a wealthy man named Gamier, who had +formerly been chief cook at M. d'Argenson's, and had become rich by +profiting by the friendship the Abbe de la Ville had always had for +him. These two friends, who were nearly of the same age, had +deposited their wills in the hands of the same attorney, and each had +made the other his residuary legatee. + +After the abbe had delivered a brief discourse on the nature of +secret missions and the discretion necessary to those charged with +them, he told me that he would let me know when anything suitable for +me presented itself. + +I made the acquaintance of the Abbe Galiani, the secretary of the +Neapolitan Embassy. He was a brother to the Marquis de Galiani, of +whom I shall speak when we come to my Italian travels. The Abbe +Galiani was a man of wit. He had a knack of making the most serious +subjects appear comic; and being a good talker, speaking French with +the ineradicable Neapolitan accent, he was a favourite in every +circle he cared to enter. The Abbe de la Ville told him that +Voltaire had complained that his Henriade had been translated into +Neapolitan verse in such sort that it excited laughter. + +"Voltaire is wrong," said Galiani, "for the Neapolitan dialect is of +such a nature that it is impossible to write verses in it that are +not laughable. And why should he be vexed; he who makes people laugh +is sure of being beloved. The Neapolitan dialect is truly a singular +one; we have it in translations of the Bible and of the Iliad, and +both are comic." + +"I can imagine that the Bible would be, but I should not have thought +that would have been the case with the Iliad." + +"It is, nevertheless." + +I did not return to Paris till the day before the departure of Mdlle. +de la Meure, now Madame P----. I felt in duty bound to go and see +her, to give her my congratulations, and to wish her a pleasant +journey. I found her in good spirits and quite at her ease, and, far +from being vexed at this, I was pleased, a certain sign that I was +cured. We talked without the slightest constraint, and I thought her +husband a perfect gentleman. He invited us to visit him at Dunkirk, +and I promised to go without intending to do so, but the fates willed +otherwise. + +Tiretta was now left alone with his darling, who grew more infatuated +with her Strephon every day, so well did he prove his love for her. + +With a mind at ease, I now set myself to sentimentalize with Mdlle. +Baletti, who gave me every day some new mark of the progress I was +making. + +The friendship and respect I bore her family made the idea of +seduction out of the question, but as I grew more and more in love +with her, and had no thoughts of marriage, I should have been puzzled +to say at what end I was aiming, so I let myself glide along the +stream without thinking where I was going. + +In the beginning of May the Abbe de Bernis told me to come and call +on him at Versailles, but first to see the Abbe de la Ville. The +first question the abbe asked me was whether I thought myself capable +of paying a visit to eight or ten men-of-war in the roads at Dunkirk, +of making the acquaintance of the officers, and of completing a +minute and circumstantial report on the victualling, the number of +seamen, the guns, ammunition, discipline, etc., etc. + +"I will make the attempt," I said, "and will hand you in my report on +my return, and it will be for you to say if I have succeeded or not." + +"As this is a secret mission, I cannot give you a letter of +commendation; I can only give you some money and wish you a pleasant +journey." + +"I do not wish to be paid in advance--on my return you can give me +what you think fit. I shall want three or four days before setting +out, as I must procure some letters of introduction." + +"Very good. Try to come back before the end of the month. I have no +further instructions to give you." + +On the same day I had some conversation at the Palais Bourbon with my +patron, who could not admire sufficiently my delicacy in refusing +payment in advance; and taking advantage of my having done so he made +me accept a packet of a hundred Louis. This was the last occasion on +which I made use of his purse; I did not borrow from him at Rome +fourteen years afterwards. + +"As you are on a secret mission, my dear Casanova, I cannot give you +a passport. I am sorry for it, but if I did so your object would be +suspected. However, you will easily be able to get one from the +first gentleman of the chamber, on some pretext or other. Silvia +will be more useful to you in that way than anybody else. You quite +understand how discreet your behaviour must be. Above all, do not +get into any trouble; for I suppose you know that, if anything +happened to you, it would be of no use to talk of your mission. We +should be obliged to know nothing about you, for ambassadors are the +only avowed spies. Remember that you must be even more careful and +reserved than they, and yet, if you wish to succeed, all this must be +concealed, and you must have an air of freedom from constraint that +you may inspire confidence. If, on your return, you like to shew me +your report before handing it in, I will tell you what may require to +be left out or added." + +Full of this affair, the importance of which I exaggerated in +proportion to my inexperience, I told Silvia that I wanted to +accompany some English friends as far as Calais, and that she would +oblige me by getting me a passport from the Duc de Gesvres. Always +ready to oblige me, she sat down directly and wrote the duke a +letter, telling me to deliver it myself since my personal description +was necessary. These passports carry legal weight in the Isle de +France only, but they procure one respect in all the northern parts +of the kingdom. + +Fortified with Silvia's letter, and accompanied by her husband, I +went to the duke who was at his estate at St. Toro, and he had +scarcely read the letter through before he gave me the passport. +Satisfied on this point I went to Villette, and asked Madame if she +had anything I could take to her niece. "You can take her the box of +china statuettes," said she, "if M. Corneman has not sent them +already." I called on the banker who gave me the box, and in return +for a hundred Louis a letter of credit on a Dunkirk house. I begged +him to name me in the letter in a special manner, as I was going for +the sake of pleasure. He seemed glad to oblige me, and I started the +same evening, and three days later I was at the "Hotel de la +Conciergerie," in Dunkirk. + +An hour after my arrival I gave the charming Madame P---- an +agreeable surprise by handing her the box, and giving her her aunt's +messages. Just as she was praising her husband, and telling me how +happy she was, he came in, saying he was delighted to see me and +asked me to stay in his house, without enquiring whether my stay in +Dunkirk would be a long or short one. I of course thanked him, and +after promising to dine now and again at his house I begged him to +take me to the banker on whom I had a letter. + +The banker read my letter, and gave me the hundred louis, and asked +me to wait for him at my inn where he would come for me with the +governor, a M. de Barail. This gentleman who, like most Frenchmen, +was very polite, after making some ordinary enquiries, asked me to +sup with him and his wife who was still at the play. The lady gave +me as kind a reception as I had received from her husband. After we +had partaken of an excellent supper several persons arrived, and play +commenced in which I did not join, as I wished to study the society +of the place, and above all certain officers of both services who +were present. By means of speaking with an air of authority about +naval matters, and by saying that I had served in the navy of the +Venetian Republic, in three days I not only knew but was intimate +with all the captains of the Dunkirk fleet. I talked at random about +naval architecture, on the Venetian system of manoeuvres, and I +noticed that the jolly sailors were better pleased at my blunders +than at my sensible remarks. + +Four days after I had been at Dunkirk, one of the captains asked me +to dinner on his ship, and after that all the others did the same; +and on every occasion I stayed in the ship for the rest of the day. +I was curious about everything--and Jack is so trustful! I went into +the hold, I asked questions innumerable, and I found plenty of young +officers delighted to shew their own importance, who gossipped +without needing any encouragement from me. I took care, however, to +learn everything which would be of service to me, and in the evenings +I put down on paper all the mental notes I had made during the day. +Four or five hours was all I allowed myself for sleep, and in fifteen +days I had learnt enough. + +Pleasure, gaming, and idleness--my usual companions--had no part in +this expedition, and I devoted all my energies to the object of my +mission. I dined once with the banker, once with Madame P----, in +the town, and once in a pretty country house which her husband had, +at about a league's distance from Dunkirk. She took me there +herself, and on finding myself alone with the woman I had loved so +well I delighted her by the delicacy of my behaviour, which was +marked only by respect and friendship. As I still thought her +charming, and as our connection had only ended six weeks ago, I was +astonished to see myself so quiet, knowing my disposition too well to +attribute my restraint to virtue. What, then, was the reason? An +Italian proverb, speaking for nature, gives the true solution of the +riddle. + +'La Mona non vuol pensieri', and my head was full of thought. + +My task was done, and bidding good-bye to all my friends, I set out +in my post-chaise for Paris, going by another way for the sake of the +change. About midnight, on my asking for horses at some stage, the +name of which I forget, they told me that the next stage was the +fortified town of Aire, which we should not be allowed to pass +through at midnight. + +"Get me the horses," said I, "I will make them open the gates." + +I was obeyed, and in due time we reached the gates. + +The postillion cracked his whip and the sentry called out, "Who goes +there?" + +"Express messenger." + +After making me wait for an hour the gate was opened, and I was told +that I must go and speak to the governor. I did so, fretting and +fuming on my way as if I were some great person, and I was taken to a +room where a man in an elegant nightcap was lying beside a very +pretty woman. + +"Whose messenger are you?" + +"Nobody's, but as I am in a hurry." + +"That will do. We will talk the matter over tomorrow. In the +meanwhile you will accept the hospitality of the guard-room." + +"But, sir . . ." + +"But me no buts, if you please; leave the room." + +I was taken to the guard-room where I spent the night seated on the +ground. The daylight appeared. I shouted, swore, made all the +racket I could, said I wanted to go on, but nobody took any notice of +me. + +Ten o'clock struck. More impatient than I can say, I raised my voice +and spoke to the officer, telling him that the governor might +assassinate me if he liked, but had no right to deny me pen and +paper, or to deprive me of the power of sending a messenger to Paris. + +"Your name, sir?" + +"Here is my passport." + +He told me that he would take it to the governor, but I snatched it +away from him. + +"Would you like to see the governor?" + +"Yes, I should." + +We started for the governor's apartments. The officer was the first +to enter, and in two minutes came out again and brought me in. I +gave up my passport in proud silence. The governor read it through, +examining me all the while to see if I was the person described; he +then gave it me back, telling me that I was free to go where I liked. + +"Not so fast, sir, I am not in such a hurry now. I shall send a +messenger to Paris and wait his return; for by stopping me on my +journey you have violated all the rights of the subject." + +"You violated them yourself in calling yourself a messenger." + +"Not at all; I told you that I was not one." + +"Yes, but you told your postillion that you were, and that comes to +the same thing." + +"The postillion is a liar, I told him nothing of the kind." + +"Why didn't you shew your passport?" + +"Why didn't you give me time to do so? In the course of the next +few days we shall see who is right." + +"Just as you please." + +I went out with the officer who took me to the posting-place, and a +minute afterwards my carriage drew up. The posting-place was also an +inn, and I told the landlord to have a special messenger ready to +carry out my orders, to give me a good room and a good bed, and to +serve me some rich soup immediately; and I warned him that I was +accustomed to good fare. I had my portmanteau and all my belongings +taken into my room, and having washed and put on my dressing-gown I +sat down to write, to whom I did not know, for I was quite wrong in +my contention. However, I had begun by playing the great man, and I +thought myself bound in honour to sustain the part, without thinking +whether I stood to have to back out of it or no. All the same I was +vexed at having to wait in Aire till the return of the messenger, +whom I was about to send to the-moon! In the meanwhile, not having +closed an eye all night, I determined to take a rest. I was sitting +in my shirt-sleeves and eating the soup which had been served to me, +when the governor came in unaccompanied. I was both surprised and +delighted to see him. + +"I am sorry for what has happened, sir, and above all that you think +you have good reason for complaint, inasmuch as I only did my duty, +for how was I to imagine that your postillion had called you a +messenger on his own responsibility." + +"That's all very well, sir, but your sense of duty need not have made +you drive me from your room." + +"I was in need of sleep." + +"I am in the same position at the present moment, but a feeling of +politeness prevents me from imitating your example." + +"May I ask if you have ever been in the service?" + +"I have served by land and sea, and have left off when most people +are only beginning." + +"In that case you will be aware that the gates of a fortified town +are only opened by night to the king's messengers or to military +superiors." + +"Yes, I know; but since they were opened the thing was done, and you +might as well have been polite." + +"Will you not put on your clothes, and walk a short distance with +me!" + +His invitation pleased me as well as his pride had displeased me. I +had been thinking of a duel as a possible solution of the difficulty, +but the present course took all trouble out of my hands. I answered +quietly and politely that the honour of walking with him would be +enough to make me put off all other calls, and I asked him to be +seated while I made haste to dress myself. + +I drew on my breeches, throwing the splendid pistols in my pockets on +to the bed, called up the barber, and in ten minutes was ready. I +put on my sword, and we went out. + +We walked silently enough along two or three streets, passed through +a gate, up a court, till we got to a door where my guide stopped +short. He asked me to come in, and I found myself in a fine room +full of people. I did not think of going back, but behaved as if I +had been in my own house. + +"Sir-my wife," said the governor; and turning to her without pausing, +"here is M. de Casanova, who has come to dinner with us." + +"I am delighted to hear it, sir, as otherwise I should have had no +chance of forgiving you for waking me up the other night." + +"I paid dearly for my fault, madam, but after the purgatory I had +endured I am sure you will allow me to be happy in this paradise." + +She answered with a charming smile, and after asking me to sit beside +her she continued whatever conversation was possible in the midst of +a game at cards. + +I found myself completely outwitted, but the thing was done so +pleasantly that all I could do was to put a good face on it--a feat +which I found sufficiently easy from the relief I felt at no longer +being bound to send a messenger to I did not know whom. + +The governor well satisfied with his victory, got all at once into +high spirits, and began to talk about military matters, the Court, +and on general topics, often addressing me with that friendly ease +which good French society knows so well how to reconcile with the +rules of politeness; no one could have guessed that there had ever +been the slightest difference between us. He had made himself +the hero of the piece by the dexterous manner in which he had led up +to the situation, but I had a fair claim to the second place, for I +had made an experienced officer high in command give me the most +flattering kind of satisfaction, which bore witness to the esteem +with which I had inspired him. + +The dinner was served. The success of my part depended on the manner +in which it was played, and my wit has seldom been keener than during +this meal. The whole conversation was in a pleasant vein, and I took +great care to give the governor's wife opportunities for shining in +it. She was a charming and pretty woman, still quite youthful, for +she was at least thirty years younger than the governor. Nothing was +said about my six hours' stay in the guard-room, but at dessert the +governor escaped speaking plainly by a joke that was not worth the +trouble of making. + +"You're a nice man," said he, "to think I was going to fight you. +Ah! ha! I have caught you, haven't I?" + +"Who told you that I was meditating a duel?" + +"Confess that such was the case?" + +"I protest; there is a great difference between believing and +supposing; the one is positive, the other merely hypothetical. I +must confess, however, that your invitation to take a walk roused my +curiosity as to what was to come next, and I admire your wit. But +you must believe me that I do not regard myself as caught in a trap-- +far from that, I am so well pleased that I feel grateful to you." + +In the afternoon we all took a walk, and I gave my arm to the +charming mistress of the house. In the evening I took my leave, and +set out early the next day having made a fair copy of my report. + +At five o'clock in the morning I was fast asleep in my carriage, when +I was suddenly awakened. We were at the gate of Amiens. The fellow +at the door was an exciseman--a race everywhere detested and with +good cause, for besides the insolence of their manners nothing makes +a man feel more like a slave than the inquisitorial search they are +accustomed to make through one's clothes and most secret possessions. +He asked me if I had anything contraband; and being in a bad temper +at being deprived of my sleep to answer such a question I replied +with an oath that I had nothing of the sort, and that he would have +done better to let me sleep. + +"As you talk in that style," said the creature,, "we will see what we +can see." + +He ordered the postillion to pass on with the carriage. He had my +luggage hauled down, and not being able to hinder him I fumed in +silence. + +I saw my mistake, but there was nothing to be done; and having no +contraband goods I had nothing to fear, but my bad temper cost me two +weary hours of delay. The joys of vengeance were depicted on the +features of the exciseman. At the time of which I am writing these +gaugers were the dregs of the people, but would become tractable on +being treated with a little politeness. The sum of twenty-four sous +given with good grace would make them as supple as a pair of gloves; +they would bow to the travellers, wish them a pleasant journey, and +give no trouble. I knew all this, but there are times when a man +acts mechanically as I had done, unfortunately. + +The scoundrels emptied my boxes and unfolded everything even to my +shirts, between which they said I might have concealed English lace. + +After searching everything they gave me back my keys, but they had +not yet done with us; they began to search my carriage. The rascal +who was at the head of them began to shout "victory," he had +discovered the remainder of a pound of snuff which I had bought at +St. Omer on my way to Dunkirk. + +With a voice of triumph the chief exciseman gave orders that my +carriage should be seized, and warned me that I would have to pay a +fine of twelve hundred francs. + +For the nonce my patience was exhausted, and I leave the names I +called them to the imagination of the reader; but they were proof +against words. I told them to take me to the superintendent's. + +"You can go if you like," said they, "we are not your servants." + +Surrounded by a curious crowd, whom the noise had drawn together, I +began to walk hurriedly towards the town, and entering the first open +shop I came to, I begged the shopkeeper to take me to the +superintendent's. As I was telling the circumstances of the case, a +man of good appearance, who happened to be in the shop, said that he +would be glad to show me the way himself, though he did not think I +should find the superintendent in, as he would doubtless be warned of +my coming. + +"Without your paying either the fine or caution money," said he, "you +will find it a hard matter to get yourself out of the difficulty." + +I entreated him to shew me the way to the superintendent's, and not +to trouble about anything else. He advised me to give the rabble a +louis to buy drink, and thus to rid myself of them, on which I gave +him the louis, begging him to see to it himself, and the bargain was +soon struck. He was a worthy attorney, and knew his men. + +We got to the superintendent's; but, as my guide had warned me, my +gentleman was not to be seen. The porter told us that he had gone +out alone, that he would not be back before night, and that he did +not know where he had gone. + +"There's a whole day lost, then," said the attorney. + +"Let us go and hunt him up; he must have well-known resorts and +friends, and we will find them out. I will give you a louis for the +day's work; will that be enough?" + +"Ample." + +We spent in vain four hours in looking for the superintendent in ten +or twelve houses. I spoke to the masters of all of them, +exaggerating considerably the injury that had been done to me. I was +listened to, condoled with, and comforted with the remark that he +would certainly be obliged to return to his house at night, and then +he could not help hearing what I had to say. That would not suit me, +so I continued the chase. + +At one o'clock the attorney took me to an old lady, who was thought a +great deal of in the town. She was dining all by herself. After +giving great attention to my story, she said that she did not think +she could be doing wrong in telling a stranger the whereabouts of an +individual who, in virtue of his office, ought never to be +inaccessible. + +"And so, sir, I may reveal to you what after all is no secret. My +daughter told me yesterday evening that she was going to dine at +Madame N----'s, and that the superintendent was to be there. Do you +go after him now, and you will find him at table in the best society +in Amiens, but," said she, with a smile, "I advise you not to give +your name at the door. The numerous servants will shew you the way +without asking for your name. You can then speak to him whether he +likes it or not, and though you don't know him he will hear all you +say. I am sorry that I cannot be present at so fine a situation." + +I gratefully took leave of the worthy lady, and I set off in all +haste to the house I had been told of, the attorney, who was almost +tired out, accompanying me. Without the least difficulty he and I +slipped in between the crowds of servants till we got to a hall where +there were more than twenty people sitting down to a rich and +delicate repast. + +"Ladies and gentlemen, you will excuse my troubling your quiet on +this festive occasion with a tale of terror." + +At these words, uttered in the voice of Jupiter Tonans, everybody +rose. The surprise of the high-born company of knights and ladies at +my apparition can easily be imagined. + +"Since seven o'clock this morning I have been searching from door to +door and from street to street for his honour the superintendent, +whom I have at last been fortunate enough to find here, for I know +perfectly well that he is present, and that if he have ears he hears +me now. I am come to request him to order his scoundrelly myrmidons +who have seized my carriage to give it up, so that I may continue my +journey. If the laws bid me pay twelve hundred francs for seven +ounces of snuff for my own private use, I renounce those laws and +declare that I will not pay a farthing. I shall stay here and send a +messenger to my ambassador, who will complain that the 'jus gentium' +has been violated in the Ile-de-France in my person, and I will have +reparation. Louis XV. is great enough to refuse to become an +accomplice in this strange onslaught. And if that satisfaction which +is my lawful right is not granted me, I will make the thing an affair +of state, and my Republic will not revenge itself by assaulting +Frenchmen for a few pinches of snuff, but will expel them all root +and branch. If you want to know whom I am, read this." + +Foaming with rage, I threw my passport on the table. + +A man picked it up and read it, and I knew him to be the +superintendent. While my papers were being handed round I saw +expressed on every face surprise and indignation, but the +superintendent replied haughtily that he was at Amiens to administer +justice, and that I could not leave the town unless I paid the fine +or gave surety. + +"If you are here to do justice, you will look upon my passport as a +positive command to speed me on my way, and I bid you yourself be my +surety if you are a gentleman." + +"Does high birth go bail for breaches of the law in your country?" + +"In my country men of high birth do not condescend to take +dishonourable employments." + +"No service under the king can be dishonourable." + +"The hangman would say the same thing." + +"Take care what you say." + +"Take care what you do. Know, sir, that I am a free man who has been +grievously outraged, and know, too, that I fear no one. Throw me out +of the window, if you dare." + +"Sir," said a lady to me in the voice of the mistress of the house, +"in my house there is no throwing out of windows." + +"Madam, an angry man makes use of terms which his better reason +disowns. I am wronged by a most cruel act of injustice, and I humbly +crave your pardon for having offended you. Please to reflect that +for the first time in my life I have been oppressed and insulted, and +that in a kingdom where I thought myself safe from all but highway +robbers. For them I have my pistols, and for the worthy +superintendents I have a passport, but I find the latter useless. +For the sake of seven ounces of snuff which I bought at St. Omer +three weeks ago, this gentleman robs me and interrupts my journey, +though the king's majesty is my surety that no one shall interfere +with me; he calls on me to pay fifty louis, he delivers me to the +rage of his impudent menials and to the derision of the mob, from +whom I had to rid myself by my money and the aid of this worthy man +beside me. I am treated like a scoundrel, and the man who should +have been my defender and deliverer slinks away and hides himself, +and adds to the insults I have received. His myrmidons have turned +my clothes upside down, and pitchforked my linen at the foot of the +town gates, to revenge themselves on me for not giving them twenty, +four sous. To-morrow the manner in which I have been treated will be +known to the diplomatic bodies at Versailles and Paris, and in a few +days it will be in all the newspapers. I will pay not a farthing +because I owe not a farthing. Now, sir, am I to send a courier to +the Duc de Gesvres?" + +"What you have got to do is to pay, and if you do not care to pay, +you may do whatever you like." + +"Then, ladies and gentlemen, good-bye. As for you, sir, we shall +meet again." + +As I was rushing out of the room like a madman, I heard somebody +calling out to me in good Italian to wait a minute. I turned round, +and saw the voice had proceeded from a man past middle age, who +addressed the superintendent thus:-- + +"Let this gentleman proceed on his journey; I will go bail for him. +Do you understand me, superintendent? I will be his surety. You +don't know these Italians. I went through the whole of the last war +in Italy, and I understand the national character. Besides, I think +the gentleman is in the right." + +"Very good," said the official, turning to me. "All you have to do +is to pay a matter of thirty or forty francs at the customs' office +as the affair is already booked." + +"I thought I told you that I would not pay a single farthing, and I +tell it you again. But who are you, sir," said I, turning to the +worthy old man, "who are good enough to become surety for me without +knowing me?" + +"I am a commissary of musters, sir, and my name is de la Bretonniere. +I live in Paris at the 'Hotel de Saxe,' Rue Colombien, where I shall +be glad to see you after to-morrow. We will go together to M. +Britard, who, after hearing your case, will discharge my bail." + +After I had expressed my gratitude, and told him that I would wait +upon him without fail, I made my excuses to the mistress of the house +and the guests, and left them. + +I took my worthy attorney to dinner at the best inn in the place, and +I gave him two louis for his trouble. Without his help and that of +the commissary I should have been in great difficulty; it would have +been a case of the earthen pot and the iron pot over again; for with +jacks-in-office reason is of no use, and though I had plenty of money +I would never have let the wretches rob me of fifty louis. + +My carriage was drawn up at the door of the tavern; and just as I was +getting in, one of the excisemen who had searched my luggage came and +told me that I should find everything just as I left it:-- + +"I wonder at that since it has been left in the hands of men of your +stamp; shall I find the snuff?" + +"The snuff has been confiscated, my lord." + +"I am sorry for you, then; for if it had been there I would have +given you a louis." + +"I will go and look for it directly." + +"I have no time to wait for it. Drive on, postillion." + +I got to Paris the next day, and four days after I waited on M. de la +Bretonniere, who gave me a hearty welcome, and took me to M. +Britard, the fermier-general, who discharged his bail. This M. +Britard was a pleasant young man. He blushed when he heard all I had +gone through. + +I took my report to M. de Bernis, at the "Hotel Bourbon," and his +excellence spent two hours over it, making me take out all +unnecessary matter. I spent the time in making a fair copy, and the +next day I took it to M. de la Ville, who read it through in silence, +and told me that he would let me know the result. A month after I +received five hundred louis, and I had the pleasure of hearing that +M. de Cremille, the first lord of the admiralty, had pronounced my +report to be not only perfectly accurate but very suggestive. +Certain reasonable apprehensions prevented me from making myself +known to him--an honour which M. de Bernis wished to procure for me. + +When I told him my adventures on the way back, he laughed, but said +that the highest merit of a secret agent was to keep out of +difficulties; for though he might have the tact to extricate himself +from them, yet he got talked of, which it should be his chief care to +avoid. + +This mission cost the admiralty twelve thousand francs, and the +minister might easily have procured all the information I gave him +without spending a penny. Any intelligent young naval officer would +have done it just as well, and would have acquitted himself with zeal +and discretion, to gain the good opinion of the ministers. But all +the French ministers are the same. They lavished money which came +out of other people's pockets to enrich their creatures, and they +were absolute; the downtrodden people counted for nothing, and of +this course the indebtedness of the state and the confusion of the +finances were the inevitable results. It is quite true that the +Revolution was a necessity, but it should have been marked with +patriotism and right feeling, not with blood. However, the nobility +and clergy were not men of sufficient generosity to make the +necessary sacrifices to the king, the state, and to themselves. + +Silvia was much amused at my adventures at Aire and Amiens, and her +charming daughter shewed much pity for the bad night I had passed in +the guard-room. I told her that the hardship would have been much +less if I had had a wife beside me. She replied that a wife, if a +good one, would have been only too happy to alleviate my troubles by +sharing in them, but her mother observed that a woman of parts, after +seeing to the safety of my baggage and my coach, would have busied +herself in taking the necessary steps for setting me at liberty, and +I supported this opinion as best indicating the real duty of a good +wife. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +The Count de la Tour D'Auvergne and Madame D'Urfe--Camille--My +Passion for the Count's Mistress--The Ridiculous Incident Which Cured +Me--The Count de St. Germain + + +In spite of my love for Mdlle. Baletti, I did not omit to pay my +court to the most noted ladies of the pavement; but I was chiefly +interested in kept women, and those who consider themselves as +belonging to the public only in playing before them night by night, +queens or chamber-maids. + +In spite of this affection, they enjoy what they call their +independence, either by devoting themselves to Cupid or to Plutus, +and more frequently to both together. As it is not very difficult to +make the acquaintance of these priestesses of pleasure and +dissipation, I soon got to know several of them. + +The halls of the theatres are capital places for amateurs to exercise +their talents in intriguing, and I had profited tolerably well by the +lessons I had learnt in this fine school. + +I began by becoming the friend of their lovers, and I often succeeded +by pretending to be a man of whom nobody need be afraid. + +Camille, an actress and dancer at the Italian play, with whom I had +fallen in love at Fontainebleu seven years ago, was one of those of +whom I was most fond, liking the society at her pretty little house, +where she lived with the Count d'Eigreville, who was a friend of +mine, and fond of my company. He was a brother of the Marquis de +Gamache and of the Countess du Rumain, and was a fine young fellow of +an excellent disposition. He was never so well pleased as when he +saw his mistress surrounded by people--a taste which is rarely found, +but which is very convenient, and the sign of a temperament not +afflicted by jealousy. Camille had no other lovers--an astonishing +thing in an actress of the kind, but being full of tact and wit she +drove none of her admirers to despair. She was neither over sparing +nor over generous in the distribution of her favours, and knew how to +make the whole town rave about her without fearing the results of +indiscretion or sorrows of being abandoned. + +The gentleman of whom, after her lover, she took most notice, was the +Count de la Tour d'Auvergne, a nobleman of an old family, who +idolized her, and, not being rich enough to possess her entirely, had +to be content with what she gave him. Camille had given him a young +girl, for whose keep she paid, who lived with Tour d'Auvergne in +furnished apartments in the Rue de Taranne, and whom he said he loved +as one loves a portrait, because she came from Camille. The count +often took her with him to Camille's to supper. She was fifteen, +simple in her manners, and quite devoid of ambition. She told her +lover that she would never forgive him an act of infidelity except +with Camille, to whom she felt bound to yield all since to her she +owed all. + +I became so much in love with her that I often went to Camille's +solely to see her and to enjoy those artless speeches with which she +delighted the company. I strove as best I could to conceal my flame, +but often I found myself looking quite sad at the thought of the +impossibility of my love being crowned with success. If I had let my +passion be suspected I should have been laughed at, and should have +made myself a mark for the pitiless sarcasms of Camille. However, I +got my cure in the following ridiculous manner:-- + +Camille lived at the Barriere Blanche, and on leaving her house, one +rainy evening, I sought in vain for a coach to take me home. + +"My dear Casanova," said Tour d'Auvergne, "I can drop you at your own +door without giving myself the slightest inconvenience, though my +carriage is only seated for two; however, my sweetheart can sit on +our knees." + +I accepted his offer with pleasure, and we seated ourselves in the +carriage, the count on my left hand and Babet on both our knees. + +Burning with amorous passion I thought I would take the opportunity, +and, to lose no time, as the coachman was driving fast, I took her +hand and pressed it softly. The pressure was returned. Joy! I +carried the hand to my lips, and covered it with affectionate though +noiseless kisses. Longing to convince her of the ardour of my +passion, and thinking that her hand would not refuse to do me a sweet +service, I . . . but just at critical moment, + +"I am really very much obliged to you, my dear fellow," said the +Count de la Tour d'Auvergne, "for a piece of politeness thoroughly +Italian, of which, however, I do not feel worthy; at least, I hope +it's meant as politeness and not as a sign of contempt." + +At these dreadful words I stretched out my hand and felt the sleeve +of his coat. Presence of mind was no good in a situation like this, +when his words were followed by a peal of loud laughter which would +have confounded the hardiest spirit. As for me, I could neither join +in his laughter nor deny his accusation; the situation was a fearful +one, or would have been if the friendly shades of night had not +covered my confusion. Babet did her best to find out from the count +why he laughed so much, but he could not tell her for laughing, for +which I gave thanks with all my heart. At last the carriage stopped +at my house, and as soon as my servant had opened the door of my +carriage I got down as fast as I could, and wished them good night--a +compliment which Tour d'Auvergne returned with fresh peals of +laughter. I entered my house in a state of stupefaction, and half an +hour elapsed before I, too, began to laugh at the adventure. What +vexed me most was the expectation of having malicious jests passed +upon me, for I had not the least right to reckon on the count's +discretion. However, I had enough sense to determine to join in the +laughter if I could, and if not, to take it well, for this is, and +always will be, the best way to get the laughers on one's own side at +Paris. + +For three days I saw nothing of the delightful count, and on the +fourth I resolved to ask him to take breakfast with me, as Camille +had sent to my house to enquire how I was. My adventure would not +prevent me visiting her house, but I was anxious to know how it had +been taken. + +As soon as Tour d'Auvergne saw me he began to roar with laughter, and +I joined in, and we greeted each other in the friendliest manner +possible. "My dear count," said I, "let us forget this foolish +story. You have no business to attack me, as I do not know how to +defend myself." + +"Why should you defend yourself, my dear fellow. We like you all the +better for it, and this humorous adventure makes us merry every +evening." + +"Everybody knows it, then?" + +"Of course, why not? It makes Camille choke with laughter. Come +this evening; I will bring Babet, and she will amuse you as she +maintains that you were not mistaken." + +"She is right." + +"Eh? what? You do me too much honour, and I don't believe you; but +have it as you like." + +"I can't do better, but I must confess when all's said that you were +not the person to whom my fevered imagination offered such ardent +homage." + +At supper I jested, pretended to be astonished at the count's +indiscretion, and boasted of being cured of my passion. Babet called +me a villain, and maintained that I was far from cured; but she was +wrong, as the incident had disgusted me with her, and had attached me +to the count, who, indeed, was a man of the most amiable character. +Nevertheless, our friendship might have been a fatal one, as the +reader will see presently. + +One evening, when I was at the Italian theatre, Tour d'Auvergne came +up to me and asked me to lend him a hundred louis, promising to repay +me next Saturday. + +"I haven't got the money," I said, "but my purse and all it contains +is at your service." + +"I want a hundred louis, my dear fellow, and immediately, as I lost +them at play yesterday evening at the Princess of Anhalt's." + +"But I haven't got them." + +"The receiver of the lottery ought always to be able to put his hand +on a hundred louis." + +"Yes, but I can't touch my cash-box; I have to give it up this day +week." + +"So you can; as I will repay you on Saturday. Take a hundred louis +from the box, and put in my word of honour instead; don't you think +that is worth a hundred Louis?" + +"I have nothing to say to that, wait for me a minute." + +I ran to my office, took out the money and gave it to him. Saturday +came but no count, and as I had no money I pawned my diamond ring and +replaced the hundred louis I owed the till. Three or four days +afterwards, as I was at the Comedie Francaise, the Count de la Tour +d'Auvergne came up to me and began to apologize. I replied by +shewing my hand, and telling him that I had pawned my ring to save my +honour. He said, with a melancholy air, that a man had failed to +keep his word with him, but he would be sure to give me the hundred +louis on the Saturday following, adding, "I give you my word of +honour." + +"Your word of honour is in my box, so let's say nothing about that. +You can repay me when you like." + +The count grew as pale as death. + +"My word of honour, my dear Casanova, is more precious to me than my +life; and I will give you the hundred louis at nine o'clock to-morrow +morning at a hundred paces from the caf‚ at the end of the Champs- +Elysees. I will give you them in person, and nobody will see us. I +hope you will not fail to be there, and that you will bring your +sword. I shall have mine." + +"Faith, count! that's making me pay rather dear for my jest. You +certainly do me a great honour, but I would rather beg your pardon, +if that would prevent this troublesome affair from going any +further." + +"No, I am more to blame than you, and the blame can only be removed +by the sword's point. Will you meet me? + +"I do not see how I can refuse you, although I am very much averse to +the affair." + +I left him and went to Silvia's, and took my supper sadly, for I +really liked this amiable nobleman, and in my opinion the game we +were going to play was not worth the candle. I would not have fought +if I could have convinced myself that I was in the wrong, but after +turning the matter well-over, and looking at it from every point of +view, I could not help seeing that the fault lay in the count's +excessive touchiness, and I resolved to give him satisfaction. At +all hazards I would not fail to keep the appointment. + +I reached the caf‚ a moment after him. We took breakfast together +and he payed. We then went out and walked towards the Etoile. When +we got to a sheltered place he drew a bundle of a hundred louis from +his pocket, gave it to me with the greatest courtesy, and said that +one stroke of the sword would be sufficient. I could not reply. + +He went off four paces and drew his sword. I did the same without +saying a word, and stepping forward almost as soon as our blades +crossed I thrust and hit him. I drew back my sword and summoned him +to keep his word, feeling sure that I had wounded him in his chest. + +He gently kissed his sword, and putting his hand into his breast he +drew it out covered with blood, and said pleasantly to me, "I am +satisfied." + +I said to him all that I could, and all that it was my duty to say in +the way of compliment, while he was stanching the blood with his +handkerchief, and on looking at the point of my sword I was delighted +to find that the wound was of the slightest. I told him so offering +to see him home. He thanked me and begged me to keep my own counsel, +and to reckon him henceforth amongst my truest friends. After I had +embraced him, mingling my tears with my embraces, I returned home, +sad at heart but having learnt a most useful lesson. No one ever +knew of our meeting, and a week afterwards we supped together at +Camille's. + +A few days after, I received from M. de la Ville the five hundred +louis for my Dunkirk mission. On my going to see Camille she told me +that Tour d'Auvergne was kept in bed by an attack of sciatica, and +that if I liked we could pay him a visit the next day. I agreed, and +we went. After breakfast was over I told him in a serious voice that +if he would give me a free hand I could cure him, as he was not +suffering from sciatica but from a moist and windy humour which I +could disperse my means of the Talisman of Solomon and five mystic +words. He began to laugh, but told me to do what I liked. + +"Very good, then I will go out and buy a brush." + +"I will send a servant." + +"No, I must get it myself, as I want some drugs as well." I bought +some nitre, mercury, flower of sulphur, and a small brush, and on my +return said, "I must have a little of your -----, this liquid is +indispensable, and it must be quite fresh." + +Camille and he began to laugh, but I succeeded in keeping the serious +face suitable to my office. I handed him a mug and modestly lowered +the curtains, and he then did what I wanted. + +I made a mixture of the various ingredients, and I told Camille that +she must rub his thigh whilst I spoke the charm, but I warned her +that if she laughed while she was about it it would spoil all. This +threat only increased their good humour, and they laughed without +cessation; for as soon as they thought they had got over it, they +would look at one another, and after repressing themselves as long as +they could would burst out afresh, till I began to think that I had +bound them to an impossible condition. At last, after holding their +sides for half an hour, they set themselves to be serious in real +earnest, taking my imperturbable gravity for their example. De la +Tour d'Auvergne was the first to regain a serious face, and he then +offered Camille his thigh, and she, fancying herself on the boards, +began to rub the sick man, whilst I mumbled in an undertone words +which they would not have understood however clearly I had spoken, +seeing that I did not understand them myself. + +I was nearly spoiling the efficacy of the operation when I saw the +grimaces they made in trying to keep serious. Nothing could be more +amusing than the expression on Camille's face. At last I told her +that she had rubbed enough, and dipping the brush into the mixture I +drew on his thigh the five-pointed star called Solomon's seal. I +then wrapped up the thigh in three napkins, and I told him that if he +would keep quiet for twenty-four hours without taking off--his +napkins, I would guarantee a cure. + +The most amusing part of it all was, that by the time I had done the +count and Camille laughed no more, their faces wore a bewildered +look, and as for me . . . I could have sworn I had performed the +most wonderful work in the world. If one tells a lie a sufficient +number of times, one ends by believing it. + +A few minutes after this operation, which I had performed as if by +instinct and on the spur of the moment, Camille and I went away in a +coach, and I told her so many wonderful tales that when she got out +at her door she looked quite mazed. + +Four or five days after, when I had almost forgotten the farce, I +heard a carriage stopping at my door, and looking out of my window +saw M. de la Tour d'Auvergne skipping nimbly out of the carriage. + +"You were sure of success, then," said he, "as you did not come to +see me the day after your astounding operation." + +"Of course I was sure, but if I had not been too busy you would have +seen me, for all that." + +"May I take a bath?" + +"No, don't bathe till you feel quite well." + +"Very good. Everybody is in a state of astonishment at your feat, as +I could not help telling the miracle to all my acquaintances. There +are certainly some sceptics who laugh at me, but I let them talk." + +"You should have kept your own counsel; you know what Paris is like. +Everybody will be considering me as a master-quack." + +"Not at all, not at all. I have come to ask a favour of you." + +"What's that?" + +"I have an aunt who enjoys a great reputation for her skill in the +occult sciences, especially in alchemy. She is a woman of wit, very, +rich, and sole mistress of her fortune; in short, knowing her will do +you no harm. She longs to see you, for she pretends to know you, and +says that you are not what you seem. She has entreated me to take +you to dine with her, and I hope you will accept the invitation. Her +name is the Marchioness d'Urfe" + +I did not know this lady, but the name of d'Urfe caught my attention +directly, as I knew all about the famous Anne d'Urfe who flourished +towards the end of the seventeenth century. The lady was the widow +of his great-grandson, and on marrying into the family became a +believer in the mystical doctrines of a science in which I was much +interested, though I gave it little credit. I therefore replied that +I should be glad to go, but on the condition that the party should +not exceed the count, his aunt, and myself. + +"She has twelve people every day to dinner, and you will find +yourself in the company of the best society in Paris." + +"My dear fellow, that's exactly what I don't want; for I hate to be +thought a magician, which must have been the effect of the tales you +have told." + +"Oh, no! not at all; your character is well known, and you will find +yourself in the society of people who have the greatest regard for +you." + +"Are you sure of that?" + +"The Duchess de l'Oragnais told me, that, four or five years ago, you +were often to be seen at the Palais Royal, and that you used to spend +whole days with the Duchess d'Orleans; Madame de Bouffers, Madame de +Blots, and Madame de Melfort have also talked to me about you. You +are wrong not to keep up your old acquaintances. I know at least a +hundred people of the first rank who are suffering from the same +malady as that of which you cured me, and would give the half of +their goods to be cured." + +De la Tour d'Auvergne had reason on his side, but as I knew his +wonderful cure had been due to a singular coincidence, I had no +desire to expose myself to public ridicule. I therefore told him +that I did not wish to become a public character, and that he must +tell Madame d'Urfe that I would have the honour of calling on her in +strict privacy only, and that she might tell me the day and hour on +which I should kneel before her. + +The same evening I had a letter from the count making an appointment +at the Tuileries for the morrow; he was to meet me there, and take me +to his aunt's to dinner. No one else was to be present. + +The next day we met each other as had been arranged, and went to see +Madame d'Urfe, who lived on the Quai des Theatins, on the same side +as the "Hotel Bouillon." + +Madame d'Urfe, a woman advanced in years, but still handsome, +received me with all the courtly grace of the Court of the Regency. +We spent an hour and a half in indifferent conversation, occupied in +studying each other's character. Each was trying to get at the +bottom of the other. + +I had not much trouble in playing the part of the unenlightened, for +such, in point of fact, was my state of mind, and Madame d'Urfe +unconsciously betrayed the desire of shewing her learning; this put +me at my ease, for I felt sure I could make her pleased with me if I +succeeded in making her pleased with herself. + +At two o'clock the same dinner that was prepared every day for twelve +was served for us three. Nothing worthy of note (so far as +conversation went) was done at dinner, as we talked commonplace after +the manner of people of fashion. + +After the dessert Tour d'Auvergne left us to go and see the Prince de +Turenne, who was in a high fever, and after he was gone Madame d'Urfe +began to discuss alchemy and magic, and all the other branches of her +beloved science, or rather infatuation. When we got on to the magnum +opus, and I asked her if she knew the nature of the first matter, it +was only her politeness which prevented her from laughing; but +controlling herself, she replied graciously that she already +possessed the philosopher's stone, and that she was acquainted with +all the operations of the work. She then shewed me a collection of +books which had belonged to the great d'Urfe, and Renee of Savoy, his +wife; but she had added to it manuscripts which had cost her more +than a hundred thousand francs. Paracelsus was her favourite author, +and according to her he was neither man, woman, nor hermaphrodite, +and had the misfortune to poison himself with an overdose of his +panacea, or universal medicine. She shewed me a short manuscript in +French, where the great work was clearly explained. She told me that +she did not keep it under lock and key, because it was written in a +cypher, the secret of which was known only to herself. + +"You do not believe, then, in steganography." + +"No, sir, and if you would like it, I will give you this which has +been copied from the original." + +"I accept it, madam, with all the more gratitude in that I know its +worth." + +>From the library we went into the laboratory, at which I was truly +astonished. She shewed me matter that had been in the furnace for +fifteen years, and was to be there for four or five years more. It +was a powder of projection which was to transform instantaneously all +metals into the finest gold. She shewed me a pipe by which the coal +descended to the furnace, keeping it always at the same heat. The +lumps of coal were impelled by their own weight at proper intervals +and in equal quantities, so that she was often three months without +looking at the furnace, the temperature remaining the same the whole +time. The cinders were removed by another pipe, most ingeniously +contrived, which also answered the purpose of a ventilator. + +The calcination of mercury was mere child's play to this wonderful +woman. She shewed me the calcined matter, and said that whenever I +liked she would instruct me as to the process. I next saw the Tree +of Diana of the famous Taliamed, whose pupil she was. His real name +was Maillot, and according to Madame d'Urfe he had not, as was +supposed, died at Marseilles, but was still alive; "and," added she, +with a slight smile, "I often get letters from him. If the Regent of +France," said she, "had listened to me he would be alive now. He was +my first friend; he gave me the name of Egeria, and he married me to +M. d'Urfe" + +She possessed a commentary on Raymond Lully, which cleared up all +difficult points in the comments of Arnold de Villanova on the works +of Roger Bacon and Heber, who, according to her, were still alive. +This precious manuscript was in an ivory casket, the key of which she +kept religiously; indeed her laboratory was a closed room to all but +myself. I saw a small cask full of 'platina del Pinto', which she +told me she could transmute into gold when she pleased. It had been +given her by M. Vood himself in 1743. She shewed me the same metal +in four phials. In the first three the platinum remained intact in +sulphuric, nitric, and muriatic acid, but in the fourth, which +contained 'aqua regia', the metal had not been able to resist the +action of the acid. She melted it with the burning-glass, and said +it could be melted in no other way, which proved, in her opinion, its +superiority to gold. She shewed me some precipitated by sal +ammoniac, which would not precipitate gold. + +Her athanor had been alight for fifteen years. The top was full of +black coal, which made me conclude that she had been in the +laboratory two or three days before. Stopping before the Tree of +Diana, I asked her, in a respectful voice, if she agreed with those +who said it was only fit to amuse children. She replied, in a +dignified manner, that she had made it to divert herself with the +crystallization of the silver, spirit of nitre, and mercury, and that +she looked upon it as a piece of metallic vegetation, representing in +little what nature performed on a larger scale; but she added, very +seriously, that she could make a Tree of Diana which should be a very +Tree of the Sun, which would produce golden fruit, which might be +gathered, and which would continue to be produced till no more +remained of a certain ingredient. I said modestly that I could not +believe the thing possible without the powder of projection, but her +only answer was a pleased smile. + +She then pointed out a china basin containing nitre, mercury, and +sulphur, and a fixed salt on a plate. + +"You know the ingredients, I suppose?" said she. + +"Yes; this fixed salt is a salt of urine." + +"You are right." + +"I admire your sagacity, madam. You have made an analysis of the +mixture with which I traced the pentacle on your nephew's thigh, but +in what way can you discover the words which give the pentacle its +efficacy?" + +"In the manuscript of an adept, which I will shew you, and where you +will find the very words you used." + +I bowed my head in reply, and we left this curious laboratory. + +We had scarcely arrived in her room before Madame d'Urfe drew from a +handsome casket a little book, bound in black, which she put on the +table while she searched for a match. While she was looking about, I +opened the book behind her back, and found it to be full of +pentacles, and by good luck found the pentacle I had traced on the +count's thigh. It was surrounded by the names of the spirits of the +planets, with the exception of those of Saturn and Mars. I shut up +the book quickly. The spirits named were the same as those in the +works of Agrippa, with which I was acquainted. With an unmoved +countenance I drew near her, and she soon found the match, and her +appearance surprised me a good deal; but I will speak of that another +time. + +The marchioness sat down on her sofa, and making me to do the like +she asked me if I was acquainted with the talismans of the Count de +Treves? + +"I have never heard of them, madam, but I know those of Poliphilus:" + +"It is said they are the same." + +"I don't believe it." + +"We shall see. If you will write the words you uttered, as you drew +the pentacle on my nephew's thigh, and if I find the same talisman +with the same words around it, the identity will be proved." + +"It will, I confess. I will write the words immediately." + +I wrote out the names of the spirits. Madame d'Urfe found the +pentacle and read out the names, while I pretending astonishment, +gave her the paper, and much to her delight she found the names to be +the same. + +"You see," said she, "that Poliphilus and the Count de Treves +possessed the same art." + +"I shall be convinced that it is so, if your book contains the manner +of pronouncing the ineffable names. Do you know the theory of the +planetary hours?" + +"I think so, but they are not needed in this operation." + +"They are indispensable, madam, for without them one cannot work with +any certainty. I drew Solomon's pentacle on the thigh of Count de la +Tour d'Auvergne in the hour of Venus, and if I had not begun with +Arael, the spirit of Venus, the operation would have had no effect." + +"I did not know that. And after Arael?" + +"Next comes Mercury, then the Moon, then Jupiter, and then the Sun. +It is, you see, the magic cycle of Zoroaster, in which Saturn and +Mars are omitted." + +"And how would you have proceeded if you had gone to work in the hour +of the Moon?" + +"I should have begun with Jupiter, passed to the Sun, then to Arael +or Venus, and I should have finished at Mercury." + +"I see sir, that you are most apt in the calculation of the planetary +hours." + +"Without it one can do nothing in magic, as one would have no proper +data; however, it is an easy matter to learn. Anyone could pick it +up in a month's time. The practical use, however, is much more +difficult than the theory; this, indeed, is a complicated affair. I +never leave my house without ascertaining the exact number of minutes +in the day, and take care that my watch is exact to the time, for a +minute more or less would make all the difference in the world" + +"Would you have the goodness to explain the theory to me." + +"You will find it in Artephius and more clearly in Sandivogius." + +"I have both works, but they are in Latin." + +"I will make you a translation of them." + +"You are very kind; I shall be extremely obliged to you." + +"I have seen such things here, madam, that I could not refuse, for +reasons which I may, perhaps, tell you to-morrow." + +"Why not to-day?" + +"Because I ought to know the name of your familiar spirit before I +tell you." + +"You know, then, that I have a familiar? You should have one, if it +is true that you possess the powder of projection." + +"I have one." + +"Give me the oath of the order." + +"I dare not, and you know why." + +"Perhaps I shall be able to remove your fears by tomorrow." + +This absurd oath was none other than that of the princes of the Rosy +Cross, who never pronounce it without being certain that each party +is a Rosicrucian, so Madame d'Urfe was quite right in her caution, +and as for me I had to pretend to be afraid myself. The fact is I +wanted to gain time, for I knew perfectly well the nature of the +oath. It may be given between men without any indecency, but a woman +like Madame d'Urfe would probably not relish giving it to a man whom +she saw for the first time. + +"When we find this oath alluded to in the Holy Scriptures," she said, +"it is indicated by the words 'he swore to him by laying his hand on +his thigh.'" + +"But the thigh is not really what is meant; and consequently we never +find any notice of a man taking this oath to a woman, as a woman has +no 'verbum'." + +The Count de la Tour d'Auvergne came back at nine o'clock in the +evening, and he skewed no little astonishment at seeing me still with +his aunt. He told us that his cousin's fever had increased, and that +small-pox had declared itself; "and I am going to take leave of you, +my dear aunt, at least for a month, as I intend to shut myself up +with the sick man." + +Madame d'Urfe praised his zeal, and gave him a little bag on his +promising to return it to her after the cure of the prince. + +"Hang it round his neck and the eruption will come out well, and he +will be perfectly cured." + +He promised to do so, and having wished us good evening he went out. + +"I do not know, madam, what your bag contains, but if it have aught +to do with magic, I have no confidence in its efficacy, as you have +neglected to observe the planetary hour." + +"It is an electrum, and magic and the observance of the hour have +nothing to do with it." + +"I beg your pardon." + +She then said that she thought my desire for privacy praiseworthy, +but she was sure I should not be ill pleased with her small circle, +if I would but enter it. + +"I will introduce you to all my friends," said she, "by asking them +one at a time, and you will then be able to enjoy the company of them +all." + +I accepted her proposition. + +In consequence of this arrangement I dined the next day with M. Grin +and his niece, but neither of them took my fancy. The day after, I +dined with an Irishman named Macartney, a physician of the old +school, who bored me terribly. The next day the guest was a monk who +talked literature, and spoke a thousand follies against Voltaire, +whom I then much admired, and against the "Esprit des Lois," a +favourite work of mine, which the cowled idiot refused to attribute +to Montesquieu, maintaining it had been written by a monk. He might +as well have said that a Capuchin created the heavens and the earth. + +On the day following Madame d'Urfe asked me to dine with the +Chevalier d'Arzigny, a man upwards of eighty, vain, foppish, and +consequently ridiculous, known as "The Last of the Beaus." However, +as he had moved in the court of Louis XIV., he was interesting +enough, speaking with all the courtesy of the school, and having a +fund of anecdote relating to the Court of that despotic and luxurious +monarch. + +His follies amused me greatly. He used rouge, his clothes were cut +in the style which obtained in the days of Madame de Sevigne, he +professed himself still the devoted lover of his mistress, with whom +he supped every night in the company of his lady friends, who were +all young and all delightful, and preferred his society to all +others; however, in spite of these seductions, he remained faithful +to his mistress. + +The Chevalier d'Arzigny had an amiability of character which gave +whatever he said an appearance of truth, although in his capacity of +courtier truth was probably quite unknown to him. He always wore a +bouquet of the most strongly-smelling flowers, such as tuberoses, +jonquils, and Spanish jasmine; his wig was plastered down with amber- +scented pomade, his teeth were made of ivory, and his eyebrows dyed +and perfumed, and his whole person exhaled an odour to which Madame +d'Urfe did not object, but which I could scarcely bear. If it had +not been for this drawback I should probably have cultivated his +society. He was a professed Epicurean, and carried out the system +with an amazing tranquillity. He said that he would undertake to +receive twenty-four blows with the stick every morning on the +condition that he should not die within the twenty-four hours, and +that the older he grew the more blows he would gladly submit to. +This was being in love with life with a vengeance. + +Another day I dined with M. Charon, who was a counsellor, and in +charge of a suit between Madame d'Urfe and her daughter Madame du +Chatelet, whom she disliked heartily. The old counsellor had been +the favoured lover of the marchioness forty years before, and he +thought himself bound by the remembrance of their love-passages to +support the cause of his old sweetheart. In those days French +magistrates thought they had a right to take the side of their +friends, or of persons in whom they had an interest, sometimes for +friendship's sake, and sometimes for a monetary consideration; they +thought, in fact, that they were justified in selling justice. + +M. Charon bored me like the others, as was natural, considering we +had no two tastes in common. + +The scene was changed the next day when I was amused with the company +of M. de Viarme, a young counsellor, a nephew of Madame d'Urfe's, and +his pretty and charming wife. He was the author of the +"Remonstrances to the King," a work which got him a great reputation, +and had been read eagerly by the whole town. He told me that the +business of a counsellor was to oppose everything done by the crown, +good and bad. His reasons for this theory were those given by all +minorities, and I do not think I need trouble my readers with them. + +The most enjoyable dinner I had was with Madame de Gergi, who came +with the famous adventurer, known by the name of the Count de St. +Germain. This individual, instead of eating, talked from the +beginning of the meal to the end, and I followed his example in one +respect as I did not eat, but listened to him with the greatest +attention. It may safely be said that as a conversationalist he was +unequalled. + +St. Germain gave himself out for a marvel and always aimed at +exciting amazement, which he often succeeded in doing. He was +scholar, linguist, musician, and chemist, good-looking, and a perfect +ladies' man. For awhile he gave them paints and cosmetics; he +flattered them, not that he would make them young again (which he +modestly confessed was beyond him) but that their beauty would be +preserved by means of a wash which, he said, cost him a lot of money, +but which he gave away freely. + +He had contrived to gain the favour of Madame de Pompadour, who had +spoken about him to the king, for whom he had made a laboratory, in +which the monarch--a martyr to boredom--tried to find a little +pleasure or distraction, at all events, by making dyes. The king had +given him a suite of rooms at Chambord, and a hundred thousand francs +for the construction of a laboratory, and according to St. Germain +the dyes discovered by the king would have a materially beneficial +influence on the quality of French fabrics. + +This extraordinary man, intended by nature to be the king of +impostors and quacks, would say in an easy, assured manner that he +was three hundred years old, that he knew the secret of the Universal +Medicine, that he possessed a mastery over nature, that he could melt +diamonds, professing himself capable of forming, out of ten or twelve +small diamonds, one large one of the finest water without any loss of +weight. All this, he said, was a mere trifle to him. +Notwithstanding his boastings, his bare-faced lies, and his manifold +eccentricities, I cannot say I thought him offensive. In spite of my +knowledge of what he was and in spite of my own feelings, I thought +him an astonishing man as he was always astonishing me. I shall have +something more to say of this character further on. + +When Madame d'Urfe had introduced me to all her friends, I told her +that I would dine with her whenever she wished, but that with the +exception of her relations and St. Germain, whose wild talk amused +me, I should prefer her to invite no company. St. Germain often +dined with the best society in the capital, but he never ate +anything, saying that he was kept alive by mysterious food known only +to himself. One soon got used to his eccentricities, but not to his +wonderful flow of words which made him the soul of whatever company +he was in. + +By this time I had fathomed all the depths of Madame d'Urfe's +character. She firmly believed me to be an adept of the first order, +making use of another name for purposes of my own; and five or six +weeks later she was confirmed in this wild idea on her asking me if I +had diciphered the manuscript which pretended to explain the Magnum +Opus. + +"Yes," said I, "I have deciphered it, and consequently read it, and I +now beg to return it you with my word of honour that I have not made +a copy; in fact, I found nothing in it that I did not know before." + +"Without the key you mean, but of course you could never find out +that." + +"Shall I tell you the key?" + +"Pray do so." + +I gave her the word, which belonged to no language that I know of, +and the marchioness was quite thunderstruck. + +"This is too amazing," said she; "I thought myself the sole possessor +of that mysterious word--for I had never written it down, laying it +up in my memory--and I am sure I have never told anyone of it." + +I might have informed her that the calculation which enabled me to +decipher the manuscript furnished me also with the key, but the whim +took me to tell her that a spirit had revealed it to me. This +foolish tale completed my mastery over this truly learned and +sensible woman on everything but her hobby. This false confidence +gave me an immense ascendancy over Madame d'Urfe, and I often abused +my power over her. Now that I am no longer the victim of those +illusions which pursued me throughout my life, I blush at the +remembrance of my conduct, and the penance I impose on myself is to +tell the whole truth, and to extenuate nothing in these Memoirs. + +The wildest notion in the good marchioness's brain was a firm belief +in the possibility of communication between mortals and elementary +spirits. She would have given all her goods to attain to such +communication, and she had several times been deceived by impostors +who made her believe that she attained her aim. + +"I did not think," said she, sadly, "that your spirit would have been +able to force mine to reveal my secrets." + +"There was no need to force your spirit, madam, as mine knows all +things of his own power." + +"Does he know the inmost secrets of my soul?" + +"Certainly, and if I ask him he is forced to disclose all to me." + +"Can you ask him when you like?" + +"Oh, yes! provided I have paper and ink. I can even ask him +questions through you by telling you his name." + +"And will you tell it me?" + +"I can do what I say; and, to convince you, his name is Paralis. Ask +him a simple question in writing, as you would ask a common mortal. +Ask him, for instance, how I deciphered your manuscript, and you +shall see I will compel him to answer you." + +Trembling with joy, Madame d'Urfe put her question, expressed it in +numbers, then following my method in pyramid shape; and I made her +extract the answer, which she wrote down in letters. At first she +only obtained consonants, but by a second process which supplied the +vowels she received a clear and sufficient answer. Her every feature +expressed astonishment, for she had drawn from the pyramid the word +which was the key to her manuscript. I left her, carrying with me +her heart, her soul, her mind, and all the common sense which she had +left. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +Absurd Ideas of Madame D'Urfe on My Supernatural Powers--Marriage of +My Brother--I Conceive a Plan on His Wedding Day--I Go to Holland on +a Financial Mission--The Jew Boaz Gives Me a Lesson--M. d'Afri-- +Esther--Another Casanova--I Find Therese Imer Again + + +By the time that the Prince du Turenne had recovered from the small- +pox and the Count de la Tour d'Auvergne had left him, the latter, +knowing his aunt's taste for the occult sciences, was not surprised +to find me become her confident and most intimate friend. + +I was glad so see him and all the relations of the marchioness at +dinner, as I was delighted with the courtesy with which they treated +me. I am referring more especially to her brothers MM. de Pont-Carre +and de Viarme who had lately been chosen head of the trade companies, +and his son. I have already spoken of Madame du Chatelet, the +marchioness's daughter, but an unlucky lawsuit separated them, and +she no longer formed one of the family circle. + +De la Tour d'Auvergne having been obliged to rejoin his regiment +which was in garrison in Brittany, the marchioness and I dined +together almost every day and people looked upon me as her husband, +and despite the improbability of the supposition this was the only +way in which they could account for the long hours we spent together. +Madame d'Urfe thought that I was rich and looked upon my position at +the lottery as a mere device for preserving my incognito. + +I was the possessor in her estimation, not only of the philosopher's +stone, but also of the power of speaking with the whole host of +elementary spirits; from which premises she drew the very logical +deduction that I could turn the world upside down if I liked, and be +the blessing or the plague of France; and she thought my object in +remaining incognito was to guard myself from arrest and imprisonment; +which according to her would be the inevitable result of the +minister's discovering my real character. These wild notions were +the fruit of the nocturnal revelations of her genius, that is, of the +dreams of her disordered spirit, which seemed to her realities. She +did not seem to think that if I was endowed as she supposed no one +would have been able to arrest me, in the first place, because I +should have had foreknowledge of the attempt, and in the second place +because my power would have been too strong for all bolts and bars. +All this was clear enough, but strong passion and prejudice cannot +reason. + +One day, in the course of conversation, she said, with the utmost +seriousness, that her genius had advised her that not even I had +power to give her speech with the spirits, since she was a woman, and +the genii only communicated with men, whose nature is more perfect. +Nevertheless, by a process which was well known to me, I might make +her soul pass into the body of a male child born of the mystic +connection between a mortal and an immortal, or, in other words, +between an ordinary man and a woman of a divine nature. + +If I had thought it possible to lead back Madame d'Urfe to the right +use of her senses I would have made the attempt, but I felt sure that +her disease was without remedy, and the only course before me seemed +to abet her in her ravings and to profit by them. + +If I had spoken out like an honest man and told her that her theories +were nonsensical, she would not have believed me; she would have +thought me jealous of her knowledge, and I should have lost her +favour without any gain to her or to myself. I thus let things take +their course, and to speak the truth I was flattered to see myself +treated as one of the most profound brothers of the Rosy Cross, as +the most powerful of men by so distinguished a lady, who was in high +repute for her learning, who entertained and was related to the first +families of France, and had an income of eighty thousand francs, a +splendid estate, and several magnificent houses in Paris. I was +quite sure that she would refuse me nothing, and though I had no +definite plan of profiting by her wealth I experienced a certain +pleasure at the thought that I could do so if I would. + +In spite of her immense fortune and her belief in her ability to make +gold, Madame d'Urfe was miserly in her habits, for she never spent +more than thirty thousand francs in a year, and she invested her +savings in the exchange, and in this way had nearly doubled them. A +brother used to buy her in Government securities at their lowest rate +and sell at their rise, and in this manner, being able to wait for +their rise, and fall, she had amassed a considerable sum. + +She had told me more than once that she would give all she possessed +to become a man, and that she knew I could do this for her if I +would. One day, as she was speaking to me on this subject in a tone +of persuasion almost irresistible, I told her that I must confess I +had the power to do what she wanted, but that I could not make up my +mind to perform the operation upon her as I should have to kill her +first. I thought this would effectually check her wish to go any +further, but what was my surprise to hear her say, + +"I know that, and what is more I know the death I shall have to die; +but for all that I am ready." + +"What, then, is that death, madam?" + +"It is by the same poison which killed Paracelsus." + +"Do you think that Paracelsus obtained the hypostasis?" + +"No, but I know the reason of his not doing so." + +"What is the reason?" + +"It is that he was neither man or woman, and a composite nature is +incapable of the hypostasis, to obtain which one must be either the +one or the other." + +"Very true, but do you know how to make the poison, and that the +thing is impossible without the aid of a salamander?" + +"That may or may not be! I beseech you to enquire of the oracle +whether there be anyone in Paris in possession of this potion." + +It was easy to see that she thought herself in possession of it, so I +had no hesitation in extracting her name from the oracular pyramid. +I pretended to be astonished at the answer, but she said boastfully, + +"You see that all we want is a male child born of an immortal. This, +I am advised, will be provided by you; and I do not think you will be +found wanting out of a foolish pity for this poor old body of mine." + +At these words I rose and went to the window, where I stayed for more +than a quarter of an hour reflecting on her infatuation. When I +returned to the table where she was seated she scanned my features +attentively, and said, with much emotion, "Can it be done, my dear +friend? I see that you have been weeping." + +I did not try to undeceive her, and, taking my sword and hat, I took +leave of her sadly. Her carriage, which was always at my disposal, +was at the door, and I drove to the Boulevards, where I walked till +the evening, wondering all the while at the extraordinary fantasies +of the marchioness. + +My brother had been made a member of the Academy, on the exhibition +of a battle piece which had taken all the critics by storm. The +picture was purchased by the Academy for five hundred louis. + +He had fallen in love with Caroline, and would have married her but +for a piece of infidelity on her part, which so enraged him that in a +week after he married an Italian dancer. M. de Sanci, the +ecclesiastical commissioner, gave the wedding party. He was fond of +the girl, and out of gratitude to my brother for marrying her he got +him numerous orders among his friends, which paved the way to the +large fortune and high repute which my brother afterwards attained. + +M. Corneman, the banker, who was at my brother's wedding, spoke to me +at considerable length on the great dearth of money, and asked me to +discuss the matter with the comptroller-general. + +He told me that one might dispose of Government securities to an +association of brokers at Amsterdam, and take in exchange the +securities of any other country whose credit was higher than that of +France, and that these securities could easily be realized. I begged +him to say no more about it, and promised to see what I could do. + +The plan pleased me, and I turned it over all night; and the next day +I went to the Palais Bourbon to discuss the question with M. de +Bernis. He thought the whole idea an excellent one, and advised me +to go to Holland with a letter from M. de Choiseul for M. d'Afri, the +ambassador at the Hague. He thought that the first person I should +consult with M. de Boulogne, with whom he warned me to appear as if I +was sure of my ground. + +"As you do not require money in advance," said he, "you will be able +to get as many letters of recommendation as you like." + +The same day I went to the comptroller-general, who approved of my +plan, and told me that M. le Duc de Choiseul would be at the +Invalides the next day, and that I should speak to him at once, and +take a letter he would write for me. + +"For my part," said he, "I will credit our ambassador with twenty +millions, and if, contrary to my hopes, you do not succeed, the paper +can be sent back to France." + +I answered that there would be no question of the paper being +returned, if they would be content with a fair price. + +"The margin will be a small one; however, you will hear about that +from the ambassador, who will have full instructions." + +I felt so flattered by this mission that I passed the night in +thinking it over. The next day I went to the Invalides, and M. de +Choiseul, so famous for taking decisive action, had no sooner read +M. de Boulogne's letter and spoken a few words to me on the subject, +than he got me to write a letter for M. d'Afri, which he signed, +sealed, returned to me, and wished me a prosperous journey. + +I immediately got a passport from M. de Berkenrode, and the same day +took leave of Madame Baletti and all my friends except Madame d'Urfe, +with whom I was to spend the whole of the next day. I gave my clerk +at the lottery office full authority to sign all tickets. + +About a month before, a girl from Brussels, as excellent as she was +pretty, had been married under my auspices to an Italian named +Gaetan, by trade a broker. This fellow, in his fit of jealousy, used +to ill-treat her shamefully; I had reconciled them several times +already, and they regarded me as a kind of go-between. They came to +see me on the day on which I was making my preparations for going to +Holland. My brother and Tiretta were with me, and as I was still +living in furnished apartments I took them all to Laudel's, where +they gave one an excellent dinner. Tiretta, drove his coach-and- +four; he was ruining his ex-methodist, who was still desperately in +love with him. + +In the course of dinner Tiretta, who was always in high spirits and +loved a jest, began to flirt with the girl, whom he saw for the first +time. She, who neither meant nor suspected any ill, was quite at her +ease, and we should have enjoyed the joke, and everything would have +gone on pleasantly, if her husband had possessed some modicum of +manners and common sense, but he began to get into a perfect fury of +jealousy. He ate nothing, changed colour ten times in a minute, and +looked daggers at his wife, as much as to say he did not see the +joke. To crown all, Tiretta began to crack jests at the poor +wretch's expense, and I, foreseeing unpleasantness, endeavoured, +though all in vain, to moderate his high spirits and his sallies. An +oyster chanced to fall on Madame Gaetan's beautiful breast; and +Tiretta, who was sitting near her, took it up with his lips as quick +as lightning. Gaetan was mad with rage and gave his wife such a +furious box on the ear that his hand passed on from her cheek to that +of her neighbour. Tiretta now as enraged as Gaetan took him by his +middle and threw him down, where, having no arms, he defended himself +with kicks and fisticuffs, till the waiter came, and we put him out +of the room. + +The poor wife in tears, and, like Tiretta, bleeding at the nose, +besought me to take her away somewhere, as she feared her husband +would kill her if she returned to him. So, leaving Tiretta with my +brother, I got into a carriage with her and I took her, according to +her request, to her kinsman, an old attorney who lived in the fourth +story of a house in the Quai de Gevres. He received us politely, and +after having heard the tale, he said, + +"I am a poor man, and I can do nothing for this unfortunate girl; +while if I had a hundred crowns I could do everything." + +"Don't let that stand in your way," said I, and drawing three hundred +francs from my pockets I gave him the money. + +"Now, sir," said he, "I will be the ruin of her husband, who shall +never know where his wife is." + +She thanked me and I left her there; the reader shall hear what +became of her when I return from my journey. + +On my informing Madame d'Urfe that I was going to Holland for the +good of France, and that I should be coming back at the beginning of +February, she begged me to take charge of some shares of hers and to +sell them for her. They amounted in value to sixty thousand francs, +but she could not dispose of them on the Paris Exchange owing to the +tightness in the money market. In addition, she could not obtain the +interest due to her, which had mounted up considerably, as she had +not had a dividend for three years. + +I agreed to sell the shares for her, but it was necessary for me to +be constituted depositary and owner of the property by a deed, which +was executed the same day before a notary, to whose office we both +went. + +On returning to her house I wished to give her an I O U for the +moneys, but she would not hear of such a thing, and I let her remain +satisfied of my honesty. + +I called on M. Corneman who gave me a bill of exchange for three +hundred florins on M. Boaz, a Jewish banker at the Hague, and I then +set out on my journey. I reached Anvers in two days, and finding a +yacht ready to start I got on board and arrived at Rotterdam the next +day. I got to the Hague on the day following, and after depositing +my effects at the "Hotel d'Angleterre" I proceeded to M. d'Afri's, +and found him reading M. de Choiseul's letter, which informed him of +my business. He asked me to dine in his company and in that of the +ambassador of the King of Poland, who encouraged me to proceed in my +undertaking though he had not much opinion of my chances of success. + +Leaving the ambassador I went to see Boaz, whom I found at table in +the midst of a numerous and ugly family. He read my letter and told +me he had just received a letter from M. Corneman in which I was +highly commended to him. By way of a joke he said that as it was +Christmas Eve he supposed I should be going to rock the infant Jesus +asleep, but I answered that I was come to keep the Feast of the +Maccabees with him--a reply which gained me the applause of the whole +family and an invitation to stay with them. I accepted the offer +without hesitation, and I told my servant to fetch my baggage from +the hotel. Before leaving the banker I asked him to shew me some way +of making twenty thousand florins in the short time I was going to +stay in Holland. + +Taking me quite seriously he replied that the thing might easily be +done and that he would think it over. + +The next morning after breakfast, Boaz said, + +"I have solved your problem, sir; come in here and I will tell you +about it" + +He took me into his private office, and, after counting out three +thousand florins in notes and gold, he told me that if I liked I +could undoubtedly make the twenty thousand florins I had spoken of. + +Much surprised at the ease with which money may be got in Holland, as +I had been merely jesting in the remarks I had made, I thanked him +for his kindness, and listened to his explanation. + +"Look at this note," said he, "which I received this morning from the +Mint. It informs me that an issue of four hundred thousand ducats is +about to be made which will be disposed of at the current rate of +gold, which is fortunately not high just now. Each ducat will fetch +five florins, two stivers and three-fifths. This is the rate of +exchange with Frankfort. Buy in four hundred thousand ducats; take +them or send them to Frankfort, with bills of exchange on Amsterdam, +and your business is done. On every ducat you will make a stiver and +one-ninth, which comes to twenty-two thousand, two hundred and +twenty-two of our florins. Get hold of the gold to-day, and in a +week you will have your clear profit. That's my idea." + +"But," said I, "will the clerks of the Mint trust me with such a +sum?" + +"Certainly not, unless you pay them in current money or in good +paper." + +"My dear sir, I have neither money nor credit to that amount." + +"Then you will certainly never make twenty thousand florins in a +week. By the way you talked yesterday I took you for a millionaire." + +"I am very sorry you were so mistaken." + +"I shall get one of my sons to transact the business to-day." + +After giving me this rather sharp lesson, M. Boaz went into his +office, and I went to dress. + +M. d'Afri had paid his call on me at the "Hotel d'Angleterre," and +not finding me there he had written me a letter asking me to come and +see him. I did so, and he kept me to dinner, shewing me a letter he +had received from M. de Boulogne, in which he was instructed not to +let me dispose of the twenty millions at a greater loss than eight +per cent., as peace was imminent. We both of us laughed at this calm +confidence of the Parisian minister, while we who were in a country +where people saw deeper into affairs knew that the truth was quite +otherwise. + +On M. d'Afri's hearing that I was staying with a Jew, he advised me +to keep my own counsel when with Jews, "because," said he, "in +business, most honest and least knavish mean pretty much the same +thing. If you like," he added, "I will give you a letter of +introduction to M. Pels, of Amsterdam." I accepted his offer with +gratitude, and in the hope of being useful to me in the matter of my +foreign shares he introduced me to the Swedish ambassador, who sent +me to M. d'O----. + +Wanting to be present at a great festival of Freemasons on St. +John's Day, I remained at the Hague till the day after the +celebration. The Comte de Tot, brother of the baron, who lost all +his money at the seraglio, and whom I had met again at the Hague, +introduced me. I was not sorry to be in company with all the best +society in Holland. + +M. d'Afri introduced me to the mother of the stadtholder, who was +only twelve, and whom I thought too grave for his years. His mother +was a worthy, patient kind of woman, who fell asleep every minute, +even while she was speaking. She died shortly after, and it was +discovered at the postmortem examination that she had a disease of +the brain which caused her extreme propensity to sleep. Beside her I +saw Count Philip de Zinzendorf, who was looking for twelve millions +for the empress--a task which was not very difficult, as he offered +five per cent. interest. + +At the play I found myself sitting next to the Turkish minister, and +I thought he would die with laughter before my eyes. It happened +thus: + +They were playing Iphigenia, that masterpiece of Racine's. The +statue of Diana stood in the midst of the stage, and at the end of +one act Iphigenia and her train of priestesses, while passing before +it, all made a profound bow to the goddess. The candlesnuffer, who +perhaps may have been a bad wit, crossed the stage just after wards, +and likewise bowed to the goddess. This put pit and boxes in a good +humour, and peals of laughter sounded from all parts of the house. +All this had to be explained to the Turk, and he fell into such a fit +of laughter that I thought he would burst. At last he was carried to +his inn still laughing but almost senseless. + +To have taken no notice of the Dutchman's heavy wit would have been, +I confess, a mark of stupidity, but no one but a Turk could have +laughed like that. It may be said that a great Greek philosopher +died of laughter at seeing a toothless old woman trying to eat figs. +But there is a great difference between a Turk and a Greek, +especially an ancient Greek. + +Those who laugh a good deal are more fortunate than those who do not +laugh at all, as laughter is good for the digestion; but there is a +just mean in everything. + +When I had gone two leagues from Amsterdam in my posting-chaise on +two wheels, my servant sitting beside me, I met a carriage on four +wheels, drawn like mine by two horses, and containing a fine-looking +young man and his servant. His coachman called out to mine to make +way for him. My coachman answered that if he did he might turn me +into the ditch, but the other insisted on it. I spoke to the master, +begging him to tell his coachman to make way for me. + +"I am posting, sir," said I ; "and, moreover, I am a foreigner." + +"Sir," answered he, "in Holland we take no notice of posting or not +posting; and if you are foreigner, as you say, you must confess that +you have fewer rights than I who am in my own country." + +The blood rushed to my face. I flung open the door with one hand and +took my sword with the other; and leaping into the snow, which was up +to my knees, I drew my sword, and summoned the Dutchman to give way +or defend himself. He was cooler than I, and replied, smiling, that +he was not going to fight for so foolish a cause, and that I might +get into my carriage again, as he would make way for me. I was +somewhat interested in his cool but pleasant manner. I got back into +my chaise, and the next night reached Amsterdam. + +I put up at the excellent inn "L'Etoile d'Orient," and in the morning +I went on 'Change and found M. Pels. He told me he would think my +business over, and finding M, d'O---- directly afterwards he offered +to do me my sixty bills and give me twelve per cent. M. Pels told me +to wait, as he said he could get me fifteen per cent. He asked me to +dinner, and, on my admiring his Cape wine, he told me with a laugh +that he had made it himself by mixing Bordeaux and Malaga. + +M. d'O---- asked me to dinner on the day following; and on calling I +found him with his daughter Esther, a young lady of fourteen, well +developed for her age, and exquisite in all respects except her +teeth, which were somewhat irregular. M. d'O was a widower, and had +this only child; consequently, Esther was heiress to a large fortune. +Her excellent father loved her blindly, and she deserved his love. +Her skin was snow white, delicately tinted with red; her hair was +black as ebony, and she had the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. +She made an impression on me. Her father had given her an excellent +education; she spoke French perfectly, played the piano admirably, +and was passionately fond of reading. + +After dinner M. d'O---- shewed me the uninhabited part of the house, +for since the death of his wife, whose memory was dear to him, he +lived on the ground floor only. He shewed me a set of rooms where he +kept a treasure in the way of old pottery. The walls and windows +were covered with plates of marble, each room a different colour, and +the floors were of mosaic, with Persian carpets. The dining-hall was +cased in alabaster, and the table and the cupboards were of cedar +wood. The whole house looked like a block of solid marble, for it +was covered with marble without as well as within, and must have cost +immense sums. Every Saturday half-a-dozen servant girls, perched on +ladders, washed down these splendid walls. These girls wore wide +hoops, being obliged to put on breeches, as otherwise they would have +interested the passers by in an unseemly manner. After looking at +the house we went down again, and M. d'O---- left me alone with +Esther in the antechamber, where he worked with his clerks. As it +was New Year's Day there was not business going on. + +After playing a sonata, Mdlle. d'O---- asked me if I would go to a +concert. I replied that, being in her company, nothing could make me +stir. "But would you, mademoiselle, like to go?" + +"Yes, I should like to go very well, but I cannot go by myself." + +"If I might presume to offer to escort you . . . but I dare not +think you would accept." + +"I should be delighted, and if you were to ask my father I am sure he +would not refuse his permission." + +"Are you sure of that?" + +"Quite sure, for otherwise he would be guilty of impoliteness, and my +father would not do such a thing. But I see you don't know the +manners of the country." + +"I confess I do not:" + +"Young ladies enjoy great liberty here--liberty which they lose only +by marrying. Go and ask, and you will see:" + +I went to M. d'O---- and made my request, trembling lest I should +meet with a refusal. + +"Have you a carriage?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Then I need not give orders to get mine ready. Esther!" + +"Yes, father." + +"Go and dress, my dear; M. Casanova has been kind enough to offer to +take you to the concert." + +"How good of him! Thank you, papa, for letting me go. + +She threw her arms around his neck, ran to dress, and reappeared an +hour after, as fair as the joy which was expressed on her every +feature. I could have wished she had used a little powder, but +Esther was jealous of her ebon tresses, which displayed the whiteness +of her skin to admiration. The chief aim of women in making their +toilette is to please men, but how poor is the judgment of most men +in such matters compared to the unerring instinct of the generality +of women! + +A beautiful lace kerchief veiled her bosom, whose glories made my +heart beat faster. + +We went down the stair, I helped her into the carriage, and stopped, +thinking she would be accompanied by one of her women; but seeing +nobody I got in myself. The door was shut, and we were off. I was +overwhelmed with astonishment. A treasure like this in my keeping I +could hardly think. I asked myself whether I was to remember that I +was a free-lance of love, or whether honour bade me forget it. +Esther, in the highest spirits, told me that we were going to hear an +Italian singer whose voice was exquisite, and noticing my confusion +she asked what was the matter. I did not know what to say, and began +to stammer out something, but at last succeeded in saying that she +was a treasure of whom I was not worthy to be the keeper. + +"I know that in other countries a young girl would not be trusted +alone with a gentleman, but here they teach us discretion and how to +look after ourselves." + +"Happy the man who is charged with your welfare, and happier still he +on whom your choice has fallen!" + +"That choice is not for me to make; 'tis my father's business." + +"But supposing your father's choice is not pleasing to you, or +supposing you love another?" + +"We are not allowed to love a man until we know he is to be our +husband." + +"Then you are not in love with anyone?" + +"No, and I have never felt the desire to love." + +"Then I may kiss your hand?" + +"Why should you kiss my hand?" + +She drew away her hand and offered me her lovely lips. I took a +kiss, which she gave modestly enough, but which went to my heart. My +delight was a little alloyed when she said that she would give me +another kiss before her father whenever I liked. + +We reached the concert-room, where Esther found many of her young +friends--all daughters of rich merchants, some pretty, some plain, +and all curious to know who I was. The fair Esther, who knew no more +than my name, could not satisfy them. All at once seeing a fair +young girl a little way off she pointed her out to me and asked me my +opinion of her. Naturally enough I replied that I did not care for +fair girls. + +"All the same, I must introduce you to her, for she may be a relation +of yours. Her name is the same; that is her father over there:" + +"M. Casanova," said she, speaking to a gentleman, "I beg to introduce +to you M. Casanova, a friend of my father's." + +"Really? The same name; I wish, sir, you were my friend, as we are, +perhaps, related. I belong to the Naples branch." + +"Then we are related, though distantly, as my father came from Parma. +Have you your pedigree?" + +"I ought to have such a thing, but to tell you the truth, I don't +think much of such matters. Besants d'or and such heraldic moneys +are not currency in a mercantile republic." + +"Pedigree-hunting is certainly a somewhat foolish pursuit; but it may +nevertheless afford us a few minutes' amusement without our making +any parade of our ancestry." + +"With all my heart." + +"I shall have the honour of calling on you to-morrow, and I will +bring my family-tree with me. Will you be vexed if you find the root +of your family also?" + +"Not at all; I shall be delighted. I will call on you myself to- +morrow. May I ask if you are a business man?" + +"No, I am a financial agent in the employ of the French ministry. I +am staying with M. Pels." + +M. Casanova made a sign to his daughter and introduced me to her. +She was Esther's dearest friend, and I sat down between them, and the +concert began. + +After a fine symphony, a concerto for the violin, another for the +hautbois, the Italian singer whose repute was so great and who was +styled Madame Trend made her appearance. What was my surprise when I +recognized in her Therese Imer, wife of the dancer Pompeati, whose +name the reader may remember. I had made her acquaintance eighteen +years ago, when the old senator Malipiero had struck me because we +were playing together. I had seen her again at Venice in 1753, and +then our pastime had been of a more serious nature. She had gone to +Bayreuth, where she had been the margrave's mistress. I had promised +to go and see her, but C---- C---- and my fair nun M---- M---- had +left me neither the time nor the wish to do so. Soon after I was put +under the Leads, and then I had other things to think about. I was +sufficiently self-controlled not to shew my astonishment, and +listened to an aria which she was singing, with her exquisite voice, +beginning "Eccoti giunta al fin, donna infelice," words which seemed +made for the case. + +The applause seemed as if it would never come to an end. Esther told +me that it was not known who she was, but that she was said to be a +woman with a history, and to be very badly off. "She goes from one +town to another, singing at all the public concerts, and all she +receives is what those present choose to give her on a plate which +she takes round." + +"Does she find that pay?" + +"I should suspect not, as everyone has paid already at coming in. +She cannot get more than thirty or forty florins. The day after to- +morrow she will go to the Hague, then to Rotterdam, then back here +again. She had been performing for six months, and she is always +well received." + +"Has she a lover?" + +"She is said to have lovers in every town, but instead of enriching +her they make her poorer. She always wears black, not only because +she is a widow, but also on account of a great grief she is reported +to have gone through. She will soon be coming round." I took out my +purse; and counted out twelve ducats, which I wrapped in paper; my +heart beating all the while in a ridiculous manner, for I had really +nothing to be excited about. + +When Therese was going along the seats in front of me, I glanced at +her for an instant, and I saw that she looked surprised. I turned my +head to speak to Esther, and when she was directly in front of me I +put my little packet on the plate without looking at her, and she +passed on. A little girl, four or five years old, followed her, and +when she got to the end of the bench she came back to kiss my hand. +I could not help recognizing in her a facsimile of myself, but I +concealed my emotion. The child stood still, and gazed at me +fixedly, to my no small confusion. "Would you like some sweets, my +dear?" said I, giving her my box, which I should have been glad to +turn into gold. The little girl took it smilingly, made me a curtsy, +and went on. + +"Does it strike you, M. Casanova," said Esther, with a laugh, "that +you and that little girl are as like each other as two peas?" + +"Yes, indeed," added Mdlle. Casanova, "there is a striking likeness." + +"These resemblances are often the work of chance." + +"Just so," said Esther, with a wicked smile, "but you admit a +likeness, don't you?" + +"I confess I was struck with it, though of course I cannot judge so +well as you." + +After the concert M. d'O---- arrived, and giving back his daughter to +his care I betook myself to my lodging. I was just sitting down to a +dish of oysters, before going to bed, when Therese made her +appearance, holding her child by the hand. Although I had not +expected her to visit me that evening, I was nevertheless not much +surprised to see her. I, of course, rose to greet her, when all at +once she fell fainting on the sofa, though whether the fainting fit +was real or assumed I cannot say. Thinking that she might be really +ill I played my part properly, and brought her to herself by +sprinkling her with cold water and putting my vinaigrette to her +nose. As soon as she came to herself she began to gaze at me without +saying a word. At last, tired of her silence, I asked her if she +would take any supper; and on her replying in the affirmative, I rang +the bell and ordered a good supper for three, which kept us at the +table till seven o'clock in the morning, talking over our various +fortunes and misfortunes. She was already acquainted with most of my +recent adventures, but I knew nothing at all about hers, and she +entertained me with a recital of them for five or six hours. + +Sophie, the little girl, slept in my bed till day, and her mother, +keeping the best of her tale to the last, told me that she was my +daughter, and shewed me her baptismal certificate. The birth of the +child fell in with the period at which I had been intimate with +Therese, and her perfect likeness to myself left no room for doubt. +I therefore raised no objections, but told the mother that I was +persuaded of my paternity, and that, being in a position to give the +child a good education, I was ready to be a father to her. + +"She is too precious a treasure in my sight; if we were separated I +should die." + +"You are wrong; for if I took charge of the little girl I should see +that she was well provided for." + +"I have a son of twelve to whom I cannot give a proper education; +take charge of him instead of Sophie." + +"Where is he?" + +"He is boarding, or rather in pawn, at Rotterdam." + +"What do you mean by in pawn?" + +"I mean that he will not be returned to me until I pay the person who +has got him all my debts." + +"How much do you owe?" + +"Eighty florins. You have already given me sixty-two, give me four +ducats more; you can then take my son, and I shall be the happiest of +mothers. I will send my son to you at the Hague next week, as I +think you will be there." + +"Yes, my dear Therese; and instead of four ducats, here are twenty." + +"We shall see each other again at the Hague." + +She was grateful to excess, but I only felt pity for her and a sort +of friendly interest, and kept quite cool, despite the ardour of her +embraces. Seeing that her trouble was of no avail, she sighed, shed +some tears, and, taking her daughter, she bid me adieu, promising +once more to send me her son. + +Therese was two years older than I. She was still pretty, and even +handsome, but her charms no longer retained their first beauty, and +my passion for her, having been a merely physical one, it was no +wonder that she had no longer any attraction for me. Her adventures +during the six years in which I had lost her would certainly interest +my readers, and form a pleasing episode in my book, and I would tell +the tale if it were a true one; but not being a romance writer, I am +anxious that this work shall contain the truth and nothing but the +truth. Convicted by her amorous and jealous margarve of infidelity, +she had been sent about her business. She was separated from her +husband Pompeati, had followed a new lover to Brussels, and there had +caught the fancy of Prince Charles de Lorraine, who had obtained her +the direction of all the theatres in the Austrian Low Countries. She +had then undertaken this vast responsibility, entailing heavy +expenditure, till at last, after selling all her diamonds and lace, +she had fled to Holland to avoid arrest. Her husband killed himself +at Vienna in a paroxysm caused by internal pain--he had cut open his +stomach with a razor, and died tearing at his entrails. + +My business left me no time for sleep. M. Casanova came and asked me +to dinner, telling me to meet him on the Exchange--a place well worth +seeing. Millionaires are as plentiful as blackberries, and anyone +who is not worth more than a hundred thousand florins is considered +a poor man. I found M. d'O---- there, and was asked by him to dinner +the following day at a small house he had on the Amstel. M. Casanova +treated me with the greatest courtesy. After reading my pedigree he +went for his own, and found it exactly the same; but he merely +laughed, and seemed to care little about it, differing in that +respect from Don Antonio of Naples, who set such store by my +pedigree, and treated me with such politeness on that account. +Nevertheless, he bade me make use of him in anything relating to +business if I did anything in that way. I thought his daughter +pretty, but neither her charms nor her wit made any impression on me. +My thoughts were taken up with Esther, and I talked so much about her +at dinner that at last my cousin declared that she did not consider +her pretty. Oh, you women! beauty is the only unpardonable offence +in your eyes. Mdlle. Casanova was Esther's friend, and yet she could +not bear to hear her praised. + +On my seeing M. d'O---- again after dinner, he told me that if I +cared to take fifteen per cent. on my shares, he would take them from +me and save broker's expenses. I thought the offer a good one, and I +accepted it, taking a bill of exchange on Tourton & Baur. At the +rate of exchange at Hamburg I found I should have seventy-two +thousand francs, although at five per cent. I had only expected +sixty-nine thousand. This transaction won me high favour with Madame +d'Urfe, who, perhaps, had not expected me to be so honest. + +In the evening I went with M. Pels to Zaandam, in a boat placed on a +sleigh and impelled by a sail. It was an extraordinary, but at the +same time an amusing and agreeable, mode of travelling. The wind was +strong, and we did fifteen miles an hour; we seemed to pass through +the air as swiftly as an arrow. A safer and more convenient method +of travelling cannot be imagined; it would be an ideal way of +journeying round the world if there were such a thing as a frozen sea +all round. The wind, however, must be behind, as one cannot sail on +a side wind, there being no rudder. I was pleased and astonished at +the skill of our two sailors in lowering sail exactly at the proper +time; for the sleigh ran a good way, from the impetus it had already +received, and we stopped just at the bank of the river, whereas if +the sail had been lowered a moment later the sleigh might have been +broken to pieces. We had some excellent perch for dinner, but the +strength of the wind prevented us from walking about. I went there +again, but as Zaandam is well known as the haunt of the millionaire +merchants who retire and enjoy life there in their own way, I will +say no more about it. We returned in a fine sleigh drawn by two +horses, belonging to M. Pels, and he kept me to supper. This worthy +man, whose face bore witness to his entire honesty, told me that as I +was now the friend of M. d'O---- and himself, I should have nothing +whatever to do with the Jews, but should address myself to them +alone. I was pleased with this proposal, which made a good many of +my difficulties disappear, and the reader will see the results of +this course. + +Next day snow fell in large flakes, and I went early to M. d'O----'s, +where I found Esther in the highest of spirits. She gave me a warm +welcome, and began to rally me on having spent the whole night with +Madame Trenti. + +I might possibly have shewn some slight confusion, but her father +said an honest man had nothing to be ashamed of in admiring talent. +Then, turning to me, he said, + +"Tell me, M. Casanova, who this woman is?" + +"She is a Venetian whose husband died recently; I knew her when I was +a lad, and it was six years since I had seen her last." + +"You were agreeably surprised, then, to see your daughter?" said +Esther. + +"Why do you think the child is my daughter? Madame Trenti was +married then." + +"The likeness is really too strong. And how about your falling +asleep yesterday when you were supping with M. Pels?" + +"It was no wonder that I went asleep, as I had not closed an eye the +night before." + +"I am envious of anyone who possesses the secret of getting a good +sleep, for I have always to wait long hours before sleep comes to me, +and when I awake, instead of being refreshed, I feel heavy and +languid from fatigue." + +"Try passing the night in listening to one in whom you take an +interest, telling the story of her life, and I promise you that you +will sleep well the night after." + +"There is no such person for me." + +"No, because you have as yet only seen fourteen summers; but +afterwards there will be someone." + +"Maybe, but what I want just now is books, and the help of someone +who will guide my reading." + +"That would be an easy matter for anyone who knew your tastes." + +"I like history and travels, but for a book to please me it must be +all true, as I lay it down at the slightest suspicion of its +veracity." + +"Now I think I may venture to offer my services, and if you will +accept them I believe I shall be able to give satisfaction." + +"I accept your offer, and shall keep you to your word." + +"You need not be afraid of my breaking it, and before I leave for the +Hague I will prove that I am reliable." + +She then began to rally me on the pleasure I should have at the +Hague, where I should see Madame Trenti again. Her freedom, mirth, +and extreme beauty set my blood on fire, and M. d'O---- laughed +heartily at the war his charming daughter waged on me. At eleven +o'clock we got into a well-appointed sleigh and we set out for his +small house, where she told me I should find Mdlle. Casanova and her +betrothed. + +"Nevertheless," said I, "you will continue to be my only attraction." + +She made no answer, but it was easy to perceive that my avowal had +not displeased her. + +When we had gone some distance we saw the lovers, who had come out, +in spite of the snow, to meet us. We got down, and after taking off +our furs we entered the house. I gazed at the young gentleman, who +looked at me a moment in return and then whispered in Mdlle. +Casanova's ear. She smiled and whispered something to Esther. +Esther stepped up to her father and said a few words to him in a low +voice, and everybody began to laugh at once. They all looked at me +and I felt certain that I was somehow the point of the joke, but I +put on an indifferent air. + +"There may be a mistake," said M. d'O---- ; "at any rate we should +ascertain the truth of the matter." + +"M. Casanova, had you any adventures on your journey from the Hague +to Amsterdam?" + +At this I looked again at the young gentleman, and I guessed what +they were talking about. + +"No adventure to speak of," I answered, "except a meeting with a fine +fellow who desired to see my carriage turn upside down into the +ditch, and who I think is present now." + +At these words the laughter broke out afresh, and the gentleman and I +embraced each other; but after he had given the true account of the +adventure his mistress pretended to be angry, and told him that he +ought to have fought. Esther observed that he had shewn more true +courage in listening to reason, and M. d'O---- said he was strongly +of his daughter's opinion; however, Mdlle. Casanova, after airing her +high-flown ideas, began to sulk with her lover. + +To restore the general mirth, Esther said, gaily, "Come, come, let us +put on our skates, and try the Amstel, for I am afraid that unless we +go forthwith the ice will have melted." I was ashamed to ask her to +let me off, though I would gladly have done so! but what will not +love do! M. d'O---- left us to our own devices. Mdlle. Casanova's +intended put on my skates, and the ladies put on their short +petticoats with black velvet drawers to guard against certain +accidents. We reached the river, and as I was a perfect neophyte in +this sport the figure I cut may be imagined. However, I resolutely +determined to conquer my awkwardness, and twenty times, to the peril +of my spine, did I fall down upon the ice. I should have been wiser +to have left off, but I was ashamed to do so, and I did not stop +till, to my huge delight, we were summoned in to dinner. But I paid +dear for my obstinacy, for when I tried to rise from the table I felt +as if I had lost the use of my limbs. Esther pitied me, and said she +would cure me. There was a good deal of laughter at my expense, and +I let them laugh, as I felt certain that the whole thing had been +contrived to turn me into derision, and wishing to make Esther love +me I thought it best to stimulate a good temper. I passed the +afternoon with M. d'O----, letting the young people go by themselves +on the Amstel, where they stopped till dusk. + +Next morning when I awoke I thought I was a lost man. I suffered a +martyrdom of pain. The last of my vertebral bones, called by doctors +the os sacrum, felt as if it had been crushed to atoms, although I +had used almost the whole of a pot of ointment which Esther had given +me for that purpose. In spite of my torments I did not forget my +promise, and I had myself taken to a bookseller's where I bought all +the books I thought likely to interest her. She was very grateful, +and told me to come and embrace her before I started if I wanted a +pretty present. + +It was not likely that I was going to refuse such an invitation as +that, so I went early in the morning, leaving my post-chaise at the +door Her governess took me to her bed, where she was lying as fair +and gay as Venus herself. + +"I am quite sure," said she, "that you would not have come at all +unless I had asked you to come and embrace me." + +At this my lips were fastened on her mouth, her eyes, and on every +spot of her lovely face. But seeing my eyes straying towards her +bosom, and guessing that I should make myself master of it, she +stopped laughing and put herself on the defensive. + +"Go away," said she, slyly, "go away and enjoy yourself at the Hague +with the fair Trenti, who possesses so pretty a token of your love." + +"My dear Esther, I am going to the Hague to talk business with the +ambassador, and for no other reason, and in six days at latest you +will see me back again, as much your lover as before, and desiring +nothing better than to please you." + +"I rely upon your word of honour, but mind you do not deceive me." + +With these words she put up her mouth and gave me so tender and +passionate a kiss that I went away feeling certain of my bliss being +crowned on my return. That evening, at supper-time, I reached Boaz's +house. + + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of MEMOIRES OF JACQUES CASANOVA +THE ETERNAL QUEST, Vol. 3a, PARIS AND HOLLAND +by Jacques Casanova de Seingalt |