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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Adventures In The South: Return to Italy
+by Jacques Casanova de Seingalt
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Adventures In The South: Return to Italy
+       The Memoirs Of Jacques Casanova De Seingalt 1725-1798
+
+Author: Jacques Casanova de Seingalt
+
+Release Date: October 31, 2006 [EBook #2967]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RETURN TO ITALY ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by David Widger
+
+
+
+
+
+MEMOIRS OF JACQUES CASANOVA de SEINGALT 1725-1798
+
+ADVENTURES IN THE SOUTH, Volume 4b--RETURN TO ITALY
+
+THE RARE UNABRIDGED LONDON EDITION OF 1894 TRANSLATED BY ARTHUR MACHEN TO
+WHICH HAS BEEN ADDED THE CHAPTERS DISCOVERED BY ARTHUR SYMONS.
+
+
+
+
+RETURN TO ITALY
+
+GENOA--TUSCANY--ROME
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+The Play--The Russian--Petri--Rosalie at the Convent
+
+When the marquis had gone, seeing Rosalie engaged with Veronique, I set
+myself to translate the 'Ecossaise' for the actors at Genoa, who seemed
+pretty good ones, to play.
+
+I thought Rosalie looking sad at dinner, and said,
+
+"What is the matter, dearest? You know I do not like to see you looking
+melancholy."
+
+"I am vexed at Veronique's being prettier than I."
+
+"I see what you mean; I like that! But console your self, Veronique is
+nothing compared to you, in my eyes at all events. You are my only
+beauty; but to reassure you I will ask M. de Grimaldi to tell her mother
+to come and fetch her away, and to get me another maid as ugly as
+possible."
+
+"Oh, no! pray do not do so; he will think I am jealous, and I wouldn't
+have him think so for the world."
+
+"Well, well, smile again if you do not wish to vex me."
+
+"I shall soon do that, if, as you assure me, she will not make me lose
+your love. But what made the old gentleman get me a girl like that? Do
+you think he did it out of mischief?"
+
+"No, I don't think so. I am sure, on the other hand, that he wanted to
+let you know that you need not fear being compared with anybody. Are you
+pleased with her in other respects?"
+
+"She works well, and she is very respectful. She does not speak four
+words without addressing me as signora, and she is careful to translate
+what she says from Italian into French. I hope that in a month I shall
+speak well enough for us to dispense with her services when we go to
+Florence. I have ordered Le Duc to clear out the room I have chosen for
+her, and I will send her her dinner from our own table. I will be kind to
+her, but I hope you will not make me wretched."
+
+"I could not do so; and I do not see what there can be in common between
+the girl and myself."
+
+"Then you will pardon my fears."
+
+"The more readily as they shew your love."
+
+"I thank you, but keep my secret."
+
+I promised never to give a glance to Veronique, of whom I was already
+afraid, but I loved Rosalie and would have done anything to save her the
+least grief.
+
+I set to at my translation after dinner; it was work I liked. I did not
+go out that day, and I spent the whole of the next morning with M. de
+Grimaldi.
+
+I went to the banker Belloni and changed all my gold into gigliati
+sequins. I made myself known after the money was changed, and the head
+cashier treated me with great courtesy. I had bills on this banker for
+forty thousand Roman crowns, and on Lepri bills for twenty thousand.
+
+Rosalie did not want to go to the play again, so I got her a piece of
+embroidery to amuse her in the evening. The theatre was a necessity for
+me; I always went unless it interfered with some still sweeter pleasure.
+I went by myself, and when I got home I found the marquis talking to my
+mistress. I was pleased, and after I had embraced the worthy nobleman I
+complimented Rosalie on having kept him till my arrival, adding gently
+that she should have put down her work.
+
+"Ask him," she replied, "if he did not make me keep on. He said he would
+go if I didn't, so I gave in to keep him."
+
+She then rose, stopped working, and in the course of an interesting
+conversation she succeeded in making the marquis promise to stay to
+supper, thus forestalling my intention. He was not accustomed to take
+anything at that hour, and ate little; but I saw he was enchanted with my
+treasure, and that pleased me, for I did not think I had anything to fear
+from a man of sixty; besides, I was glad at the opportunity of
+accustoming Rosalie to good society. I wanted her to be a little
+coquettish, as a woman never pleases in society unless she shews a desire
+to please.
+
+Although the position was quite a strange one for her, she made me admire
+the natural aptitude of women, which may be improved or spoiled by art
+but which exists more or less in them all, from the throne to the
+milk-pail. She talked to M. de Grimaldi in a way that seemed to hint she
+was willing to give a little hope. As our guest did not eat, she said
+graciously that he must come to dinner some day that she might have an
+opportunity of seeing whether he really had any appetite.
+
+When he had gone I took her on my knee, and covering her with kisses
+asked her where she had learnt to talk to great people so well.
+
+"It's an easy matter," she replied. "Your eyes speak to my soul, and tell
+me what to do and what to say."
+
+A professed rhetorician could not have answered more elegantly or more
+flatteringly.
+
+I finished the translation; I had it copied out by Costa and took it to
+Rossi, the manager, who said he would put it on directly, when I told him
+I was going to make him a present of the play. I named the actors of my
+choice, and asked him to bring them to dine with me at my inn, that I
+might read the play and distribute the parts.
+
+As will be guessed, my invitation was accepted, and Rosalie enjoyed
+dining with the actors and actresses, and especially hearing herself
+called Madame Casanova every moment. Veronique explained everything she
+did not understand.
+
+When my actors were round me in a ring, they begged me to tell them their
+parts, but I would not give in on this point.
+
+"The first thing to be done," said I, "is for you to listen attentively
+to the whole piece without minding about your parts. When you know the
+whole play I will satisfy your curiosity."
+
+I knew that careless or idle actors often pay no attention to anything
+except their own parts, and thus a piece, though well played in its
+parts, is badly rendered as a whole.
+
+They submitted with a tolerably good grace, which the high and mighty
+players of the Comedie Francaise would certainly not have done. Just as I
+was beginning my heading the Marquis de Grimaldi and the banker Belloni
+came in to call on me. I was glad for them to be present at the trial,
+which only lasted an hour and a quarter.
+
+After I had heard the opinion of the actors, who by their praise of
+various situations shewed me that they had taken in the plot, I told
+Costa to distribute the parts; but no sooner was this done than the first
+actor and the first actress began to express their displeasure; she,
+because I had given her the part of Lady Alton; he, because I had not
+given him Murray's part; but they had to bear it as it was my will. I
+pleased everybody by asking them all to dinner for the day after the
+morrow, after dinner the piece to be rehearsed for the first time.
+
+The banker Belloni asked me to dinner for the following day, including my
+lady, who excused herself with great politeness, in the invitation; and
+M. Grimaldi was glad to take my place at dinner at her request.
+
+When I got to M. Belloni's, I was greatly surprised to see the impostor
+Ivanoff, who instead of pretending not to know me, as he ought to have
+done, came forward to embrace me. I stepped back and bowed, which might
+be put down to a feeling of respect, although my coldness and scant
+ceremony would have convinced any observant eye of the contrary. He was
+well dressed, but seemed sad, though he talked a good deal, and to some
+purpose, especially on politics. The conversation turned on the Court of
+Russia, where Elizabeth Petrovna reigned; and he said nothing, but sighed
+and turned away pretending to wipe the tears from his eyes. At dessert,
+he asked me if I had heard anything of Madame Morin, adding, as if to
+recall the circumstance to my memory, that we had supped together there:
+
+"I believe she is quite well," I answered.
+
+His servant, in yellow and red livery, waited on him at table. After
+dinner he contrived to tell me that he had a matter of the greatest
+importance he wanted to discuss with me.
+
+"My only desire sir, is to avoid all appearance of knowing anything about
+you."
+
+"One word from you will gain me a hundred thousand crowns, and you shall
+have half."
+
+I turned my back on him, and saw him no more at Genoa.
+
+When I got back to the inn I found M. de Grimaldi giving Rosalie a lesson
+in Italian.
+
+"She has given me an exquisite dinner," said he, "you must be very happy
+with her."
+
+In spite of his honest face, M. Grimaldi was in love with her, but I
+thought I had nothing to fear. Before he went she invited him to come to
+the rehearsal next day.
+
+When the actors came I noticed amongst them a young man whose face I did
+not know, and on my enquiring Rossi told me he was the prompter.
+
+"I won't have any prompter; send him about his business."
+
+"We can't get on without him."
+
+"You'll have to; I will be the prompter."
+
+The prompter was dismissed, but the three actresses began to complain.
+
+"If we knew our parts as well as the 'pater noster' we should be certain
+to come to a dead stop if the prompter isn't in his box."
+
+"Very good," said I to the actress, who was to play Lindane, "I will
+occupy the box myself, but I shall see your drawers."
+
+"You would have some difficulty in doing that," said the first actor,
+"she doesn't wear any."
+
+"So much the better."
+
+"You know nothing about it," said the actress.
+
+These remarks put us all in high spirits, and the ministers of Thalia
+ended by promising that they would dispense with a prompter. I was
+pleased with the way the piece was read, and they said they would be
+letter-perfect in three days. But something happened.
+
+On the day fixed for the rehearsal they came without the Lindane and
+Murray. They were not well, but Rossi said they would not fail us
+eventually. I took the part of Murray, and asked Rosalie to be the
+Lindane.
+
+"I don't read Italian well enough," she whispered, "and I don't wish to
+have the actors laughing at me; but Veronique could do it."
+
+"Ask if she will read the part."
+
+However, Veronique said that she could repeat it by heart.
+
+"All the better," said I to her, laughing internally, as I thought of
+Soleure, for I saw that I should thus be obliged to make love to the girl
+to whom I had not spoken for the fortnight she had been with us. I had
+not even had a good look at her face. I was so afraid of Rosalie (whom I
+loved better every day) taking fright.
+
+What I had feared happened. When I took Veronique's hand, and said, "Si,
+bella Lindana, debbe adorarvi!" everybody clapped, because I gave the
+words their proper expression; but glancing at Rosalie I saw a shadow on
+her face, and I was angry at not having controlled myself better.
+Nevertheless, I could not help feeling amazed at the way Veronique played
+the part. When I told her that I adored her she blushed up to her eyes;
+she could not have played the love-sick girl better.
+
+We fixed a day for the dress-rehearsal at the theatre, and the company
+announced the first night a week in advance to excite public curiosity.
+The bills ran:
+
+"We shall give Voltaire's Ecossaise, translated by an anonymous author:
+no prompter will be present."
+
+I cannot give the reader any idea of the trouble I had to quiet Rosalie.
+She refused to be comforted; wept incessantly, and touched my heart by
+gentle reproaches.
+
+"You love Veronique," said she, "and you only translated that piece to
+have an opportunity of declaring your love."
+
+I succeeded in convincing her that she wronged me, and at last after I
+had lavished caresses on her she suffered herself to be calmed. Next
+morning she begged pardon for her jealousy, and to cure it insisted on my
+speaking constantly to Veronique. Her heroism went farther. She got up
+before me and sent me my coffee by Veronique, who was as astonished as I
+was.
+
+At heart Rosalie was a great creature, capable of noble resolves, but
+like all women she gave way to sudden emotions. From that day she gave me
+no more signs of jealousy, and treated her maid with more kindness than
+ever. Veronique was an intelligent and well-mannered girl, and if my
+heart had not been already occupied she would have reigned there.
+
+The first night of the play I took Rosalie to a box, and she would have
+Veronique with her. M. de Grimaldi did not leave her for a moment. The
+play was praised to the skies; the large theatre was full of the best
+people in Genoa. The actors surpassed themselves, though they had no
+prompter, and were loudly applauded. The piece ran five nights and was
+performed to full houses. Rossi, hoping perhaps that I would make him a
+present of another play, asked my leave to give my lady a superb pelisse
+of lynx-fur, which pleased her immensely.
+
+I would have done anything to spare my sweetheart the least anxiety, and
+yet from my want of thought I contrived to vex her. I should never have
+forgiven myself if Providence had not ordained that I should be the cause
+of her final happiness.
+
+"I have reason to suspect," she said one day, "that I am with child, and
+I am enchanted at the thought of giving you a dear pledge of my love."
+
+"If it comes at such a time it will be mine, and I assure you I shall
+love it dearly."
+
+"And if it comes two or three weeks sooner you will not be sure that you
+are the parent?"
+
+"Not quite sure; but I shall love it just as well, and look upon it as my
+child as well as yours."
+
+"I am sure you must be the father. It is impossible the child can be
+Petri's, who only knew me once, and then very imperfectly, whilst you and
+I have lived in tender love for so long a time."
+
+She wept hot tears.
+
+"Calm yourself, dearest, I implore you! You are right; it cannot be
+Petri's child. You know I love you, and I cannot doubt that you are with
+child by me and by me alone. If you give me a baby as pretty as yourself,
+it will be mine indeed. Calm yourself."
+
+"How can I be calm when you can have such a suspicion?"
+
+We said no more about it; but in spite of my tenderness, my caresses, and
+all the trifling cares which bear witness to love, she was often sad and
+thoughtful. How many times I reproached myself bitterly for having let
+out my silly calculations.
+
+A few days later she gave me a sealed letter, saying,--
+
+"The servant has given me this letter when you were away. I am offended
+by his doing so, and I want you to avenge me."
+
+I called the man, and said,--
+
+"Where did you get this letter?"
+
+"From a young man, who is unknown to me. He gave me a crown, and begged
+me to give the letter to the lady without your seeing me, and he promised
+to give me two crowns more if I brought him a reply tomorrow. I did not
+think I was doing wrong, sir, as the lady was at perfect liberty to tell
+you."
+
+"That's all very well, but you must go, as the lady, who gave me the
+letter unopened, as you can see for yourself, is offended with you."
+
+I called Le Duc, who paid the man and sent him away. I opened the letter,
+and found it to be from Petri. Rosalie left my side, not wishing to read
+the contents. The letter ran as follows:
+
+"I have seen you, my dear Rosalie. It was just as you were coming out of
+the theatre, escorted by the Marquis de Grimaldi, who is my godfather. I
+have not deceived you; I was still intending to come and marry you at
+Marseilles next spring, as I promised. I love you faithfully, and if you
+are still my good Rosalie I am ready to marry you here in the presence of
+my kinfolk. If you have done wrong I promise never to speak of it, for I
+know that it was I who led you astray. Tell me, I entreat you, whether I
+may speak to the Marquis de Grimaldi with regard to you. I am ready to
+receive you from the hands of the gentleman with whom you are living,
+provided you are not his wife. Be sure, if you are still free, that you
+can only recover your honour by marrying your seducer."
+
+"This letter comes from an honourable man who is worthy of Rosalie," I
+thought to myself, "and that's more than I shall be, unless I marry her
+myself. But Rosalie must decide."
+
+I called her to me, gave her the letter, and begged her to read it
+attentively. She did so, and gave it me back, asking me if I advised her
+to accept Petri's offer.
+
+"If you do dear Rosalie, I shall die of grief; but if I do not yield you,
+my honour bids me marry you, and that I am quite ready to do."
+
+At this the charming girl threw herself on my breast, crying in the voice
+of true love, "I love you and you alone, darling; but it is not true that
+your honour bids you marry me. Ours is a marriage of the heart; our love
+is mutual, and that is enough for my happiness."
+
+"Dear Rosalie, I adore you, but I am the best judge of my own honour. If
+Petri is a well-to-do man and a man who would make you happy, I must
+either give you up or take you myself."
+
+"No, no; there is no hurry to decide. If you love me I am happy, for I
+love you and none other. I shall not answer the letter, and I don't want
+to hear anything more of Petri."
+
+"You may be sure that I will say no more of him, but I am sure that the
+marquis will have a hand in it."
+
+"I daresay, but he won't speak to me twice on the subject."
+
+After this treaty--a more sincere one than the Powers of Europe usually
+make--I resolved to leave Genoa as soon as I got some letters for
+Florence and Rome. In the meanwhile all was peace and love between myself
+and Rosalie. She had not the slightest shadow of jealousy in her soul,
+and M. de Grimaldi was the sole witness of our happiness.
+
+Five or six days later I went to see the marquis at his casino at St.
+Pierre d'Arena, and he accosted me by saying that he was happy to see me
+as he had an important matter he wished to discuss with me. I guessed
+what it would be, but begged him to explain himself. He then spoke as
+follows:
+
+"A worthy merchant of the town brought his nephew, a young man named
+Petri, to see me two days ago. He told me that the young man is my
+godson, and he asked me to protect him. I answered that as his godfather
+I owed him my protection, and I promised to do what I could.
+
+"He left my godson to talk it over with me, and he informed me that he
+knew your mistress before you did at Marseilles, that he had promised to
+marry her next spring, that he had seen her in my company, and that
+having followed us he found out that she lived with you. He was told that
+she was your wife, but not believing it, wrote her a letter saying that
+he was ready to marry her; but this letter fell into your hands, and he
+has had no reply to it.
+
+"He could not make up his mind to lose a hope which made his happiness,
+so he resolved to ascertain, through my good offices, whether Rosalie
+would accept his proposition. He flatters himself that on his informing
+me of his prosperous condition, I can tell you that he is a likely man to
+make his wife happy. I told him that I knew you, and would speak to you
+on the matter, and afterwards inform him of the result of our interview.
+
+"I have made enquires into his condition, and find that he has already
+amassed a considerable sum of money. His credit, morals, and reputation,
+are all excellent; besides, he is his uncle's sole heir, and the uncle
+passes for a man very comfortably off. And now, my dear M. Casanova, tell
+me what answer I am to make."
+
+"Tell him that Rosalie is much obliged to him, and begs him to forget
+her. We are going away in three or four days. Rosalie loves me, and I
+her, and I am ready to marry her whenever she likes."
+
+"That's plain speaking; but I should have thought a man like you would
+prefer freedom to a woman, however beautiful, to whom you would be bound
+by indissoluble ties. Will you allow me to speak to Rosalie myself about
+it?"
+
+"You need not ask, my leave; speak to her, but in your own person and not
+as representing my opinions. I adore her, and would not have her think
+that I could cherish the thought of separating from her."
+
+"If you don't want me to meddle in the matter, tell me so frankly."
+
+"On the contrary, I wish you to see for yourself that I am not the tyrant
+of the woman I adore."
+
+"I will talk to her to-night."
+
+I did not come home till supper-time, that the marquis might say what he
+had to say in perfect freedom. The noble Genoese supped with us, and the
+conversation turned on indifferent subjects. After he had gone, my
+sweetheart told me what had passed between them. He had spoken to her in
+almost the same words that he had addressed to me, and our replies were
+nearly identical, though she had requested the marquis to say no more
+about his godson, to which request he had assented.
+
+We thought the matter settled, and busied ourselves with preparations for
+our departure; but three or four days after, the marquis (who we imagined
+had forgotten all about his godson) came and asked us to dine with him at
+St. Pierre d'Arena, where Rosalie had never been.
+
+"I want you to see my beautiful garden before you go," said M. Grimaldi
+to her; "it will be one more pleasant recollection of your stay for me."
+
+We went to see him at noon the next day. He was with an elderly man and
+woman, to whom he introduced us. He introduced me by name, and Rosalie as
+a person who belonged to me.
+
+We proceeded to walk in the garden, where the two old people got Rosalie
+between them, and overwhelmed her with politeness and complimentary
+remarks. She, who was happy and in high spirits, answered in Italian, and
+delighted them by her intelligence, and the grace which she gave to her
+mistakes in grammar.
+
+The servants came to tell us that dinner was ready, and what was my
+astonishment on entering the room to see the table laid for six. I did
+not want much insight now to see through the marquis's trick, but it was
+too late. We sat down, and just then a young man came in.
+
+"You are a little late," said the marquis; and then, without waiting for
+his apology, he introduced him to me as M. Petri, his godson, and nephew
+to his other guests, and he made him sit down at his left hand, Rosalie
+being on his right. I sat opposite to her, and seeing that she turned as
+pale as death the blood rushed to my face; I was terribly enraged. This
+small despot's plot seemed disgraceful to me; it was a scandalous insult
+to Rosalie and myself--an insult which should be washed away in blood. I
+was tempted to stab him at his table, but in spite of my agitation I
+constrained myself. What could I do? Take Rosalie's arm, and leave the
+room with her? I thought it over, but foreseeing the consequences I could
+not summon up courage.
+
+I have never spent so terrible an hour as at that fatal dinner. Neither
+Rosalie nor myself ate a morsel, and the marquis who helped all the
+guests was discreet enough not to see that we left one course after
+another untouched. Throughout dinner he only spoke to Petri and his
+uncle, giving them opportunities for saying how large a trade they did.
+At dessert the marquis told the young man that he had better go and look
+after his affairs, and after kissing his hand he withdrew with a bow to
+which nobody replied.
+
+Petri was about twenty-four, of a moderate height, with ordinary but yet
+good-natured and honest features; respectful in his manner, and sensible
+though not witty in what he said. After all was said and done, I thought
+him worthy of Rosalie, but I shuddered at the thought that if she became
+his wife she was lost to me forever. After he had gone, the marquis said
+he was sorry he had not known him before as he might be of use to him in
+his business.
+
+"However, we will see to that in the future," said he, meaningly, "I mean
+to make his fortune."
+
+At this the uncle and aunt, who no doubt knew what to say, began to laud
+and extol their nephew, and ended by saying that as they had no children
+they were delighted that Petri, who would be their heir, was to have his
+excellency's patronage.
+
+"We are longing," they added, "to see the girl from Marseilles he is
+going to marry. We should welcome her as a beloved daughter."
+
+Rosalie whispered to me that she could bear it no longer, and begged me
+to take her away. We rose, and after we had saluted the company with cold
+dignity we left the room. The marquis was visibly disconcerted. As he
+escorted us to the door he stammered out compliments, for the want of
+something to say, telling Rosalie that he should not have the honour of
+seeing her that evening, but that he hoped to call on her the next day.
+
+When we were by ourselves we seemed to breathe again, and spoke to one
+another to relieve ourselves of the oppression which weighed on our
+minds.
+
+Rosalie thought, as well as I, that the marquis had played us a shameful
+trick, and she told me I ought to write him a note, begging him not to
+give himself the trouble of calling on us again.
+
+"I will find some means of vengeance," said I; "but I don't think it
+would be a good plan to write to him. We will hasten our preparations for
+leaving, and receive him to-morrow with that cold politeness which bears
+witness to indignation. Above all, we will not make the slightest
+reference to his godson."
+
+"If Petri really loves me," said she, "I pity him. I think he is a good
+fellow, and I don't feel angry with him for being present at dinner, as
+he may possibly be unaware that leis presence was likely to give me
+offence. But I still shudder when I think of it: I thought I should have
+died when our eyes met! Throughout dinner he could not see my eyes, as I
+kept them nearly shut, and indeed he could hardly see me. Did he look at
+me while he was talking?"
+
+"No, he only looked at me. I am as sorry for him as you are, for, as you
+say, he looks an honest fellow."
+
+"Well, it's over now, and I hope I shall make a good supper. Did you
+notice what the aunt said? I am sure she was in the plot. She thought she
+would gain me over by saying she was ready to treat me like her own
+child. She was a decent-looking woman, too."
+
+We made a good supper, and a pleasant night inclined us to forget the
+insult the marquis had put upon us. When we woke up in the morning we
+laughed at it. The marquis came to see us in the evening, and greeting me
+with an air of mingled confusion and vexation, he said that he knew he
+had done wrong in surprising me as he had, but that he was ready to do
+anything in his power by way of atonement, and to give whatever
+satisfaction I liked.
+
+Rosalie did not give me time to answer. "If you really feel," said she,
+"that you have insulted us, that is enough; we are amply avenged. But all
+the same, sir, we shall be on our guard against you for the future,
+though that will be for a short while, as we are just leaving."
+
+With this proud reply she made him a low bow and left the room.
+
+When he was left alone with me M. Grimaldi addressed me as follows:
+
+"I take a great interest in your mistress's welfare; and as I feel sure
+that she cannot long be happy in her present uncertain position, while I
+am sure that she would make my godson an excellent wife, I was determined
+that both of you should make his acquaintance, for Rosalie herself knows
+very little of him. I confess that the means I employed were
+dishonourable, but you will pardon the means for the sake of the
+excellent end I had in view. I hope you will have a pleasant journey, and
+that you may live for a long time in uninterrupted happiness with your
+charming mistress. I hope you will write to me, and always reckon on my
+standing your friend, and doing everything in my power for you. Before I
+go, I will tell you something which will give you an idea of the
+excellent disposition of young Petri, to whose happiness Rosalie seems
+essential.
+
+"He only told me the following, after I had absolutely refused to take
+charge of a letter he had written to Rosalie, despairing of being able to
+send it any other way. After assuring me that Rosalie had loved him, and
+that consequently she could not have any fixed aversion for him, he added
+that if the fear of being with child was the reason why she would not
+marry him he would agree to put off the marriage till after the child was
+born, provided that she would agree to stay in Genoa in hiding, her
+presence to be unknown to all save himself. He offers to pay all the
+expenses of her stay. He made a remarkably wise reflection when we were
+talking it over.
+
+"'If she gave birth to a child too soon after our marriage,' said he,
+'both her honour and mine would suffer hurt; she might also lose the
+liking of my relations, and if Rosalie is to be my wife I want her to be
+happy in everything."'
+
+At this Rosalie, who had no doubt been listening at the door after the
+manner of her sex, burst into the room, and astonished me by the
+following speech:
+
+"If M. Petri chid not tell you that it was possible that I might be with
+child by him, he is a right honest man, but now I tell you so myself. I
+do not think it likely, but still it is possible. Tell him, sir, that I
+will remain at Genoa until the child is born, in the case of my being
+pregnant, of which I have no certain knowledge, or until I am quite sure
+that I am not with child. If I do have a child the truth will be made
+known. In the case of there being no doubt of M. Petri's being the
+parent, I am ready to marry him; but if he sees for himself that the
+child is not his I hope he will be reasonable enough to let me alone for
+the future. As to the expenses and my lodging at Genoa, tell him that he
+need not trouble himself about either."
+
+I was petrified. I saw the consequence of my own imprudent words, and my
+heart seemed broken. The marquis asked me if this decision was given with
+my authority, and I replied that as my sweetheart's will was mine he
+might take her words for law. He went away in high glee, for he foresaw
+that all would go well with his plans when once he was able to exert his
+influence on Rosalie. The absent always fare ill.
+
+"You want to leave me, then, Rosalie?" said I, when we were alone.
+
+"Yes, dearest, but it will not be for long."
+
+"I think we shall never see each other again."
+
+"Why not, dearest? You have only to remain faithful to me. Listen to me.
+Your honour and my own make it imperative that I should convince Petri
+that I am not with child by him, and you that I am with child by you."
+
+"I never doubted it, dear Rosalie."
+
+"Yes, dear, you doubted it once and that is enough. Our parting will cost
+me many a bitter tear, but these pangs are necessary to my future
+happiness. I hope you will write to me, and after the child is born it
+will be for you to decide on how I shall rejoin you. If I am not pregnant
+I will rejoin you in a couple of months at latest."
+
+"Though I may grieve at your resolve I will not oppose it, for I promised
+I would never cross you. I suppose you will go into a convent; and the
+marquis must find you a suitable one, and protect you like a father.
+Shall I speak to him on the subject? I will leave you as much money as
+you will want."
+
+"That will not be much. As for M. de Grimaldi, he is bound in honour to
+procure me an asylum. I don't think it will be necessary for you to speak
+to him about it."
+
+She was right, and I could not help admiring the truly astonishing tact
+of this girl.
+
+In the morning I heard that the self-styled Ivanoff had made his escape
+an hour before the police were to arrest him at the suit of the banker,
+who had found out that one of the bills he had presented was forged. He
+had escaped on foot, leaving all his baggage behind him.
+
+Next day the marquis came to tell Rosalie that his godson had no
+objection to make to her plan. He added that the young man hoped she
+would become his wife, whether the child proved to be his or not.
+
+"He may hope as much as he likes," said Rosalie, with a smile.
+
+"He also hopes that you will allow him to call on you now and then. I
+have spoken to my kinswoman, the mother-superior of convent. You are to
+have two rooms, and a very good sort of woman is to keep you company,
+wait on you, and nurse you when the time comes. I have paid the amount
+you are to pay every month for your board. Every morning I will send you
+a confidential man, who will see your companion and will bring me your
+orders. And I myself will come and see you at the grating as often as you
+please."
+
+It was then my sad duty, which the laws of politeness enjoined, to thank
+the marquis for his trouble.
+
+"'Tis to you, my lord," said I, "I entrust Rosalie. I am placing her, I
+am sure, in good hands. I will go on my way as soon as she is in the
+convent; I hope you will write a letter to the mother-superior for her to
+take."
+
+"I will write it directly," said he.
+
+And as Rosalie had told him before that she would pay for everything
+herself, he gave her a written copy of the agreement he had made.
+
+"I have resolved," said Rosalie to the marquis, "to go into the convent
+to-morrow, and I shall be very glad to have a short visit from you the
+day after."
+
+"I will be there," said the marquis, "and you may be sure that I will do
+all in my power to make your stay agreeable."
+
+The night was a sad one for both of us. Love scarcely made a pause amidst
+our alternate complaints and consolations. We swore to be faithful for
+ever, and our oaths were sincere, as ardent lovers' oaths always are. But
+they are as nought unless they are sealed by destiny, and that no mortal
+mind may know.
+
+Rosalie, whose eyes were red and wet with tears, spent most of the
+morning in packing up with Veronique, who cried too. I could not look at
+her, as I felt angry with myself for thinking how pretty she was. Rosalie
+would only take two hundred sequins, telling me that if she wanted more
+she could easily let me know.
+
+She told Veronique to look after me well for the two or three days I
+should spend at Genoa, made me a mute curtsy, and went out with Costa to
+get a sedan-chair. Two hours after, a servant of the marquis's came to
+fetch her belongings, and I was thus left alone and full of grief till
+the marquis came and asked me to give him supper, advising that Veronique
+should be asked in to keep us company.
+
+"That's a rare girl," said he, "you really don't know her, and you ought
+to know her better."
+
+Although I was rather surprised, I did not stop to consider what the
+motives of the crafty Genoese might be, and I went and asked Veronique to
+come in. She replied politely that she would do so, adding that she knew
+how great an honour I did her.
+
+I should have been the blindest of men if I had not seen that the clever
+marquis had succeeded in his well-laid plans, and that he had duped me as
+if I had been the merest freshman. Although I hoped with all my heart
+that I should get Rosalie back again, I had good reasons for suspecting
+that all the marquis's wit would be employed to seduce her, and I could
+not help thinking that he would succeed.
+
+Nevertheless, in the position I was in, I could only keep my fears to
+myself and let him do his utmost.
+
+He was nearly sixty, a thorough disciple of Epicurus, a heavy player,
+rich, eloquent, a master of state-craft, highly popular at Genoa, and
+well acquainted with the hearts of men, and still more so with the hearts
+of women. He had spent a good deal of time at Venice to be more at
+liberty, and to enjoy the pleasures of life at his ease. He had never
+married, and when asked the reason would reply that he knew too well that
+women would be either tyrants or slaves, and that he did not want to be a
+tyrant to any woman, nor to be under any woman's orders. He found some
+way of returning to his beloved Venice, in spite of the law forbidding
+any noble who has filled the office of doge to leave his native soil.
+Though he behaved to me in a very friendly manner he knew how to maintain
+an air of superiority which imposed on me. Nothing else could have given
+him the courage to ask me to dinner when Petri was to be present. I felt
+that I had been tricked, and I thought myself in duty bound to make him
+esteem me by my behaviour for the future. It was gratitude on his part
+which made him smooth the way to my conquest of Veronique, who doubtless
+struck him as a fit and proper person to console me for the loss of
+Rosalie.
+
+I did not take any part in the conversation at supper, but the marquis
+drew out Veronique, and she shone. It was easy for me to see that she had
+more wit and knowledge of the world than Rosalie, but in my then state of
+mind this grieved rather than rejoiced me. M. de Grimaldi seemed sorry to
+see me melancholy, and forced me, as it were, to join in the
+conversation. As he was reproaching me in a friendly manner for my
+silence, Veronique said with a pleasing smile that I had a good reason to
+be silent after the declaration of love I had made to her, and which she
+had received so ill. I was astonished at this, and said that I did not
+remember having ever made her such a declaration; but she made me laugh
+in spite of myself, when she said that her name that day was Lindane.
+
+"Ah, that's in a play," said I, "in real life the man who declares his
+love in words is a simpleton; 'tis with deeds the true lover shews his
+love."
+
+"Very true, but your lady was frightened all the same."
+
+"No, no, Veronique; she is very fond of you."
+
+"I know she is; but I have seen her jealous of me."
+
+"If so, she was quite wrong."
+
+This dialogue, which pleased me little, fell sweetly on the marquis's
+ears; he told me that he was going to call on Rosalie next morning, and
+that if I liked to give him a supper, he would come and tell me about her
+in the evening. Of course I told him that he would be welcome.
+
+After Veronique had lighted me to my room, she asked me to let my
+servants wait on me, as if she did so now that my lady was gone, people
+might talk about her.
+
+"You are right," said I, "kindly send Le Duc to me."
+
+Next morning I had a letter from Geneva. It came from my Epicurean
+syndic, who had presented M. de Voltaire with my translation of his play,
+with an exceedingly polite letter from me, in which I begged his pardon
+for having taken the liberty of travestying his fine French prose in
+Italian. The syndic told me plainly that M. de Voltaire had pronounced my
+translation to be a bad one.
+
+My self-esteem was so wounded by this, and by his impoliteness in not
+answering my letter, with which he could certainly find no fault,
+whatever his criticism of my translation might be, that I became the
+sworn enemy of the great Voltaire. I have censured him in all the works I
+have published, thinking that in wronging him I was avenging myself, to
+such an extent did passion blind me. At the present time I feel that even
+if my works survive, these feeble stings of mine can hurt nobody but
+myself. Posterity will class me amongst the Zoiluses whose own impotence
+made them attack this great man to whom civilization and human happiness
+owe so much. The only crime that can truthfully be alleged against
+Voltaire is his attacks on religion. If he had been a true philosopher he
+would never have spoken on such matters, for, even if his attacks were
+based on truth, religion is necessary to morality, without which there
+can be no happiness.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+I Fall in Love With Veronique--Her Sister--Plot Against Plot--My
+Victory--Mutual Disappointment
+
+I have never liked eating by myself, and thus I have never turned hermit,
+though I once thought of turning monk; but a monk without renouncing all
+the pleasures of life lives well in a kind of holy idleness. This dislike
+to loneliness made me give orders that the table should be laid for two,
+and indeed, after supping with the marquis and myself, Veronique had some
+right to expect as much, to say nothing of those rights which her wit and
+beauty gave her.
+
+I only saw Costa, and asked him what had become of Le Duc. He said he was
+ill. "Then go behind the lady's chair," said I. He obeyed, but smiled as
+he did so. Pride is a universal failing, and though a servant's pride is
+the silliest of all it is often pushed to the greatest extremes.
+
+I thought Veronique prettier than before. Her behaviour, now free and now
+reserved, as the occasion demanded, shewed me that she was no new hand,
+and that she could have played the part of a princess in the best
+society. Nevertheless (so strange a thing is the heart of man), I was
+sorry to find I liked her, and my only consolation was that her mother
+would come and take her away before the day was over. I had adored
+Rosalie, and my heart still bled at the thought of our parting.
+
+The girl's mother came while we were still at table. She was astounded at
+the honour I shewed her daughter, and she overwhelmed me with thanks.
+
+"You owe me no gratitude," said I to her; "your daughter is clever, good,
+and beautiful."
+
+"Thank the gentleman for his compliment," said the mother, "for you are
+really stupid, wanton, and ugly;" and then she added, "But how could you
+have the face to sit at table with the gentleman in a dirty chemise?"
+
+"I should blush, mother, if I thought you were right; but I put a clean
+one on only two hours ago."
+
+"Madam," said I to the mother, "the chemise cannot look white beside your
+daughter's whiter skin."
+
+This made the mother laugh, and pleased the girl immensely. When the
+mother told her that she was come to take her back, Veronique said, with
+a sly smile,--
+
+"Perhaps the gentleman won't be pleased at my leaving him twenty-four
+hours before he goes away."
+
+"On the contrary," said I, "I should be very vexed."
+
+"Well; then, she can stay, sir," said the mother; "but for decency's sake
+I must send her younger sister to sleep with her."
+
+"If you please," I rejoined. And with that I left them.
+
+The thought of Veronique troubled me, as I knew I was taken with her, and
+what I had to dread was a calculated resistance.
+
+The mother came into my room where I was writing, and wished me a
+pleasant journey, telling me for the second time that she was going to
+send her daughter Annette. The girl came in the evening, accompanied by a
+servant, and after lowering her mezzaro, and kissing my hand
+respectfully, she ran gaily to kiss her sister.
+
+I wanted to see what she was like, and called for candles; and on their
+being brought I found she was a blonde of a kind I had never before seen.
+Her hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes were the colour of pale gold, fairer
+almost than her skin, which was extremely delicate. She was very
+short-sighted, but her large pale blue eyes were wonderfully beautiful.
+She had the smallest mouth imaginable, but her teeth, though regular,
+were not so white as her skin. But for this defect Annette might have
+passed for a perfect beauty.
+
+Her shortness of sight made too brilliant a light painful to her, but as
+she stood before me she seemed to like me looking at her. My gaze fed
+hungrily on the two little half-spheres, which were not yet ripe, but so
+white as to make me guess how ravishing the rest of her body must be.
+Veronique did not shew her breasts so freely. One could see that she was
+superbly shaped, but everything was carefully hidden from the gaze. She
+made her sister sit down beside her and work, but when I saw that she was
+obliged to hold the stuff close to her face I told her that she should
+spare her eyes, for that night at all events, and with that she
+obediently put the work down.
+
+The marquis came as usual, and like myself he thought Annette, whom he
+had never seen before, an astonishing miniature beauty. Taking advantage
+of his age and high rank, the voluptuous old man dared to pass his hand
+over her breast, and she, who was too respectful to cross my lord, let
+him do it without making the slightest objection. She was a compound of
+innocence and coquetry.
+
+The woman who shewing little succeeds in making a man want to see more,
+has accomplished three-fourths of the task of making him fall in love
+with her; for is love anything else than a kind of curiosity? I think
+not; and what makes me certain is that when the curiosity is satisfied
+the love disappears. Love, however, is the strongest kind of curiosity in
+existence, and I was already curious about Annette.
+
+M. Grimaldi told Veronique that Rosalie wished her to stay with me till I
+left Genoa, and she was as much astonished at this as I was.
+
+"Be kind enough to tell her," said I to the marquis, "that Veronique has
+anticipated her wishes and has got her sister Annette to stay with her."
+
+"Two are always better than one, my dear fellow," replied the crafty
+Genoese.
+
+After these remarks we left the two sisters together and went into my
+room, where he said,--
+
+"Your Rosalie is contented, and you ought to congratulate yourself on
+having made her happy, as I am sure she will be. The only thing that
+vexes me is that you can't go and see her yourself with any decency."
+
+"You are in love with her, my lord."
+
+"I confess that I am, but I am an old man, and it vexes me."
+
+"That's no matter, she will love you tenderly; and if Petri ever becomes
+her husband, I am sure she will never be anything more than a good friend
+to him. Write to me at Florence and tell me how she receives him."
+
+"Stay here for another three days; the two beauties there will make the
+time seem short."
+
+"It's exactly for that reason that I want to go tomorrow. I am afraid of
+Veronique."
+
+"I shouldn't have thought that you would have allowed any woman to
+frighten you."
+
+"I am afraid she has cast her fatal nets around me, and when the time
+comes she will be strictly moral. Rosalie is my only love."
+
+"Well, here's a letter from her."
+
+I went apart to read the letter, the sight of which made my heart beat
+violently; it ran as follows:
+
+   "Dearest,--I see you have placed me in the hands of one who
+   will care for me like a father. This is a new kindness which
+   I owe to the goodness of your heart. I will write to you at
+   whatever address you send me. If you like Veronique, my
+   darling, do not fear any jealousy from me; I should be wrong
+   to entertain such a feeling in my present position. I expect
+   that if you make much of her she will not be able to resist,
+   and I shall be glad to hear that she is lessening your
+   sadness. I hope you will write me a few lines before you
+   go."
+
+I went up to the marquis and told him to read it. He seemed greatly
+moved.
+
+"Yes," said he, "the dear girl will find in me her friend and father, and
+if she marries my godson and he does not treat her as he ought, he will
+not possess her long. I shall remember her in my will, and thus when I am
+dead my care will still continue. But what do you think of her advice as
+to Veronique? I don't expect she is exactly a vestal virgin, though I
+have never heard anything against her."
+
+I had ordered that the table should be laid for four, so Annette sat down
+without our having to ask her. Le Duc appeared on the scene, and I told
+him that if he were ill he might go to bed.
+
+"I am quite well," said he.
+
+"I am glad to hear it; but don't trouble now, you shall wait on me when I
+am at Leghorn."
+
+I saw that Veronique was delighted at my sending him away, and I resolved
+then and there to lay siege to her heart. I began by talking to her in a
+very meaning manner all supper-time, while the marquis entertained
+Annette. I asked him if he thought I could get a felucca next day to take
+me to Lerici.
+
+"Yes," said he, "whenever you like and with as many oarsmen as you
+please; but I hope you will put off your departure for two or three
+days."
+
+"No," I replied, ogling Veronique, "the delay might cost me too dear."
+
+The sly puss answered with a smile that shewed she understood my meaning.
+
+When we rose from the table I amused myself with Annette, and the marquis
+with Veronique. After a quarter of an hour he came and said to me,--
+
+"Certain persons have asked me to beg you to stay a few days longer, or
+at least to sup here to-morrow night."
+
+"Very good. We will talk of the few days more at supper to-morrow."
+
+"Victory!" said the marquis; and Veronique seemed very grateful to me for
+granting her request. When our guest was gone, I asked my new housekeeper
+if I might send Costa to bed.
+
+"As my sister is with me, there can be no ground for any suspicion."
+
+"I am delighted that you consent; now I am going to talk to you."
+
+She proceeded to do my hair, but she gave no answer to my soft speeches.
+When I was on the point of getting into bed she wished me good night, and
+I tried to kiss her by way of return. She repulsed me and ran to the
+door, much to my surprise. She was going to leave the room, when I
+addressed her in a voice of grave politeness.
+
+"I beg you will stay; I want to speak to you; come and sit by me. Why
+should you refuse me a pleasure which after all is a mere mark of
+friendship?"
+
+"Because, things being as they are, we could not remain friends, neither
+could we be lovers."
+
+"Lovers! why not, we are perfectly free."
+
+"I am not free; I am bound by certain prejudices which do not trouble
+you."
+
+"I should have thought you were superior to prejudices."
+
+"There are some prejudices which a woman ought to respect. The
+superiority you mention is a pitiful thing; always the dupe of itself.
+What would become of me, I should like to know, if I abandoned myself to
+the feelings I have for you?"
+
+"I was waiting for you to say that, dear Veronique. What you feel for me
+is not love. If it were so, you would feel as I do, and you would soon
+break the bonds of prejudice."
+
+"I confess that my head is not quite turned yet, but still I feel that I
+shall grieve at your departure."
+
+"If so, that is no fault of mine. But tell me what I can do for you
+during my short stay here."
+
+"Nothing; we do not know one another well enough."
+
+"I understand you, but I would have you know that I do not intend to
+marry any woman who is not my friend."
+
+"You mean you will not marry her till you have ceased to be her lover?"
+
+"Exactly."
+
+"You would like to finish where I would begin."
+
+"You may be happy some day, but you play for high stakes."
+
+"Well, well, it's a case of win all or lose all."
+
+"That's as may be. But without further argument it seems to me that we
+could safely enjoy our love, and pass many happy moments undisturbed by
+prejudice."
+
+"Possibly, but one gets burnt fingers at that game, and I shudder at the
+very thought of it. No, no; leave me alone, there is my sister who will
+wonder why I am in your arms."
+
+"Very good; I see I was mistaken, and Rosalie too."
+
+"Why what did she think about me?"
+
+"She wrote and told me that she thought you would be kind."
+
+"I hope she' mayn't have to repent for having been too kind herself."
+
+"Good bye, Veronique."
+
+I felt vexed at having made the trial, for in these matters one always
+feels angry at failure. I decided I would leave her and her precepts,
+true or false, alone; but when I awoke in the morning and saw her coming
+to my bed with a pleasant smile on her face, I suddenly changed my mind.
+I had slept upon my anger and I was in love again. I thought she had
+repented, and that I should be victorious when I attacked her again. I
+put on a smile myself and breakfasted gaily with her and her sister. I
+behaved in the same way at dinner; and the general high spirits which M.
+de Grimaldi found prevailing in the evening, made him think, doubtless,
+that we were getting on well, and he congratulated us. Veronique behaved
+exactly as if the marquis had guessed the truth, and I felt sure of
+having her after supper, and in the ecstasy of the thought I promised to
+stay for four days longer.
+
+"Bravo, Veronique!" said the marquis, "that's the way. You are intended
+by nature to rule your lovers with an absolute sway."
+
+I thought she would say something to diminish the marquis's certainty
+that there was an agreement between us, but she did nothing of the sort,
+seeming to enjoy her triumph which made her appear more beautiful than
+ever; whilst I looked at her with the submissive gaze of a captive who
+glories in, his chain. I took her behaviour as an omen of my approaching
+conquest, and did not speak to M. de Grimaldi alone lest he might ask me
+questions which I should not care to answer. He told us before he went
+away that he was engaged on the morrow, and so could not come to see us
+till the day after.
+
+As soon as we were alone Veronique said to me, "You see how I let people
+believe what they please; I had rather be thought kind, as you call it,
+than ridiculous, as an honest girl is termed now-a-days. Is it not so?"
+
+"No, dear Veronique, I will never call you ridiculous, but I shall think
+you hate me if you make me pass another night in torture. You have
+inflamed me."
+
+"Oh, pray be quiet! For pity's sake leave me alone! I will not inflame
+you any more. Oh! Oh!"
+
+I had enraged her by thrusting a daring hand into the very door of the
+sanctuary. She repulsed me and fled. Three or four minutes later her
+sister came to undress me. I told her gently to go to bed as I had to
+write for three or four hours; but not caring that she should come on a
+bootless errand I opened a box and gave her a watch. She took it
+modestly, saying,--
+
+"This is for my sister, I suppose?"
+
+"No, dear Annette, it's for you."
+
+She gave a skip of delight, and I could not prevent her kissing my hand.
+
+I proceeded to write Rosalie a letter of four pages. I felt worried and
+displeased with myself and everyone else. I tore up my letter without
+reading it over, and making an effort to calm myself I wrote her another
+letter more subdued than the first, in which I said nothing of Veronique,
+but informed my fair recluse that I was going on the day following.
+
+I did not go to bed till very late, feeling out of temper with the world.
+I considered that I had failed in my duty to Veronique, whether she loved
+me or not, for I loved her and I was a man of honour. I had a bad night,
+and when I awoke it was noon, and on ringing Costa and Annette appeared.
+The absence of Veronique shewed how I had offended her. When Costa had
+left the room I asked Annette after her sister, and she said that she was
+working. I wrote her a note, in which I begged her pardon, promising that
+I would never offend her again, and begging her to forget everything and
+to be just the same as before. I was taking my coffee when she came into
+my room with an expression of mortification which grieved me excessively.
+
+"Forget everything, I beg, and I will trouble you no more. Give me my
+buckles, as I am going for a country walk, and I shall not be in till
+suppertime. I shall doubtless get an excellent appetite, and as you have
+nothing more to fear you need not trouble to send me Annette again."
+
+I dressed myself in haste, and left the town by the first road that came
+in my way, and I walked fast for two hours with the intention of tiring
+myself, and of thus readjusting the balance between mind and body. I have
+always found that severe exercise and fresh air are the best cure for any
+mental perturbation.
+
+I had walked for more than three leagues when hunger and weariness made
+me stop at a village inn, where I had an omelette cooked. I ate it
+hungrily with brown bread and wine, which seemed to me delicious though
+it was rather sharp.
+
+I felt too tired to walk back to Genoa, so I asked for a carriage; but
+there was no such thing to be had. The inn-keeper provided me with a
+sorry nag and a man to guide me. Darkness was coming on, and we had more
+than six miles to do. Fine rain began to fall when I started, and
+continued all the way, so that I got home by eight o'clock wet to the
+skin, shivering with cold, dead tired, and in a sore plight from the
+rough saddle, against which my satin breeches were no protection. Costa
+helped me to change my clothes, and as he went out Annette came in.
+
+"Where is your sister?"
+
+"She is in bed with a bad headache. She gave me a letter for you; here it
+is."
+
+"I have been obliged to go to bed on account of a severe headache to
+which I am subject. I feel better already, and I shall be able to wait on
+you to-morrow. I tell you as much, because I do not wish you to think
+that my illness is feigned. I am sure that your repentance for having
+humiliated me is sincere, and I hope in your turn that you will forgive
+me or pity me, if my way of thinking prevents me from conforming to
+yours."
+
+"Annette dear, go and ask your sister if she would like us to sup in her
+room."
+
+She soon came back telling me that Veronique was obliged, but begged me
+to let her sleep.
+
+I supped with Annette, and was glad to see that, though she only drank
+water, her appetite was better than mine. My passion for her sister
+prevented me thinking of her, but I felt that Annette would otherwise
+have taken my fancy. When we were taking dessert, I conceived the idea of
+making her drunk to get her talk of her sister, so I gave her a glass of
+Lunel muscat.
+
+"I only drink water, sir."
+
+"Don't you like wine?"
+
+"Yes, but as I am not used to it I am afraid of its getting into my
+head."
+
+"Then you can go to bed; you will sleep all the better."
+
+She drank the first glass, which she enjoyed immensely, then a second,
+and then a third. Her little brains were in some confusion when she had
+finished the third glass. I made her talk about her sister, and in
+perfect faith she told me all the good imaginable.
+
+"Then you are very fond of Veronique?" said I.
+
+"Oh, yes! I love her with all my heart, but she will not let me caress
+her."
+
+"No doubt she is afraid of your ceasing to love her. But do you think she
+ought to make me suffer so?"
+
+"No, but if you love her you ought to forgive her."
+
+Annette was still quite reasonable. I made her drink a fourth glass of
+muscat, but an instant after she told me that she could not see anything,
+and we rose from the table. Annette began to please me a little too much,
+but I determined not to make any attempts upon her for fear of finding
+her too submissive. A little resistance sharpens the appetite, while
+favours granted with too much ease lose a great deal of their charm.
+Annette was only fourteen, she had a soft heart, no knowledge of the
+world or her own rights, and she would not have resisted my embraces for
+fear of being rude. That sort of thing would only please a rich and
+voluptuous Turk.
+
+I begged her to do my hair, intending to dismiss her directly after, but
+when she had finished I asked her to give me the ointment.
+
+"What do you want it for?"
+
+"For the blisters that cursed saddle on which I rode six miles gave me."
+
+"Does the ointment do them good?"
+
+"Certainly; it takes away the smart, and by to-morrow I shall be cured,
+but you must send Costa to me, as I cannot put it on myself."
+
+"Can't I do it?"
+
+"Yes, but I am afraid that would be an abuse of your kindness."
+
+"I guess why; but as I am short-sighted, how shall I see the blisters?"
+
+"If you want to do it for me, I will place myself so that it will be
+easier for you. Stay, put the candle on this table."
+
+"There you are, but don't let Costa put it on again to-morrow, or he will
+guess that I or my sister did it to-night."
+
+"You will do me the same service, then, to-morrow?"
+
+"I or my sister, for she will get up early."
+
+"Your sister! No, my dear; she would be afraid of giving me too much
+pleasure by touching me so near."
+
+"And I am only afraid of hurting you. Is that right? Good heavens! what a
+state your skin is in!"
+
+"You have not finished yet."
+
+"I am so short-sighted; turn round."
+
+"With pleasure. Here I am."
+
+The little wanton could not resist laughing at what she saw, doubtless,
+for the first time. She was obliged to touch it to continue rubbing the
+ointment in, and I saw that she liked it, as she touched it when she had
+no need, and not being able to stand it any longer I took hold of her
+hand and made her stop her work in favour of a pleasanter employment.
+
+When she had finished I burst out laughing to hear her ask, in the most
+serious way, the pot of ointment still in her left hand,
+
+"Did I do it right!"
+
+"Oh, admirably, dear Annette! You are an angel, and I am sure you know
+what pleasure you gave me. Can you come and spend an hour with me?"
+
+"Wait a bit."
+
+She went out and shut the door, and I waited for her to return; but my
+patience being exhausted I opened the door slightly, and saw her
+undressing and getting into bed with her sister. I went back to my room
+and to bed again, without losing all hope. I was not disappointed, for in
+five minutes back she came, clad in her chemise and walking on tip-toe.
+
+"Come to my arms, my love; it is very cold."
+
+"Here I am. My sister is asleep and suspects nothing; and even if she
+awoke the bed is so large that she would not notice my absence."
+
+"You are a divine creature, and I love you with all my heart."
+
+"So much the better. I give myself up to you; do what you like with me,
+on the condition that you think of my sister no more."
+
+"That will not cost me much. I promise that I will not think of her."
+
+I found Annette a perfect neophyte, and though I saw no blood on the
+altar of love next morning I did not suspect her on that account. I have
+often seen such cases, and I know by experience that the effusion of
+blood or its absence proves nothing. As a general rule a girl cannot be
+convicted of having had a lover unless she be with child.
+
+I spent two hours of delight with this pretty baby, for she was so small,
+so delicate, and so daintily shaped all over, that I can find no better
+name for her. Her docility did not detract from the piquancy of the
+pleasure, for she was voluptuously inclined.
+
+When I rose in the morning she came to my room with Veronique, and I was
+glad to see that while the younger sister was radiant with happiness the
+elder looked pleasant and as if she desired to make herself agreeable. I
+asked her how she was, and she told me that diet and sleep had completely
+cured her. "I have always found them the best remedy for a headache."
+Annette had also cured me of the curiosity I had felt about her. I
+congratulated myself on my achievement.
+
+I was in such high spirits at supper that M. de Grimaldi thought I had
+won everything from Veronique, and I let him think so. I promised to dine
+with him the next day, and I kept my word. After dinner I gave him a long
+letter for Rosalie, whom I did not expect to see again except as Madame
+Petri, though I took care not to let the marquis know what I thought.
+
+In the evening I supped with the two sisters, and I made myself equally
+agreeable to both of them. When Veronique was alone with me, putting my
+hair into curl-papers, she said that she loved me much more now that I
+behaved discreetly.
+
+"My discretion," I replied, "only means that I have given up the hope of
+winning you. I know how to take my part."
+
+"Your love was not very great, then?"
+
+"It sprang up quickly, and you, Veronique, could have made it increase to
+a gigantic size."
+
+She said nothing, but bit her lip, wished me good night and left the
+room. I went to bed expecting a visit from Annette, but I waited in vain.
+When I rang the next morning the dear girl appeared looking rather sad. I
+asked her the reason.
+
+"Because my sister is ill, and spent the whole night in writing," said
+she.
+
+Thus I learnt the reason of her not having paid me a visit.
+
+"Do you know what she was writing about?"
+
+"Oh, no! She does not tell me that kind of thing, but here is a letter
+for you."
+
+I read through the long and well-composed letter, but as it bore marks of
+craft and dissimulation it made me laugh. After several remarks of no
+consequence she said that she had repulsed me because she loved me so
+much and that she was afraid that if she satisfied my fancy she might
+lose me.
+
+"I will be wholly yours," she added, "if you will give me the position
+which Rosalie enjoyed. I will travel in your company, but you must give
+me a document, which M. de Grimaldi will sign as a witness, in which you
+must engage to marry me in a year, and to give me a portion of fifty
+thousand francs; and if at the end of a year you do not wish to marry me,
+that sum to be at my absolute disposal."
+
+She stipulated also that if she became a mother in the course of a year
+the child should be hers in the event of our separating. On these
+conditions she would become my mistress, and would have for me all
+possible love and kindness.
+
+This proposal, cleverly conceived, but foolishly communicated to me,
+shewed me that Veronique had not the talent of duping others. I saw
+directly that M. de Grimaldi had nothing to do with it, and I felt sure
+that he would laugh when I told him the story.
+
+Annette soon came back with the chocolate, and told me that her sister
+hoped I would answer her letter.
+
+"Yes, dear," said I, "I will answer her when I get up."
+
+I took my chocolate, put on my dressing-gown, and went to Veronique's
+room. I found her sitting up in bed in a negligent attire that might have
+attracted me if her letter had not deprived her of my good opinion. I sat
+on the bed, gave her back the letter, and said,--
+
+"Why write, when we can talk the matter over?"
+
+"Because one is often more at ease in writing than in speaking."
+
+"In diplomacy and business that will pass, but not in love. Love makes no
+conditions. Let us have no documents, no safeguards, but give yourself up
+to me as Rosalie did, and begin to-night without my promising anything.
+If you trust in love, you will make him your prisoner. That way will
+honour us and our pleasures, and if you like I will consult M. de
+Grimaldi on the subject. As to your plan, if it does not injure your
+honour, it does small justice to your common sense, and no one but a fool
+would agree to it. You could not possibly love the man to whom you make
+such a proposal, and as to M. de Grimaldi, far from having anything to do
+with it, I am sure he would be indignant at the very idea."
+
+This discourse did not put Veronique out of countenance. She said she did
+not love me well enough to give herself to me unconditionally; to which I
+replied that I was not sufficiently taken with her charms to buy them at
+the price she fixed, and so I left her.
+
+I called Costa, and told him to go and warn the master of the felucca
+that I was going the next day, and with this idea I went to bid good-bye
+to the marquis, who informed me that he had just been taking Petri to see
+Rosalie, who had received him well enough. I told him I was glad to hear
+it, and said that I commended to him the care of her happiness, but such
+commendations were thrown away.
+
+It is one of the most curious circumstances of my history, that in one
+year two women whom I sincerely loved and whom I might have married were
+taken from me by two old men, whose affections I had fostered without
+wishing to do so. Happily these gentlemen made my mistresses' fortunes,
+but on the other hand they did me a still greater service in relieving me
+of a tie which I should have found very troublesome in course of time. No
+doubt they both saw that my fortune, though great in outward show, rested
+on no solid basis, which, as the reader will see, was unhappily too true.
+I should be happy if I thought that my errors or rather follies would
+serve as a warning to the readers of these Memoirs.
+
+I spent the day in watching the care with which Veronique and Annette
+packed up my trunks, for I would not let my two servants help in any way.
+Veronique was neither sad nor gay. She looked as if she had made up her
+mind, and as if there had never been any differences between us. I was
+very glad, for as I no longer cared for her I should have been annoyed to
+find that she still cared for me.
+
+We supped in our usual manner, discussing only commonplace topics, but
+just as I was going to bed Annette shook my hand in a way that told me to
+prepare for a visit from her. I admired the natural acuteness of young
+girls, who take their degrees in the art of love with so much ease and at
+such an early age. Annette, almost a child, knew more than a young man of
+twenty. I decided on giving her fifty sequins without letting Veronique
+see me, as I did not intend to be so liberal towards her. I took a roll
+of ducats and gave them to her as soon as she came.
+
+She lay down beside me, and after a moment devoted to love she said that
+Veronique was asleep, adding,--
+
+"I heard all you said to my sister, and I am sure you love her."
+
+"If I did, dear Annette, I should not have made my proposal in such plain
+terms."
+
+"I should like to believe that, but what would you have done if she had
+accepted your offer? You would be in one bed by this, I suppose?"
+
+"I was more than certain, dearest, that her pride would hinder her
+receiving me."
+
+We had reached this point in our conversation when we were surprised by
+the sudden appearance of Veronique with a lighted candle, and wearing
+only her chemise. She laughed at her sister to encourage her, and I
+joined in the laughter, keeping a firm hold on the little one for fear of
+her escaping. Veronique looked ravishing in her scanty attire, and as she
+laughed I could not be angry with her. However, I said,--
+
+"You have interrupted our enjoyment, and hurt your sister's feelings;
+perhaps you will despise her for the future?"
+
+"On the contrary, I shall always love her."
+
+"Her feelings overcame her, and she surrendered to me without making any
+terms."
+
+"She has more sense than I."
+
+"Do you mean that?"
+
+"I do, really."
+
+"I am astonished and delighted to hear it; but as it is so, kiss your
+sister."
+
+At this invitation Veronique put down the candle, and covered Annette's
+beautiful body with kisses. The scene made me feel very happy.
+
+"Come, Veronique," said I, "you will die of cold; come and lie down."
+
+I made room for her, and soon there were three of us under the same
+sheet. I was in an ecstasy at this group, worthy of Aretin's pencil.
+
+"Dearest ones," said I, "you have played me a pretty trick; was it
+premeditated? And was Veronique false this morning, or is she false now?"
+
+"We did not premeditate anything, I was true this morning, and I am true
+now. I feel that I and my plan were very silly, and I hope you will
+forgive me, since I have repented and have had my punishment. Now I think
+I am in my right senses, as I have yielded to the feelings with which you
+inspired me when I saw you first, and against which I have fought too
+long."
+
+"What you say pleases me extremely."
+
+"Well, forgive me and finish my punishment by shewing that you are not
+angry with me."
+
+"How am I to do that?"
+
+"By telling me that you are vexed no longer, and by continuing to give my
+sister proofs of your love."
+
+"I swear to you that so far from being angry with you I am very fond of
+you; but would you like us to be fond in your presence?"
+
+"Yes, if you don't mind me."
+
+Feeling excited by voluptuous emotions, I saw that my part could no
+longer be a passive one.
+
+"What do you say," said I to my blonde, "will you allow your heroic
+sister to remain a mere looker-on at our sweet struggles? Are you not
+generous enough to let me make her an actress in the drama?"
+
+"No; I confess I do not feel as if I could be so generous to-night, but
+next night, if you will play the same part, we will change. Veronique
+shall act and I will look on."
+
+"That would do beautifully," said Veronique, with some vexation in her
+manner, "if the gentleman was not going to-morrow morning."
+
+"I will stay, dear Veronique, if only to prove how much I love you."
+
+I could not have wished for plainer speech on her part, and I should have
+liked to shew her how grateful I felt on the spot; but that would have
+been at Annette's expense, as I had no right to make any alteration in
+the piece of which she was the author and had a right to expect all the
+profits. Whenever I recall this pleasant scene I feel my heart beat with
+voluptuous pleasure, and even now, with the hand of old age upon me, I
+can not recall it without delight.
+
+Veronique resigned herself to the passive part which her younger sister
+imposed on her, and turning aside she leant her head on her hand,
+disclosing a breast which would have excited the coldest of men, and bade
+me begin my attack on Annette. It was no hard task she laid upon me, for
+I was all on fire, and I was certain of pleasing her as long as she
+looked at me. As Annette was short-sighted, she could not distinguish in
+the heat of the action which way I was looking, and I succeeded in
+getting my right hand free, without her noticing me, and I was thus
+enabled to communicate a pleasure as real though not as acute as that
+enjoyed by her sister. When the coverlet was disarranged, Veronique took
+the trouble to replace it, and thus offered me, as if by accident, a new
+spectacle. She saw how I enjoyed the sight of her charms, and her eye
+brightened. At last, full of unsatisfied desire, she shewed me all the
+treasures which nature had given her, just as I had finished with Annette
+for the fourth time. She might well think that I was only rehearsing for
+the following night, and her fancy must have painted her coming joys in
+the brightest colours. Such at all events were my thoughts, but the fates
+determined otherwise. I was in the middle of the seventh act, always
+slower and more pleasant for the actress than the first two or three,
+when Costa came knocking loudly at my door, calling out that the felucca
+was ready. I was vexed at this untoward incident, got up in a rage, and
+after telling him to pay the master for the day, as I was not going till
+the morrow, I went back to bed, no longer, however, in a state to
+continue the work I begun. My two sweethearts were delighted with me, but
+we all wanted rest, though the piece should not have finished with an
+interruption. I wanted to get some amusement out of the interval, and
+proposed an ablution, which made Annette laugh and which Veronique
+pronounced to be absolutely necessary. I found it a delicious hors
+d'oeuvre to the banquet I had enjoyed. The two sisters rendered each
+other various services, standing in the most lascivious postures, and I
+found my situation as looker-on an enviable one.
+
+When the washing and the laughter it gave rise to were over, we returned
+to the stage where the last act should have been performed. I longed to
+begin again, and I am sure I should have succeeded if I had been well
+backed up by my partner; but Annette, who was young and tired out with
+the toils of the night, forgot her part, and yielded to sleep as she had
+yielded to love. Veronique began to laugh when she saw her asleep, and I
+had to do the same, when I saw that she was as still as a corpse.
+
+"What a pity!" said Veronique's eyes; but she said it with her eyes
+alone, while I was waiting for these words to issue from her lips. We
+were both of us wrong: she for not speaking, and I for waiting for her to
+speak. It was a favourable moment, but we let it pass by, and love
+punished us. I had, it is true, another reason for abstaining. I wished
+to reserve myself for the night. Veronique went to her own bed to quiet
+her excited feelings, and I stayed in bed with my sleeping beauty till
+noon, when I wished her good morning by a fresh assault which was
+completed neither on her side nor on mine to the best of my belief.
+
+The day was spent in talking about ourselves, and determined to eat only
+one meal, we did not sit down to table till night began to fall. We spent
+two hours in the consumption of delicate dishes, and in defying Bacchus
+to make us feel his power. We rose as we saw Annette falling asleep, but
+we were not much annoyed at the thought that she would not see the
+pleasures we promised each other. I thought that I should have enough to
+do to contemplate the charms of the one nymph without looking at
+Annette's beauties. We went to bed, our arms interlaced, our bodies tight
+together, and lip pressed on lip, but that was all. Veronique saw what
+prevented me going any further, and she was too polite and modest to
+complain. She dissembled her feelings and continued to caress me, while I
+was in a frenzy of rage. I had never had such a misfortune, unless as the
+result of complete exhaustion, or from a strong mental impression capable
+of destroying my natural faculties. Let my readers imagine what I
+suffered; in the flower of my age, with a strong constitution, holding
+the body of a woman I had ardently desired in my arms, while she tenderly
+caressed me, and yet I could do nothing for her. I was in despair; one
+cannot offer a greater insult to a woman.
+
+At last we had to accept the facts and speak reasonably, and I was the
+first to bewail my misfortune.
+
+"You tired yourself too much yesterday," said she, "and you were not
+sufficiently temperate at supper. Do not let it trouble you, dearest, I
+am sure you love me. Do not try to force nature, you will only weaken
+yourself more. I think a gentle sleep would restore your manly powers
+better than anything. I can't sleep myself, but don't mind me. Sleep, we
+will make love together afterwards."
+
+After those excellent and reasonable suggestions, Veronique turned her
+back to me and I followed her example, but in vain did I endeavour to
+obtain a refreshing slumber; nature which would not give me the power of
+making her, the loveliest creature, happy, envied me the power of repose
+as well. My amorous ardour and my rage forbade all thoughts of rest, and
+my excited passions conspired against that which would enable them to
+satisfy their desires. Nature punished me for having distrusted her, and
+because I had taken stimulants fit only for the weak. If I had fasted, I
+should have done great things, but now there was a conflict between the
+stimulants and nature, and by my desire for enjoyment I had deprived
+myself of the power to enjoy. Thus nature, wise like its Divine Author,
+punishes the ignorance and presumption of poor weak mortals.
+
+Throughout this terrible and sleepless night my mind roamed abroad, and
+amidst the reproaches with which I overwhelmed myself I found a certain
+satisfaction in the thought that they were not wholly undeserved. This is
+the sole enjoyment I still have when I meditate on my past life and its
+varied adventures. I feel that no misfortune has befallen me save by my
+own fault, whilst I attribute to natural causes the blessings, of which I
+have enjoyed many. I think I should go mad if in my soliloquies I came
+across any misfortune which I could not trace to my own fault, for I
+should not know where to place the reason, and that would degrade me to
+the rank of creatures governed by instinct alone. I feel that I am
+somewhat more than a beast. A beast, in truth, is a foolish neighbour of
+mine, who tries to argue that the brutes reason better than we do.
+
+"I will grant," I said, "that they reason better than you, but I can go
+no farther; and I think every reasonable man would say as much."
+
+This reply has made me an enemy, although he admits the first part of the
+thesis.
+
+Happier than I, Veronique slept for three hours; but she was disagreeably
+surprised on my telling her that I had not been able to close an eye, and
+on finding me in the same state of impotence as before. She began to get
+angry when I tried to convince her rather too forcibly that my misfortune
+was not due to my want of will, and then she blamed herself as the cause
+of my impotence; and mortified by the idea, she endeavoured to destroy
+the spell by all the means which passion suggested, and which I had
+hitherto thought infallible; but her efforts and mine were all thrown
+away. My despair was as great as hers when at last, wearied, ashamed, and
+degraded in her own eyes, she discontinued her efforts, her eyes full of
+tears. She went away without a word, and left me alone for the two or
+three hours which had still to elapse before the dawn appeared.
+
+At day-break Costa came and told me that the sea being rough and a
+contrary wind blowing, the felucca would be in danger of perishing.
+
+"We will go as soon as the weather improves," said I; "in the mean time
+light me a fire."
+
+I arose, and proceeded to write down the sad history of the night. This
+occupation soothed me, and feeling inclined to sleep I lay down again and
+slept for eight hours. When I awoke I felt better, but still rather sad.
+The two sisters were delighted to see me in good health, but I thought I
+saw on Veronique's features an unpleasant expression of contempt.
+However, I had deserved it, and I did not take the trouble of changing
+her opinion, though if she had been more caressing she might easily have
+put me in a state to repair the involuntary wrongs I had done her in the
+night. Before we sat down to table I gave her a present of a hundred
+sequins, which made her look a little more cheerful. I gave an equal
+present to my dear Annette, who had not expected anything, thinking
+herself amply recompensed by my first gift and by the pleasure I had
+afforded her.
+
+At midnight the master of the felucca came to tell me that the wind had
+changed, and I took leave of the sisters. Veronique shed tears, but I
+knew to what to attribute them. Annette kissed me affectionately; thus
+each played her own part. I sailed for Lerici, where I arrived the next
+day, and then posted to Leghorn. Before I speak of this town I think I
+shall interest my readers by narrating a circumstance not unworthy of
+these Memoirs.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+A Clever Cheat--Passano--Pisa--Corilla--My Opinion of Squinting
+Eyes--Florence--I See Therese Again--My Son--Corticelli
+
+I was standing at some distance from my carriage into which they were
+putting four horses, when a man accosted me and asked me if I would pay
+in advance or at the next stage. Without troubling to look at him I said
+I would pay in advance, and gave him a coin requesting him to bring me
+the change.
+
+"Directly, sir," said he, and with that he went into the inn.
+
+A few minutes after, just as I was going to look after my change, the
+post-master came up and asked me to pay for the stage.
+
+"I have paid already, and I am waiting for my change. Did I not give the
+money to you?"
+
+"Certainly not, sir."
+
+"Whom did I give it to, then?"
+
+"I really can't say; but you will be able to recognize the man,
+doubtless."
+
+"It must have been you or one of your people."
+
+I was speaking loud, and all the men came about me.
+
+"These are all the men in my employ," said the master, and he asked if
+any of them had received the money from me.
+
+They all denied the fact with an air of sincerity which left no room for
+suspicion. I cursed and swore, but they let me curse and swear as much as
+I liked. At last I discovered that there was no help for it, and I paid a
+second time, laughing at the clever rascal who had taken me in so
+thoroughly. Such are the lessons of life; always full of new experiences,
+and yet one never knows enough. From that day I have always taken care
+not to pay for posting except to the proper persons.
+
+In no country are knaves so cunning as in Italy, Greece ancient and
+modern excepted.
+
+When I got to the best inn at Leghorn they told me that there was a
+theatre, and my luck made me go and see the play. I was recognized by an
+actor who accosted me, and introduced me to one of his comrades, a
+self-styled poet, and a great enemy of the Abbe Chiari, whom I did not
+like, as he had written a biting satire against me, and I had never
+succeeded in avenging myself on him. I asked them to come and sup with
+me--a windfall which these people are not given to refusing. The
+pretended poet was a Genoese, and called himself Giacomo Passano. He
+informed me that he had written three hundred sonnets against the abbe,
+who would burst with rage if they were ever printed. As I could not
+restrain a smile at the good opinion the poet had of his works, he
+offered to read me a few sonnets. He had the manuscript about him, and I
+could not escape the penance. He read a dozen or so, which I thought
+mediocre, and a mediocre sonnet is necessarily a bad sonnet, as this form
+of poetry demands sublimity; and thus amongst the myriads of sonnets to
+which Italy gives birth very few can be called good.
+
+If I had given myself time to examine the man's features, I should, no
+doubt, have found him to be a rogue; but I was blinded by passion, and
+the idea of three hundred sonnets against the Abbe Chiari fascinated me.
+
+I cast my eyes over the title of the manuscript, and read, "La Chiareide
+di Ascanio Pogomas."
+
+"That's an anagram of my Christian name and my surname; is it not a happy
+combination?"
+
+This folly made me smile again. Each of the sonnets was a dull diatribe
+ending with "l'abbate Chiari e un coglione." He did not prove that he was
+one, but he said so over and over again, making use of the poet's
+privilege to exaggerate and lie. What he wanted to do was to annoy the
+abbe, who was by no means what Passano called him, but on the contrary, a
+wit and a poet; and if he had been acquainted with the requirements of
+the stage he would have written better plays than Goldoni, as he had a
+greater command of language.
+
+I told Passano, for civility's sake, that he ought to get his Chiareide
+printed.
+
+"I would do so," said he, "if I could find a publisher, for I am not rich
+enough to pay the expenses, and the publishers are a pack of ignorant
+beggars. Besides, the press is not free, and the censor would not let the
+epithet I give to my hero pass. If I could go to Switzerland I am sure it
+could be managed; but I must have six sequins to walk to Switzerland, and
+I have not got them."
+
+"And when you got to Switzerland, where there are no theatres, what would
+you do for a living?"
+
+"I would paint in miniature. Look at those."
+
+He gave me a number of small ivory tablets, representing obscene
+subjects, badly drawn and badly painted.
+
+"I will give you an introduction to a gentleman at Berne," I said; and
+after supper I gave him a letter and six sequins. He wanted to force some
+of his productions on me, but I would not have them.
+
+I was foolish enough to give him a letter to pretty Sara's father, and I
+told him to write to me at Rome, under cover of the banker Belloni.
+
+I set out from Leghorn the next day and went to Pisa, where I stopped two
+days. There I made the acquaintance of an Englishman, of whom I bought a
+travelling carriage. He took me to see Corilla, the celebrated poetess.
+She received me with great politeness, and was kind enough to improvise
+on several subjects which I suggested. I was enchanted, not so much with
+her grace and beauty, as by her wit and perfect elocution. How sweet a
+language sounds when it is spoken well and the expressions are well
+chosen. A language badly spoken is intolerable even from a pretty mouth,
+and I have always admired the wisdom of the Greeks who made their nurses
+teach the children from the cradle to speak correctly and pleasantly. We
+are far from following their good example; witness the fearful accents
+one hears in what is called, often incorrectly, good society.
+
+Corilla was 'straba', like Venus as painted by the ancients--why, I
+cannot think, for however fair a squint-eyed woman may be otherwise, I
+always look upon her face as distorted. I am sure that if Venus had been
+in truth a goddess, she would have made the eccentric Greek, who first
+dared to paint her cross-eyed, feel the weight of her anger. I was told
+that when Corilla sang, she had only to fix her squinting eyes on a man
+and the conquest was complete; but, praised be God! she did not fix them
+on me.
+
+At Florence I lodged at the "Hotel Carrajo," kept by Dr. Vannini, who
+delighted to confess himself an unworthy member of the Academy Della
+Crusca. I took a suite of rooms which looked out on the bank of the Arno.
+I also took a carriage and a footman, whom, as well as a coachman, I clad
+in blue and red livery. This was M. de Bragadin's livery, and I thought I
+might use his colours, not with the intention of deceiving anyone, but
+merely to cut a dash.
+
+The morning after my arrival I put on my great coat to escape
+observation, and proceeded to walk about Florence. In the evening I went
+to the theatre to see the famous harlequin, Rossi, but I considered his
+reputation was greater than he deserved. I passed the same judgment on
+the boasted Florentine elocution; I did not care for it at all. I enjoyed
+seeing Pertici; having become old, and not being able to sing any more,
+he acted, and, strange to say, acted well; for, as a rule, all singers,
+men and women, trust to their voice and care nothing for acting, so that
+an ordinary cold entirely disables them for the time being.
+
+Next day I called on the banker, Sasso Sassi, on whom I had a good letter
+of credit, and after an excellent dinner I dressed and went to the opera
+an via della Pergola, taking a stage box, not so much for the music, of
+which I was never much of an admirer, as because I wanted to look at the
+actress.
+
+The reader may guess my delight and surprise when I recognised in the
+prima donna Therese, the false Bellino, whom I had left at Rimini in the
+year 1744; that charming Therese whom I should certainly have married if
+M. de Gages had not put me under arrest. I had not seen her for seventeen
+years, but she looked as beautiful and ravishing as ever as she came
+forward on the stage. It seemed impossible. I could not believe my eyes,
+thinking the resemblance must be a coincidence, when, after singing an
+air, she fixed her eyes on mine and kept them there. I could no longer
+doubt that it was she; she plainly recognized me. As she left the stage
+she stopped at the wings and made a sign to me with her fan to come and
+speak to her.
+
+I went out with a beating heart, though I could not explain my
+perturbation, for I did not feel guilty in any way towards Therese, save
+in that I had not answered the last letter she had written me from
+Naples, thirteen years ago. I went round the theatre, feeling a greater
+curiosity as to the results of our interview than to know what had
+befallen her during the seventeen years which seemed an age to me.
+
+I came to the stage-door, and I saw Therese standing at the top of the
+stair. She told the door-keeper to let me pass; I went up and we stood
+face to face. Dumb with surprise I took her hand and pressed it against
+my heart.
+
+"Know from that beating heart," said I, "all that I feel."
+
+"I can't follow your example," said she, "but when I saw you I thought I
+should have fainted. Unfortunately I am engaged to supper. I shall not
+shut my eyes all night. I shall expect you at eight o'clock to-morrow
+morning. Where are you staying?"
+
+"At Dr. Vannini's."
+
+"Under what name?"
+
+"My own."
+
+"How long have you been here?"
+
+"Since yesterday."
+
+"Are you stopping long in Florence?"
+
+"As long as you like."
+
+"Are you married?"
+
+"No."
+
+"Cursed be that supper! What an event! You must leave me now, I have to
+go on. Good-bye till seven o'clock to-morrow."
+
+She had said eight at first, but an hour sooner was no harm. I returned
+to the theatre, and recollected that I had neither asked her name or
+address, but I could find out all that easily. She was playing Mandane,
+and her singing and acting were admirable. I asked a well-dressed young
+man beside me what that admirable actress's name was.
+
+"You have only come to Florence to-day, sir?"
+
+"I arrived yesterday."
+
+"Ah! well, then it's excusable. That actress has the same name as I have.
+She is my wife, and I am Cirillo Palesi, at your service."
+
+I bowed and was silent with surprise. I dared not ask where she lived,
+lest he might think my curiosity impertinent. Therese married to this
+handsome young man, of whom, of all others, I had made enquiries about
+her! It was like a scene in a play.
+
+I could bear it no longer. I longed to be alone and to ponder over this
+strange adventure at my ease, and to think about my visit to Therese at
+seven o'clock the next morning. I felt the most intense curiosity to see
+what the husband would do when he recognized me, and he was certain to do
+so, for he had looked at me attentively as he spoke. I felt that my old
+flame for Therese was rekindled in my heart, and I did not know whether I
+was glad or sorry at her being married.
+
+I left the opera-house and told my footman to call my carriage.
+
+"You can't have it till nine o'clock, sir; it was so cold the coachman
+sent the horses back to the stable."
+
+"We will return on foot, then."
+
+"You will catch a cold."
+
+"What is the prima donna's name?"
+
+"When she came here, she called herself Lanti, but for the last two
+months she has been Madame Palesi. She married a handsome young man with
+no property and no profession, but she is rich, so he takes his ease and
+does nothing."
+
+"Where does she live?"
+
+"At the end of this street. There's her house, sir; she lodges on the
+first floor."
+
+This was all I wanted to know, so I said no more, but took note of the
+various turnings, that I might be able to find my way alone the next day.
+I ate a light supper, and told Le Duc to call me at six o'clock.
+
+"But it is not light till seven."
+
+"I know that."
+
+"Very good."
+
+At the dawn of day, I was at the door of the woman I had loved so
+passionately. I went to the first floor, rang the bell, and an old woman
+came out and asked me if I were M. Casanova. I told her that I was,
+whereupon she said that the lady had informed her I was not coming till
+eight.
+
+"She said seven."
+
+"Well, well, it's of no consequence. Kindly walk in here. I will go and
+awake her."
+
+In five minutes, the young husband in his night-cap and dressing-gown
+came in, and said that his wife would not be long. Then looking at me
+attentively with an astounded stare, he said,
+
+"Are you not the gentleman who asked me my wife's name last night?"
+
+"You are right, I did. I have not seen your wife for many years, but I
+thought I recognized her. My good fortune made me enquire of her husband,
+and the friendship which formerly attached me to her will henceforth
+attach me to you."
+
+As I uttered this pretty compliment Therese, as fair as love, rushed into
+the room with open arms. I took her to my bosom in a transport of
+delight, and thus we remained for two minutes, two friends, two lovers,
+happy to see one another after a long and sad parting. We kissed each
+other again and again, and then bidding her husband sit down she drew me
+to a couch and gave full course to her tears. I wept too, and my tears
+were happy ones. At last we wiped our eyes, and glanced towards the
+husband whom we had completely forgotten. He stood in an attitude of
+complete astonishment, and we burst out laughing. There was something so
+comic in his surprise that it would have taxed all the talents of the
+poet and the caricaturist to depict his expression of amazement. Therese,
+who knew how to manage him, cried in a pathetic an affectionate voice,--
+
+"My dear Palesi, you see before you my father--nay, more than a father,
+for this is my generous friend to whom I owe all. Oh, happy moment for
+which my heart has longed for these ten years past."
+
+At the word "father" the unhappy husband fixed his gaze on me, but I
+restrained my laughter with considerable difficulty. Although Therese was
+young for her age, she was only two years younger than I; but friendship
+gives a new meaning to the sweet name of father.
+
+"Yes, sir," said I, "your Therese is my daughter, my sister, my cherished
+friend; she is an angel, and this treasure is your wife."
+
+"I did not reply to your last letter," said I, not giving him time to
+come to himself.
+
+"I know all," she replied. "You fell in love with a nun. You were
+imprisoned under the Leads, and I heard of your almost miraculous flight
+at Vienna. I had a false presentiment that I should see you in that town.
+Afterwards I heard of you in Paris and Holland, but after you left Paris
+nobody could tell me any more about you. You will hear some fine tales
+when I tell you all that has happened to me during the past ten years.
+Now I am happy. I have my dear Palesi here, who comes from Rome. I
+married him a couple of months ago. We are very fond of each other, and I
+hope you will be as much his friend as mine."
+
+At this I arose and embraced the husband, who cut such an extraordinary
+figure. He met me with open arms, but in some confusion; he was, no
+doubt, not yet quite satisfied as to the individual who was his wife's
+father, brother, friend, and perhaps lover, all at once. Therese saw this
+feeling in his eyes, and after I had done she came and kissed him most
+affectionately, which confused me in my turn, for I felt all my old love
+for her renewed, and as ardent as it was when Don Sancio Pico introduced
+me to her at Ancona.
+
+Reassured by my embrace and his wife's caress, M. Palesi asked me if I
+would take a cup of chocolate with them, which he himself would make. I
+answered that chocolate was my favourite breakfast-dish, and all the more
+so when it was made by a friend. He went away to see to it. Our time had
+come.
+
+As soon as we were alone Therese threw herself into my arms, her face
+shining with such love as no pen can describe.
+
+"Oh, my love! whom I shall love all my life, clasp me to your breast! Let
+us give each other a hundred embraces on this happy day, but not again,
+since my fate has made me another's bride. To-morrow we will be like
+brother and sister; to-day let us be lovers."
+
+She had not finished this speech before my bliss was crowned. Our
+transports were mutual, and we renewed them again and again during the
+half hour in which we had no fear of an interruption. Her negligent
+morning dress and my great coat were highly convenient under the
+circumstances.
+
+After we had satiated in part our amorous ardour we breathed again and
+sat down. There was a short pause, and then she said,
+
+"You must know that I am in love with my husband and determined not to
+deceive him. What I have just done was a debt I had to pay to the
+remembrance of my first love. I had to pay it to prove how much I love
+you; but let us forget it now. You must be contented with the thought of
+my great affection for you--of which you can have no doubt--and let me
+still think that you love me; but henceforth do not let us be alone
+together, as I should give way, and that would vex me. What makes you
+look so sad?"
+
+"I find you bound, while I am free. I thought we had met never to part
+again; you had kindled the old fires. I am the same to you as I was at
+Ancona. I have proved as much, and you can guess how sad I feel at your
+decree that I am to enjoy you no more. I find that you are not only
+married but in love with your husband. Alas! I have come too late, but if
+I had not stayed at Genoa I should not have been more fortunate. You
+shall know all in due time, and in the meanwhile I will be guided by you
+in everything. I suppose your husband knows nothing of our connection,
+and my best plan will be to be reserved, will it not?"
+
+"Yes, dearest, for he knows nothing of my affairs, and I am glad to say
+he shews no curiosity respecting them. Like everybody else, he knows I
+made my fortune at Naples; I told him I went there when I was ten years
+old. That was an innocent lie which hurts nobody; and in my position I
+find that inconvenient truths have to give way to lies. I give myself out
+as only twenty-four, how do you think I look?"
+
+"You look as if you were telling the truth, though I know you must be
+thirty-two."
+
+"You mean thirty-one, for when I knew you I couldn't have been more than
+fourteen."
+
+"I thought you were fifteen at least."
+
+"Well, I might admit that between ourselves; but tell me if I look more
+than twenty-four."
+
+"I swear to you you don't look as old, but at Naples . . . ."
+
+"At Naples some people might be able to contradict me, but nobody would
+mind them. But I am waiting for what ought to be the sweetest moment of
+your life."
+
+"What is that, pray?"
+
+"Allow me to keep my own counsel, I want to enjoy your surprise. How are
+you off? If you want money, I can give you back all you gave me, and with
+compound interest. All I have belongs to me; my husband is not master of
+anything. I have fifty thousand ducats at Naples, and an equal sum in
+diamonds. Tell me how much you want--quick! the chocolate is coming."
+
+Such a woman was Therese. I was deeply moved, and was about to throw my
+arms about her neck without answering when the chocolate came. Her
+husband was followed by a girl of exquisite beauty, who carried three
+cups of chocolate on a silver-gilt dish. While we drank it Palesi amused
+us by telling us with much humour how surprised he was when he recognized
+the man who made him rise at such an early hour as the same who had asked
+him his wife's name the night before. Therese and I laughed till our
+sides ached, the story was told so wittily and pleasantly. This Roman
+displeased me less than I expected; his jealousy seemed only put on for
+form's sake.
+
+"At ten o'clock," said Theresa, "I have a rehearsal here of the new
+opera. You can stay and listen if you like. I hope you will dine with us
+every day, and it will give me great pleasure if you will look upon my
+house as yours."
+
+"To-day," said I, "I will stay with you till after supper, and then I
+will leave you with your fortunate husband."
+
+As I pronounced these words M. Palesi embraced me with effusion, as if to
+thank me for not objecting to his enjoying his rights as a husband.
+
+He was between the ages of twenty and twenty-two, of a fair complexion,
+and well-made, but too pretty for a man. I did not wonder at Therese
+being in love with him, for I knew too well the power of a handsome face;
+but I thought that she had made a mistake in marrying him, for a husband
+acquires certain rights which may become troublesome.
+
+Therese's pretty maid came to tell me that my carriage was at the door.
+
+"Will you allow me," said I to her, "to have my footman in?"
+
+"Rascal," said I, as soon as he came in, "who told you to come here with
+my carriage?"
+
+"Nobody, sir, but I know my duty."
+
+"Who told you that I was here?"
+
+"I guessed as much."
+
+"Go and fetch Le Duc, and come back with him."
+
+When they arrived I told Le Duc to pay the impertinent fellow three days'
+wages, to strip him of his livery, and to ask Dr. Vannini to get me a
+servant of the same build, not gifted with the faculty of divination, but
+who knew how to obey his master's orders. The rascal was much perturbed
+at the result of his officiousness, and asked Therese to plead for him;
+but, like a sensible woman, she told him that his master was the best
+judge of the value of his services.
+
+At ten o'clock all the actors and actresses arrived, bringing with them a
+mob of amateurs who crowded the hall. Therese received their greetings
+graciously, and I could see she enjoyed a great reputation. The rehearsal
+lasted three hours, and wearied me extremely. To relieve my boredom I
+talked to Palesi, whom I liked for not asking me any particulars of my
+acquaintance with his wife. I saw that he knew how to behave in the
+position in which he was placed.
+
+A girl from Parma, named Redegonde, who played a man's part and sang very
+well, stayed to dinner. Therese had also asked a young Bolognese, named
+Corticelli. I was struck with the budding charms of this pretty dancer,
+but as I was just then full of Therese, I did not pay much attention to
+her. Soon after we sat down I saw a plump abbe coming in with measured
+steps. He looked to me a regular Tartuffe, after nothing but Therese. He
+came up to her as soon as he saw her, and going on one knee in the
+Portuguese fashion, kissed her hand tenderly and respectfully. Therese
+received him with smiling courtesy and put him at her right hand; I was
+at their left. His voice, manner, and all about him told me that I had
+known him, and in fact I soon recognized him as the Abbe Gama, whom I had
+left at Rome seventeen years before with Cardinal Acquaviva; but I
+pretended not to recognize him, and indeed he had aged greatly. This
+gallant priest had eyes for no one but Therese, and he was too busy with
+saying a thousand soft nothings to her to take notice of anybody else in
+the company. I hoped that in his turn he would either not recognize me or
+pretend not to do so, so I was continuing my trifling talk with the
+Corticelli, when Therese told me that the abbe wanted to know whether I
+did not recollect him. I looked at his face attentively, and with the air
+of a man who is trying to recollect something, and then I rose and asked
+if he were not the Abbe Gama, with whose acquaintance I was honoured.
+
+"The same," said he, rising, and placing his arms round my neck he kissed
+me again and again. This was in perfect agreement with his crafty
+character; the reader will not have forgotten the portrait of him
+contained in the first volume of these Memoirs.
+
+After the ice had been thus broken it will be imagined that we had a long
+conversation. He spoke of Barbaruccia, of the fair Marchioness G----, of
+Cardinal S---- C----, and told me how he had passed from the Spanish to
+the Portuguese service, in which he still continued. I was enjoying his
+talk about numerous subjects which had interested me in my early youth,
+when an unexpected sight absorbed all my thinking faculties. A young man
+of fifteen or sixteen, as well grown as Italians usually are at that age,
+came into the room, saluted the company with easy grace, and kissed
+Therese. I was the only person who did not know him, but I was not the
+only one who looked surprised. The daring Therese introduced him to me
+with perfect coolness with the words:--
+
+"That is my brother."
+
+I greeted him as warmly as I could, but my manner was slightly confused,
+as I had not had time to recover my composure. This so-called brother of
+Therese was my living image, though his complexion was rather clearer
+than mine. I saw at once that he was my son; nature had never been so
+indiscreet as in the amazing likeness between us. This, then, was the
+surprise of which Therese had spoken; she had devised the pleasure of
+seeing me at once astounded and delighted, for she knew that my heart
+would be touched at the thought of having left her such a pledge of our
+mutual love. I had not the slightest foreknowledge in the matter, for
+Therese had never alluded to her being with child in her letters. I
+thought, however, that she should not have brought about this meeting in
+the presence of a third party, for everyone has eyes in their head, and
+anyone with eyes must have seen that the young man was either my son or
+my brother. I glanced at her, but she avoided meeting my eye, while the
+pretended brother was looking at me so attentively that he did not hear
+what was said to him. As to the others, they did nothing but look first
+at me and then at him, and if they came to the conclusion that he was my
+son they would be obliged to suppose that I had been the lover of
+Therese's mother, if she were really his sister, for taking into
+consideration the age she looked and gave herself out to be she could not
+possibly be his mother. It was equally impossible that I could be
+Therese's father, as I did not look any older than she did.
+
+My son spoke the Neapolitan dialect perfectly, but he also spoke Italian
+very well, and in whatever he said I was glad to recognize taste, good
+sense, and intelligence. He was well-informed, though he had been brought
+up at Naples, and his manners were very distinguished. His mother made
+him sit between us at table.
+
+"His favourite amusement," she said to me, "is music. You must hear him
+on the clavier, and though I am eight years older I shall not be
+surprised if you pronounce him the better performer."
+
+Only a woman's delicate instinct could have suggested this remark; men
+hardly ever approach women in this respect.
+
+Whether from natural impulses or self-esteem, I rose from the table so
+delighted with my son that I embraced him with the utmost tenderness, and
+was applauded by the company. I asked everybody to dine with me the next
+day, and my invitation was joyfully accepted; but the Corticelli said,
+with the utmost simplicity,
+
+"May I come, too?"
+
+"Certainty; you too."
+
+After dinner the Abbe Gama asked me to breakfast with him, or to have him
+to breakfast the next morning, as he was longing for a good talk with me.
+
+"Come and breakfast with me," said I, "I shall be delighted to see you."
+
+When the guests had gone Don Cesarino, as the pretended brother of
+Therese was called, asked me if I would walk with him. I kissed him, and
+replied that my carriage was at his service, and that he and his
+brother-in-law could drive in it, but that I had resolved not to leave
+his sister that day. Palesi seemed quite satisfied with the arrangement,
+and they both went away.
+
+When we were alone, I gave Therese an ardent embrace, and congratulated
+her on having such a brother.
+
+"My dear, he is the fruit of our amours; he is your son. He makes me
+happy, and is happy himself, and indeed he has everything to make him
+so."
+
+"And I, too, am happy, dear Therese. You must have seen that I recognized
+him at once."
+
+"But do you want to give him a brother? How ardent you are!"
+
+"Remember, beloved one, that to-morrow we are to be friends, and nothing
+more."
+
+By this my efforts were crowned with success, but the thought that it was
+the last time was a bitter drop in the cup of happiness.
+
+When we had regained our composure, Therese said,--
+
+"The duke who took me from Rimini brought up our child; as soon as I knew
+that I was pregnant I confided my secret to him. No one knew of my
+delivery, and the child was sent to nurse at Sorrento, and the duke had
+him baptized under the name of Caesar Philip Land. He remained at
+Sorrento till he was nine, and then he was boarded with a worthy man, who
+superintended his education and taught him music. From his earliest
+childhood he has known me as his sister, and you cannot think how happy I
+was when I saw him growing so like you. I have always considered him as a
+sure pledge of our final union. I was ever thinking what would happen
+when we met, for I knew that he would have the same influence over you as
+he has over me. I was sure you would marry me and make him legitimate."
+
+"And you have rendered all this, which would have made me happy, an
+impossibility."
+
+"The fates decided so; we will say no more about it. On the death of the
+duke I left Naples, leaving Cesarino at the same boarding school, under
+the protection of the Prince de la Riccia, who has always looked upon him
+as a brother. Your son, though he does not know it, possesses the sum of
+twenty thousand ducats, of which I receive the interest, but you may
+imagine that I let him want for nothing. My only regret is that I cannot
+tell him I am his mother, as I think he would love me still more if he
+knew that he owed his being to me. You cannot think how glad I was to see
+your surprise to-day, and how soon you got to love him."
+
+"He is wonderfully like me."
+
+"That delights me. People must think that you were my mother's lover. My
+husband thinks that our friendship is due to the connection between you
+and my mother. He told me yesterday that Cesarino might be my brother on
+the mother's side, but not on my father's; as he had seen his father in
+the theatre, but that he could not possibly be my father, too. If I have
+children by Palesi all I have will go to them, but if not Cesarino will
+be my heir. My property is well secured, even if the Prince de Riccia
+were to die."
+
+"Come," said she, drawing me in the direction of her bed-room. She opened
+a large box which contained her jewels and diamonds, and shares to the
+amount of fifty thousand ducats. Besides that she had a large amount of
+plate, and her talents which assured her the first place in all the
+Italian theatres.
+
+"Do you know whether our dear Cesarino has been in love yet?" said I.
+
+"I don't think so, but I fancy my pretty maid is in love with him. I
+shall keep my eyes open."
+
+"You mustn't be too strict."
+
+"No, but it isn't a good thing for a young man to engage too soon in that
+pleasure which makes one neglect everything else."
+
+"Let me have him, I will teach him how to live."
+
+"Ask all, but leave me my son. You must know that I never kiss him for
+fear of my giving way to excessive emotion. I wish you knew how good and
+pure he is, and how well he loves me, I could not refuse him anything."
+
+"What will people say in Venice when they see Casanova again, who escaped
+from The Leads and has become twenty years younger?"
+
+"You are going to Venice, then, for the Ascensa?"
+
+"Yes, and you are going to Rome?"
+
+"And to Naples, to see my friend the Duke de Matalone."
+
+"I know him well. He has already had a son by the daughter of the Duke de
+Bovino, whom he married. She must be a charming woman to have made a man
+of him, for all Naples knew that he was impotent."
+
+"Probably, she only knew the secret of making him a father."
+
+"Well, it is possible."
+
+We spent the time by talking with interest on various topics till
+Cesarino and the husband came back. The dear child finished his conquest
+of me at supper; he had a merry random wit, and all the Neapolitan
+vivacity. He sat down at the clavier, and after playing several pieces
+with the utmost skill he began to sing Neapolitan songs which made us all
+laugh. Therese only looked at him and me, but now and again she embraced
+her husband, saying, that in love alone lies happiness.
+
+I thought then, and I think now, that this day was one of the happiest I
+have ever spent.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+The Corticelli--The Jew Manager Beaten--The False Charles Ivanoff and the
+Trick He Played Me--I Am Ordered to Leave Tuscany--I Arrive at Rome--My
+Brother Jean
+
+At nine o'clock the next morning, the Abbe Gama was announced. The first
+thing he did was to shed tears of joy (as he said) at seeing me so well
+and prosperous after so many years. The reader will guess that the abbe
+addressed me in the most flattering terms, and perhaps he may know that
+one may be clever, experienced in the ways of the world, and even
+distrustful of flattery, but yet one's self-love, ever on the watch,
+listens to the flatterer, and thinks him pleasant. This polite and
+pleasant abbe, who had become extremely crafty from having lived all his
+days amongst the high dignitaries at the court of the 'Servus Servorum
+Dei' (the best school of strategy), was not altogether an ill-disposed
+man, but both his disposition and his profession conspired to make him
+inquisitive; in fine, such as I have depicted him in the first volume of
+these Memoirs. He wanted to hear my adventures, and did not wait for me
+to ask him to tell his story. He told me at great length the various
+incidents in his life for the seventeen years in which we had not seen
+one another. He had left the service of the King of Spain for that of the
+King of Portugal, he was secretary of embassy to the Commander Almada,
+and he had been obliged to leave Rome because the Pope Rezzonico would
+not allow the King of Portugal to punish certain worthy Jesuit assassins,
+who had only broken his arm as it happened, but who had none the less
+meant to take his life. Thus, Gama was staying in Italy corresponding
+with Almada and the famous Carvalho, waiting for the dispute to be
+finished before he returned to Rome. In point of fact this was the only
+substantial incident in the abbe's story, but he worked in so many
+episodes of no consequence that it lasted for an hour. No doubt he wished
+me to shew my gratitude by telling him all my adventures without reserve;
+but the upshot of it was that we both shewed ourselves true diplomatists,
+he in lengthening his story, I in shortening mine, while I could not help
+feeling some enjoyment in baulking the curiosity of my cassocked friend.
+
+"What are you going to do in Rome?" said he, indifferently.
+
+"I am going to beg the Pope to use his influence in my favour with the
+State Inquisitors at Venice."
+
+It was not the truth, but one lie is as good as another, and if I had
+said I was only going for amusement's sake he would not have believed me.
+To tell the truth to an unbelieving man is to prostitute, to murder it.
+He then begged me to enter into a correspondence with him, and as that
+bound me to nothing I agreed to do so.
+
+"I can give you a mark of my friendship," said he, "by introducing you to
+the Marquis de Botta-Adamo, Governor of Tuscany; he is supposed to be a
+friend of the regent's."
+
+I accepted his offer gratefully, and he began to sound me about Therese,
+but found my lips as tightly closed as the lid of a miser's coffer. I
+told him she was a child when I made the acquaintance of her family at
+Bologna, and that the resemblance between her brother and myself was a
+mere accident--a freak of nature. He happened to catch sight of a
+well-written manuscript on the table, and asked me if that superb writing
+was my secretary's. Costa, who was present, answered in Spanish that he
+wrote it. Gama overwhelmed him with compliments, and begged me to send
+Costa to him to copy some letters. I guessed that he wanted to pump him
+about me, and said that I needed his services all the day.
+
+"Well, well," said the abbe, "another time will do." I gave him no
+answer. Such is the character of the curious.
+
+I am not referring to that curiosity which depends on the occult
+sciences, and endeavours to pry into the future--the daughter of
+ignorance and superstition, its victims are either foolish or ignorant.
+But the Abbe Gama was neither; he was naturally curious, and his
+employment made him still more so, for he was paid to find out
+everything. He was a diplomatist; if he had been a little lower down in
+the social scale he would have been treated as a spy.
+
+He left me to pay some calls, promising to be back by dinner-time.
+
+Dr. Vannini brought me another servant, of the same height as the first,
+and engaged that he should obey orders and guess nothing. I thanked the
+academician and inn-keeper, and ordered him to get me a sumptuous dinner.
+
+The Corticelli was the first to arrive, bringing with her her brother, an
+effeminate-looking young man, who played the violin moderately well, and
+her mother, who informed me that she never allowed her daughter to dine
+out without herself and her son.
+
+"Then you can take her back again this instant," said I, "or take this
+ducat to dine somewhere else, as I don't want your company or your
+son's."
+
+She took the ducat, saying that she was sure she was leaving her daughter
+in good hands.
+
+"You may be sure of that," said I, "so be off."
+
+The daughter made such witty observations on the above dialogue that I
+could not help laughing, and I began to be in love with her. She was only
+thirteen, and was so small that she looked ten. She was well-made,
+lively, witty, and fairer than is usual with Italian women, but to this
+day I cannot conceive how I fell in love with her.
+
+The young wanton begged me to protect her against the manager of the
+opera, who was a Jew. In the agreement she had made with him he had
+engaged to let her dance a 'pas de deux' in the second opera, and he had
+not kept his word. She begged me to compel the Jew to fulfil his
+engagement, and I promised to do so.
+
+The next guest was Redegonde, who came from Parma. She was a tall,
+handsome woman, and Costa told me she was the sister of my new footman.
+After I had talked with her for two or three minutes I found her remarks
+well worthy of attention.
+
+Then came the Abbe Gama, who congratulated me on being seated between two
+pretty girls. I made him take my place, and he began to entertain them as
+if to the manner born; and though the girls were laughing at him, he was
+not in the least disconcerted. He thought he was amusing them, and on
+watching his expression I saw that his self-esteem prevented him seeing
+that he was making a fool of himself; but I did not guess that I might
+make the same mistake at his age.
+
+Wretched is the old man who will not recognize his old age; wretched
+unless he learn that the sex whom he seduced so often when he was young
+will despise him now if he still attempts to gain their favour.
+
+My fair Therese, with her husband and my son, was the last to arrive. I
+kissed Therese and then my son, and sat down between them, whispering to
+Therese that such a dear mysterious trinity must not be parted; at which
+Therese smiled sweetly. The abbe sat down between Redegonde and the
+Corticelli, and amused us all the time by his agreeable conversation.
+
+I laughed internally when I observed how respectfully my new footman
+changed his sister's plate, who appeared vain of honours to which her
+brother could lay no claim. She was not kind; she whispered to me, so
+that he could not hear,--
+
+"He is a good fellow, but unfortunately he is rather stupid."
+
+I had put in my pocket a superb gold snuff-box, richly enamelled and
+adorned with a perfect likeness of myself. I had had it made at Paris,
+with the intention of giving it to Madame d'Urfe, and I had not done so
+because the painter had made me too young. I had filled it with some
+excellent Havana snuff which M. de Chavigny had given me, and of which
+Therese was very fond; I was waiting for her to ask me for a pinch before
+I drew it out of my pocket.
+
+The Abbe Gama, who had some exceedingly good snuff in an Origonela box,
+sent a pinch to Therese, and she sent him her snuff in a tortoise-shell
+box encrusted with gold in arabesques--an exquisite piece of workmanship.
+Gama criticised Therese's snuff, while I said that I found it delicious
+but that I thought I had some better myself. I took out my snuff-box, and
+opening it offered her a pinch. She did not notice the portrait, but she
+agreed that my snuff was vastly superior to hers.
+
+"Well, would you like to make an exchange?" said I. "Certainly, give me
+some paper."
+
+"That is not requisite; we will exchange the snuff and the snuff-boxes."
+
+So saying, I put Therese's box in my pocket and gave her mine shut. When
+she saw the portrait, she gave a cry which puzzled everybody, and her
+first motion was to kiss the portrait.
+
+"Look," said she to Cesarino, "here is your portrait."
+
+Cesarino looked at it in astonishment, and the box passed from hand to
+hand. Everybody said that it was my portrait, taken ten years ago, and
+that it might pass for a likeness of Cesarino. Therese got quite excited,
+and swearing that she would never let the box out of her hands again, she
+went up to her son and kissed him several times. While this was going on
+I watched the Abbe Gama, and I could see that he was making internal
+comments of his own on this affecting scene.
+
+The worthy abbe went away towards the evening, telling me that he would
+expect me to breakfast next morning.
+
+I spent the rest of the day in making love to Redegonde, and Therese, who
+saw that I was pleased with the girl, advised me to declare myself, and
+promised that she would ask her to the house as often as I liked. But
+Therese did not know her.
+
+Next morning Gama told me that he had informed Marshal Botta that I would
+come and see him, and he would present me at four o'clock. Then the
+worthy abbe, always the slave of his curiosity, reproached me in a
+friendly manner for not having told him anything about my fortune.
+
+"I did not think it was worth mentioning, but as you are interested in
+the subject I may tell you that my means are small, but that I have
+friends whose purses are always open to me."
+
+"If you have true friends you are a rich man, but true friends are
+scarce."
+
+I left the Abbe Gama, my head full of Redegonde, whom I preferred to the
+young Corticelli, and I went to pay her a visit; but what a reception!
+She received me in a room in which were present her mother, her uncle,
+and three or four dirty, untidy little monkeys: these were her brothers.'
+
+"Haven't you a better room to receive your friends in?" said I.
+
+"I have no friends, so I don't want a room."
+
+"Get it, my dear, and you will find the friends come fast enough. This is
+all very well for you to welcome your relations in, but not persons like
+myself who come to do homage to your charms and your talents."
+
+"Sir," said the mother, "my daughter has but few talents, and thinks
+nothing of her charms, which are small."
+
+"You are extremely modest, and I appreciate your feelings; but everybody
+does not see your daughter with the same eyes, and she pleased me
+greatly."
+
+"That is an honour for her, and we are duly sensible of it, but not so as
+to be over-proud. My daughter will see you as often as you please, but
+here, and in no other place."
+
+"But I am afraid of being in the way here."
+
+"An honest man is never in the way."
+
+I felt ashamed, for nothing so confounds a libertine as modesty in the
+mouth of poverty; and not knowing what to answer I took my leave.
+
+I told Therese of my unfortunate visit, and we both, laughed at it; it
+was the best thing we could do.
+
+"I shall be glad to see you at the opera," said she, "and you can get
+into my dressing-room if you give the door-keeper a small piece of
+money."
+
+The Abbe Gama came as he promised, to take me to Marshal Botta, a man of
+high talents whom the affair of Genoa had already rendered famous. He was
+in command of the Austrian army when the people, growing angry at the
+sight of the foreigners, who had only come to put them under the Austrian
+yoke, rose in revolt and made them leave the town. This patriotic riot
+saved the Republic. I found him in the midst of a crowd of ladies and
+gentlemen, whom he left to welcome me. He talked about Venice in a way
+that shewed he understood the country thoroughly, and I conversed to him
+on France, and, I believe, satisfied him. In his turn he spoke of the
+Court of Russia, at which he was staying when Elizabeth Petrovna, who was
+still reigning at the period in question, so easily mounted the throne of
+her father, Peter the Great. "It is only in Russia," said he, "that
+poison enters into politics."
+
+At the time when the opera began the marshal left the room, and everybody
+went away. On my way the abbe assured me, as a matter of course, that I
+had pleased the governor, and I afterwards went to the theatre, and
+obtained admission to Therese's dressing-room for a tester. I found her
+in the hands of her pretty chamber-maid, and she advised me to go to
+Redegonde's dressing-room, as she played a man's part, and might,
+perhaps, allow me to assist in her toilette.
+
+I followed her advice, but the mother would not let me come in, as her
+daughter was just going to dress. I assured her that I would turn my back
+all the time she was dressing, and on this condition she let me in, and
+made me sit down at a table on which stood a mirror, which enabled me to
+see all Redegonde's most secret parts to advantage; above all, when she
+lifted her legs to put on her breeches, either most awkwardly or most
+cleverly, according to her intentions. She did not lose anything by what
+she shewed, however, for I was so pleased, that to possess her charms I
+would have signed any conditions she cared to impose upon me.
+
+"Redegonde must know," I said to myself, "that I could see everything in
+the glass;" and the idea inflamed me. I did not turn round till the
+mother gave me leave, and I then admired my charmer as a young man of
+five feet one, whose shape left nothing to be desired.
+
+Redegonde went out, and I followed her to the wings.
+
+"My dear," said I, "I am going to talk plainly to you. You have inflamed
+my passions and I shall die if you do not make me happy."
+
+"You do not say that you will die if you chance to make me unhappy."
+
+"I could not say so, because I cannot conceive such a thing as possible.
+Do not trifle with me, dear Redegonde, you must be aware that I saw all
+in the mirror, and I cannot think that you are so cruel as to arouse my
+passions and then leave me to despair."
+
+"What could you have seen? I don't know what you are talking about."
+
+"May be, but know that I have seen all your charms. What shall I do to
+possess you?"
+
+"To possess me? I don't understand you, sir; I'm an honest girl."
+
+"I dare say; but you wouldn't be any less honest after making me happy.
+Dear Redegonde, do not let me languish for you, but tell me my fate now
+this instant."
+
+"I do not know what to tell you, but you can come and see me whenever you
+like."
+
+"When shall I find you alone?"
+
+"Alone! I am never alone."
+
+"Well, well, that's of no consequence; if only your mother is present,
+that comes to the same thing. If she is sensible, she will pretend not to
+see anything, and I will give you a hundred ducats each time."
+
+"You are either a madman, or you do not know what sort of people we are."
+
+With these words she went on, and I proceeded to tell Therese what had
+passed.
+
+"Begin," said she, "by offering the hundred ducats to the mother, and if
+she refuses, have no more to do with them, and go elsewhere."
+
+I returned to the dressing-room, where I found the mother alone, and
+without any ceremony spoke as follows:--
+
+"Good evening, madam, I am a stranger here; I am only staying a week, and
+I am in love with your daughter. If you like to be obliging, bring her to
+sup with me. I will give you a hundred sequins each time, so you see my
+purse is in your power."
+
+"Whom do you think you are talking to, sir? I am astonished at your
+impudence. Ask the townsfolk what sort of character I bear, and whether
+my daughter is an honest girl or not! and you will not make such
+proposals again."
+
+"Good-bye, madam."
+
+"Good-bye, sir."
+
+As I went out I met Redegonde, and I told her word for word the
+conversation I had had with her mother. She burst out laughing.
+
+"Have I done well or ill?" said I.
+
+"Well enough, but if you love me come and see me."
+
+"See you after what your mother said?"
+
+"Well, why not, who knows of it?"
+
+"Who knows? You don't know me, Redegonde. I do not care to indulge myself
+in idle hopes, and I thought I had spoken to you plainly enough."
+
+Feeling angry, and vowing to have no more to do with this strange girl, I
+supped with Therese, and spent three delightful hours with her. I had a
+great deal of writing to do the next day and kept in doors, and in the
+evening I had a visit from the young Corticelli, her mother and brother.
+She begged me to keep my promise regarding the manager of the theatre,
+who would not let her dance the 'pas de deux' stipulated for in the
+agreement.
+
+"Come and breakfast with me to-morrow morning," said I, "and I will speak
+to the Israelite in your presence--at least I will do so if he comes."
+
+"I love you very much," said the young wanton, "can't I stop a little
+longer here."
+
+"You may stop as long as you like, but as I have got some letters to
+finish, I must ask you to excuse my entertaining you."
+
+"Oh! just as you please."
+
+I told Costa to give her some supper.
+
+I finished my letters and felt inclined for a little amusement, so I made
+the girl sit by me and proceeded to toy with her, but in such a way that
+her mother could make no objection. All at once the brother came up and
+tried to join in the sport, much to my astonishment.
+
+"Get along with you," said I, "you are not a girl."
+
+At this the young scoundrel proceeded to shew me his sex, but in such an
+indecent fashion that his sister, who was sitting on my knee, burst out
+laughing and took refuge with her mother, who was sitting at the other
+end of the room in gratitude for the good supper I had given her. I rose
+from my chair, and after giving the impudent pederast a box on the ear I
+asked the mother with what intentions she had brought the young rascal to
+my house. By way of reply the infamous woman said,--
+
+"He's a pretty lad, isn't he?"
+
+I gave him a ducat for the blow I had given him, and told the mother to
+begone, as she disgusted me. The pathic took my ducat, kissed my hand,
+and they all departed.
+
+I went to bed feeling amused at the incident, and wondering at the
+wickedness of a mother who would prostitute her own son to the basest of
+vices.
+
+Next morning I sent and asked the Jew to call on me. The Corticelli came
+with her mother, and the Jew soon after, just as we were going to
+breakfast.
+
+I proceeded to explain the grievance of the young dancer, and I read the
+agreement he had made with her, telling him politely that I could easily
+force him to fulfil it. The Jew put in several excuses, of which the
+Corticelli demonstrated the futility. At last the son of Judah was forced
+to give in, and promised to speak to the ballet-master the same day, in
+order that she might dance the 'pas' with the actor she named.
+
+"And that, I hope, will please your excellency," he added, with a low
+bow, which is not often a proof of sincerity, especially among Jews.
+
+When my guests had taken leave I went to the Abbe Gama, to dine with
+Marshal Botta who had asked us to dinner. I made the acquaintance there
+of Sir Mann, the English ambassador, who was the idol of Florence, very
+rich, of the most pleasing manners although an Englishman; full of wit,
+taste, and a great lover of the fine arts. He invited me to come next day
+and see his house and garden. In this home he had made--furniture,
+pictures, choice books--all shewed the man of genius. He called on me,
+asked me to dinner, and had the politeness to include Therese, her
+husband, and Cesarino in the invitation. After dinner my son sat down at
+the clavier and delighted the company by his exquisite playing. While we
+were talking of likenesses, Sir Mann shewed us some miniatures of great
+beauty.
+
+Before leaving, Therese told me that she had been thinking seriously of
+me.
+
+"In what respect?" I asked.
+
+"I have told Redegonde that I am going to call for her, that I will keep
+her to supper, and have her taken home. You must see that this last
+condition is properly carried out. Come to supper too, and have your
+carriage in waiting. I leave the rest to you. You will only be a few
+minutes with her, but that's something; and the first step leads far."
+
+"An excellent plan. I will sup with you, and my carriage shall be ready.
+I will tell you all about it to-morrow."
+
+I went to the house at nine o'clock, and was welcomed as an unexpected
+guest. I told Redegonde that I was glad to meet her, and she replied that
+she had not hoped to have the pleasure of seeing me. Redegonde was the
+only one who had any appetite; she ate capitally, and laughed merrily at
+the stories I told her.
+
+After supper Therese asked her if she would like to have a sedan-chair
+sent for, or if she would prefer to be taken back in my carriage.
+
+"If the gentleman will be so kind," said she, "I need not send for a
+chair."
+
+I thought this reply of such favourable omen that I no longer doubted of
+my success. After she had wished the others good night, she took my arm,
+pressing it as she did so; we went down the stairs, and she got into the
+carriage. I got in after her, and on attempting to sit down I found the
+place taken.
+
+"Who is that?" I cried.
+
+Redegonde burst out laughing, and informed me it was her mother.
+
+I was done; I could not summon up courage to pass it off as a jest. Such
+a shock makes a man stupid; for a moment it numbs all the mental
+faculties, and wounded self-esteem only gives place to anger.
+
+I sat down on the front seat and coldly asked the mother why she had not
+come up to supper with us. When the carriage stopped at their door, she
+asked me to come in, but I told her I would rather not. I felt that for a
+little more I would have boxed her ears, and the man at the house door
+looked very like a cut-throat.
+
+I felt enraged and excited physically as well as mentally, and though I
+had never been to see the Corticelli, told the coachman to drive there
+immediately, as I felt sure of finding her well disposed. Everybody was
+gone to bed. I knocked at the door till I got an answer, I gave my name,
+and I was let in, everything being in total darkness. The mother told me
+she would light a candle, and that if she had expected me she would have
+waited up in spite of the cold. I felt as if I were in the middle of an
+iceberg. I heard the girl laughing, and going up to the bed and passing
+my hand over it I came across some plain tokens of the masculine gender.
+I had got hold of her brother. In the meanwhile the mother had got a
+candle, and I saw the girl with the bedclothes up to her chin, for, like
+her brother, she was as naked as my hand. Although no Puritan, I was
+shocked.
+
+"Why do you allow this horrible union?" I said to the mother.
+
+"What harm is there? They are brother and sister."
+
+"That's just what makes it a criminal matter."
+
+"Everything is perfectly innocent."
+
+"Possibly; but it's not a good plan."
+
+The pathic escaped from the bed and crept into his mother's, while the
+little wanton told me there was really no harm, as they only loved each
+other as brother and sister, and that if I wanted her to sleep by herself
+all I had to do was to get her a new bed. This speech, delivered with
+arch simplicity, in her Bolognese jargon, made me laugh with all my
+heart, for in the violence of her gesticulations she had disclosed half
+her charms, and I saw nothing worth looking at. In spite of that, it was
+doubtless decreed that I should fall in love with her skin, for that was
+all she had.
+
+If I had been alone I should have brought matters to a crisis on the
+spot, but I had a distaste to the presence of her mother and her
+scoundrelly brother. I was afraid lest some unpleasant scenes might
+follow. I gave her ten ducats to buy a bed, said good night, and left the
+house. I returned to my lodging, cursing the too scrupulous mothers of
+the opera girls.
+
+I passed the whole of the next morning with Sir Mann, in his gallery,
+which contained some exquisite paintings, sculptures, mosaics, and
+engraved gems. On leaving him, I called on Therese and informed her of my
+misadventure of the night before. She laughed heartily at my story, and I
+laughed too, in spite of a feeling of anger due to my wounded
+self-esteem.
+
+"You must console yourself," said she; "you will not find much difficulty
+in filling the place in your affections."
+
+"Ah! why are you married?"
+
+"Well, it's done; and there's no helping it. But listen to me. As you
+can't do without someone, take up with the Corticelli; she's as good as
+any other woman, and won't keep you waiting long."
+
+On my return to my lodging, I found the Abbe Gama, whom I had invited to
+dinner, and he asked me if I would accept a post to represent Portugal at
+the approaching European Congress at Augsburg. He told me that if I did
+the work well, I could get anything I liked at Lisbon.
+
+"I am ready to do my best," said I; "you have only to write to me, and I
+will tell you where to direct your letters." This proposal made me long
+to become a diplomatist.
+
+In the evening I went to the opera-house and spoke to the ballet-master,
+the dancer who was to take part in the 'pas de deux', and to the Jew, who
+told me that my protegee should be satisfied in two or three days, and
+that she should perform her favourite 'pas' for the rest of the carnival.
+I saw the Corticelli, who told me she had got her bed, and asked me to
+come to supper. I accepted the invitation, and when the opera was over I
+went to her house.
+
+Her mother, feeling sure that I would pay the bill, had ordered an
+excellent supper for four, and several flasks of the best Florence wine.
+Besides that, she gave me a bottle of the wine called Oleatico, which I
+found excellent. The three Corticellis unaccustomed to good fare and
+wine, ate like a troop, and began to get intoxicated. The mother and son
+went to bed without ceremony, and the little wanton invited me to follow
+their example. I should have liked to do so, but I did not dare. It was
+very cold and there was no fire in the room, there was only one blanket
+on the bed, and I might have caught a bad cold, and I was too fond of my
+good health to expose myself to such a danger. I therefore satisfied
+myself by taking her on my knee, and after a few preliminaries she
+abandoned herself to my transports, endeavouring to persuade me that I
+had got her maidenhead. I pretended to believe her, though I cared very
+little whether it were so or not.
+
+I left her after I had repeated the dose three or four times, and gave
+her fifty sequins, telling her to get a good wadded coverlet and a large
+brazier, as I wanted to sleep with her the next night.
+
+Next morning I received an extremely interesting letter from Grenoble. M.
+de Valenglard informed me that the fair Mdlle. Roman, feeling convinced
+that her horoscope would never come true unless she went to Paris, had
+gone to the capital with her aunt.
+
+Her destiny was a strange one; it depended on the liking I had taken to
+her and my aversion to marriage, for it lay in my power to have married
+the handsomest woman in France, and in that case it is not likely that
+she would have become the mistress of Louis XV. What strange whim could
+have made me indicate in her horoscope the necessity of her journeying to
+Paris; for even if there were such a science as astrology I was no
+astrologer; in fine, her destiny depended on my absurd fancy. And in
+history, what a number of extraordinary events would never have happened
+if they had not been predicted!
+
+In the evening I went to the theatre, and found my Corticelli clad in a
+pretty cloak, while the other girls looked at me contemptuously, for they
+were enraged at the place being taken; while the proud favourite caressed
+me with an air of triumph which became her to admiration.
+
+In the evening I found a good supper awaiting me, a large brazier on the
+hearth, and a warm coverlet on the bed. The mother shewed me all the
+things her daughter had bought, and complained that she had not got any
+clothes for her brother. I made her happy by giving her a few louis.
+
+When I went to bed I did not find my mistress in any amorous transports,
+but in a wanton and merry mood. She made me laugh, and as she let me do
+as I liked I was satisfied. I gave her a watch when I left her, and
+promised to sup with her on the following night. She was to have danced
+the pas de deux, and I went to see her do it, but to my astonishment she
+only danced with the other girls.
+
+When I went to supper I found her in despair. She wept and said that I
+must avenge her on the Jew, who had excused himself by putting the fault
+on somebody else, but that he was a liar. I promised everything to quiet
+her, and after spending several hours in her company I returned home,
+determined to give the Jew a bad quarter of an hour. Next morning I sent
+Costa to ask him to call on me, but the rascal sent back word that he was
+not coming, and if the Corticelli did not like his theatre she might try
+another.
+
+I was indignant, but I knew that I must dissemble, so I only laughed.
+Nevertheless, I had pronounced his doom, for an Italian never forgets to
+avenge himself on his enemy; he knows it is the pleasure of the gods.
+
+As soon as Costa had left the room, I called Le Duc and told him the
+story, saying that if I did not take vengeance I should be dishonoured,
+and that it was only he who could procure the scoundrel a good thrashing
+for daring to insult me.
+
+"But you know, Le Duc, the affair must be kept secret."
+
+"I only want twenty-four hours to give you an answer."
+
+I knew what he meant, and I was satisfied.
+
+Next morning Le Duc told me he had spent the previous day in learning the
+Jew's abode and habits, without asking anybody any questions.
+
+"To-day I will not let him go out of my sight. I shall find out at what
+hour he returns home, and to-morrow you shall know the results."
+
+"Be discreet," said I, "and don't let anybody into your plans."
+
+"Not I!"
+
+Next day, he told me that if the Jew came home at the same time and by
+the same way as before, he would have a thrashing before he got to bed.
+
+"Whom have you chosen for this expedition?"
+
+"Myself. These affairs ought to be kept secret, and a secret oughtn't to
+be known to more than two people. I am sure that everything will turn out
+well, but when you are satisfied that the ass's hide has been well
+tanned, will there be anything to be picked up?"
+
+"Twenty-five sequins."
+
+"That will do nicely. When I have done the trick I shall put on my great
+coat again and return by the back door. If necessary Costa himself will
+be able to swear that I did not leave the house, and that therefore I
+cannot have committed the assault. However, I shall put my pistols in my
+pocket in case of accidents, and if anybody tries to arrest me I shall
+know how to defend myself."
+
+Next morning he came coolly into my room while Costa was putting on my
+dressing-gown, and when we were alone he said,--
+
+"The thing's done. Instead of the Jew's running away when he received the
+first blow he threw himself on to the ground. Then I tanned his skin for
+him nicely, but on hearing some people coming up I ran off. I don't know
+whether I did for him, but I gave him two sturdy blows on the head. I
+should be sorry if he were killed, as then he could not see about the
+dance."
+
+This jest did not arouse my mirth; the matter promised to be too serious.
+
+Therese had asked me to dine with the Abbe Gama and M. Sassi, a worthy
+man, if one may prostitute the name of man to describe a being whom
+cruelty has separated from the rest of humanity; he was the first
+castrato of the opera. Of course the Jew's mishap was discussed.
+
+"I am sorry for him," said I, "though he is a rascally fellow."
+
+"I am not at all sorry for him myself," said Sassi, "he's a knave."
+
+"I daresay that everybody will be putting down his wooden baptism to my
+account."
+
+"No," said the abbe, "people say that M. Casanova did the deed for good
+reasons of his own."
+
+"It will be difficult to pitch on the right man," I answered, "the rascal
+has pushed so many worthy people to extremities that he must have a great
+many thrashings owing him."
+
+The conversation then passed to other topics, and we had a very pleasant
+dinner.
+
+In a few days the Jew left his bed with a large plaster on his nose, and
+although I was generally regarded as the author of his misfortune the
+matter was gradually allowed to drop, as there were only vague suspicions
+to go upon. But the Corticelli, in an ecstasy of joy, was stupid enough
+to talk as if she were sure it was I who had avenged her, and she got
+into a rage when I would not admit the deed; but, as may be guessed, I
+was not foolish enough to do so, as her imprudence might have been a
+hanging matter for me.
+
+I was well enough amused at Florence, and had no thoughts of leaving,
+when one day Vannini gave me a letter which someone had left for me. I
+opened it in his presence, and found it contained a bill of exchange for
+two hundred Florentine crowns on Sasso Sassi. Vannini looked at it and
+told me it was a good one. I went into my room to read the letter, and I
+was astonished to find it signed "Charles Ivanoff." He dated it from
+Pistoia, and told me that in his poverty and misfortune he had appealed
+to an Englishman who was leaving Florence for Lucca, and had generously
+given him a bill of exchange for two hundred crowns, which he had written
+in his presence. It was made payable to bearer.
+
+"I daren't cash it in Florence," said he, "as I am afraid of being
+arrested for my unfortunate affair at Genoa. I entreat you, then, to have
+pity on me, to get the bill cashed, and to bring me the money here, that
+I may pay my landlord and go."
+
+It looked like a very simple matter, but I might get into trouble, for
+the note might be forged; and even if it were not I should be declaring
+myself a friend or a correspondent, at all events, of a man who had been
+posted. In this dilemma I took the part of taking the bill of exchange to
+him in person. I went to the posting establishment, hired two horses, and
+drove to Pistoia. The landlord himself took me to the rascal's room, and
+left me alone with him.
+
+I did not stay more than three minutes, and all I said was that as Sassi
+knew me I did not wish him to think that there was any kind of connection
+between us.
+
+"I advise you," I said, "to give the bill to your landlord, who will cash
+it at M. Sassi's and bring you your change."
+
+"I will follow your advice," he said, and I therewith returned to
+Florence.
+
+I thought no more of it, but in two days' time I received a visit from M.
+Sassi and the landlord of the inn at Pistoia. The banker shewed me the
+bill of exchange, and said that the person who had given it me had
+deceived me, as it was not in the writing of the Englishman whose name it
+bore, and that even if it were, the Englishman not having any money with
+Sassi could not draw a bill of exchange.
+
+"The inn-keeper here," said he, "discounted the bill, the Russian has
+gone off, and when I told him that it was a forgery he said that he knew
+Charles Ivanoff had it of you, and that thus he had made no difficulty in
+cashing it; but now he wants you to return him two hundred crowns."
+
+"Then he will be disappointed!"
+
+I told all the circumstances of the affair to Sassi; I shewed him the
+rascal's letter; I made Dr. Vannini, who had given it me, come up, and he
+said he was ready to swear that he had seen me take the bill of exchange
+out of the letter, that he had examined it, and had thought it good.
+
+On this the banker told the inn-keeper that he had no business to ask me
+to pay him the money; but he persisted in his demand, and dared to say
+that I was an accomplice of the Russian's.
+
+In my indignation I ran for my cane, but the banker held me by the arm,
+and the impertinent fellow made his escape without a thrashing.
+
+"You had a right to be angry," said M. Sassi, "but you must not take any
+notice of what the poor fellow says in his blind rage."
+
+He shook me by the hand and went out.
+
+Next day the chief of police, called the auditor at Florence, sent me a
+note begging me to call on him. There was no room for hesitation, for as
+a stranger I felt that I might look on this invitation as an intimation.
+He received me very politely, but he said I should have to repay the
+landlord his two hundred crowns, as he would not have discounted the bill
+if he had not seen me bring it. I replied that as a judge he could not
+condemn me unless he thought me the Russian's accomplice, but instead of
+answering he repeated that I would have to pay.
+
+"Sir," I replied, "I will not pay."
+
+He rang the bell and bowed, and I left him, walking towards the banker's,
+to whom I imparted the conversation I had had from the auditor. He was
+extremely astonished, and at my request called on him to try and make him
+listen to reason. As we parted I told him that I was dining with the Abbe
+Gama.
+
+When I saw the abbe I told him what had happened, and he uttered a loud
+exclamation of astonishment.
+
+"I foresee," he said, "that the auditor will not let go his hold, and if
+M. Sassi does not succeed with him I advise you to speak to Marshal
+Botta."
+
+"I don't think that will be necessary; the auditor can't force me to
+pay."
+
+"He can do worse."
+
+"What can he do?".
+
+"He can make you leave Florence."
+
+"Well, I shall be astonished if he uses his power in this case, but
+rather than pay I will leave the town. Let us go to the marshal."
+
+We called on him at four o'clock, and we found the banker there, who had
+told him the whole story.
+
+"I am sorry to tell you," said M. Sassi, "that I could do nothing with
+the auditor, and if you want to remain in Florence you will have to pay."
+
+"I will leave as soon as I receive the order," said I; "and as soon as I
+reach another state I will print the history of this shameful perversion
+of justice."
+
+"It's an incredible, a monstrous sentence," said the marshal, "and I am
+sorry I cannot interfere. You are quite right," he added, "to leave the
+place rather than pay."
+
+Early the next morning a police official brought me a letter from the
+auditor, informing me that as he could not, from the nature of the case,
+oblige me to pay, he was forced to warn me to leave Florence in three
+days, and Tuscany in seven. This, he added, he did in virtue of his
+office; but whenever the Grand Duke, to whom I might appeal, had quashed
+his judgment I might return.
+
+I took a piece of paper and wrote upon it, "Your judgment is an
+iniquitous one, but it shall be obeyed to the letter."
+
+At that moment I gave orders to pack up and have all in readiness for my
+departure. I spent three days of respite in amusing myself with Therese.
+I also saw the worthy Sir Mann, and I promised the Corticelli to fetch
+her in Lent, and spend some time with her in Bologna. The Abbe Gama did
+not leave my side for three days, and shewed himself my true friend. It
+was a kind of triumph for me; on every side I heard regrets at my
+departure, and curses of the auditor. The Marquis Botta seemed to approve
+my conduct by giving me a dinner, the table being laid for thirty, and
+the company being composed of the most distinguished people in Florence.
+This was a delicate attention on his part, of which I was very sensible.
+
+I consecrated the last day to Therese, but I could not find any
+opportunity to ask her for a last consoling embrace, which she would not
+have refused me under the circumstances, and which I should still fondly
+remember. We promised to write often to one another, and we embraced each
+other in a way to make her husband's heart ache. Next day I started on my
+journey, and got to Rome in thirty-six hours.
+
+It was midnight when I passed under the Porta del Popolo, for one may
+enter the Eternal City at any time. I was then taken to the custom-house,
+which is always open, and my mails were examined. The only thing they are
+strict about at Rome is books, as if they feared the light. I had about
+thirty volumes, all more or less against the Papacy, religion, or the
+virtues inculcated thereby. I had resolved to surrender them without any
+dispute, as I felt tired and wanted to go to bed, but the clerk told me
+politely to count them and leave them in his charge for the night, and he
+would bring them to my hotel in the morning. I did so, and he kept his
+word. He was well enough pleased when he touched the two sequins with
+which I rewarded him.
+
+I put up at the Ville de Paris, in the Piazza di Spagna. It is the best
+inn in the town. All the world, I found, was drowned in sleep, but when
+they let me in they asked me to wait on the ground floor while a fire was
+lighted in my room. All the seats were covered with dresses, petticoats,
+and chemises, and I heard a small feminine voice begging me to sit on her
+bed. I approached and saw a laughing mouth, and two black eyes shining
+like carbuncles.
+
+"What splendid eyes!" said I, "let me kiss them."
+
+By way of reply she hid her head under the coverlet, and I slid a hasty
+hand under the sheets; but finding her quite naked, I drew it back and
+begged pardon. She put out her head again, and I thought I read gratitude
+for my moderation in her eyes.
+
+"Who are you, my angel?"
+
+"I am Therese, the inn-keeper's daughter, and this is my sister." There
+was another girl beside her, whom I had not seen, as her head was under
+the bolster.
+
+"How old are you?"
+
+"Nearly seventeen."
+
+"I hope I shall see you in my room to-morrow morning."
+
+"Have you any ladies with you?"
+
+"No."
+
+"That's a pity, as we never go to the gentlemen's rooms."
+
+"Lower the coverlet a little; I can't hear what you say."
+
+"It's too cold."
+
+"Dear Therese, your eyes make me feel as if I were in flames."
+
+She put back her head at this, and I grew daring, and after sundry
+experiments I was more than ever charmed with her. I caressed her in a
+somewhat lively manner, and drew back my hand, again apologizing for my
+daring, and when she let me see her face I thought I saw delight rather
+than anger in her eyes and on her cheeks, and I felt hopeful with regard
+to her. I was just going to begin again, for I felt on fire; when a
+handsome chambermaid came to tell me that my room was ready and my fire
+lighted.
+
+"Farewell till to-morrow," said I to Therese, but she only answered by
+turning on her side to go to sleep.
+
+I went to bed after ordering dinner for one o'clock, and I slept till
+noon, dreaming of Therese. When I woke up, Costa told me that he had
+found out where my brother lived, and had left a note at the house. This
+was my brother Jean, then about thirty, and a pupil of the famous Raphael
+Mengs. This painter was then deprived of his pension on account of a war
+which obliged the King of Poland to live at Warsaw, as the Prussians
+occupied the whole electorate of Saxe. I had not seen my brother for ten
+years, and I kept our meeting as a holiday. I was sitting down to table
+when he came, and we embraced each other with transport. We spent an hour
+in telling, he his small adventures, and I my grand ones, and he told me
+that I should not stay at the hotel, which was too dear, but come and
+live at the Chevalier Mengs's house, which contained an empty room, where
+I could stay at a much cheaper rate.
+
+"As to your table, there is a restaurant in the house where one can get a
+capital meal."
+
+"Your advice is excellent," said I, "but I have not the courage to follow
+it, as I am in love with my landlord's daughter;" and I told him what had
+happened the night before.
+
+"That's a mere nothing," said he, laughing; "you can cultivate her
+acquaintance without staying in the house."
+
+I let myself be persuaded, and I promised to come to him the following
+day; and then we proceeded to take a walk about Rome.
+
+I had many interesting memories of my last visit, and I wanted to renew
+my acquaintance with those who had interested me at that happy age when
+such impressions are so durable because they touch the heart rather than
+the mind; but I had to make up my mind to a good many disappointments,
+considering the space of time that had elapsed since I had been in Rome.
+
+I went to the Minerva to find Donna Cecilia; she was no more in this
+world. I found out where her daughter Angelica lived, and I went to see
+her, but she gave me a poor reception, and said that she really scarcely
+remembered me.
+
+"I can say the same," I replied, "for you are not the Angelica I used to
+know. Good-bye, madam!"
+
+The lapse of time had not improved her personal appearance. I found out
+also where the printer's son, who had married Barbaruccia, lived, but--I
+put off the pleasure of seeing him till another time, and also my visit
+to the Reverend Father Georgi, who was a man of great repute in Rome.
+Gaspar Vivaldi had gone into the country.
+
+My brother took me to Madame Cherubini. I found her mansion to be a
+splendid one, and the lady welcomed me in the Roman manner. I thought her
+pleasant and her daughters still more so, but I thought the crowd of
+lovers too large and too miscellaneous. There was too much luxury and
+ceremony, and the girls, one of whom was as fair as Love himself, were
+too polite to everybody. An interesting question was put to me, to which
+I answered in such a manner as to elicit another question, but to no
+purpose. I saw that the rank of my brother, who had introduced me,
+prevented my being thought a person of any consequence, and on hearing an
+abbe say, "He's Casanova's brother," I turned to him and said,--
+
+"That's not correct; you should say Casanova's my brother."
+
+"That comes to the same thing."
+
+"Not at all, my dear abbe."
+
+I said these words in a tone which commanded attention, and another abbe
+said,--
+
+"The gentleman is quite right; it does not come to the same thing."
+
+The first abbe made no reply to this. The one who had taken my part, and
+was my friend from that moment, was the famous Winckelmann, who was
+unhappily assassinated at Trieste twelve years afterwards.
+
+While I was talking to him, Cardinal Alexander Albani arrived.
+Winckelmann presented me to his eminence, who was nearly blind. He talked
+to me a great deal, without saying anything worth listening to. As soon
+as he heard that I was the Casanova who had escaped from The Leads, he
+said in a somewhat rude tone that he wondered I had the hardihood to come
+to Rome, where on the slightest hint from the State Inquisitors at Venice
+an 'ordine sanctissimo' would re-consign me to my prison. I was annoyed
+by this unseemly remark, and replied in a dignified voice,--
+
+"It is not my hardihood in coming to Rome that your eminence should
+wonder at, but a man of any sense would wonder at the Inquisitors if they
+had the hardihood to issue an 'ordine sanctissimo' against me; for they
+would be perplexed to allege any crime in me as a pretext for thus
+infamously depriving me of my liberty."
+
+This reply silenced his eminence. He was ashamed at having taken me for a
+fool, and to see that I thought him one. Shortly after I left and never
+set foot in that house again.
+
+The Abbe Winckelmann went out with my brother and myself, and as he came
+with me to my hotel he did me the honour of staying to supper.
+Winckelmann was the second volume of the celebrated Abbe de Voisenon. He
+called for me next day, and we went to Villa Albani to see the Chevalier
+Mengs, who was then living there and painting a ceiling.
+
+My landlord Roland (who knew my brother) paid me a visit at supper.
+Roland came from Avignon and was fond of good living. I told him I was
+sorry to be leaving him to stay with my brother, because I had fallen in
+love with his daughter Therese, although I had only spoken to her for a
+few minutes, and had only seen her head.
+
+"You saw her in bed, I will bet!"
+
+"Exactly, and I should very much like to see the rest of her. Would you
+be so kind as to ask her to step up for a few minutes?"
+
+"With all my heart."
+
+She came upstairs, seeming only too glad to obey her father's summons.
+She had a lithe, graceful figure, her eyes were of surpassing brilliancy,
+her features exquisite, her mouth charming; but taken altogether I did
+not like her so well as before. In return, my poor brother became
+enamoured of her to such an extent that he ended by becoming her slave.
+He married her next year, and two years afterwards he took her to
+Dresden. I saw her five years later with a pretty baby; but after ten
+years of married life she died of consumption.
+
+I found Mengs at the Villa Albani; he was an indefatigable worker, and
+extremely original in his conceptions. He welcomed me, and said he was
+glad to be able to lodge me at his house in Rome, and that he hoped to
+return home himself in a few days, with his whole family.
+
+I was astonished with the Villa Albani. It had been built by Cardinal
+Alexander, and had been wholly constructed from antique materials to
+satisfy the cardinal's love for classic art; not only the statues and the
+vases, but the columns, the pedestals--in fact, everything was Greek. He
+was a Greek himself, and had a perfect knowledge of antique work, and had
+contrived to spend comparatively little money compared with the
+masterpiece he had produced. If a sovereign monarch had had a villa like
+the cardinal's built, it would have cost him fifty million francs, but
+the cardinal made a much cheaper bargain.
+
+As he could not get any ancient ceilings, he was obliged to have them
+painted, and Mengs was undoubtedly the greatest and the most laborious
+painter of his age. It is a great pity that death carried him off in the
+midst of his career, as otherwise he would have enriched the stores of
+art with numerous masterpieces. My brother never did anything to justify
+his title of pupil of this great artist. When I come to my visit to Spain
+in 1767, I shall have some more to say about Mengs.
+
+As soon as I was settled with my brother I hired a carriage, a coachman,
+and a footman, whom I put into fancy livery, and I called on Monsignor
+Cornaro, auditor of the 'rota', with the intention of making my way into
+good society, but fearing lest he as a Venetian might get compromised, he
+introduced me to Cardinal Passionei, who spoke of me to the sovereign
+pontiff.
+
+Before I pass on to anything else, I will inform my readers of what took
+place on the occasion of my second visit to this old cardinal, a great
+enemy of the Jesuits, a wit, and man of letters.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Adventures In The South: Return to
+Italy, by Jacques Casanova de Seingalt
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