MEMOIRS OF JACQUES CASANOVA de SEINGALT 1725-1798

VENETIAN YEARS, Volume 1b--A CLERIC IN NAPLES

THE RARE UNABRIDGED LONDON EDITION OF 1894 TRANSLATED BY ARTHUR MACHEN TOWHICH HAS BEEN ADDED THE CHAPTERS DISCOVERED BY ARTHUR SYMONS. 

A CLERIC IN NAPLES

CHAPTER VIII

My Misfortunes in Chiozza--Father Stephano--The Lazzaretto at Ancona--TheGreek Slave--My Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Loretto--I Go to Rome on Foot, and From Rome to Naples to Meet the Bishop--I Cannot Join Him--Good LuckOffers Me the Means of Reaching Martorano, Which Place I Very QuicklyLeave to Return to Naples

The retinue of the ambassador, which was styled "grand, " appeared to mevery small. It was composed of a Milanese steward, named Carcinelli, of apriest who fulfilled the duties of secretary because he could not write, of an old woman acting as housekeeper, of a man cook with his ugly wife, and eight or ten servants. 

We reached Chiozza about noon. Immediately after landing, I politelyasked the steward where I should put up, and his answer was:

"Wherever you please, provided you let this man know where it is, so thathe can give you notice when the peotta is ready to sail. My duty, " headded, "is to leave you at the lazzaretto of Ancona free of expense fromthe moment we leave this place. Until then enjoy yourself as well as youcan. "

The man to whom I was to give my address was the captain of the peotta. Iasked him to recommend me a lodging. 

"You can come to my house, " he said, "if you have no objection to share alarge bed with the cook, whose wife remains on board. "

Unable to devise any better plan, I accepted the offer, and a sailor, carrying my trunk, accompanied me to the dwelling of the honest captain. My trunk had to be placed under the bed which filled up the room. I wasamused at this, for I was not in a position to be over-fastidious, and, after partaking of some dinner at the inn, I went about the town. Chiozzais a peninsula, a sea-port belonging to Venice, with a population of tenthousand inhabitants, seamen, fishermen, merchants, lawyers, andgovernment clerks. 

I entered a coffee-room, and I had scarcely taken a seat when a youngdoctor-at-law, with whom I had studied in Padua, came up to me, andintroduced me to a druggist whose shop was near by, saying that his housewas the rendezvous of all the literary men of the place. A few minutesafterwards, a tall Jacobin friar, blind of one eye, called Corsini, whomI had known in Venice, came in and paid me many compliments. He told methat I had arrived just in time to go to a picnic got up by the Macaronicacademicians for the next day, after a sitting of the academy in whichevery member was to recite something of his composition. He invited me tojoin them, and to gratify the meeting with the delivery of one of myproductions. I accepted the invitation, and, after the reading of tenstanzas which I had written for the occasion, I was unanimously elected amember. My success at the picnic was still greater, for I disposed ofsuch a quantity of macaroni that I was found worthy of the title ofprince of the academy. 

The young doctor, himself one of the academicians, introduced me to hisfamily. His parents, who were in easy circumstances, received me verykindly. One of his sisters was very amiable, but the other, a professednun, appeared to me a prodigy of beauty. I might have enjoyed myself in avery agreeable way in the midst of that charming family during my stay inChiozza, but I suppose that it was my destiny to meet in that place withnothing but sorrows. The young doctor forewarned me that the monk Corsiniwas a very worthless fellow, despised by everybody, and advised me toavoid him. I thanked him for the information, but my thoughtlessnessprevented me from profiting by it. Of a very easy disposition, and toogiddy to fear any snares, I was foolish enough to believe that the monkwould, on the contrary, be the very man to throw plenty of amusement inmy way. 

On the third day the worthless dog took me to a house of ill-fame, whereI might have gone without his introduction, and, in order to shew mymettle, I obliged a low creature whose ugliness ought to have been asufficient antidote against any fleshly desire. On leaving the place, hebrought me for supper to an inn where we met four scoundrels of his ownstamp. After supper one of them began a bank of faro, and I was invitedto join in the game. I gave way to that feeling of false pride which sooften causes the ruin of young men, and after losing four sequins Iexpressed a wish to retire, but my honest friend, the Jacobin contrivedto make me risk four more sequins in partnership with him. He held thebank, and it was broken. I did not wish to play any more, but Corsini, feigning to pity me and to feel great sorrow at being the cause of myloss, induced me to try myself a bank of twenty-five sequins; my bank waslikewise broken. The hope of winning back my money made me keep up thegame, and I lost everything I had. 

Deeply grieved, I went away and laid myself down near the cook, who wokeup and said I was a libertine. 

"You are right, " was all I could answer. 

I was worn out with fatigue and sorrow, and I slept soundly. My viletormentor, the monk, woke me at noon, and informed me with a triumphantjoy that a very rich young man had been invited by his friends to supper, that he would be sure to play and to lose, and that it would be a goodopportunity for me to retrieve my losses. 

"I have lost all my money. Lend me twenty sequins. "

"When I lend money I am sure to lose; you may call it superstition, but Ihave tried it too often. Try to find money somewhere else, and come. Farewell. "

I felt ashamed to confess my position to my friend, and sending for, amoney-lender I emptied my trunk before him. We made an inventory of myclothes, and the honest broker gave me thirty sequins, with theunderstanding that if I did not redeem them within three days all mythings would become his property. I am bound to call him an honest man, for he advised me to keep three shirts, a few pairs of stockings, and afew handkerchiefs; I was disposed to let him take everything, having apresentiment that I would win back all I had lost; a very common error. Afew years later I took my revenge by writing a diatribe againstpresentiments. I am of opinion that the only foreboding in which man canhave any sort of faith is the one which forbodes evil, because it comesfrom the mind, while a presentiment of happiness has its origin in theheart, and the heart is a fool worthy of reckoning foolishly upon ficklefortune. 

I did not lose any time in joining the honest company, which was alarmedat the thought of not seeing me. Supper went off without any allusion togambling, but my admirable qualities were highly praised, and it wasdecided that a brilliant fortune awaited me in Rome. After supper therewas no talk of play, but giving way to my evil genius I loudly asked formy revenge. I was told that if I would take the bank everyone would punt. I took the bank, lost every sequin I had, and retired, begging the monkto pay what I owed to the landlord, which he promised to do. 

I was in despair, and to crown my misery I found out as I was going homethat I had met the day before with another living specimen of the Greekwoman, less beautiful but as perfidious. I went to bed stunned by mygrief, and I believe that I must have fainted into a heavy sleep, whichlasted eleven hours; my awaking was that of a miserable being, hating thelight of heaven, of which he felt himself unworthy, and I closed my eyesagain, trying to sleep for a little while longer. I dreaded to rousemyself up entirely, knowing that I would then have to take some decision;but I never once thought of returning to Venice, which would have beenthe very best thing to do, and I would have destroyed myself rather thanconfide my sad position to the young doctor. I was weary of my existence, and I entertained vaguely some hope of starving where I was, withoutleaving my bed. It is certain that I should not have got up if M. Alban, the master of the peotta, had not roused me by calling upon me andinforming me that the boat was ready to sail. 

The man who is delivered from great perplexity, no matter by what means, feels himself relieved. It seemed to me that Captain Alban had come topoint out the only thing I could possibly do; I dressed myself in haste, and tying all my worldly possessions in a handkerchief I went on board. Soon afterwards we left the shore, and in the morning we cast anchor inOrsara, a seaport of Istria. We all landed to visit the city, which wouldmore properly be called a village. It belongs to the Pope, the Republicof Venice having abandoned it to the Holy See. 

A young monk of the order of the Recollects who called himself FriarStephano of Belun, and had obtained a free passage from the devoutCaptain Alban, joined me as we landed and enquired whether I felt sick. 

"Reverend father, I am unhappy. "

"You will forget all your sorrow, if you will come and dine with me atthe house of one of our devout friends. "

I had not broken my fast for thirty-six hours, and having suffered muchfrom sea-sickness during the night, my stomach was quite empty. My eroticinconvenience made me very uncomfortable, my mind felt deeply theconsciousness of my degradation, and I did not possess a groat! I was insuch a miserable state that I had no strength to accept or to refuseanything. I was thoroughly torpid, and I followed the monk mechanically. 

He presented me to a lady, saying that he was accompanying me to Rome, where I intend to become a Franciscan. This untruth disgusted me, andunder any other circumstances I would not have let it pass withoutprotest, but in my actual position it struck me as rather comical. Thegood lady gave us a good dinner of fish cooked in oil, which in Orsara isdelicious, and we drank some exquisite refosco. During our meal, a priesthappened to drop in, and, after a short conversation, he told me that Iought not to pass the night on board the tartan, and pressed me to accepta bed in his house and a good dinner for the next day in case the windshould not allow us to sail; I accepted without hesitation. I offered mymost sincere thanks to the good old lady, and the priest took me all overthe town. In the evening, he brought me to his house where we partook ofan excellent supper prepared by his housekeeper, who sat down to thetable with us, and with whom I was much pleased. The refosco, stillbetter than that which I had drunk at dinner, scattered all my misery tothe wind, and I conversed gaily with the priest. He offered to read to mea poem of his own composition, but, feeling that my eyes would not keepopen, I begged he would excuse me and postpone the reading until thefollowing day. 

I went to bed, and in the morning, after ten hours of the most profoundsleep, the housekeeper, who had been watching for my awakening, broughtme some coffee. I thought her a charming woman, but, alas! I was not in afit state to prove to her the high estimation in which I held her beauty. 

Entertaining feelings of gratitude for my kind host, and disposed tolisten attentively to his poem, I dismissed all sadness, and I paid hispoetry such compliments that he was delighted, and, finding me much moretalented than he had judged me to be at first, he insisted upon treatingme to a reading of his idylls, and I had to swallow them, bearing theinfliction cheerfully. The day passed off very agreeably; the housekeepersurrounded me with the kindest attentions--a proof that she was smittenwith me; and, giving way to that pleasing idea, I felt that, by a verynatural system of reciprocity, she had made my conquest. The good priestthought that the day had passed like lightning, thanks to all thebeauties I had discovered in his poetry, which, to speak the truth, wasbelow mediocrity, but time seemed to me to drag along very slowly, because the friendly glances of the housekeeper made me long for bedtime, in spite of the miserable condition in which I felt myself morally andphysically. But such was my nature; I abandoned myself to joy andhappiness, when, had I been more reasonable, I ought to have sunk undermy grief and sadness. 

But the golden time came at last. I found the pretty housekeeper full ofcompliance, but only up to a certain point, and as she offered someresistance when I shewed myself disposed to pay a full homage to hercharms, I quietly gave up the undertaking, very well pleased for both ofus that it had not been carried any further, and I sought my couch inpeace. But I had not seen the end of the adventure, for the next morning, when she brought my coffee, her pretty, enticing manners allured me tobestow a few loving caresses upon her, and if she did not abandon herselfentirely, it was only, as she said, because she was afraid of somesurprise. The day passed off very pleasantly with the good priest, and atnight, the house-keeper no longer fearing detection, and I having on myside taken every precaution necessary in the state in which I was, wepassed two most delicious hours. I left Orsara the next morning. 

Friar Stephano amused me all day with his talk, which plainly showed mehis ignorance combined with knavery under the veil of simplicity. He mademe look at the alms he had received in Orsara--bread, wine, cheese, sausages, preserves, and chocolate; every nook and cranny of his holygarment was full of provisions. 

"Have you received money likewise?" I enquired. 

"God forbid! In the first place, our glorious order does not permit me totouch money, and, in the second place, were I to be foolish enough toreceive any when I am begging, people would think themselves quit of mewith one or two sous, whilst they dive me ten times as much in eatables. Believe me Saint-Francis, was a very judicious man. "

I bethought myself that what this monk called wealth would be poverty tome. He offered to share with me, and seemed very proud at my consentingto honour him so far. 

The tartan touched at the harbour of Pola, called Veruda, and we landed. After a walk up hill of nearly a quarter of an hour, we entered the city, and I devoted a couple of hours to visiting the Roman antiquities, whichare numerous, the town having been the metropolis of the empire. Yet Isaw no other trace of grand buildings except the ruins of the arena. Wereturned to Veruda, and went again to sea. On the following day wesighted Ancona, but the wind being against us we were compelled to tackabout, and we did not reach the port till the second day. The harbour ofAncona, although considered one of the great works of Trajan, would bevery unsafe if it were not for a causeway which has cost a great deal ofmoney, and which makes it some what better. I observed a fact worthy ofnotice, namely, that, in the Adriatic, the northern coast has manyharbours, while the opposite coast can only boast of one or two. It isevident that the sea is retiring by degrees towards the east, and that inthree or four more centuries Venice must be joined to the land. We landedat the old lazzaretto, where we received the pleasant information that wewould go through a quarantine of twenty-eight days, because Venice hadadmitted, after a quarantine of three months, the crew of two ships fromMessina, where the plague had recently been raging. I requested a roomfor myself and for Brother Stephano, who thanked me very heartily. Ihired from a Jew a bed, a table and a few chairs, promising to pay forthe hire at the expiration of our quarantine. The monk would have nothingbut straw. If he had guessed that without him I might have starved, hewould most likely not have felt so much vanity at sharing my room. Asailor, expecting to find in me a generous customer, came to enquirewhere my trunk was, and, hearing from me that I did not know, he, as wellas Captain Alban, went to a great deal of trouble to find it, and I couldhardly keep down my merriment when the captain called, begging to beexcused for having left it behind, and assuring me that he would takecare to forward it to me in less than three weeks. 

The friar, who had to remain with me four weeks, expected to live at myexpense, while, on the contrary, he had been sent by Providence to keepme. He had provisions enough for one week, but it was necessary to thinkof the future. 

After supper, I drew a most affecting picture of my position, shewingthat I should be in need of everything until my arrival at Rome, where Iwas going, I said, to fill the post of secretary of memorials, and myastonishment may be imagined when I saw the blockhead delighted at therecital of my misfortunes. 

"I undertake to take care of you until we reach Rome; only tell mewhether you can write. "

"What a question! Are you joking?"

"Why should I? Look at me; I cannot write anything but my name. True, Ican write it with either hand; and what else do I want to know?"

"You astonish me greatly, for I thought you were a priest. "

"I am a monk; I say the mass, and, as a matter of course, I must know howto read. Saint-Francis, whose unworthy son I am, could not read, an thatis the reason why he never said a mass. But as you can write, you willto-morrow pen a letter in my name to the persons whose names I will giveyou, and I warrant you we shall have enough sent here to live likefighting cocks all through our quarantine. "

The next day he made me write eight letters, because, in the oraltradition of his order, it is said that, when a monk has knocked at sevendoors and has met with a refusal at every one of them, he must apply tothe eighth with perfect confidence, because there he is certain ofreceiving alms. As he had already performed the pilgrimage to Rome, heknew every person in Ancona devoted to the cult of Saint-Francis, and wasacquainted with the superiors of all the rich convents. I had to write toevery person he named, and to set down all the lies he dictated to me. Helikewise made me sign the letters for him, saying, that, if he signedhimself, his correspondents would see that the letters had not beenwritten by him, which would injure him, for, he added, in this age ofcorruption, people will esteem only learned men. He compelled me to fillthe letters with Latin passages and quotations, even those addressed toladies, and I remonstrated in vain, for, when I raised any objection, hethreatened to leave me without anything to eat. I made up my mind to doexactly as he wished. He desired me to write to the superior of theJesuits that he would not apply to the Capuchins, because they were nobetter than atheists, and that that was the reason of the great dislikeof Saint-Francis for them. It was in vain that I reminded him of the factthat, in the time of Saint-Francis, there were neither Capuchins norRecollets. His answer was that I had proved myself an ignoramus. I firmlybelieved that he would be thought a madman, and that we should notreceive anything, but I was mistaken, for such a quantity of provisionscame pouring in that I was amazed. Wine was sent from three or fourdifferent quarters, more than enough for us during all our stay, and yetI drank nothing but water, so great was my wish to recover my health. Asfor eatables, enough was sent in every day for six persons; we gave allour surplus to our keeper, who had a large family. But the monk felt nogratitude for the kind souls who bestowed their charity upon him; all histhanks were reserved for Saint-Francis. 

He undertook to have my men washed by the keeper; I would not have daredto give it myself, and he said that he had nothing to fear, as everybodywas well aware that the monks of his order never wear any kind of linen. 

I kept myself in bed nearly all day, and thus avoided shewing myself tovisitors. The persons who did not come wrote letters full ofincongruities cleverly worded, which I took good care not to point out tohim. It was with great difficulty that I tried to persuade him that thoseletters did not require any answer. 

A fortnight of repose and severe diet brought me round towards completerecovery, and I began to walk in the yard of the lazzaretto from morningtill night; but the arrival of a Turk from Thessalonia with his familycompelled me to suspend my walks, the ground-floor having been given tohim. The only pleasure left me was to spend my time on the balconyoverlooking the yard. I soon saw a Greek slave, a girl of dazzlingbeauty, for whom I felt the deepest interest. She was in the habit ofspending the whole day sitting near the door with a book or someembroidery in her hand. If she happened to raise her eyes and to meetmine, she modestly bent her head down, and sometimes she rose and went inslowly, as if she meant to say, "I did not know that somebody was lookingat me. " Her figure was tall and slender, her features proclaimed her tobe very young; she had a very fair complexion, with beautiful black hairand eyes. She wore the Greek costume, which gave her person a certain airof very exciting voluptuousness. 

I was perfectly idle, and with the temperament which nature and habit hadgiven me, was it likely that I could feast my eyes constantly upon such acharming object without falling desperately in love? I had heard herconversing in Lingua Franca with her master, a fine old man, who, likeher, felt very weary of the quarantine, and used to come out but seldom, smoking his pipe, and remaining in the yard only a short time. I felt agreat temptation to address a few words to the beautiful girl, but I wasafraid she might run away and never come out again; however, unable tocontrol myself any longer, I determined to write to her; I had nodifficulty in conveying the letter, as I had only to let it fall from mybalcony. But she might have refused to pick it up, and this is the plan Iadopted in order not to risk any unpleasant result. 

Availing myself of a moment during which she was alone in the yard, Idropped from my balcony a small piece of paper folded like a letter, butI had taken care not to write anything on it, and held the true letter inmy hand. As soon as I saw her stooping down to pick up the first, Iquickly let the second drop at her feet, and she put both into herpocket. A few minutes afterwards she left the yard. My letter wassomewhat to this effect:

"Beautiful angel from the East, I worship you. I will remain all night onthis balcony in the hope that you will come to me for a quarter of anhour, and listen to my voice through the hole under my feet. We can speaksoftly, and in order to hear me you can climb up to the top of the baleof goods which lies beneath the same hole. "

I begged from my keeper not to lock me in as he did every night, and heconsented on condition that he would watch me, for if I had jumped downin the yard his life might have been the penalty, and he promised not todisturb me on the balcony. 

At midnight, as I was beginning to give her up, she came forward. I thenlaid myself flat on the floor of the balcony, and I placed my headagainst the hole, about six inches square. I saw her jump on the bale, and her head reached within a foot from the balcony. She was compelled tosteady herself with one hand against the wall for fear of falling, and inthat position we talked of love, of ardent desires, of obstacles, ofimpossibilities, and of cunning artifices. I told her the reason forwhich I dared not jump down in the yard, and she observed that, evenwithout that reason, it would bring ruin upon us, as it would beimpossible to come up again, and that, besides, God alone knew what hermaster would do if he were to find us together. Then, promising to visitme in this way every night, she passed her hand through the hole. Alas! Icould not leave off kissing it, for I thought that I had never in my lifetouched so soft, so delicate a hand. But what bliss when she begged formine! I quickly thrust my arm through the hole, so that she could fastenher lips to the bend of the elbow. How many sweet liberties my handventured to take! But we were at last compelled by prudence to separate, and when I returned to my room I saw with great pleasure that the keeperwas fast asleep. 

Although I was delighted at having obtained every favour I could possiblywish for in the uncomfortable position we had been in, I racked my brainto contrive the means of securing more complete enjoyment for thefollowing night, but I found during the afternoon that the femininecunning of my beautiful Greek was more fertile than mine. 

Being alone in the yard with her master, she said a few words to him inTurkish, to which he seemed to give his approval, and soon after aservant, assisted by the keeper, brought under the balcony a large basketof goods. She overlooked the arrangement, and in order to secure thebasket better, she made the servant place a bale of cotton across twoothers. Guessing at her purpose, I fairly leaped for joy, for she hadfound the way of raising herself two feet higher; but I thought that shewould then find herself in the most inconvenient position, and that, forced to bend double, she would not be able to resist the fatigue. Thehole was not wide enough for her head to pass through, otherwise shemight have stood erect and been comfortable. It was necessary at allevents to guard against that difficulty; the only way was to tear out oneof the planks of the floor of the balcony, but it was not an easyundertaking. Yet I decided upon attempting it, regardless ofconsequences; and I went to my room to provide myself with a large pairof pincers. Luckily the keeper was absent, and availing myself of theopportunity, I succeeded in dragging out carefully the four large nailswhich fastened the plank. Finding that I could lift it at my will, Ireplaced the pincers, and waited for the night with amorous impatience. 

The darling girl came exactly at midnight, noticing the difficulty sheexperienced in climbing up, and in getting a footing upon the third baleof cotton, I lifted the plank, and, extending my arm as far as I could, Ioffered her a steady point of support. She stood straight, and foundherself agreeably surprised, for she could pass her head and her armsthrough the hole. We wasted no time in empty compliments; we onlycongratulated each other upon having both worked for the same purpose. 

If, the night before, I had found myself master of her person more thanshe was of mine, this time the position was entirely reversed. Her handroamed freely over every part of my body, but I had to stop half-way downhers. She cursed the man who had packed the bale for not having made ithalf a foot bigger, so as to get nearer to me. Very likely even thatwould not have satisfied us, but she would have felt happier. 

Our pleasures were barren, yet we kept up our enjoyment until the firststreak of light. I put back the plank carefully, and I lay down in my bedin great need of recruiting my strength. 

My dear mistress had informed me that the Turkish Bairam began that verymorning, and would last three days during which it would be impossiblefor her to see me. 

The night after Bairam, she did not fail to make her appearance, and, saying that she could not be happy without me, she told me that, as shewas a Christian woman, I could buy her, if I waited for her after leavingthe lazzaretto. I was compelled to tell her that I did not possess themeans of doing so, and my confession made her sigh. On the followingnight, she informed me that her master would sell her for two thousandpiasters, that she would give me the amount, that she was yet a virgin, and that I would be pleased with my bargain. She added that she wouldgive me a casket full of diamonds, one of which was alone worth twothousand piasters, and that the sale of the others would place us beyondthe reach of poverty for the remainder of our life. She assured me thather master would not notice the loss of the casket, and that, if he did, he would never think of accusing her. 

I was in love with this girl; and her proposal made me uncomfortable, butwhen I woke in the morning I did not hesitate any longer. She brought thecasket in the evening, but I told her that I never could make up my mindto be accessory to a robbery; she was very unhappy, and said that my lovewas not as deep as her own, but that she could not help admiring me forbeing so good a Christian. 

This was the last night; probably we should never meet again. The flameof passion consumed us. She proposed that I should lift her up to thebalcony through the open space. Where is the lover who would haveobjected to so attractive a proposal? I rose, and without being a Milo, Iplaced my hands under her arms, I drew her up towards me, and my desiresare on the point of being fulfilled. Suddenly I feel two hands upon myshoulders, and the voice of the keeper exclaims, "What are you about?" Ilet my precious burden drop; she regains her chamber, and I, giving ventto my rage, throw myself flat on the floor of the balcony, and remainthere without a movement, in spite of the shaking of the keeper whom Iwas sorely tempted to strangle. At last I rose from the floor and went tobed without uttering one word, and not even caring to replace the plank. 

In the morning, the governor informed us that we were free. As I left thelazzaretto, with a breaking heart, I caught a glimpse of the Greek slavedrowned in tears. 

I agreed to meet Friar Stephano at the exchange, and I took the Jew fromwhom I had hired the furniture, to the convent of the Minims, where Ireceived from Father Lazari ten sequins and the address of the bishop, who, after performing quarantine on the frontiers of Tuscany, hadproceeded to Rome, where he would expect me to meet him. 

I paid the Jew, and made a poor dinner at an inn. As I was leaving it tojoin the monk, I was so unlucky as to meet Captain Alban, who reproachedme bitterly for having led him to believe that my trunk had been leftbehind. I contrived to appease his anger by telling him all mymisfortunes, and I signed a paper in which I declared that I had no claimwhatever upon him. I then purchased a pair of shoes and an overcoat, andmet Stephano, whom I informed of my decision to make a pilgrimage to OurLady of Loretto. I said I would await there for him, and that we wouldafterwards travel together as far as Rome. He answered that he did notwish to go through Loretto, and that I would repent of my contempt forthe grace of Saint-Francis. I did not alter my mind, and I left forLoretto the next day in the enjoyment of perfect health. 

I reached the Holy City, tired almost to death, for it was the first timein my life that I had walked fifteen miles, drinking nothing but water, although the weather was very warm, because the dry wine used in thatpart of the country parched me too much. I must observe that, in spite ofmy poverty, I did not look like a beggar. 

As I was entering the city, I saw coming towards me an elderly priest ofvery respectable appearance, and, as he was evidently taking notice ofme, as soon as he drew near, I saluted him, and enquired where I couldfind a comfortable inn. "I cannot doubt, " he said, "that a person likeyou, travelling on foot, must come here from devout motives; come withme. " He turned back, I followed him, and he took me to a fine-lookinghouse. After whispering a few words to a man who appeared to be asteward, he left me saying, very affably, "You shall be well attendedto. "

My first impression was that I had been mistaken for some other person, but I said nothing. 

I was led to a suite of three rooms; the chamber was decorated withdamask hangings, the bedstead had a canopy, and the table was suppliedwith all materials necessary for writing. A servant brought me a lightdressing-gown, and another came in with linen and a large tub full ofwater, which he placed before me; my shoes and stockings were taken off, and my feet washed. A very decent-looking woman, followed by a servantgirl, came in a few minutes after, and curtsying very low, she proceededto make my bed. At that moment the Angelus bell was heard; everyone kneltdown, and I followed their example. After the prayer, a small table wasneatly laid out, I was asked what sort of wine I wished to drink, and Iwas provided with newspapers and two silver candlesticks. An hourafterwards I had a delicious fish supper, and, before I retired to bed, aservant came to enquire whether I would take chocolate in the morningbefore or after mass. 

As soon as I was in bed, the servant brought me a night-lamp with a dial, and I remained alone. Except in France I have never had such a good bedas I had that night. It would have cured the most chronic insomnia, but Iwas not labouring under such a disease, and I slept for ten hours. 

This sort of treatment easily led me to believe that I was not in anykind of hostelry; but where was I? How was I to suppose that I was in ahospital?

When I had taken my chocolate, a hair-dresser--quite a fashionable, dapper fellow--made his appearance, dying to give vent to his chatteringpropensities. Guessing that I did not wish to be shaved, he offered toclip my soft down with the scissors, saying that I would look younger. 

"Why do you suppose that I want to conceal my age?"

"It is very natural, because, if your lordship did not wish to do so, your lordship would have shaved long ago. Countess Marcolini is here;does your lordship know her? I must go to her at noon to dress her hair. "

I did not feel interested in the Countess Marcolini, and, seeing it, thegossip changed the subject. 

"Is this your lordship's first visit to this house? It is the finesthospital throughout the papal states. "

"I quite agree with you, and I shall compliment His Holiness on theestablishment. "

"Oh! His Holiness knows all about it, he resided here before he becamepope. If Monsignor Caraffa had not been well acquainted with you, hewould not have introduced you here. "

Such is the use of barbers throughout Europe; but you must not put anyquestions to them, for, if you do, they are sure to threat you to animpudent mixture of truth and falsehood, and instead of you pumping them, they will worm everything out of you. 

Thinking that it was my duty to present my respectful compliments toMonsignor Caraffa, I desired to be taken to his apartment. He gave me apleasant welcome, shewed me his library, and entrusted me to the care ofone of his abbes, a man of parts, who acted as my cicerone every where. Twenty years afterwards, this same abbe was of great service to me inRome, and, if still alive, he is a canon of St. John Lateran. 

On the following day, I took the communion in the Santa-Casa. The thirdday was entirely employed in examining the exterior of this trulywonderful sanctuary, and early the next day I resumed my journey, havingspent nothing except three paoli for the barber. Halfway to Macerata, Iovertook Brother Stephano walking on at a very slow rate. He wasdelighted to see me again, and told me that he had left Ancona two hoursafter me, but that he never walked more than three miles a day, beingquite satisfied to take two months for a journey which, even on foot, caneasily be accomplished in a week. "I want, " he said, "to reach Romewithout fatigue and in good health. I am in no hurry, and if you feeldisposed to travel with me and in the same quiet way, Saint-Francis willnot find it difficult to keep us both during the journey. "

This lazy fellow was a man about thirty, red-haired, very strong andhealthy; a true peasant who had turned himself into a monk only for thesake of living in idle comfort. I answered that, as I was in a hurry toreach Rome, I could not be his travelling companion. 

"I undertake to walk six miles, instead of three, today, " he said, "ifyou will carry my cloak, which I find very heavy. "

The proposal struck me as a rather funny one; I put on his cloak, and hetook my great-coat, but, after the exchange, we cut such a comical figurethat every peasant we met laughed at us. His cloak would truly haveproved a load for a mule. There were twelve pockets quite full, withouttaken into account a pocket behind, which he called 'il batticulo', andwhich contained alone twice as much as all the others. Bread, wine, freshand salt meat, fowls, eggs, cheese, ham, sausages--everything was to befound in those pockets, which contained provisions enough for afortnight. 

I told him how well I had been treated in Loretto, and he assured me thatI might have asked Monsignor Caraffa to give me letters for all thehospitals on my road to Rome, and that everywhere I would have met withthe same reception. "The hospitals, " he added, "are all under the curseof Saint-Francis, because the mendicant friars are not admitted in them;but we do not mind their gates being shut against us, because they aretoo far apart from each other. We prefer the homes of the personsattached to our order; these we find everywhere. "

"Why do you not ask hospitality in the convents of your order?"

"I am not so foolish. In the first place, I should not be admitted, because, being a fugitive, I have not the written obedience which must beshown at every convent, and I should even run the risk of being throwninto prison; your monks are a cursed bad lot. In the second place, Ishould not be half so comfortable in the convents as I am with our devoutbenefactors. "

"Why and how are you a fugitive?"

He answered my question by the narrative of his imprisonment and flight, the whole story being a tissue of absurdities and lies. The fugitiveRecollet friar was a fool, with something of the wit of harlequin, and hethought that every man listening to him was a greater fool than himself. Yet with all his folly he was not went in a certain species of cunning. His religious principles were singular. As he did not wish to be takenfor a bigoted man he was scandalous, and for the sake of making peoplelaugh he would often make use of the most disgusting expressions. He hadno taste whatever for women, and no inclination towards the pleasures ofthe flesh; but this was only owing to a deficiency in his naturaltemperament, and yet he claimed for himself the virtue of continence. Onthat score, everything appeared to him food for merriment, and when hehad drunk rather too much, he would ask questions of such an indecentcharacter that they would bring blushes on everybody's countenance. Yetthe brute would only laugh. 

As we were getting within one hundred yards from the house of the devoutfriend whom he intended to honour with his visit, he took back his heavycloak. On entering the house he gave his blessing to everybody, andeveryone in the family came to kiss his hand. The mistress of the houserequested him to say mass for them, and the compliant monk asked to betaken to the vestry, but when I whispered in his ear, ---

"Have you forgotten that we have already broken our fast to-day?" heanswered, dryly, ---

"Mind your own business. "

I dared not make any further remark, but during the mass I was indeedsurprised, for I saw that he did not understand what he was doing. Icould not help being amused at his awkwardness, but I had not yet seenthe best part of the comedy. As soon as he had somehow or other finishedhis mass he went to the confessional, and after hearing in confessionevery member of the family he took it into his head to refuse absolutionto the daughter of his hostess, a girl of twelve or thirteen, pretty andquite charming. He gave his refusal publicly, scolding her andthreatening her with the torments of hell. The poor girl, overwhelmedwith shame, left the church crying bitterly, and I, feeling real sympathyfor her, could not help saying aloud to Stephano that he was a madman. Iran after the girl to offer her my consolations, but she had disappeared, and could not be induced to join us at dinner. This piece of extravaganceon the part of the monk exasperated me to such an extent that I felt avery strong inclination to thrash him. In the presence of all the familyI told him that he was an impostor, and the infamous destroyer of thepoor child's honour; I challenged him to explain his reasons for refusingto give her absolution, but he closed my lips by answering very coollythat he could not betray the secrets of the confessional. I could eatnothing, and was fully determined to leave the scoundrel. As we left thehouse I was compelled to accept one paolo as the price of the mock masshe had said. I had to fulfil the sorry duty of his treasurer. 

The moment we were on the road, I told him that I was going to partcompany, because I was afraid of being sent as a felon to the galleys ifI continued my journey with him. We exchanged high words; I called him anignorant scoundrel, he styled me beggar. I struck him a violent slap onthe face, which he returned with a blow from his stick, but I quicklysnatched it from him, and, leaving him, I hastened towards Macerata. Acarrier who was going to Tolentino took me with him for two paoli, andfor six more I might have reached Foligno in a waggon, but unfortunatelya wish for economy made me refuse the offer. I felt well, and I thought Icould easily walk as far as Valcimare, but I arrived there only afterfive hours of hard walking, and thoroughly beaten with fatigue. I wasstrong and healthy, but a walk of five hours was more than I could bear, because in my infancy I had never gone a league on foot. Young peoplecannot practise too much the art of walking. 

The next day, refreshed by a good night's rest, and ready to resume myjourney, I wanted to pay the innkeeper, but, alas! a new misfortune wasin store for me! Let the reader imagine my sad position! I recollectedthat I had forgotten my purse, containing seven sequins, on the table ofthe inn at Tolentino. What a thunderbolt! I was in despair, but I gave upthe idea of going back, as it was very doubtful whether I would find mymoney. Yet it contained all I possessed, save a few copper coins I had inmy pocket. I paid my small bill, and, deeply grieved at my loss, continued my journey towards Seraval. I was within three miles of thatplace when, in jumping over a ditch, I sprained my ankle, and wascompelled to sit down on one side of the road, and to wait until someoneshould come to my assistance. 

In the course of an hour a peasant happened to pass with his donkey, andhe agreed to carry me to Seraval for one paolo. As I wanted to spend aslittle as possible, the peasant took me to an ill-looking fellow who, fortwo paoli paid in advance, consented to give me a lodging. I asked him tosend for a surgeon, but I did not obtain one until the following morning. I had a wretched supper, after which I lay down in a filthy bed. I was inhope that sleep would bring me some relief, but my evil genius waspreparing for me a night of torments. 

Three men, armed with guns and looking like banditti, came in shortlyafter I had gone to bed, speaking a kind of slang which I could not makeout, swearing, raging, and paying no attention to me. They drank and sanguntil midnight, after which they threw themselves down on bundles ofstraw brought for them, and my host, who was drunk, came, greatly to mydismay, to lie down near me. Disgusted at the idea of having such afellow for my bed companion, I refused to let him come, but he answered, with fearful blasphemies, that all the devils in hell could not preventhim from taking possession of his own bed. I was forced to make room forhim, and exclaimed "Heavens, where am I?" He told me that I was in thehouse of the most honest constable in all the papal states. 

Could I possibly have supposed that the peasant would have brought meamongst those accursed enemies of humankind!

He laid himself down near me, but the filthy scoundrel soon compelled meto give him, for certain reasons, such a blow in his chest that he rolledout of bed. He picked himself up, and renewed his beastly attempt. Beingwell aware that I could not master him without great danger, I got out ofbed, thinking myself lucky that he did not oppose my wish, and crawlingalong as well as I could, I found a chair on which I passed the night. Atday-break, my tormentor, called up by his honest comrades, joined them indrinking and shouting, and the three strangers, taking their guns, departed. Left alone by the departure of the vile rabble, I passedanother unpleasant hour, calling in vain for someone. At last a young boycame in, I gave him some money and he went for a surgeon. The doctorexamined my foot, and assured me that three or four days would set me torights. He advised me to be removed to an inn, and I most willinglyfollowed his counsel. As soon as I was brought to the inn, I went to bed, and was well cared for, but my position was such that I dreaded themoment of my recovery. I feared that I should be compelled to sell mycoat to pay the inn-keeper, and the very thought made me feel ashamed. Ibegan to consider that if I had controlled my sympathy for the young girlso ill-treated by Stephano, I should not have fallen into this sadpredicament, and I felt conscious that my sympathy had been a mistake. IfI had put up with the faults of the friar, if this and if that, and everyother if was conjured up to torment my restless and wretched brain. Yet Imust confess that the thoughts which have their origin in misfortune arenot without advantage to a young man, for they give him the habit ofthinking, and the man who does not think never does anything right. 

The morning of the fourth day came, and I was able to walk, as thesurgeon had predicted; I made up my mind, although reluctantly, to begthe worthy man to sell my great coat for me--a most unpleasant necessity, for rain had begun to fall. I owed fifteen paoli to the inn-keeper andfour to the surgeon. Just as I was going to proffer my painful request, Brother Stephano made his appearance in my room, and burst into loudlaughter enquiring whether I had forgotten the blow from his stick!

I was struck with amazement! I begged the surgeon to leave me with themonk, and he immediately complied. 

I must ask my readers whether it is possible, in the face of suchextraordinary circumstances, not to feel superstitious! What is trulymiraculous in this case is the precise minute at which the event tookplace, for the friar entered the room as the word was hanging on my lips. What surprised me most was the force of Providence, of fortune, ofchance, whatever name is given to it, of that very necessary combinationwhich compelled me to find no hope but in that fatal monk, who had begunto be my protective genius in Chiozza at the moment my distress hadlikewise commenced. And yet, a singular guardian angel, this Stephano! Ifelt that the mysterious force which threw me in his hands was apunishment rather than a favour. 

Nevertheless he was welcome, because I had no doubt of his relieving mefrom my difficulties, --and whatever might be the power that sent him tome, I felt that I could not do better than to submit to its influence;the destiny of that monk was to escort me to Rome. 

"Chi va piano va sano, " said the friar as soon as we were alone. He hadtaken five days to traverse the road over which I had travelled in oneday, but he was in good health, and he had met with no misfortune. Hetold me that, as he was passing, he heard that an abbe, secretary to theVenetian ambassador at Rome, was lying ill at the inn, after having beenrobbed in Valcimara. "I came to see you, " he added, "and as I find yourecovered from your illness, we can start again together; I agree to walksix miles every day to please you. Come, let us forget the past, and letus be at once on our way. "

"I cannot go; I have lost my purse, and I owe twenty paoli. "

"I will go and find the amount in the name of Saint-Francis. "

He returned within an hour, but he was accompanied by the infamousconstable who told me that, if I had let him know who I was, he wouldhave been happy to keep me in his house. "I will give you, " he continued, "forty paoli, if you will promise me the protection of your ambassador;but if you do not succeed in obtaining it for me in Rome, you willundertake to repay me. Therefore you must give me an acknowledgement ofthe debt. "

"I have no objection. " Every arrangement was speedily completed; Ireceived the money, paid my debts, and left Seraval with Stephano. 

About one o'clock in the afternoon, we saw a wretched-looking house at ashort distance from the road, and the friar said, "It is a good distancefrom here to Collefiorito; we had better put up there for the night. " Itwas in vain that I objected, remonstrating that we were certain of havingvery poor accommodation! I had to submit to his will. We found a decrepitold man lying on a pallet, two ugly women of thirty or forty, threechildren entirely naked, a cow, and a cursed dog which barkedcontinually. It was a picture of squalid misery; but the niggardly monk, instead of giving alms to the poor people, asked them to entertain us tosupper in the name of Saint-Francis. 

"You must boil the hen, " said the dying man to the females, "and bringout of the cellar the bottle of wine which I have kept now for twentyyears. " As he uttered those few words, he was seized with such a fit ofcoughing that I thought he would die. The friar went near him, andpromised him that, by the grace of Saint-Francis, he would get young andwell. Moved by the sight of so much misery, I wanted to continue myjourney as far as Collefiorito, and to wait there for Stephano, but thewomen would not let me go, and I remained. After boiling for four hoursthe hen set the strongest teeth at defiance, and the bottle which Iuncorked proved to be nothing but sour vinegar. Losing patience, I gothold of the monk's batticaslo, and took out of it enough for a plentifulsupper, and I saw the two women opening their eyes very wide at the sightof our provisions. 

We all ate with good appetite, and, after our supper the women made forus two large beds of fresh straw, and we lay down in the dark, as thelast bit of candle to be found in the miserable dwelling was burnt out. We had not been lying on the straw five minutes, when Stephano called outto me that one of the women had just placed herself near him, and at thesame instant the other one takes me in her arms and kisses me. I push heraway, and the monk defends himself against the other; but mine, nothingdaunted, insists upon laying herself near me; I get up, the dog springsat my neck, and fear compels me to remain quiet on my straw bed; the monkscreams, swears, struggles, the dog barks furiously, the old man coughs;all is noise and confusion. At last Stephano, protected by his heavygarments, shakes off the too loving shrew, and, braving the dog, managesto find his stick. Then he lays about to right and left, striking inevery direction; one of the women exclaims, "Oh, God!" the friar answers, "She has her quietus. " Calm reigns again in the house, the dog, mostlikely dead, is silent; the old man, who perhaps has received hisdeath-blow, coughs no more; the children sleep, and the women, afraid ofthe singular caresses of the monk, sheer off into a corner; the remainderof the night passed off quietly. 

At day-break I rose; Stephano was likewise soon up. I looked all round, and my surprise was great when I found that the women had gone out, andseeing that the old man gave no sign of life, and had a bruise on hisforehead, I shewed it to Stephano, remarking that very likely he hadkilled him. 

"It is possible, " he answered, "but I have not done it intentionally. "

Then taking up his batticulo and finding it empty he flew into a violentpassion; but I was much pleased, for I had been afraid that the women hadgone out to get assistance and to have us arrested, and the robbery ofour provisions reassured me, as I felt certain that the poor wretches hadgone out of the way so as to secure impunity for their theft. But I laidgreat stress upon the danger we should run by remaining any longer, and Isucceeded in frightening the friar out of the house. We soon met awaggoner going to Folligno; I persuaded Stephano to take the opportunityof putting a good distance between us and the scene of our lastadventures; and, as we were eating our breakfast at Folligno, we sawanother waggon, quite empty, got a lift in it for a trifle, and thus rodeto Pisignano, where a devout person gave us a charitable welcome, and Islept soundly through the night without the dread of being arrested. 

Early the next day we reached Spoleti, where Brother Stephano had twobenefactors, and, careful not to give either of them a cause of jealousy, he favoured both; we dined with the first, who entertained us likeprinces, and we had supper and lodging in the house of the second, awealthy wine merchant, and the father of a large and delightful family. He gave us a delicious supper, and everything would have gone onpleasantly had not the friar, already excited by his good dinner, madehimself quite drunk. In that state, thinking to please his new host, hebegan to abuse the other, greatly to my annoyance; he said the wine hehad given us to drink was adulterated, and that the man was a thief. Igave him the lie to his face, and called him a scoundrel. The host andhis wife pacified me, saying that they were well acquainted with theirneighbour, and knew what to think of him; but the monk threw his napkinat my face, and the host took him very quietly by the arm and put him tobed in a room in which he locked him up. I slept in another room. 

In the morning I rose early, and was considering whether it would not bebetter to go alone, when the friar, who had slept himself sober, made hisappearance and told me that we ought for the future to live together likegood friends, and not give way to angry feelings; I followed my destinyonce more. We resumed our journey, and at Soma, the inn-keeper, a womanof rare beauty, gave us a good dinner, and some excellent Cyprus winewhich the Venetian couriers exchanged with her against delicious trufflesfound in the vicinity of Soma, which sold for a good price in Venice. Idid not leave the handsome inn-keeper without losing a part of my heart. 

It would be difficult to draw a picture of the indignation whichoverpowered me when, as we were about two miles from Terni, the infamousfriar shewed me a small bag full of truffles which the scoundrel hadstolen from the amiable woman by way of thanks for her generoushospitality. The truffles were worth two sequins at least. In myindignation I snatched the bag from him, saying that I would certainlyreturn it to its lawful owner. But, as he had not committed the robberyto give himself the pleasure of making restitution, he threw himself uponme, and we came to a regular fight. But victory did not remain long inabeyance; I forced his stick out of his hands, knocked him into a ditch, and went off. On reaching Terni, I wrote a letter of apology to ourbeautiful hostess of Soma, and sent back the truffles. 

From Terni I went on foot to Otricoli, where I only stayed long enough toexamine the fine old bridge, and from there I paid four paoli to awaggoner who carried me to Castel-Nuovo, from which place I walked toRome. I reached the celebrated city on the 1st of September, at nine inthe morning. 

I must not forget to mention here a rather peculiar circumstance, which, however ridiculous it may be in reality, will please many of my readers. 

An hour after I had left Castel-Nuovo, the atmosphere being calm and thesky clear, I perceived on my right, and within ten paces of me, apyramidal flame about two feet long and four or five feet above theground. This apparition surprised me, because it seemed to accompany me. Anxious to examine it, I endeavoured to get nearer to it, but the more Iadvanced towards it the further it went from me. It would stop when Istood still, and when the road along which I was travelling happened tobe lined with trees, I no longer saw it, but it was sure to reappear assoon as I reached a portion of the road without trees. I several timesretraced my steps purposely, but, every time I did so, the flamedisappeared, and would not shew itself again until I proceeded towardsRome. This extraordinary beacon left me when daylight chased darknessfrom the sky. 

What a splendid field for ignorant superstition, if there had been anywitnesses to that phenomenon, and if I had chanced to make a great namein Rome! History is full of such trifles, and the world is full of peoplewho attach great importance to them in spite of the so-called light ofscience. I must candidly confess that, although somewhat versed inphysics, the sight of that small meteor gave me singular ideas. But I wasprudent enough not to mention the circumstance to any one. 

When I reached the ancient capital of the world, I possessed only sevenpaoli, and consequently I did not loiter about. I paid no attention tothe splendid entrance through the gate of the polar trees, which is bymistake pompously called of the people, or to the beautiful square of thesame name, or to the portals of the magnificent churches, or to all thestately buildings which generally strike the traveller as he enters thecity. I went straight towards Monte-Magnanopoli, where, according to theaddress given to me, I was to find the bishop. There I was informed thathe had left Rome ten days before, leaving instructions to send me toNaples free of expense. A coach was to start for Naples the next day; notcaring to see Rome, I went to bed until the time for the departure of thecoach. I travelled with three low fellows to whom I did not address oneword through the whole of the journey. I entered Naples on the 6th day ofSeptember. 

I went immediately to the address which had been given to me in Rome; thebishop was not there. I called at the Convent of the Minims, and I foundthat he had left Naples to proceed to Martorano. I enquired whether hehad left any instructions for me, but all in vain, no one could give meany information. And there I was, alone in a large city, without afriend, with eight carlini in my pocket, and not knowing what to do! Butnever mind; fate calls me to Martorano, and to Martorano I must go. Thedistance, after all, is only two hundred miles. 

I found several drivers starting for Cosenza, but when they heard that Ihad no luggage, they refused to take me, unless I paid in advance. Theywere quite right, but their prudence placed me under the necessity ofgoing on foot. Yet I felt I must reach Martorano, and I made up my mindto walk the distance, begging food and lodging like the very reverendBrother Stephano. 

First of all I made a light meal for one fourth of my money, and, havingbeen informed that I had to follow the Salerno road, I went towardsPortici where I arrived in an hour and a half. I already felt ratherfatigued; my legs, if not my head, took me to an inn, where I ordered aroom and some supper. I was served in good style, my appetite wasexcellent, and I passed a quiet night in a comfortable bed. In themorning I told the inn-keeper that I would return for my dinner, and Iwent out to visit the royal palace. As I passed through the gate, I wasmet by a man of prepossessing appearance, dressed in the eastern fashion, who offered to shew me all over the palace, saying that I would thus savemy money. I was in a position to accept any offer; I thanked him for hiskindness. 

Happening during the conversation to state that I was a Venetian, he toldme that he was my subject, since he came from Zante. I acknowledged hispolite compliment with a reverence. 

"I have, " he said, "some very excellent muscatel wine 'grown in the East, which I could sell you cheap. "

"I might buy some, but I warn you I am a good judge. "

"So much the better. Which do you prefer?"

"The Cerigo wine. "

"You are right. I have some rare Cerigo muscatel, and we can taste it ifyou have no objection to dine with me. "

"None whatever. "

"I can likewise give you the wines of Samos and Cephalonia. I have also aquantity of minerals, plenty of vitriol, cinnabar, antimony, and onehundred quintals of mercury. "

"Are all these goods here?"

"No, they are in Naples. Here I have only the muscatel wine and themercury. "

It is quite naturally and without any intention to deceive, that a youngman accustomed to poverty, and ashamed of it when he speaks to a richstranger, boasts of his means--of his fortune. As I was talking with mynew acquaintance, I recollected an amalgam of mercury with lead andbismuth, by which the mercury increases one-fourth in weight. I saidnothing, but I bethought myself that if the mystery should be unknown tothe Greek I might profit by it. I felt that some cunning was necessary, and that he would not care for my secret if I proposed to sell it to himwithout preparing the way. The best plan was to astonish my man with themiracle of the augmentation of the mercury, treat it as a jest, and seewhat his intentions would be. Cheating is a crime, but honest cunning maybe considered as a species of prudence. True, it is a quality which isnear akin to roguery; but that cannot be helped, and the man who, in timeof need, does not know how to exercise his cunning nobly is a fool. TheGreeks call this sort of wisdom Cerdaleophyon from the word cerdo; fox, and it might be translated by foxdom if there were such a word inEnglish. 

After we had visited the palace we returned to the inn, and the Greektook me to his room, in which he ordered the table to be laid for two. Inthe next room I saw several large vessels of muscatel wine and fourflagons of mercury, each containing about ten pounds. 

My plans were laid, and I asked him to let me have one of the flagons ofmercury at the current price, and took it to my room. The Greek went outto attend to his business, reminding me that he expected me to dinner. Iwent out likewise, and bought two pounds and a half of lead and an equalquantity of bismuth; the druggist had no more. I came back to the inn, asked for some large empty bottles, and made the amalgam. 

We dined very pleasantly, and the Greek was delighted because Ipronounced his Cerigo excellent. In the course of conversation heinquired laughingly why I had bought one of his flagons of mercury. 

"You can find out if you come to my room, " I said. 

After dinner we repaired to my room, and he found his mercury divided intwo vessels. I asked for a piece of chamois, strained the liquid throughit, filled his own flagon, and the Greek stood astonished at the sight ofthe fine mercury, about one-fourth of a flagon, which remained over, withan equal quantity of a powder unknown to him; it was the bismuth. Mymerry laugh kept company with his astonishment, and calling one of theservants of the inn I sent him to the druggist to sell the mercury thatwas left. He returned in a few minutes and handed me fifteen carlini. 

The Greek, whose surprise was complete, asked me to give him back his ownflagon, which was there quite full, and worth sixty carlini. I handed itto him with a smile, thanking him for the opportunity he had afforded meof earning fifteen carlini, and took care to add that I should leave forSalerno early the next morning. 

"Then we must have supper together this evening, " he said. 

During the afternoon we took a walk towards Mount Vesuvius. Ourconversation went from one subject to another, but no allusion was madeto the mercury, though I could see that the Greek had something on hismind. At supper he told me, jestingly, that I ought to stop in Porticithe next day to make forty-five carlini out of the three other flagons ofmercury. I answered gravely that I did not want the money, and that I hadaugmented the first flagon only for the sake of procuring him anagreeable surprise. 

"But, " said he, "you must be very wealthy. "

"No, I am not, because I am in search of the secret of the augmentationof gold, and it is a very expensive study for us. "

"How many are there in your company?"

"Only my uncle and myself. "

"What do you want to augment gold for? The augmentation of mercury oughtto be enough for you. Pray, tell me whether the mercury augmented by youto-day is again susceptible of a similar increase. "

"No, if it were so, it would be an immense source of wealth for us. "

"I am much pleased with your sincerity. "

Supper over I paid my bill, and asked the landlord to get me a carriageand pair of horses to take me to Salerno early the next morning. Ithanked the Greek for his delicious muscatel wine, and, requesting hisaddress in Naples, I assured him that he would see me within a fortnight, as I was determined to secure a cask of his Cerigo. 

We embraced each other, and I retired to bed well pleased with my day'swork, and in no way astonished at the Greek's not offering to purchase mysecret, for I was certain that he would not sleep for anxiety, and that Ishould see him early in the morning. At all events, I had enough money toreach the Tour-du-Grec, and there Providence would take care of me. Yetit seemed to me very difficult to travel as far as Martorano, begginglike a mendicant-friar, because my outward appearance did not excitepity; people would feel interested in me only from a conviction that Ineeded nothing--a very unfortunate conviction, when the object of it istruly poor. 

As I had forseen, the Greek was in my room at daybreak. I received him ina friendly way, saying that we could take coffee together. 

"Willingly; but tell me, reverend abbe, whether you would feel disposedto sell me your secret?"

"Why not? When we meet in Naples--"

"But why not now?"

"I am expected in Salerno; besides, I would only sell the secret for alarge sum of money, and I am not acquainted with you. "

"That does not matter, as I am sufficiently known here to pay you incash. How much would you want?"

"Two thousand ounces. "

"I agree to pay you that sum provided that I succeed in making theaugmentation myself with such matter as you name to me, which I willpurchase. "

"It is impossible, because the necessary ingredients cannot be got here;but they are common enough in Naples. "

"If it is any sort of metal, we can get it at the Tourdu-Grec. We couldgo there together. Can you tell me what is the expense of theaugmentation?"

"One and a half per cent. But are you likewise known at the Tour-du-Grec, for I should not like to lose my time?"

"Your doubts grieve me. "

Saying which, he took a pen, wrote a few words, and handed to me thisorder:

"At sight, pay to bearer the sum of fifty gold ounces, on account ofPanagiotti. "

He told me that the banker resided within two hundred yards of the inn, and he pressed me to go there myself. I did not stand upon ceremony, butwent to the banker who paid me the amount. I returned to my room in whichhe was waiting for me, and placed the gold on the table, saying that wecould now proceed together to the Tour-du-Grec, where we would completeour arrangements after the signature of a deed of agreement. The Greekhad his own carriage and horses; he gave orders for them to be got ready, and we left the inn; but he had nobly insisted upon my taking possessionof the fifty ounces. 

When we arrived at the Tour-du-Grec, he signed a document by which hepromised to pay me two thousand ounces as soon as I should havediscovered to him the process of augmenting mercury by one-fourth withoutinjuring its quality, the amalgam to be equal to the mercury which I hadsold in his presence at Portici. 

He then gave me a bill of exchange payable at sight in eight days on M. Genaro de Carlo. I told him that the ingredients were lead and bismuth;the first, combining with mercury, and the second giving to the whole theperfect fluidity necessary to strain it through the chamois leather. TheGreek went out to try the amalgam--I do not know where, and I dinedalone, but toward evening he came back, looking very disconsolate, as Ihad expected. 

"I have made the amalgam, " he said, "but the mercury is not perfect. "

"It is equal to that which I have sold in Portici, and that is the veryletter of your engagement. "

"But my engagement says likewise without injury to the quality. You mustagree that the quality is injured, because it is no longer susceptible offurther augmentation. "

"You knew that to be the case; the point is its equality with the mercuryI sold in Portici. But we shall have to go to law, and you will lose. Iam sorry the secret should become public. Congratulate yourself, sir, for, if you should gain the lawsuit, you will have obtained my secret fornothing. I would never have believed you capable of deceiving me in sucha manner. "

"Reverend sir, I can assure you that I would not willingly deceive anyone. "

"Do you know the secret, or do you not? Do you suppose I would have givenit to you without the agreement we entered into? Well, there will be somefun over this affair in Naples, and the lawyers will make money out ofit. But I am much grieved at this turn of affairs, and I am very sorrythat I allowed myself to be so easily deceived by your fine talk. In themean time, here are your fifty ounces. "

As I was taking the money out of my pocket, frightened to death lest heshould accept it, he left the room, saying that he would not have it. Hesoon returned; we had supper in the same room, but at separate tables;war had been openly declared, but I felt certain that a treaty of peacewould soon be signed. We did not exchange one word during the evening, but in the morning he came to me as I was getting ready to go. I againoffered to return the money I received, but he told me to keep it, andproposed to give me fifty ounces more if I would give him back his billof exchange for two thousand. We began to argue the matter quietly, andafter two hours of discussion I gave in. I received fifty ounces more, wedined together like old friends, and embraced each other cordially. As Iwas bidding him adieu, he gave me an order on his house at Naples for abarrel of muscatel wine, and he presented me with a splendid boxcontaining twelve razors with silver handles, manufactured in theTour-du-Grec. We parted the best friends in the world and well pleasedwith each other. 

I remained two days in Salerno to provide myself with linen and othernecessaries. Possessing about one hundred sequins, and enjoying goodhealth, I was very proud of my success, in which I could not see anycause of reproach to myself, for the cunning I had brought into play toinsure the sale of my secret could not be found fault with except by themost intolerant of moralists, and such men have no authority to speak onmatters of business. At all events, free, rich, and certain of presentingmyself before the bishop with a respectable appearance, and not like abeggar, I soon recovered my natural spirits, and congratulated myselfupon having bought sufficient experience to insure me against falling asecond time an easy prey to a Father Corsini, to thieving gamblers, tomercenary women, and particularly to the impudent scoundrels whobarefacedly praise so well those they intend to dupe--a species of knavesvery common in the world, even amongst people who form what is calledgood society. 

I left Salerno with two priests who were going to Cosenza on business, and we traversed the distance of one hundred and forty-two miles intwenty-two hours. The day after my arrival in the capital of Calabria, Itook a small carriage and drove to Martorano. During the journey, fixingmy eyes upon the famous mare Ausonaum, I felt delighted at finding myselfin the middle of Magna Grecia, rendered so celebrated for twenty-fourcenturies by its connection with Pythagoras. I looked with astonishmentupon a country renowned for its fertility, and in which, in spite ofnature's prodigality, my eyes met everywhere the aspect of terriblemisery, the complete absence of that pleasant superfluity which helps manto enjoy life, and the degradation of the inhabitants sparsely scatteredon a soil where they ought to be so numerous; I felt ashamed toacknowledge them as originating from the same stock as myself. Such is, however the Terra di Lavoro where labour seems to be execrated, whereeverything is cheap, where the miserable inhabitants consider that theyhave made a good bargain when they have found anyone disposed to takecare of the fruit which the ground supplies almost spontaneously in toogreat abundance, and for which there is no market. I felt compelled toadmit the justice of the Romans who had called them Brutes instead ofByutians. The good priests with whom I had been travelling laughed at mydread of the tarantula and of the crasydra, for the disease brought on bythe bite of those insects appeared to me more fearful even than a certaindisease with which I was already too well acquainted. They assured methat all the stories relating to those creatures were fables; theylaughed at the lines which Virgil has devoted to them in the Georgics aswell as at all those I quoted to justify my fears. 

I found Bishop Bernard de Bernardis occupying a hard chair near an oldtable on which he was writing. I fell on my knees, as it is customary todo before a prelate, but, instead of giving me his blessing, he raised meup from the floor, and, folding me in his arms, embraced me tenderly. Heexpressed his deep sorrow when I told him that in Naples I had not beenable to find any instructions to enable me to join him, but his facelighted up again when I added that I was indebted to no one for money, and that I was in good health. He bade me take a seat, and with a heavysigh he began to talk of his poverty, and ordered a servant to lay thecloth for three persons. Besides this servant, his lordship's suiteconsisted of a most devout-looking housekeeper, and of a priest whom Ijudged to be very ignorant from the few words he uttered during our meal. The house inhabited by his lordship was large, but badly built and poorlykept. The furniture was so miserable that, in order to make up a bed forme in the room adjoining his chamber, the poor bishop had to give up oneof his two mattresses! His dinner, not to say any more about it, frightened me, for he was very strict in keeping the rules of his order, and this being a fast day, he did not eat any meat, and the oil was verybad. Nevertheless, monsignor was an intelligent man, and, what is stillbetter, an honest man. He told me, much to my surprise, that hisbishopric, although not one of little importance, brought him in onlyfive hundred ducat-diregno yearly, and that, unfortunately, he hadcontracted debts to the amount of six hundred. He added, with a sigh, that his only happiness was to feel himself out of the clutches of themonks, who had persecuted him, and made his life a perfect purgatory forfifteen years. All these confidences caused me sorrow and mortification, because they proved to me, not only that I was not in the promised landwhere a mitre could be picked up, but also that I would be a heavy chargefor him. I felt that he was grieved himself at the sorry present hispatronage seemed likely to prove. 

I enquired whether he had a good library, whether there were any literarymen, or any good society in which one could spend a few agreeable hours. He smiled and answered that throughout his diocese there was not one manwho could boast of writing decently, and still less of any taste orknowledge in literature; that there was not a single bookseller, nor anyperson caring even for the newspapers. But he promised me that we wouldfollow our literary tastes together, as soon as he received the books hehad ordered from Naples. 

That was all very well, but was this the place for a young man ofeighteen to live in, without a good library, without good society, without emulation and literacy intercourse? The good bishop, seeing mefull of sad thoughts, and almost astounded at the prospect of themiserable life I should have to lead with him, tried to give me courageby promising to do everything in his power to secure my happiness. 

The next day, the bishop having to officiate in his pontifical robes, Ihad an opportunity of seeing all the clergy, and all the faithful of thediocese, men and women, of whom the cathedral was full; the sight made meresolve at once to leave Martorano. I thought I was gazing upon a troopof brutes for whom my external appearance was a cause of scandal. Howugly were the women! What a look of stupidity and coarseness in the men!When I returned to the bishop's house I told the prelate that I did notfeel in me the vocation to die within a few months a martyr in thismiserable city. 

"Give me your blessing, " I added, "and let me go; or, rather, come withme. I promise you that we shall make a fortune somewhere else. "

The proposal made him laugh repeatedly during the day. Had he agreed toit he would not have died two years afterwards in the prime of manhood. The worthy man, feeling how natural was my repugnance, begged me toforgive him for having summoned me to him, and, considering it his dutyto send me back to Venice, having no money himself and not being awarethat I had any, he told me that he would give me an introduction to aworthy citizen of Naples who would lend me sixty ducati-di-regno toenable me to reach my native city. I accepted his offer with gratitude, and going to my room I took out of my trunk the case of fine razors whichthe Greek had given me, and I begged his acceptance of it as a souvenirof me. I had great difficulty in forcing it upon him, for it was worththe sixty ducats, and to conquer his resistance I had to threaten toremain with him if he refused my present. He gave me a very flatteringletter of recommendation for the Archbishop of Cosenza, in which herequested him to forward me as far as Naples without any expense tomyself. It was thus I left Martorano sixty hours after my arrival, pitying the bishop whom I was leaving behind, and who wept as he waspouring heartfelt blessings upon me. 

The Archbishop of Cosenza, a man of wealth and of intelligence, offeredme a room in his palace. During the dinner I made, with an overflowingheart, the eulogy of the Bishop of Martorano; but I railed mercilessly athis diocese and at the whole of Calabria in so cutting a manner that Igreatly amused the archbishop and all his guests, amongst whom were twoladies, his relatives, who did the honours of the dinner-table. Theyoungest, however, objected to the satirical style in which I haddepicted her country, and declared war against me; but I contrived toobtain peace again by telling her that Calabria would be a delightfulcountry if one-fourth only of its inhabitants were like her. Perhaps itwas with the idea of proving to me that I had been wrong in my opinionthat the archbishop gave on the following day a splendid supper. 

Cosenza is a city in which a gentleman can find plenty of amusement; thenobility are wealthy, the women are pretty, and men generallywell-informed, because they have been educated in Naples or in Rome. Ileft Cosenza on the third day with a letter from the archbishop for thefar-famed Genovesi. 

I had five travelling companions, whom I judged, from their appearance, to be either pirates or banditti, and I took very good care not to letthem see or guess that I had a well-filled purse. I likewise thought itprudent to go to bed without undressing during the whole journey--anexcellent measure of prudence for a young man travelling in that part ofthe country. 

I reached Naples on the 16th of September, 1743, and I lost no time inpresenting the letter of the Bishop of Martorano. It was addressed to aM. Gennaro Polo at St. Anne's. This excellent man, whose duty was only togive me the sum of sixty ducats, insisted, after perusing the bishop'sletter, upon receiving me in his house, because he wished me to make theacquaintance of his son, who was a poet like myself. The bishop hadrepresented my poetry as sublime. After the usual ceremonies, I acceptedhis kind invitation, my trunk was sent for, and I was a guest in thehouse of M. Gennaro Polo. 

CHAPTER IX

My Stay in Naples; It Is Short but Happy--Don Antonio Casanova--Don LelioCaraffa--I Go to Rome in Very Agreeable Company, and Enter the Service ofCardinal Acquaviva--Barbara--Testaccio--Frascati

I had no difficulty in answering the various questions which DoctorGennaro addressed to me, but I was surprised, and even displeased, at theconstant peals of laughter with which he received my answers. The piteousdescription of miserable Calabria, and the picture of the sad situationof the Bishop of Martorano, appeared to me more likely to call forthtears than to excite hilarity, and, suspecting that some mystificationwas being played upon me, I was very near getting angry when, becomingmore composed, he told me with feeling that I must kindly excuse him;that his laughter was a disease which seemed to be endemic in his family, for one of his uncles died of it. 

"What!" I exclaimed, "died of laughing!"

"Yes. This disease, which was not known to Hippocrates, is called liflati. "

"What do you mean? Does an hypochondriac affection, which causes sadnessand lowness in all those who suffer from it, render you cheerful?"

"Yes, because, most likely, my flati, instead of influencing thehypochondrium, affects my spleen, which my physician asserts to be theorgan of laughter. It is quite a discovery. "

"You are mistaken; it is a very ancient notion, and it is the onlyfunction which is ascribed to the spleen in our animal organization. "

"Well, we must discuss the matter at length, for I hope you will remainwith us a few weeks. "

"I wish I could, but I must leave Naples to-morrow or the day after. "

"Have you got any money?"

"I rely upon the sixty ducats you have to give me. "

At these words, his peals of laughter began again, and as he could seethat I was annoyed, he said, "I am amused at the idea that I can keep youhere as long as I like. But be good enough to see my son; he writespretty verses enough. "

And truly his son, although only fourteen, was already a great poet. 

A servant took me to the apartment of the young man whom I foundpossessed of a pleasing countenance and engaging manners. He gave me apolite welcome, and begged to be excused if he could not attend to mealtogether for the present, as he had to finish a song which he wascomposing for a relative of the Duchess de Rovino, who was taking theveil at the Convent of St. Claire, and the printer was waiting for themanuscript. I told him that his excuse was a very good one, and I offeredto assist him. He then read his song, and I found it so full ofenthusiasm, and so truly in the style of Guidi, that I advised him tocall it an ode; but as I had praised all the truly beautiful passages, Ithought I could venture to point out the weak ones, and I replaced themby verses of my own composition. He was delighted, and thanked me warmly, inquiring whether I was Apollo. As he was writing his ode, I composed asonnet on the same subject, and, expressing his admiration for it hebegged me to sign it, and to allow him to send it with his poetry. 

While I was correcting and recopying my manuscript, he went to his fatherto find out who I was, which made the old man laugh until supper-time. Inthe evening, I had the pleasure of seeing that my bed had been preparedin the young man's chamber. 

Doctor Gennaro's family was composed of this son and of a daughterunfortunately very plain, of his wife and of two elderly, devout sisters. Amongst the guests at the supper-table I met several literary men, andthe Marquis Galiani, who was at that time annotating Vitruvius. He had abrother, an abbe whose acquaintance I made twenty years after, in Paris, when he was secretary of embassy to Count Cantillana. The next day, atsupper, I was presented to the celebrated Genovesi; I had already senthim the letter of the Archbishop of Cosenza. He spoke to me of ApostoloZeno and of the Abbe Conti. He remarked that it was considered a veryvenial sin for a regular priest to say two masses in one day for the sakeof earning two carlini more, but that for the same sin a secular priestwould deserve to be burnt at the stake. 

The nun took the veil on the following day, and Gennaro's ode and mysonnet had the greatest success. A Neapolitan gentleman, whose name wasthe same as mine, expressed a wish to know me, and, hearing that Iresided at the doctor's, he called to congratulate him on the occasion ofhis feast-day, which happened to fall on the day following the ceremonyat Sainte-Claire. 

Don Antonio Casanova, informing me of his name, enquired whether myfamily was originally from Venice. 

"I am, sir, " I answered modestly, "the great-grandson of the unfortunateMarco Antonio Casanova, secretary to Cardinal Pompeo Colonna, who died ofthe plague in Rome, in the year 1528, under the pontificate of ClementVII. " The words were scarcely out of my lips when he embraced me, callingme his cousin, but we all thought that Doctor Gennaro would actually diewith laughter, for it seemed impossible to laugh so immoderately withoutrisk of life. Madame Gennaro was very angry and told my newly-foundcousin that he might have avoided enacting such a scene before herhusband, knowing his disease, but he answered that he never thought thecircumstance likely to provoke mirth. I said nothing, for, in reality, Ifelt that the recognition was very comic. Our poor laugher havingrecovered his composure, Casanova, who had remained very serious, invitedme to dinner for the next day with my young friend Paul Gennaro, who hadalready become my alter ego. 

When we called at his house, my worthy cousin showed me his family tree, beginning with a Don Francisco, brother of Don Juan. In my pedigree, which I knew by heart, Don Juan, my direct ancestor, was a posthumouschild. It was possible that there might have been a brother of MarcoAntonio's; but when he heard that my genealogy began with Don Francisco, from Aragon, who had lived in the fourteenth century, and thatconsequently all the pedigree of the illustrious house of the Casanovasof Saragossa belonged to him, his joy knew no bounds; he did not knowwhat to do to convince me that the same blood was flowing in his veinsand in mine. 

He expressed some curiosity to know what lucky accident had brought me toNaples; I told him that, having embraced the ecclesiastical profession, Iwas going to Rome to seek my fortune. He then presented me to his family, and I thought that I could read on the countenance of my cousin, hisdearly beloved wife, that she was not much pleased with the newly-foundrelationship, but his pretty daughter, and a still prettier niece of his, might very easily have given me faith in the doctrine that blood isthicker than water, however fabulous it may be. 

After dinner, Don Antonio informed me that the Duchess de Bovino hadexpressed a wish to know the Abbe Casanova who had written the sonnet inhonour of her relative, and that he would be very happy to introduce meto her as his own cousin. As we were alone at that moment, I begged hewould not insist on presenting me, as I was only provided with travellingsuits, and had to be careful of my purse so as not to arrive in Romewithout money. Delighted at my confidence, and approving my economy, hesaid, "I am rich, and you must not scruple to come with me to my tailor;"and he accompanied his offer with an assurance that the circumstancewould not be known to anyone, and that he would feel deeply mortified ifI denied him the pleasure of serving me. I shook him warmly by the hand, and answered that I was ready to do anything he pleased. We went to atailor who took my measure, and who brought me on the following dayeverything necessary to the toilet of the most elegant abbe. Don Antoniocalled on me, and remained to dine with Don Gennaro, after which he tookme and my friend Paul to the duchess. This lady, according to theNeapolitan fashion, called me thou in her very first compliment ofwelcome. Her daughter, then only ten or twelve years old, was veryhandsome, and a few years later became Duchess de Matalona. The duchesspresented me with a snuff-box in pale tortoise-shell with arabesqueincrustations in gold, and she invited us to dine with her on the morrow, promising to take us after dinner to the Convent of St. Claire to pay avisit to the new nun. 

As we came out of the palace of the duchess, I left my friends and wentalone to Panagiotti's to claim the barrel of muscatel wine. The managerwas kind enough to have the barrel divided into two smaller casks ofequal capacity, and I sent one to Don Antonio, and the other to DonGennaro. As I was leaving the shop I met the worthy Panagiotti, who wasglad to see me. Was I to blush at the sight of the good man I had atfirst deceived? No, for in his opinion I had acted very nobly towardshim. 

Don Gennaro, as I returned home, managed to thank me for my handsomepresent without laughing, and the next day Don Antonio, to make up forthe muscatel wine I had sent him, offered me a gold-headed cane, worth atleast fifteen ounces, and his tailor brought me a travelling suit and ablue great coat, with the buttonholes in gold lace. I therefore foundmyself splendidly equipped. 

At the Duchess de Bovino's dinner I made the acquaintance of the wisestand most learned man in Naples, the illustrious Don Lelio Caraffa, whobelonged to the ducal family of Matalona, and whom King Carlos honouredwith the title of friend. 

I spent two delightful hours in the convent parlour, coping successfullywith the curiosity of all the nuns who were pressing against the grating. Had destiny allowed me to remain in Naples my fortune would have beenmade; but, although I had no fixed plan, the voice of fate summoned me toRome, and therefore I resisted all the entreaties of my cousin Antonio toaccept the honourable position of tutor in several houses of the highestorder. 

Don Antonio gave a splendid dinner in my honour, but he was annoyed andangry because he saw that his wife looked daggers at her new cousin. Ithought that, more than once, she cast a glance at my new costume, andthen whispered to the guest next to her. Very likely she knew what hadtaken place. There are some positions in life to which I could never bereconciled. If, in the most brilliant circle, there is one person whoaffects to stare at me I lose all presence of mind. Self-dignity feelsoutraged, my wit dies away, and I play the part of a dolt. It is aweakness on my part, but a weakness I cannot overcome. 

Don Lelio Caraffa offered me a very liberal salary if I would undertakethe education of his nephew, the Duke de Matalona, then ten years of age. I expressed my gratitude, and begged him to be my true benefactor in adifferent manner--namely, by giving me a few good letters of introductionfor Rome, a favour which he granted at once. He gave me one for CardinalAcquaviva, and another for Father Georgi. 

I found out that the interest felt towards me by my friends had inducedthem to obtain for me the honour of kissing the hand of Her Majesty theQueen, and I hastened my preparations to leave Naples, for the queenwould certainly have asked me some questions, and I could not haveavoided telling her that I had just left Martorano and the poor bishopwhom she had sent there. The queen likewise knew my mother; she wouldvery likely have alluded to my mother's profession in Dresden; it wouldhave mortified Don Antonio, and my pedigree would have been covered withridicule. I knew the force of prejudice! I should have been ruined, and Ifelt I should do well to withdraw in good time. As I took leave of him, Don Antonio presented me with a fine gold watch and gave me a letter forDon Gaspar Vidaldi, whom he called his best friend. Don Gennaro paid methe sixty ducats, and his son, swearing eternal friendship, asked me towrite to him. They all accompanied me to the coach, blending their tearswith mine, and loading me with good wishes and blessings. 

From my landing in Chiozza up to my arrival in Naples, fortune had seemedbent upon frowning on me; in Naples it began to shew itself less adverse, and on my return to that city it entirely smiled upon me. Naples hasalways been a fortunate place for me, as the reader of my memoirs willdiscover. My readers must not forget that in Portici I was on the pointof disgracing myself, and there is no remedy against the degradation ofthe mind, for nothing can restore it to its former standard. It is a caseof disheartening atony for which there is no possible cure. 

I was not ungrateful to the good Bishop of Martorano, for, if he hadunwittingly injured me by summoning me to his diocese, I felt that to hisletter for M. Gennaro I was indebted for all the good fortune which hadjust befallen me. I wrote to him from Rome. 

I was wholly engaged in drying my tears as we were driving through thebeautiful street of Toledo, and it was only after we had left Naples thatI could find time to examine the countenance of my travelling companions. Next to me, I saw a man of from forty to fifty, with a pleasing face anda lively air, but, opposite to me, two charming faces delighted my eyes. They belonged to two ladies, young and pretty, very well dressed, with alook of candour and modesty. This discovery was most agreeable, but Ifelt sad and I wanted calm and silence. We reached Avessa without oneword being exchanged, and as the vetturino stopped there only to waterhis mules, we did not get out of the coach. From Avessa to Capua mycompanions conversed almost without interruption, and, wonderful torelate! I did not open my lips once. I was amused by the Neapolitanjargon of the gentleman, and by the pretty accent of the ladies, who wereevidently Romans. It was a most wonderful feat for me to remain fivehours before two charming women without addressing one word to them, without paying them one compliment. 

At Capua, where we were to spend the night, we put up at an inn, and wereshown into a room with two beds--a very usual thing in Italy. TheNeapolitan, addressing himself to me, said, "Am I to have the honour of sleeping with the reverend gentleman?"

I answered in a very serious tone that it was for him to choose or toarrange it otherwise, if he liked. The answer made the two ladies smile, particularly the one whom I preferred, and it seemed to me a good omen. 

We were five at supper, for it is usual for the vetturino to supply histravellers with their meals, unless some private agreement is madeotherwise, and to sit down at table with them. In the desultory talkwhich went on during the supper, I found in my travelling companionsdecorum, propriety, wit, and the manners of persons accustomed to goodsociety. I became curious to know who they were, and going down with thedriver after supper, I asked him. 

"The gentleman, " he told me, "is an advocate, and one of the ladies ishis wife, but I do not know which of the two. "

I went back to our room, and I was polite enough to go to bed first, inorder to make it easier for the ladies to undress themselves withfreedom; I likewise got up first in the morning, left the room, and onlyreturned when I was called for breakfast. The coffee was delicious. Ipraised it highly, and the lady, the one who was my favourite, promisedthat I should have the same every morning during our journey. The barbercame in after breakfast; the advocate was shaved, and the barber offeredme his services, which I declined, but the rogue declared that it wasslovenly to wear one's beard. 

When we had resumed our seats in the coach, the advocate made some remarkupon the impudence of barbers in general. 

"But we ought to decide first, " said the lady, "whether or not it isslovenly to go bearded. "

"Of course it is, " said the advocate. "Beard is nothing but a dirtyexcrescence. "

"You may think so, " I answered, "but everybody does not share youropinion. Do we consider as a dirty excrescence the hair of which we takeso much care, and which is of the same nature as the beard? Far from it;we admire the length and the beauty of the hair. "

"Then, " remarked the lady, "the barber is a fool. "

"But after all, " I asked, "have I any beard?"

"I thought you had, " she answered. 

"In that case, I will begin to shave as soon as I reach Rome, for this isthe first time that I have been convicted of having a beard. "

"My dear wife, " exclaimed the advocate, "you should have held yourtongue; perhaps the reverend abbe is going to Rome with the intention ofbecoming a Capuchin friar. "

The pleasantry made me laugh, but, unwilling that he should have the lastword, I answered that he had guessed rightly, that such had been myintention, but that I had entirely altered my mind since I had seen hiswife. 

"Oh! you are wrong, " said the joyous Neapolitan, "for my wife is veryfond of Capuchins, and if you wish to please her, you had better followyour original vocation. " Our conversation continued in the same tone ofpleasantry, and the day passed off in an agreeable manner; in the eveningwe had a very poor supper at Garillan, but we made up for it bycheerfulness and witty conversation. My dawning inclination for theadvocate's wife borrowed strength from the affectionate manner shedisplayed towards me. 

The next day she asked me, after we had resumed our journey, whether Iintended to make a long stay in Rome before returning to Venice. Ianswered that, having no acquaintances in Rome, I was afraid my lifethere would be very dull. 

"Strangers are liked in Rome, " she said, "I feel certain that you will bepleased with your residence in that city. "

"May I hope, madam, that you will allow me to pay you my respects?"

"We shall be honoured by your calling on us, " said the advocate. 

My eyes were fixed upon his charming wife. She blushed, but I did notappear to notice it. I kept up the conversation, and the day passed aspleasantly as the previous one. We stopped at Terracina, where they gaveus a room with three beds, two single beds and a large one between thetwo others. It was natural that the two sisters should take the largebed; they did so, and undressed themselves while the advocate and I wenton talking at the table, with our backs turned to them. As soon as theyhad gone to rest, the advocate took the bed on which he found hisnightcap, and I the other, which was only about one foot distant from thelarge bed. I remarked that the lady by whom I was captivated was on theside nearest my couch, and, without much vanity, I could suppose that itwas not owing only to chance. 

I put the light out and laid down, revolving in my mind a project which Icould not abandon, and yet durst not execute. In vain did I court sleep. A very faint light enabled me to perceive the bed in which the prettywoman was lying, and my eyes would, in spite of myself, remain open. Itwould be difficult to guess what I might have done at last (I had alreadyfought a hard battle with myself for more than an hour), when I saw herrise, get out of her bed, and go and lay herself down near her husband, who, most likely, did not wake up, and continued to sleep in peace, for Idid not hear any noise. 

Vexed, disgusted. . . . I tried to compose myself to sleep, and I woke onlyat day-break. Seeing the beautiful wandering star in her own bed, I gotup, dressed myself in haste, and went out, leaving all my companions fastasleep. I returned to the inn only at the time fixed for our departure, and I found the advocate and the two ladies already in the coach, waitingfor me. 

The lady complained, in a very obliging manner, of my not having caredfor her coffee; I pleaded as an excuse a desire for an early walk, and Itook care not to honour her even with a look; I feigned to be sufferingfrom the toothache, and remained in my corner dull and silent. At Pipernoshe managed to whisper to me that my toothache was all sham; I waspleased with the reproach, because it heralded an explanation which Icraved for, in spite of my vexation. 

During the afternoon I continued my policy of the morning. I was moroseand silent until we reached Serinonetta, where we were to pass the night. We arrived early, and the weather being fine, the lady said that shecould enjoy a walk, and asked me politely to offer her my arm. I did so, for it would have been rude to refuse; besides I had had enough of mysulking fit. An explanation could alone bring matters back to theiroriginal standing, but I did not know how to force it upon the lady. Herhusband followed us at some distance with the sister. 

When we were far enough in advance, I ventured to ask her why she hadsupposed my toothache to have been feigned. 

"I am very candid, " she said; "it is because the difference in yourmanner was so marked, and because you were so careful to avoid looking atme through the whole day. A toothache would not have prevented you frombeing polite, and therefore I thought it had been feigned for somepurpose. But I am certain that not one of us can possibly have given youany grounds for such a rapid change in your manner. "

"Yet something must have caused the change, and you, madam, are only halfsincere. "

"You are mistaken, sir, I am entirely sincere; and if I have given youany motive for anger, I am, and must remain, ignorant of it. Be goodenough to tell me what I have done. "

"Nothing, for I have no right to complain. "

"Yes, you have; you have a right, the same that I have myself; the rightwhich good society grants to every one of its members. Speak, and shewyourself as sincere as I am. "

"You are certainly bound not to know, or to pretend not to know the realcause, but you must acknowledge that my duty is to remain silent. "

"Very well; now it is all over; but if your duty bids you to conceal thecause of your bad humour, it also bids you not to shew it. Delicacysometimes enforces upon a polite gentleman the necessity of concealingcertain feelings which might implicate either himself or others; it is arestraint for the mind, I confess, but it has some advantage when itseffect is to render more amiable the man who forces himself to acceptthat restraint. " Her close argument made me blush for shame, and carryingher beautiful hand to my lips, I confessed my self in the wrong. 

"You would see me at your feet, " I exclaimed, "in token of my repentance, were I not afraid of injuring you---"

"Do not let us allude to the matter any more, " she answered. 

And, pleased with my repentance, she gave me a look so expressive offorgiveness that, without being afraid of augmenting my guilt, I took mylips off her hand and I raised them to her half-open, smiling mouth. Intoxicated with rapture, I passed so rapidly from a state of sadness toone of overwhelming cheerfulness that during our supper the advocateenjoyed a thousand jokes upon my toothache, so quickly cured by thesimple remedy of a walk. On the following day we dined at Velletri andslept in Marino, where, although the town was full of troops, we had twosmall rooms and a good supper. I could not have been on better terms withmy charming Roman; for, although I had received but a rapid proof of herregard, it had been such a true one--such a tender one! In the coach oureyes could not say much; but I was opposite to her, and our feet spoke avery eloquent language. 

The advocate had told me that he was going to Rome on some ecclesiasticalbusiness, and that he intended to reside in the house of hismother-in-law, whom his wife had not seen since her marriage, two yearsago, and her sister hoped to remain in Rome, where she expected to marrya clerk at the Spirito Santo Bank. He gave me their address, with apressing invitation to call upon them, and I promised to devote all myspare time to them. 

We were enjoying our dessert, when my beautiful lady-love, admiring mysnuff-box, told her husband that she wished she had one like it. 

"I will buy you one, dear. "

"Then buy mine, " I said; "I will let you have it for twenty ounces, andyou can give me a note of hand payable to bearer in payment. I owe thatamount to an Englishman, and I will give it him to redeem my debt. "

"Your snuff-box, my dear abbe, is worth twenty ounces, but I cannot buyit unless you agree to receive payment in cash; I should be delighted tosee it in my wife's possession, and she would keep it as a remembrance ofyou. "

His wife, thinking that I would not accept his offer, said that she hadno objection to give me the note of hand. 

"But, " exclaimed the advocate, "can you not guess the Englishman existsonly in our friend's imagination? He would never enter an appearance, andwe would have the snuff-box for nothing. Do not trust the abbe, my dear, he is a great cheat. "

"I had no idea, " answered his wife, looking at me, "that the worldcontained rogues of this species. "

I affected a melancholy air, and said that I only wished myself richenough to be often guilty of such cheating. 

When a man is in love very little is enough to throw him into despair, and as little to enhance his joy to the utmost. There was but one bed inthe room where supper had been served, and another in a small closetleading out of the room, but without a door. The ladies chose the closet, and the advocate retired to rest before me. I bid the ladies good nightas soon as they had gone to bed; I looked at my dear mistress, and afterundressing myself I went to bed, intending not to sleep through thenight. But the reader may imagine my rage when I found, as I got into thebed, that it creaked loud enough to wake the dead. I waited, however, quite motionless, until my companion should be fast asleep, and as soonas his snoring told me that he was entirely under the influence ofMorpheus, I tried to slip out of the bed; but the infernal creaking whichtook place whenever I moved, woke my companion, who felt about with hishand, and, finding me near him, went to sleep again. Half an hour after, I tried a second time, but with the same result. I had to give it up indespair. 

Love is the most cunning of gods; in the midst of obstacles he seems tobe in his own element, but as his very existence depends upon theenjoyment of those who ardently worship him, the shrewd, all-seeing, little blind god contrives to bring success out of the most desperatecase. 

I had given up all hope for the night, and had nearly gone to sleep, whensuddenly we hear a dreadful noise. Guns are fired in the street, people, screaming and howling, are running up and down the stairs; at last thereis a loud knocking at our door. The advocate, frightened out of hisslumbers, asks me what it can all mean; I pretend to be very indifferent, and beg to be allowed to sleep. But the ladies are trembling with fear, and loudly calling for a light. I remain very quiet, the advocate jumpsout of bed, and runs out of the room to obtain a candle; I rise at once, I follow him to shut the door, but I slam it rather too hard, the doublespring of the lock gives way, and the door cannot be reopened without thekey. 

I approach the ladies in order to calm their anxiety, telling them thatthe advocate would soon return with a light, and that we should then knowthe cause of the tumult, but I am not losing my time, and am at workwhile I am speaking. I meet with very little opposition, but, leaningrather too heavily upon my fair lady, I break through the bottom of thebedstead, and we suddenly find ourselves, the two ladies and myself, alltogether in a heap on the floor. The advocate comes back and knocks atthe door; the sister gets up, I obey the prayers of my charming friend, and, feeling my way, reach the door, and tell the advocate that I cannotopen it, and that he must get the key. The two sisters are behind me. Iextend my hand; but I am abruptly repulsed, and judge that I haveaddressed myself to the wrong quarter; I go to the other side, and thereI am better received. But the husband returns, the noise of the key inthe lock announces that the door is going to be opened, and we return toour respective beds. 

The advocate hurries to the bed of the two frightened ladies, thinking ofrelieving their anxiety, but, when he sees them buried in theirbroken-down bedstead, he bursts into a loud laugh. He tells me to comeand have a look at them, but I am very modest, and decline theinvitation. He then tells us that the alarm has been caused by a Germandetachment attacking suddenly the Spanish troops in the city, and thatthe Spaniards are running away. In a quarter of an hour the noise hasceased, and quiet is entirely re-established. 

The advocate complimented me upon my coolness, got into bed again, andwas soon asleep. As for me, I was careful not to close my eyes, and assoon as I saw daylight I got up in order to perform certain ablutions andto change my shirt; it was an absolute necessity. 

I returned for breakfast, and while we were drinking the delicious coffeewhich Donna Lucrezia had made, as I thought, better than ever, I remarkedthat her sister frowned on me. But how little I cared for her anger whenI saw the cheerful, happy countenance, and the approving looks of myadored Lucrezia! I felt a delightful sensation run through the whole ofmy body. 

We reached Rome very early. We had taken breakfast at the Tour, and theadvocate being in a very gay mood I assumed the same tone, loading himwith compliments, and predicting that a son would be born to him, Icompelled his wife to promise it should be so. I did not forget thesister of my charming Lucrezia, and to make her change her hostileattitude towards me I addressed to her so many pretty compliments, andbehaved in such a friendly manner, that she was compelled to forgive thefall of the bed. As I took leave of them, I promised to give them a callon the following day. 

I was in Rome! with a good wardrobe, pretty well supplied with money andjewellery, not wanting in experience, and with excellent letters ofintroduction. I was free, my own master, and just reaching the age inwhich a man can have faith in his own fortune, provided he is notdeficient in courage, and is blessed with a face likely to attract thesympathy of those he mixes with. I was not handsome, but I had somethingbetter than beauty--a striking expression which almost compelled a kindinterest in my favour, and I felt myself ready for anything. I knew thatRome is the one city in which a man can begin from the lowest rung, andreach the very top of the social ladder. This knowledge increased mycourage, and I must confess that a most inveterate feeling of self-esteemwhich, on account of my inexperience, I could not distrust, enhancedwonderfully my confidence in myself. 

The man who intends to make his fortune in this ancient capital of theworld must be a chameleon susceptible of reflecting all the colours ofthe atmosphere that surrounds him--a Proteus apt to assume every form, every shape. He must be supple, flexible, insinuating; close, inscrutable, often base, sometimes sincere, some times perfidious, alwaysconcealing a part of his knowledge, indulging in one tone of voice, patient, a perfect master of his own countenance as cold as ice when anyother man would be all fire; and if unfortunately he is not religious atheart--a very common occurrence for a soul possessing the aboverequisites--he must have religion in his mind, that is to say, on hisface, on his lips, in his manners; he must suffer quietly, if he be anhonest man the necessity of knowing himself an arrant hypocrite. The manwhose soul would loathe such a life should leave Rome and seek hisfortune elsewhere. I do not know whether I am praising or excusingmyself, but of all those qualities I possessed but one--namely, flexibility; for the rest, I was only an interesting, heedless youngfellow, a pretty good blood horse, but not broken, or rather badlybroken; and that is much worse. 

I began by delivering the letter I had received from Don Lelio for FatherGeorgi. The learned monk enjoyed the esteem of everyone in Rome, and thePope himself had a great consideration for him, because he disliked theJesuits, and did not put a mask on to tear the mask from their faces, although they deemed themselves powerful enough to despise him. 

He read the letter with great attention, and expressed himself disposedto be my adviser; and that consequently I might make him responsible forany evil which might befall me, as misfortune is not to be feared by aman who acts rightly. He asked me what I intended to do in Rome, and Ianswered that I wished him to tell me what to do. 

"Perhaps I may; but in that case you must come and see me often, andnever conceal from me anything, you understand, not anything, of whatinterests you, or of what happens to you. "

"Don Lelio has likewise given me a letter for the Cardinal Acquaviva. "

"I congratulate you; the cardinal's influence in Rome is greater eventhan that of the Pope. "

"Must I deliver the letter at once?"

"No; I will see him this evening, and prepare him for your visit. Call onme to-morrow morning, and I will then tell you where and when you are todeliver your letter to the cardinal. Have you any money?"

"Enough for all my wants during one year. "

"That is well. Have you any acquaintances?"

"Not one. "

"Do not make any without first consulting me, and, above all, avoidcoffee-houses and ordinaries, but if you should happen to frequent suchplaces, listen and never speak. Be careful to form your judgment uponthose who ask any questions from you, and if common civility obliges youto give an answer, give only an evasive one, if any other is likely tocommit you. Do you speak French?"

"Not one word. "

"I am sorry for that; you must learn French. Have you been a student?"

"A poor one, but I have a sufficient smattering to converse with ordinarycompany. "

"That is enough; but be very prudent, for Rome is the city in whichsmatterers unmask each other, and are always at war amongst themselves. Ihope you will take your letter to the cardinal, dressed like a modestabbe, and not in this elegant costume which is not likely to conjurefortune. Adieu, let me see you to-morrow. "

Highly pleased with the welcome I had received at his hands, and with allhe had said to me, I left his house and proceeded towards Campo-di-Fioreto deliver the letter of my cousin Antonio to Don Gaspar Vivaldi, whoreceived me in his library, where I met two respectable-looking priests. He gave me the most friendly welcome, asked for my address, and invitedme to dinner for the next day. He praised Father Georgi most highly, and, accompanying me as far as the stairs, he told me that he would give me onthe morrow the amount his friend Don Antonio requested him to hand me. 

More money which my generous cousin was bestowing on me! It is easyenough to give away when one possesses sufficient means to do it, but itis not every man who knows how to give. I found the proceeding of DonAntonio more delicate even than generous; I could not refuse his present;it was my duty to prove my gratitude by accepting it. 

Just after I had left M. Vivaldi's house I found myself face to face withStephano, and this extraordinary original loaded me with friendlycaresses. I inwardly despised him, yet I could not feel hatred for him; Ilooked upon him as the instrument which Providence had been pleased toemploy in order to save me from ruin. After telling me that he hadobtained from the Pope all he wished, he advised me to avoid meeting thefatal constable who had advanced me two sequins in Seraval, because hehad found out that I had deceived him, and had sworn revenge against me. I asked Stephano to induce the man to leave my acknowledgement of thedebt in the hands of a certain merchant whom we both knew, and that Iwould call there to discharge the amount. This was done, and it ended theaffair. 

That evening I dined at the ordinary, which was frequented by Romans andforeigners; but I carefully followed the advice of Father Georgi. I hearda great deal of harsh language used against the Pope and against theCardinal Minister, who had caused the Papal States to be inundated byeighty thousand men, Germans as well as Spaniards. But I was muchsurprised when I saw that everybody was eating meat, although it wasSaturday. But a stranger during the first few days after his arrival inRome is surrounded with many things which at first cause surprise, and towhich he soon gets accustomed. There is not a Catholic city in the worldin which a man is half so free on religious matters as in Rome. Theinhabitants of Rome are like the men employed at the Government tobaccoworks, who are allowed to take gratis as much tobacco as they want fortheir own use. One can live in Rome with the most complete freedom, except that the 'ordini santissimi' are as much to be dreaded as thefamous Lettres-de-cachet before the Revolution came and destroyed them, and shewed the whole world the general character of the French nation. 

The next day, the 1st of October, 1743, I made up my mind to be shaved. The down on my chin had become a beard, and I judged that it was time torenounce some of the privileges enjoyed by adolescence. I dressed myselfcompletely in the Roman fashion, and Father Georgi was highly pleasedwhen he saw me in that costume, which had been made by the tailor of mydear cousin, Don Antonio. 

Father Georgi invited me to take a cup of chocolate with him, andinformed me that the cardinal had been apprised of my arrival by a letterfrom Don Lelio, and that his eminence would receive me at noon at theVilla Negroni, where he would be taking a walk. I told Father Georgi thatI had been invited to dinner by M. Vivaldi, and he advised me tocultivate his acquaintance. 

I proceeded to the Villa Negroni; the moment he saw me the cardinalstopped to receive my letter, allowing two persons who accompanied him towalk forward. He put the letter in his pocket without reading it, examined me for one or two minutes, and enquired whether I felt any tastefor politics. I answered that, until now, I had not felt in me any butfrivolous tastes, but that I would make bold to answer for my readinessto execute all the orders which his eminence might be pleased to lay uponme, if he should judge me worthy of entering his service. 

"Come to my office to-morrow morning, " said the cardinal, "and ask forthe Abbe Gama, to whom I will give my instructions. You must applyyourself diligently to the study of the French language; it isindispensable. " He then enquired after Don Leilo's health, and afterkissing his hand I took my leave. 

I hastened to the house of M. Gaspar Vivaldi, where I dined amongst awell-chosen party of guests. M. Vivaldi was not married; literature washis only passion. He loved Latin poetry even better than Italian, andHorace, whom I knew by heart, was his favourite poet. After dinner, werepaired to his study, and he handed me one hundred Roman crowns, and DonAntonio's present, and assured me that I would be most welcome whenever Iwould call to take a cup of chocolate with him. 

After I had taken leave of Don Gaspar, I proceeded towards the Minerva, for I longed to enjoy the surprise of my dear Lucrezia and of her sister;I inquired for Donna Cecilia Monti, their mother, and I saw, to my greatastonishment, a young widow who looked like the sister of her twocharming daughters. There was no need for me to give her my name; I hadbeen announced, and she expected me. Her daughters soon came in, andtheir greeting caused me some amusement, for I did not appear to them tobe the same individual. Donna Lucrezia presented me to her youngestsister, only eleven years of age, and to her brother, an abbe of fifteen, of charming appearance. I took care to behave so as to please the mother;I was modest, respectful, and shewed a deep interest in everything I saw. The good advocate arrived, and was surprised at the change in myappearance. He launched out in his usual jokes, and I followed him onthat ground, yet I was careful not to give to my conversation the tone oflevity which used to cause so much mirth in our travelling coach; sothat, to, pay me a compliment, he told nee that, if I had had the sign ofmanhood shaved from my face, I had certainly transferred it to my mind. Donna Lucrezia did not know what to think of the change in my manners. 

Towards evening I saw, coming in rapid succession, five or sixordinary-looking ladies, and as many abbes, who appeared to me some ofthe volumes with which I was to begin my Roman education. They alllistened attentively to the most insignificant word I uttered, and I wasvery careful to let them enjoy their conjectures about me. Donna Ceciliatold the advocate that he was but a poor painter, and that his portraitswere not like the originals; he answered that she could not judge, because the original was shewing under a mask, and I pretended to bemortified by his answer. Donna Lucrezia said that she found me exactlythe same, and her sister was of opinion that the air of Rome gavestrangers a peculiar appearance. Everybody applauded, and Angeliqueturned red with satisfaction. After a visit of four hours I bowed myselfout, and the advocate, following me, told me that his mother-in-lawbegged me to consider myself as a friend of the family, and to be certainof a welcome at any hour I liked to call. I thanked him gratefully andtook my leave, trusting that I had pleased this amiable society as muchas it had pleased me. 

The next day I presented myself to the Abbe Gama. He was a Portuguese, about forty years old, handsome, and with a countenance full of candour, wit, and good temper. His affability claimed and obtained confidence. Hismanners and accent were quite Roman. He informed me, in the blandestmanner, that his eminence had himself given his instructions about me tohis majordomo, that I would have a lodging in the cardinal's palace, thatI would have my meals at the secretaries' table, and that, until Ilearned French, I would have nothing to do but make extracts from lettersthat he would supply me with. He then gave me the address of the Frenchteacher to whom he had already spoken in my behalf. He was a Romanadvocate, Dalacqua by name, residing precisely opposite the palace. 

After this short explanation, and an assurance that I could at all timesrely upon his friendship, he had me taken to the major-domo, who made mesign my name at the bottom of a page in a large book, already filled withother names, and counted out sixty Roman crowns which he paid me forthree months salary in advance. After this he accompanied me, followed bya 'staffiere' to my apartment on the third floor, which I found verycomfortably furnished. The servant handed me the key, saying that hewould come every morning to attend upon me, and the major-domoaccompanied me to the gate to make me known to the gate-keeper. Iimmediately repaired to my inn, sent my luggage to the palace, and foundmyself established in a place in which a great fortune awaited me, if Ihad only been able to lead a wise and prudent life, but unfortunately itwas not in my nature. 'Volentem ducit, nolentem trahit. '

I naturally felt it my duty to call upon my mentor, Father Georgi, towhom I gave all my good news. He said I was on the right road, and thatmy fortune was in my hands. 

"Recollect, " added the good father, "that to lead a blameless life youmust curb your passions, and that whatever misfortune may befall you itcannot be ascribed by any one to a want of good luck, or attributed tofate; those words are devoid of sense, and all the fault will rightlyfall on your own head. "

"I foresee, reverend father, that my youth and my want of experience willoften make it necessary for me to disturb you. I am afraid of provingmyself too heavy a charge for you, but you will find me docile andobedient. "

"I suppose you will often think me rather too severe; but you are notlikely to confide everything to me. "

"Everything, without any exception. "

"Allow me to feel somewhat doubtful; you have not told me where you spentfour hours yesterday. "

"Because I did not think it was worth mentioning. I made the acquaintanceof those persons during my journey; I believe them to be worthy andrespectable, and the right sort of people for me to visit, unless youshould be of a different opinion. "

"God forbid! It is a very respectable house, frequented by honest people. They are delighted at having made your acquaintance; you are much likedby everybody, and they hope to retain you as a friend; I have heard allabout it this morning; but you must not go there too often and as aregular guest. "

"Must I cease my visits at once, and without cause?"

"No, it would be a want of politeness on your part. You may go there onceor twice every week, but do not be a constant visitor. You are sighing, my son?"

"No, I assure you not. I will obey you. "

"I hope it may not be only a matter of obedience, and I trust your heartwill not feel it a hardship, but, if necessary, your heart must beconquered. Recollect that the heart is the greatest enemy of reason. "

"Yet they can be made to agree. "

"We often imagine so; but distrust the animism of your dear Horace. Youknow that there is no middle course with it: 'nisi paret, imperat'. "

"I know it, but in the family of which we were speaking there is nodanger for my heart. "

"I am glad of it, because in that case it will be all the easier for youto abstain from frequent visits. Remember that I shall trust you. "

"And I, reverend father; will listen to and follow your good advice. Iwill visit Donna Cecilia only now and then. " Feeling most unhappy, I tookhis hand to press it against my lips, but he folded me in his arms as afather might have done, and turned himself round so as not to let me seethat he was weeping. 

I dined at the cardinal's palace and sat near the Abbe Gama; the tablewas laid for twelve persons, who all wore the costume of priests, for inRome everyone is a priest or wishes to be thought a priest and as thereis no law to forbid anyone to dress like an ecclesiastic that dress isadopted by all those who wish to be respected (noblemen excepted) even ifthey are not in the ecclesiastical profession. 

I felt very miserable, and did not utter a word during the dinner; mysilence was construed into a proof of my sagacity. As we rose from thetable, the Abbe Gama invited me to spend the day with him, but I declinedunder pretence of letters to be written, and I truly did so for sevenhours. I wrote to Don Lelio, to Don Antonio, to my young friend Paul, andto the worthy Bishop of Martorano, who answered that he heartily wishedhimself in my place. 

Deeply enamoured of Lucrezia and happy in my love, to give her upappeared to me a shameful action. In order to insure the happiness of myfuture life, I was beginning to be the executioner of my presentfelicity, and the tormentor of my heart. I revolted against such anecessity which I judged fictitious, and which I could not admit unless Istood guilty of vileness before the tribunal of my own reason. I thoughtthat Father Georgi, if he wished to forbid my visiting that family, oughtnot to have said that it was worthy of respect; my sorrow would not havebeen so intense. The day and the whole of the night were spent in painfulthoughts. 

In the morning the Abbe Gama brought me a great book filled withministerial letters from which I was to compile for my amusement. After ashort time devoted to that occupation, I went out to take my first Frenchlesson, after which I walked towards the Strada-Condotta. I intended totake a long walk, when I heard myself called by my name. I saw the AbbeGama in front of a coffee-house. I whispered to him that Minerva hadforbidden me the coffee-rooms of Rome. "Minerva, " he answered, "desiresyou to form some idea of such places. Sit down by me. "

I heard a young abbe telling aloud, but without bitterness, a story, which attacked in a most direct manner the justice of His Holiness. Everybody was laughing and echoing the story. Another, being asked why hehad left the services of Cardinal B. , answered that it was because hiseminence did not think himself called upon to pay him apart for certainprivate services, and everybody laughed outright. Another came to theAbbe Gama, and told him that, if he felt any inclination to spend theafternoon at the Villa Medicis, he would find him there with two youngRoman girls who were satisfied with a 'quartino', a gold coin worthone-fourth of a sequin. Another abbe read an incendiary sonnet againstthe government, and several took a copy of it. Another read a satire ofhis own composition, in which he tore to pieces the honour of a family. In the middle of all that confusion, I saw a priest with a veryattractive countenance come in. The size of his hips made me take him fora woman dressed in men's clothes, and I said so to Gama, who told me thathe was the celebrated castrato, Bepino delta Mamana. The abbe called himto us, and told him with a laugh that I had taken him for a girl. Theimpudent fellow looked me full in the face, and said that, if I liked, hewould shew me whether I had been right or wrong. 

At the dinner-table everyone spoke to me, and I fancied I had givenproper answers to all, but, when the repast was over, the Abbe Gamainvited me to take coffee in his own apartment. The moment we were alone, he told me that all the guests I had met were worthy and honest men, andhe asked me whether I believed that I had succeeded in pleasing thecompany. 

"I flatter myself I have, " I answered. 

"You are wrong, " said the abbe, "you are flattering yourself. You have soconspicuously avoided the questions put to you that everybody in the roomnoticed your extreme reserve. In the future no one will ask you anyquestions. "

"I should be sorry if it should turn out so, but was I to expose my ownconcerns?"

"No, but there is a medium in all things. "

"Yes, the medium of Horace, but it is often a matter of great difficultyto hit it exactly. "

"A man ought to know how to obtain affection and esteem at the sametime. "

"That is the very wish nearest to my heart. "

"To-day you have tried for the esteem much more than for the affection ofyour fellow-creatures. It may be a noble aspiration, but you must prepareyourself to fight jealousy and her daughter, calumny; if those twomonsters do not succeed in destroying you, the victory must be yours. Now, for instance, you thoroughly refuted Salicetti to-day. Well, he is aphysician, and what is more a Corsican; he must feel badly towards you. "

"Could I grant that the longings of women during their pregnancy have noinfluence whatever on the skin of the foetus, when I know the reverse tobe the case? Are you not of my opinion?"

"I am for neither party; I have seen many children with some such marks, but I have no means of knowing with certainty whether those marks havetheir origin in some longing experienced by the mother while she waspregnant. "

"But I can swear it is so. "

"All the better for you if your conviction is based upon such evidence, and all the worse for Salicetti if he denies the possibility of the thingwithout certain authority. But let him remain in error; it is better thusthan to prove him in the wrong and to make a bitter enemy of him. "

In the evening I called upon Lucrezia. The family knew my success, andwarmly congratulated me. Lucrezia told me that I looked sad, and Ianswered that I was assisting at the funeral of my liberty, for I was nolonger my own master. Her husband, always fond of a joke, told her that Iwas in love with her, and his mother-in-law advised him not to show somuch intrepidity. I only remained an hour with those charming persons, and then took leave of them, but the very air around me was heated by theflame within my breast. When I reached my room I began to write, andspent the night in composing an ode which I sent the next day to theadvocate. I was certain that he would shew it to his wife, who lovedpoetry, and who did not yet know that I was a poet. I abstained fromseeing her again for three or four days. I was learning French, andmaking extracts from ministerial letters. 

His eminence was in the habit of receiving every evening, and his roomswere thronged with the highest nobility of Rome; I had never attendedthese receptions. The Abbe Gama told me that I ought to do so as well ashe did, without any pretension. I followed his advice and went; nobodyspoke to me, but as I was unknown everyone looked at me and enquired whoI was. The Abbe Gama asked me which was the lady who appeared to me themost amiable, and I shewed one to him; but I regretted having done so, for the courtier went to her, and of course informed her of what I hadsaid. Soon afterwards I saw her look at me through her eye-glass andsmile kindly upon me. She was the Marchioness G----, whose 'cicisbeo' wasCardinal S---- C----. 

On the very day I had fixed to spend the evening with Donna Lucrezia theworthy advocate called upon me. He told me that if I thought I was goingto prove I was not in love with his wife by staying away I was very muchmistaken, and he invited me to accompany all the family to Testaccio, where they intended to have luncheon on the following Thursday. He addedthat his wife knew my ode by heart, and that she had read it to theintended husband of Angelique, who had a great wish to make myacquaintance. That gentleman was likewise a poet, and would be one of theparty to Testaccio. I promised the advocate I would come to his house onthe Thursday with a carriage for two. 

At that time every Thursday in the month of October was a festival day inRome. I went to see Donna Cecilia in the evening, and we talked about theexcursion the whole time. I felt certain that Donna Lucrezia lookedforward to it with as much pleasure as I did myself. We had no fixedplan, we could not have any, but we trusted to the god of love, andtacitly placed our confidence in his protection. 

I took care that Father Georgi should not hear of that excursion before Imentioned it to him myself, and I hastened to him in order to obtain hispermission to go. I confess that, to obtain his leave, I professed themost complete indifference about it, and the consequence was that thegood man insisted upon my going, saying that it was a family party, andthat it was quite right for me to visit the environs of Rome and to enjoymyself in a respectable way. 

I went to Donna Cecilia's in a carriage which I hired from a certainRoland, a native of Avignon, and if I insist here upon his name it isbecause my readers will meet him again in eighteen years, hisacquaintance with me having had very important results. The charmingwidow introduced me to Don Francisco, her intended son-in-law, whom sherepresented as a great friend of literary men, and very deeply learnedhimself. I accepted it as gospel, and behaved accordingly; yet I thoughthe looked rather heavy and not sufficiently elated for a young man on thepoint of marrying such a pretty girl as Angelique. But he had plenty ofgood-nature and plenty of money, and these are better than learning andgallantry. 

As we were ready to get into the carriages, the advocate told me that hewould ride with me in my carriage, and that the three ladies would gowith Don Francisco in the other. I answered at once that he ought to keepDon Francisco company, and that I claimed the privilege of taking care ofDonna Cecilia, adding that I should feel dishonoured if things werearranged differently. Thereupon I offered my arm to the handsome widow, who thought the arrangement according to the rules of etiquette and goodbreeding, and an approving look of my Lucrezia gave me the most agreeablesensation. Yet the proposal of the advocate struck me somewhatunpleasantly, because it was in contradiction with his former behaviour, and especially with what he had said to me in my room a few days before. "Has he become jealous?" I said to myself; that would have made me almostangry, but the hope of bringing him round during our stay at Testacciocleared away the dark cloud on my mind, and I was very amiable to DonnaCecilia. What with lunching and walking we contrived to pass theafternoon very pleasantly; I was very gay, and my love for Lucrezia wasnot once mentioned; I was all attention to her mother. I occasionallyaddressed myself to Lucrezia, but not once to the advocate, feeling thisthe best way to shew him that he had insulted me. 

As we prepared to return, the advocate carried off Donna Cecilia and wentwith her to the carriage in which were already seated Angelique and DonFrancisco. Scarcely able to control my delight, I offered my arm to DonnaLucrezia, paying her some absurd compliment, while the advocate laughedoutright, and seemed to enjoy the trick he imagined he had played me. 

How many things we might have said to each other before giving ourselvesup to the material enjoyment of our love, had not the instants been soprecious! But, aware that we had only half an hour before us, we weresparing of the minutes. We were absorbed in voluptuous pleasure whensuddenly Lucrezia exclaims, ---

"Oh! dear, how unhappy we are!"

She pushes me back, composes herself, the carriage stops, and the servantopens the door. "What is the matter?" I enquire. "We are at home. "Whenever I recollect the circumstance, it seems to me fabulous, for it isnot possible to annihilate time, and the horses were regular old screws. But we were lucky all through. The night was dark, and my beloved angelhappened to be on the right side to get out of the carriage first, sothat, although the advocate was at the door of the brougham as soon asthe footman, everything went right, owing to the slow manner in whichLucrezia alighted. I remained at Donna Cecilia's until midnight. 

When I got home again, I went to bed; but how could I sleep? I feltburning in me the flame which I had not been able to restore to itsoriginal source in the too short distance from Testaccio to Rome. It wasconsuming me. Oh! unhappy are those who believe that the pleasures ofCythera are worth having, unless they are enjoyed in the most perfectaccord by two hearts overflowing with love!

I only rose in time for my French lesson. My teacher had a prettydaughter, named Barbara, who was always present during my lessons, andwho sometimes taught me herself with even more exactitude than herfather. A good-looking young man, who likewise took lessons, was courtingher, and I soon perceived that she loved him. This young man called oftenupon me, and I liked him, especially on account of his reserve, for, although I made him confess his love for Barbara, he always changed thesubject, if I mentioned it in our conversation. 

I had made up my mind to respect his reserve, and had not alluded to hisaffection for several days. But all at once I remarked that he had ceasedhis visits both to me and to his teacher, and at the same time I observedthat the young girl was no longer present at my lessons; I felt somecuriosity to know what had happened, although it was not, after all, anyconcern of mine. 

A few days after, as I was returning from church, I met the young man, and reproached him for keeping away from us all. He told me that greatsorrow had befallen him, which had fairly turned his brain, and that hewas a prey to the most intense despair. His eyes were wet with tears. AsI was leaving him, he held me back, and I told him that I would no longerbe his friend unless he opened his heart to me. He took me to one of thecloisters, and he spoke thus:

"I have loved Barbara for the last six months, and for three months shehas given me indisputable proofs of her affection. Five days ago, we werebetrayed by the servant, and the father caught us in a rather delicateposition. He left the room without saying one word, and I followed him, thinking of throwing myself at his feet; but, as I appeared before him, he took hold of me by the arm, pushed me roughly to the door, and forbademe ever to present myself again at his house. I cannot claim her hand inmarriage, because one of my brothers is married, and my father is notrich; I have no profession, and my mistress has nothing. Alas, now that Ihave confessed all to you, tell me, I entreat you, how she is. I amcertain that she is as miserable as I am myself. I cannot manage to get aletter delivered to her, for she does not leave the house, even to attendchurch. Unhappy wretch! What shall I do?"

I could but pity him, for, as a man of honour, it was impossible for meto interfere in such a business. I told him that I had not seen Barbarafor five days, and, not knowing what to say, I gave him the advice whichis tendered by all fools under similar circumstances; I advised him toforget his mistress. 

We had then reached the quay of Ripetta, and, observing that he wascasting dark looks towards the Tiber, I feared his despair might lead himto commit some foolish attempt against his own life, and, in order tocalm his excited feelings, I promised to make some enquiries from thefather about his mistress, and to inform him of all I heard. He feltquieted by my promise, and entreated me not to forget him. 

In spite of the fire which had been raging through my veins ever sincethe excursion to Testaccio, I had not seen my Lucrezia for four days. Idreaded Father Georgi's suave manner, and I was still more afraid offinding he had made up his mind to give me no more advice. But, unable toresist my desires, I called upon Lucrezia after my French lesson, andfound her alone, sad and dispirited. 

"Ah!" she exclaimed, as soon as I was by her side, "I think you mightfind time to come and see me!"

"My beloved one, it is not that I cannot find time, but I am so jealousof my love that I would rather die than let it be known publicly. I havebeen thinking of inviting you all to dine with me at Frascati. I willsend you a phaeton, and I trust that some lucky accident will smile uponour love. "

"Oh! yes, do, dearest! I am sure your invitation will be accepted:"

In a quarter of an hour the rest of the family came in, and I profferedmy invitation for the following Sunday, which happened to be the Festivalof St. Ursula, patroness of Lucrezia's youngest sister. I begged DonnaCecilia to bring her as well as her son. My proposal being readilyaccepted, I gave notice that the phaeton would be at Donna Cecilia's doorat seven o'clock, and that I would come myself with a carriage for twopersons. 

The next day I went to M. Dalacqua, and, after my lesson, I saw Barbarawho, passing from one room to another, dropped a paper and earnestlylooked at me. I felt bound to pick it up, because a servant, who was athand, might have seen it and taken it. It was a letter, enclosing anotheraddressed to her lover. The note for me ran thus: "If you think it to bea sin to deliver the enclosed to your friend, burn it. Have pity on anunfortunate girl, and be discreet. "

The enclosed letter which was unsealed, ran as follows: "If you love meas deeply as 'I love you, you cannot hope to be happy without me; wecannot correspond in any other way than the one I am bold enough toadopt. I am ready to do anything to unite our lives until death. Considerand decide. "

The cruel situation of the poor girl moved me almost to tears; yet Idetermined to return her letter the next day, and I enclosed it in a notein which I begged her to excuse me if I could not render her the serviceshe required at my hands. I put it in my pocket ready for delivery. Thenext day I went for my lesson as usual, but, not seeing Barbara, I had noopportunity of returning her letter, and postponed its delivery to thefollowing day. Unfortunately, just after I had returned to my room, theunhappy lover made his appearance. His eyes were red from weeping, hisvoice hoarse; he drew such a vivid picture of his misery, that, dreadingsome mad action counselled by despair, I could not withhold from him theconsolation which I knew it was in my power to give. This was my firsterror in this fatal business; I was the victim of my own kindness. 

The poor fellow read the letter over and over; he kissed it withtransports of joy; he wept, hugged me, and thanked me for saving hislife, and finally entreated me to take charge of his answer, as hisbeloved mistress must be longing for consolation as much as he had beenhimself, assuring me that his letter could not in any way implicate me, and that I was at liberty to read it. 

And truly, although very long, his letter contained nothing but theassurance of everlasting love, and hopes which could not be realized. YetI was wrong to accept the character of Mercury to the two young lovers. To refuse, I had only to recollect that Father Georgi would certainlyhave disapproved of my easy compliance. 

The next day I found M. Dalacqua ill in bed; his daughter gave me mylesson in his room, and I thought that perhaps she had obtained herpardon. I contrived to give her her lover's letter, which she dextrouslyconveyed to her pocket, but her blushes would have easily betrayed her ifher father had been looking that way. After the lesson I gave M. Dalacquanotice that I would not come on the morrow, as it was the Festival of St. Ursula, one of the eleven thousand princesses and martyr-virgins. 

In the evening, at the reception of his eminence, which I attendedregularly, although persons of distinction seldom spoke to me, thecardinal beckoned to me. He was speaking to the beautiful MarchionessG----, to whom Gama had indiscreetly confided that I thought her thehandsomest woman amongst his eminence's guests. 

"Her grace, " said the Cardinal, "wishes to know whether you are makingrapid progress in the French language, which she speaks admirably. "

I answered in Italian that I had learned a great deal, but that I was notyet bold enough to speak. 

"You should be bold, " said the marchioness, "but without showing anypretension. It is the best way to disarm criticism. "

My mind having almost unwittingly lent to the words "You should be bold"a meaning which had very likely been far from the idea of themarchioness, I turned very red, and the handsome speaker, observing it, changed the conversation and dismissed me. 

The next morning, at seven o'clock, I was at Donna Cecilia's door. Thephaeton was there as well as the carriage for two persons, which thistime was an elegant vis-a-vis, so light and well-hung that Donna Ceciliapraised it highly when she took her seat. 

"I shall have my turn as we return to Rome, " said Lucrezia; and I bowedto her as if in acceptance of her promise. 

Lucrezia thus set suspicion at defiance in order to prevent suspicionarising. My happiness was assured, and I gave way to my natural flow ofspirits. I ordered a splendid dinner, and we all set out towards theVilla Ludovisi. As we might have missed each other during our ramblings, we agreed to meet again at the inn at one o'clock. The discreet widowtook the arm of her son-in-law, Angelique remained with her sister, andLucrezia was my delightful share; Ursula and her brother were runningabout together, and in less than a quarter of an hour I had Lucreziaentirely to myself. 

"Did you remark, " she said, "with what candour I secured for us two hoursof delightful 'tete-a-tete', and a 'tete-a-tete' in a 'vis-a-vis', too!How clever Love is!"

"Yes, darling, Love has made but one of our two souls. I adore you, andif I have the courage to pass so many days without seeing you it is inorder to be rewarded by the freedom of one single day like this. "

"I did not think it possible. But you have managed it all very well. Youknow too much for your age, dearest. "

"A month ago, my beloved, I was but an ignorant child, and you are thefirst woman who has initiated me into the mysteries of love. Yourdeparture will kill me, for I could not find another woman like you inall Italy. "

"What! am I your first love? Alas! you will never be cured of it. Oh! whyam I not entirely your own? You are also the first true love of my heart, and you will be the last. How great will be the happiness of mysuccessor! I should not be jealous of her, but what suffering would bemine if I thought that her heart was not like mine!"

Lucrezia, seeing my eyes wet with tears, began to give way to her own, and, seating ourselves on the grass, our lips drank our tears amidst thesweetest kisses. How sweet is the nectar of the tears shed by love, whenthat nectar is relished amidst the raptures of mutual ardour! I haveoften tasted them--those delicious tears, and I can say knowingly thatthe ancient physicians were right, and that the modern are wrong. 

In a moment of calm, seeing the disorder in which we both were, I toldher that we might be surprised. 

"Do not fear, my best beloved, " she said, "we are under the guardianshipof our good angels. "

We were resting and reviving our strength by gazing into one another'seyes, when suddenly Lucrezia, casting a glance to the right, exclaimed, "Look there! idol of my heart, have I not told you so? Yes, the angelsare watching over us! Ah! how he stares at us! He seems to try to give usconfidence. Look at that little demon; admire him! He must certainly beyour guardian spirit or mine. "

I thought she was delirious. 

"What are you saying, dearest? I do not understand you. What am I toadmire?"

"Do you not see that beautiful serpent with the blazing skin, which liftsits head and seems to worship us?"

I looked in the direction she indicated, and saw a serpent withchangeable colours about three feet in length, which did seem to belooking at us. I was not particularly pleased at the sight, but I couldnot show myself less courageous than she was. 

"What!" said I, "are you not afraid?"

"I tell you, again, that the sight is delightful to me, and I feelcertain that it is a spirit with nothing but the shape, or rather theappearance, of a serpent. "

"And if the spirit came gliding along the grass and hissed at you?"

"I would hold you tighter against my bosom, and set him at defiance. Inyour arms Lucrezia is safe. Look! the spirit is going away. Quick, quick!He is warning us of the approach of some profane person, and tells us toseek some other retreat to renew our pleasures. Let us go. "

We rose and slowly advanced towards Donna Cecilia and the advocate, whowere just emerging from a neighbouring alley. Without avoiding them, andwithout hurrying, just as if to meet one another was a very naturaloccurrence, I enquired of Donna Cecilia whether her daughter had any fearof serpents. 

"In spite of all her strength of mind, " she answered, "she is dreadfullyafraid of thunder, and she will scream with terror at the sight of thesmallest snake. There are some here, but she need not be frightened, forthey are not venomous. "

I was speechless with astonishment, for I discovered that I had justwitnessed a wonderful love miracle. At that moment the children came up, and, without ceremony, we again parted company. 

"Tell me, wonderful being, bewitching woman, what would you have done if, instead of your pretty serpent, you had seen your husband and yourmother?"

"Nothing. Do you not know that, in moments of such rapture, lovers seeand feel nothing but love? Do you doubt having possessed me wholly, entirely?"

Lucrezia, in speaking thus, was not composing a poetical ode; she was notfeigning fictitious sentiments; her looks, the sound of her voice, weretruth itself!

"Are you certain, " I enquired, "that we are not suspected?"

"My husband does not believe us to be in love with each other, or else hedoes not mind such trifling pleasures as youth is generally wont toindulge in. My mother is a clever woman, and perhaps she suspects thetruth, but she is aware that it is no longer any concern of hers. As tomy sister, she must know everything, for she cannot have forgotten thebroken-down bed; but she is prudent, and besides, she has taken it intoher head to pity me. She has no conception of the nature of my feelingstowards you. If I had not met you, my beloved, I should probably havegone through life without realizing such feelings myself; for what I feelfor my husband. . . . Well, I have for him the obedience which my positionas a wife imposes upon me. "

"And yet he is most happy, and I envy him! He can clasp in his arms allyour lovely person whenever he likes! There is no hateful veil to hideany of your charms from his gaze. "

"Oh! where art thou, my dear serpent? Come to us, come and protect usagainst the surprise of the uninitiated, and this very instant I fulfilall the wishes of him I adore!"

We passed the morning in repeating that we loved each other, and inexchanging over and over again substantial proofs of our mutual passion. 

We had a delicious dinner, during which I was all attention for theamiable Donna Cecilia. My pretty tortoise-shell box, filled withexcellent snuff, went more than once round the table. As it happened tobe in the hands of Lucrezia who was sitting on my left, her husband toldher that, if I had no objection, she might give me her ring and keep thesnuff-box in exchange. Thinking that the ring was not of as much value asmy box, I immediately accepted, but I found the ring of greater value. Lucrezia would not, however, listen to anything on that subject. She putthe box in her pocket, and thus compelled me to keep her ring. 

Dessert was nearly over, the conversation was very animated, whensuddenly the intended husband of Angelique claimed our attention for thereading of a sonnet which he had composed and dedicated to me. I thankedhim, and placing the sonnet in my pocket promised to write one for him. This was not, however, what he wished; he expected that, stimulated byemulation, I would call for paper and pen, and sacrifice to Apollo hourswhich it was much more to my taste to employ in worshipping another godwhom his cold nature knew only by name. We drank coffee, I paid the bill, and we went about rambling through the labyrinthine alleys of the VillaAldobrandini. 

What sweet recollections that villa has left in my memory! It seemed asif I saw my divine Lucrezia for the first time. Our looks were full ofardent love, our hearts were beating in concert with the most tenderimpatience, and a natural instinct was leading us towards a solitaryasylum which the hand of Love seemed to have prepared on purpose for themysteries of its secret worship. There, in the middle of a long avenue, and under a canopy of thick foliage, we found a wide sofa made of grass, and sheltered by a deep thicket; from that place our eyes could rangeover an immense plain, and view the avenue to such a distance right andleft that we were perfectly secure against any surprise. We did notrequire to exchange one word at the sight of this beautiful temple sofavourable to our love; our hearts spoke the same language. 

Without a word being spoken, our ready hands soon managed to get rid ofall obstacles, and to expose in a state of nature all the beauties whichare generally veiled by troublesome wearing apparel. Two whole hours weredevoted to the most delightful, loving ecstasies. At last we exclaimedtogether in mutual ecstasy, "O Love, we thank thee!"

We slowly retraced our steps towards the carriages, revelling in ourintense happiness. Lucrezia informed me that Angelique's suitor waswealthy, that he owned a splendid villa at Tivoli, and that most likelyhe would invite us all to dine and pass the night there. "I pray the godof love, " she added, "to grant us a night as beautiful as this day hasbeen. " Then, looking sad, she said, "But alas! the ecclesiastical lawsuitwhich has brought my husband to Rome is progressing so favourably that Iam mortally afraid he will obtain judgment all too soon. "

The journey back to the city lasted two hours; we were alone in myvis-a-vis and we overtaxed nature, exacting more than it can possiblygive. As we were getting near Rome we were compelled to let the curtainfall before the denouement of the drama which we had performed to thecomplete satisfaction of the actors. 

I returned home rather fatigued, but the sound sleep which was so naturalat my age restored my full vigour, and in the morning I took my Frenchlesson at the usual hour. 

CHAPTER X

Benedict XIV--Excursion to Tivoli--Departure of Lucrezia--The MarchionessG. --Barbara Dalacqua--My Misfortunes--I Leave Rome

M. Dalacqua being very ill, his daughter Barbara gave me my lesson. Whenit was over, she seized an opportunity of slipping a letter into mypocket, and immediately disappeared, so that I had no chance of refusing. The letter was addressed to me, and expressed feelings of the warmestgratitude. She only desired me to inform her lover that her father hadspoken to her again, and that most likely he would engage a new servantas soon as he had recovered from his illness, and she concluded herletter by assuring me that she never would implicate me in this business. 

Her father was compelled to keep his bed for a fortnight, and Barbaracontinued to give me my lesson every day. I felt for her an interestwhich, from me towards a young and pretty girl, was, indeed, quite a newsentiment. It was a feeling of pity, and I was proud of being able tohelp and comfort her. Her eyes never rested upon mine, her hand never metmine, I never saw in her toilet the slightest wish to please me. She wasvery pretty, and I knew she had a tender, loving nature; but nothinginterfered with the respect and the regard which I was bound in honourand in good faith to feel towards her, and I was proud to remark that shenever thought me capable of taking advantage of her weakness or of herposition. 

When the father had recovered he dismissed his servant and engagedanother. Barbara entreated me to inform her friend of the circumstance, and likewise of her hope to gain the new servant to their interests, atleast sufficiently to secure the possibility of carrying on somecorrespondence. I promised to do so, and as a mark of her gratitude shetook my hand to carry it to her lips, but quickly withdrawing it I triedto kiss her; she turned her face away, blushing deeply. I was muchpleased with her modesty. 

Barbara having succeeded in gaining the new servant over, I had nothingmore to do with the intrigue, and I was very glad of it, for I knew myinterference might have brought evil on my own head. Unfortunately, itwas already too late. 

I seldom visited Don Gaspar; the study of the French language took up allmy mornings, and it was only in the morning that I could see him; but Icalled every evening upon Father Georgi, and, although I went to him onlyas one of his 'proteges', it gave me some reputation. I seldom spokebefore his guests, yet I never felt weary, for in his circle his friendswould criticise without slandering, discuss politics withoutstubbornness, literature without passion, and I profited by all. After myvisit to the sagacious monk, I used to attend the assembly of thecardinal, my master, as a matter of duty. Almost every evening, when shehappened to see me at her card-table, the beautiful marchioness wouldaddress to me a few gracious words in French, and I always answered inItalian, not caring to make her laugh before so many persons. My feelingsfor her were of a singular kind. I must leave them to the analysis of thereader. I thought that woman charming, yet I avoided her; it was notbecause I was afraid of falling in love with her; I loved Lucrezia, and Ifirmly believed that such an affection was a shield against any otherattachment, but it was because I feared that she might love me or have apassing fancy for me. Was it self-conceit or modesty, vice or virtue?Perhaps neither one nor the other. 

One evening she desired the Abbe Gama to call me to her; she was standingnear the cardinal, my patron, and the moment I approached her she causedme a strange feeling of surprise by asking me in Italian a question whichI was far from anticipating:

"How did you like Frascati?"

"Very much, madam; I have never seen such a beautiful place. "

"But your company was still more beautiful, and your vis-a-vis was verysmart. "

I only bowed low to the marchioness, and a moment after CardinalAcquaviva said to me, kindly, "You are astonished at your adventure being known?"

"No, my lord; but I am surprised that people should talk of it. I couldnot have believed Rome to be so much like a small village. "

"The longer you live in Rome, " said his eminence, "the more you will findit so. You have not yet presented yourself to kiss the foot of our HolyFather?"

"Not yet, my lord. "

"Then you must do so. "

I bowed in compliance to his wishes. 

The Abbe Gama told me to present myself to the Pope on the morrow, and headded, "Of course you have already shewn yourself in the Marchioness G. 'spalace?"

"No, I have never been there. "

"You astonish me; but she often speaks to you!"

"I have no objection to go with you. "

"I never visit at her palace. "

"Yet she speaks to you likewise. "

"Yes, but. . . . You do not know Rome; go alone; believe me, you ought togo. "

"Will she receive me?"

"You are joking, I suppose. Of course it is out of the question for youto be announced. You will call when the doors are wide open to everybody. You will meet there all those who pay homage to her. "

"Will she see me?"

"No doubt of it. "

On the following day I proceeded to Monte-Cavallo, and I was at once ledinto the room where the Pope was alone. I threw myself on my knees andkissed the holy cross on his most holy slipper. The Pope enquiring who Iwas, I told him, and he answered that he knew me, congratulating me uponmy being in the service of so eminent a cardinal. He asked me how I hadsucceeded in gaining the cardinal's favour; I answered with a faithfulrecital of my adventures from my arrival at Martorano. He laughedheartily at all I said respecting the poor and worthy bishop, andremarked that, instead of trying to address him in Tuscan, I could speakin the Venetian dialect, as he was himself speaking to me in the dialectof Bologna. I felt quite at my ease with him, and I told him so much newsand amused him so well that the Holy Father kindly said that he would beglad to see me whenever I presented myself at Monte-Cavallo. I begged hispermission to read all forbidden books, and he granted it with hisblessing, saying that I should have the permission in writing, but heforgot it. 

Benedict XIV, was a learned man, very amiable, and fond of a joke. I sawhim for the second time at the Villa Medicis. He called me to him, andcontinued his walk, speaking of trifling things. He was then accompaniedby Cardinal Albani and the ambassador from Venice. A man of modestappearance approached His Holiness, who asked what he required; the mansaid a few words in a low voice, and, after listening to him, the Popeanswered, "You are right, place your trust in God;" and he gave him hisblessing. The poor fellow went away very dejected, and the Holy Fathercontinued his walk. 

"This man, " I said, "most Holy Father, has not been pleased with theanswer of Your Holiness. "

"Why?"

"Because most likely he had already addressed himself to God before heventured to apply to you; and when Your Holiness sends him to God again, he finds himself sent back, as the proverb says, from Herod to Pilate. "

The Pope, as well as his two companions, laughed heartily; but I kept aserious countenance. 

"I cannot, " continued the Pope, "do any good without God's assistance. "

"Very true, Holy Father; but the man is aware that you are God's primeminister, and it is easy to imagine his trouble now that the ministersends him again to the master. His only resource is to give money to thebeggars of Rome, who for one 'bajocco' will pray for him. They boast oftheir influence before the throne of the Almighty, but as I have faithonly in your credit, I entreat Your Holiness to deliver me of the heatwhich inflames my eyes by granting me permission to eat meat. "

"Eat meat, my son. "

"Holy Father, give me your blessing. "

He blessed me, adding that I was not dispensed from fasting. 

That very evening, at the cardinal's assembly, I found that the news ofmy dialogue with the Pope was already known. Everybody was anxious tospeak to me. I felt flattered, but I was much more delighted at the joywhich Cardinal Acquaviva tried in vain to conceal. 

As I wished not to neglect Gama's advice, I presented myself at themansion of the beautiful marchioness at the hour at which everyone hadfree access to her ladyship. I saw her, I saw the cardinal and a greatmany abbes; but I might have supposed myself invisible, for no onehonoured me with a look, and no one spoke to me. I left after havingperformed for half an hour the character of a mute. Five or six daysafterwards, the marchioness told me graciously that she had caught asight of me in her reception-rooms. 

"I was there, it is true, madam; but I had no idea that I had had thehonour to be seen by your ladyship. "

"Oh! I see everybody. They tell me that you have wit. "

"If it is not a mistake on the part of your informants, your ladyshipgives me very good news. "

"Oh! they are excellent judges. "

"Then, madam, those persons must have honoured me with theirconversation; otherwise, it is not likely that they would have been ableto express such an opinion. "

"No doubt; but let me see you often at my receptions. "

Our conversation had been overheard by those who were around; hisexcellency the cardinal told me that, when the marchioness addressedherself particularly to me in French, my duty was to answer her in thesame language, good or bad. The cunning politician Gama took me apart, and remarked that my repartees were too smart, too cutting, and that, after a time, I would be sure to displease. I had made considerableprogress in French; I had given up my lessons, and practice was all Irequired. I was then in the habit of calling sometimes upon Lucrezia inthe morning, and of visiting in the evening Father Georgi, who wasacquainted with the excursion to Frascati, and had not expressed anydissatisfaction. 

Two days after the sort of command laid upon me by the marchioness, Ipresented myself at her reception. As soon as she saw me, she favoured mewith a smile which I acknowledged by a deep reverence; that was all. In aquarter of an hour afterwards I left the mansion. The marchioness wasbeautiful, but she was powerful, and I could not make up my mind to crawlat the feet of power, and, on that head, I felt disgusted with themanners of the Romans. 

One morning towards the end of November the advocate, accompanied byAngelique's intended, called on me. The latter gave me a pressinginvitation to spend twenty-four hours at Tivoli with the friends I hadentertained at Frascati. I accepted with great pleasure, for I had foundno opportunity of being alone with Lucrezia since the Festival of St. Ursula. I promised to be at Donna Cecilia's house at day-break with thesame 'is-a-vis'. It was necessary to start very early, because Tivoli issixteen miles from Rome, and has so many objects of interest that itrequires many hours to see them all. As I had to sleep out that night, Icraved permission to do so from the cardinal himself, who, hearing withwhom I was going, told me that I was quite right not to lose such anopportunity of visiting that splendid place in such good society. 

The first dawn of day found me with my 'vis-a-vis' and four at the doorof Donna Cecilia, who came with me as before. The charming widow, notwithstanding her strict morality, was delighted at my love for herdaughter. The family rode in a large phaeton hired by Don Francisco, which gave room for six persons. 

At half-past seven in the morning we made a halt at a small place wherehad been prepared, by Don Franciso's orders, an excellent breakfast, which was intended to replace the dinner, and we all made a hearty meal, as we were not likely to find time for anything but supper at Tivoli. Iwore on my finger the beautiful ring which Lucrezia had given me. At theback of the ring I had had a piece of enamel placed, on it was delineateda saduceus, with one serpent between the letters Alpha and Omega. Thisring was the subject of conversation during breakfast, and Don Francisco, as well as the advocate, exerted himself in vain to guess the meaning ofthe hieroglyphs; much to the amusement of Lucrezia, who understood themysterious secret so well. We continued our road, and reached Tivoli atten o'clock. 

We began by visiting Don Francisco's villa. It was a beautiful littlehouse, and we spent the following six hours in examining together theantiquities of Tivoli. Lucrezia having occasion to whisper a few words toDon Francisco, I seized the opportunity of telling Angelique that afterher marriage I should be happy to spend a few days of the fine seasonwith her. 

"Sir, " she answered, "I give you fair notice that the moment I becomemistress in this house you will be the very first person to be excluded. "

"I feel greatly obliged to you, signora, for your timely notice. "

But the most amusing part of the affair was that I construed Angelique'swanton insult into a declaration of love. I was astounded. Lucrezia, remarking the state I was in, touched my arm, enquiring what ailed me. Itold her, and she said at once, "My darling, my happiness cannot last long; the cruel moment of ourseparation is drawing near. When I have gone, pray undertake the task ofcompelling her to acknowledge her error. Angelique pities me, be sure toavenge me. "

I have forgotten to mention that at Don Francisco's villa I happened topraise a very pretty room opening upon the orange-house, and the amiablehost, having heard me, came obligingly to me, and said that it should bemy room that night. Lucrezia feigned not to hear, but it was to herAriadne's clue, for, as we were to remain altogether during our visit tothe beauties of Tivoli, we had no chance of a tete-a-tete through theday. 

I have said that we devoted six hours to an examination of theantiquities of Tivoli, but I am bound to confess here that I saw, for mypart, very little of them, and it was only twenty-eight years later thatI made a thorough acquaintance with the beautiful spot. 

We returned to the villa towards evening, fatigued and very hungry, butan hour's rest before supper--a repast which lasted two hours, the mostdelicious dishes, the most exquisite wines, and particularly theexcellent wine of Tivoli--restored us so well that everybody wantednothing more than a good bed and the freedom to enjoy the bed accordingto his own taste. 

As everybody objected to sleep alone, Lucrezia said that she would sleepwith Angelique in one of the rooms leading to the orange-house, andproposed that her husband should share a room with the young abbe, hisbrother-in-law, and that Donna Cecilia should take her youngest daughterwith her. 

The arrangement met with general approbation, and Don Francisco, taking acandle, escorted me to my pretty little room adjoining the one in whichthe two sisters were to sleep, and, after shewing me how I could lockmyself in, he wished me good night and left me alone. 

Angelique had no idea that I was her near neighbour, but Lucrezia and I, without exchanging a single word on the subject, had perfectly understoodeach other. 

I watched through the key-hole and saw the two sisters come into theirroom, preceded by the polite Don Francisco, who carried a taper, and, after lighting a night-lamp, bade them good night and retired. Then mytwo beauties, their door once locked, sat down on the sofa and completedtheir night toilet, which, in that fortunate climate, is similar to thecostume of our first mother. Lucrezia, knowing that I was waiting to comein, told her sister to lie down on the side towards the window, and thevirgin, having no idea that she was exposing her most secret beauties tomy profane eyes, crossed the room in a state of complete nakedness. Lucrezia put out the lamp and lay down near her innocent sister. 

Happy moments which I can no longer enjoy, but the sweet remembrance ofwhich death alone can make me lose! I believe I never undressed myself asquickly as I did that evening. 

I open the door and fall into the arms of my Lucrezia, who says to hersister, "It is my angel, my love; never mind him, and go to sleep. "

What a delightful picture I could offer to my readers if it were possiblefor me to paint voluptuousnes in its most enchanting colours! Whatecstasies of love from the very onset! What delicious raptures succeedeach other until the sweetest fatigue made us give way to the soothinginfluence of Morpheus!

The first rays of the sun, piercing through the crevices of the shutters, wake us out of our refreshing slumbers, and like two valorous knights whohave ceased fighting only to renew the contest with increased ardour, welose no time in giving ourselves up to all the intensity of the flamewhich consumes us. 

"Oh, my beloved Lucrezia! how supremely happy I am! But, my darling, mindyour sister; she might turn round and see us. "

"Fear nothing, my life; my sister is kind, she loves me, she pities me;do you not love me, my dear Angelique? Oh! turn round, see how happy yoursister is, and know what felicity awaits you when you own the sway oflove. "

Angelique, a young maiden of seventeen summers, who must have sufferedthe torments of Tantalus during the night, and who only wishes for apretext to shew that she has forgiven her sister, turns round, andcovering her sister with kisses, confesses that she has not closed hereyes through the night. 

"Then forgive likewise, darling Angelique, forgive him who loves me, andwhom I adore, " says Lucrezia. 

Unfathomable power of the god who conquers all human beings!

"Angelique hates me, " I say, "I dare not. . . . "

"No, I do not hate you!" answers the charming girl. 

"Kiss her, dearest, " says Lucrezia, pushing me towards her sister, andpleased to see her in my arms motionless and languid. 

But sentiment, still more than love, forbids me to deprive Lucrezia ofthe proof of my gratitude, and I turn to her with all the rapture of abeginner, feeling that my ardour is increased by Angelique's ecstasy, asfor the first time she witnesses the amorous contest. Lucrezia, dying ofenjoyment, entreats me to stop, but, as I do not listen to her prayer, she tricks me, and the sweet Angelique makes her first sacrifice to themother of love. It is thus, very likely, that when the gods inhabitedthis earth, the voluptuous Arcadia, in love with the soft and pleasingbreath of Zephyrus, one day opened her arms, and was fecundated. 

Lucrezia was astonished and delighted, and covered us both with kisses. Angelique, as happy as her sister, expired deliciously in my arms for thethird time, and she seconded me with so much loving ardour, that itseemed to me I was tasting happiness for the first time. 

Phoebus had left the nuptial couch, and his rays were already diffusinglight over the universe; and that light, reaching us through the closedshutters, gave me warning to quit the place; we exchanged the most lovingadieus, I left my two divinities and retired to my own room. A fewminutes afterwards, the cheerful voice of the advocate was heard in thechamber of the sisters; he was reproaching them for sleeping too long!Then he knocked at my door, threatening to bring the ladies to me, andwent away, saying that he would send me the hair-dresser. 

After many ablutions and a careful toilet, I thought I could skew myface, and I presented myself coolly in the drawing-room. The two sisterswere there with the other members of our society, and I was delightedwith their rosy cheeks. Lucrezia was frank and gay, and beamed withhappiness; Angelique, as fresh as the morning dew, was more radiant thanusual, but fidgety, and carefully avoided looking me in the face. I sawthat my useless attempts to catch her eyes made her smile, and I remarkedto her mother, rather mischievously, that it was a pity Angelique usedpaint for her face. She was duped by this stratagem, and compelled me topass a handkerchief over her face, and was then obliged to look at me. Ioffered her my apologies, and Don Francisco appeared highly pleased thatthe complexion of his intended had met with such triumph. 

After breakfast we took a walk through the garden, and, finding myselfalone with Lucrezia, I expostulated tenderly with her for having almostthrown her sister in my arms. 

"Do not reproach me, " she said, "when I deserve praise. I have broughtlight into the darkness of my charming sister's soul; I have initiatedher in the sweetest of mysteries, and now, instead of pitying me, shemust envy me. Far from having hatred for you, she must love you dearly, and as I am so unhappy as to have to part from you very soon, my beloved, I leave her to you; she will replace me. "

"Ah, Lucrezia! how can I love her?"

"Is she not a charming girl?"

"No doubt of it; but my adoration for you is a shield against any otherlove. Besides Don Francisco must, of course, entirely monopolize her, andI do not wish to cause coolness between them, or to ruin the peace oftheir home. I am certain your sister is not like you, and I would betthat, even now, she upbraids herself for having given way to the ardourof her temperament:"

"Most likely; but, dearest, I am sorry to say my husband expects toobtain judgment in the course of this week, and then the short instantsof happiness will for ever be lost to me. "

This was sad news indeed, and to cause a diversion at the breakfast-tableI took much notice of the generous Don Francisco, and promised to composea nuptial song for his wedding-day, which had been fixed for the earlypart of January. 

We returned to Rome, and for the three hours that she was with me in myvis-a-vis, Lucrezia had no reason to think that my ardour was at allabated. But when we reached the city I was rather fatigued, and proceededat once to the palace. 

Lucrezia had guessed rightly; her husband obtained his judgment three orfour days afterwards, and called upon me to announce their departure forthe day after the morrow; he expressed his warm friendship for me, and byhis invitation I spent the two last evenings with Lucrezia, but we werealways surrounded by the family. The day of her departure, wishing tocause her an agreeable surprise, I left Rome before them and waited forthem at the place where I thought they would put up for the night, butthe advocate, having been detained by several engagements, was detainedin Rome, and they only reached the place next day for dinner. We dinedtogether, we exchanged a sad, painful farewell, and they continued theirjourney while I returned to Rome. 

After the departure of this charming woman, I found myself in sort ofsolitude very natural to a young man whose heart is not full of hope. 

I passed whole days in my room, making extracts from the French letterswritten by the cardinal, and his eminence was kind enough to tell me thatmy extracts were judiciously made, but that he insisted upon my notworking so hard. The beautiful marchioness was present when he paid methat compliment. 

Since my second visit to her, I had not presented myself at her house;she was consequently rather cool to me, and, glad of an opportunity ofmaking me feel her displeasure, she remarked to his eminence that verylikely work was a consolation to me in the great void caused by thedeparture of Donna Lucrezia. 

"I candidly confess, madam, that I have felt her loss deeply. She waskind and generous; above all, she was indulgent when I did not call oftenupon her. My friendship for her was innocent. "

"I have no doubt of it, although your ode was the work of a poet deeplyin love. "

"Oh!" said the kindly cardinal, "a poet cannot possibly write withoutprofessing to be in love. "

"But, " replied the marchioness, "if the poet is really in love, he has noneed of professing a feeling which he possesses. "

As she was speaking, the marchioness drew out of her pocket a paper whichshe offered to his eminence. 

"This is the ode, " she said, "it does great honour to the poet, for it isadmitted to be a masterpiece by all the literati in Rome, and DonnaLucrezia knows it by heart. "

The cardinal read it over and returned it, smiling, and remarking that, as he had no taste for Italian poetry, she must give herself the pleasureof translating it into French rhyme if she wished him to admire it. 

"I only write French prose, " answered the marchioness, "and a prosetranslation destroys half the beauty of poetry. I am satisfied withwriting occasionally a little Italian poetry without any pretension topoetical fame. "

Those words were accompanied by a very significant glance in mydirection. 

"I should consider myself fortunate, madam, if I could obtain thehappiness of admiring some of your poetry. "

"Here is a sonnet of her ladyship's, " said Cardinal S. C. 

I took it respectfully, and I prepared to read it, but the amiablemarchioness told me to put it in my pocket and return it to the cardinalthe next day, although she did not think the sonnet worth so muchtrouble. "If you should happen to go out in the morning, " said CardinalS. C. , "you could bring it back, and dine with me. " Cardinal Aquavivaimmediately answered for me: "He will be sure to go out purposely. "

With a deep reverence, which expressed my thanks, I left the room quietlyand returned to my apartment, very impatient to read the sonnet. Yet, before satisfying my wish, I could not help making some reflections onthe situation. I began to think myself somebody since the gigantic strideI had made this evening at the cardinal's assembly. The Marchioness de G. Had shewn in the most open way the interest she felt in me, and, undercover of her grandeur, had not hesitated to compromise herself publiclyby the most flattering advances. But who would have thought ofdisapproving? A young abbe like me, without any importance whatever, whocould scarcely pretend to her high protection! True, but she wasprecisely the woman to grant it to those who, feeling themselves unworthyof it, dared not shew any pretensions to her patronage. On that head, mymodesty must be evident to everyone, and the marchioness would certainlyhave insulted me had she supposed me capable of sufficient vanity tofancy that she felt the slightest inclination for me. No, such a piece ofself-conceit was not in accordance with my nature. Her cardinal himselfhad invited me to dinner. Would he have done so if he had admitted thepossibility of the beautiful marchioness feeling anything for me? Ofcourse not, and he gave me an invitation to dine with him only because hehad understood, from the very words of the lady, that I was just the sortof person with whom they could converse for a few hours without any risk;to be sure, without any risk whatever. Oh, Master Casanova! do you reallythink so?

Well, why should I put on a mask before my readers? They may think meconceited if they please, but the fact of the matter is that I felt sureof having made a conquest of the marchioness. I congratulated myselfbecause she had taken the first, most difficult, and most important step. Had she not done so, I should never have dared-to lay siege to her evenin the most approved fashion; I should never have even ventured to dreamof winning her. It was only this evening that I thought she might replaceLucrezia. She was beautiful, young, full of wit and talent; she was fondof literary pursuits, and very powerful in Rome; what more was necessary?Yet I thought it would be good policy to appear ignorant of herinclination for me, and to let her suppose from the very next day that Iwas in love with her, but that my love appeared to me hopeless. I knewthat such a plan was infallible, because it saved her dignity. It seemedto me that Father Georgi himself would be compelled to approve such anundertaking, and I had remarked with great satisfaction that CardinalAcquaviva had expressed his delight at Cardinal S. C. 's invitation--anhonour which he had never yet bestowed on me himself. This affair mighthave very important results for me. 

I read the marchioness's sonnet, and found it easy, flowing, and wellwritten. It was composed in praise of the King of Prussia, who had justconquered Silesia by a masterly stroke. As I was copying it, the ideastruck me to personify Silesia, and to make her, in answer to the sonnet, bewail that Love (supposed to be the author of the sonnet of themarchioness) could applaud the man who had conquered her, when thatconqueror was the sworn enemy of Love. 

It is impossible for a man accustomed to write poetry to abstain when ahappy subject smiles upon his delighted imagination. If he attempted tosmother the poetical flame running through his veins it would consumehim. I composed my sonnet, keeping the same rhymes as in the original, and, well pleased with my muse, I went to bed. 

The next morning the Abbe Gama came in just as I had finished recopyingmy sonnet, and said he would breakfast with me. He complimented me uponthe honour conferred on me by the invitation of Cardinal S. C. 

"But be prudent, " he added, "for his eminence has the reputation of beingjealous:"

I thanked him for his friendly advice, taking care to assure him that Ihad nothing to fear, because I did not feel the slightest inclination forthe handsome marchioness. 

Cardinal S. C. Received me with great kindness mingled with dignity, tomake me realize the importance of the favour he was bestowing upon me. 

"What do you think, " he enquired, "of the sonnet?"

"Monsignor, it is perfectly written, and, what is more, it is a charmingcomposition. Allow me to return it to you with my thanks. "

"She has much talent. I wish to shew you ten stanzas of her composition, my dear abbe, but you must promise to be very discreet about it. "

"Your eminence may rely on me. "

He opened his bureau and brought forth the stanzas of which he was thesubject. I read them, found them well written, but devoid of enthusiasm;they were the work of a poet, and expressed love in the words of passion, but were not pervaded by that peculiar feeling by which true love is soeasily discovered. The worthy cardinal was doubtless guilty of a verygreat indiscretion, but self-love is the cause of so many injudicioussteps! I asked his eminence whether he had answered the stanzas. 

"No, " he replied, "I have not; but would you feel disposed to lend meyour poetical pen, always under the seal of secrecy?"

"As to secrecy, monsignor, I promise it faithfully; but I am afraid themarchioness will remark the difference between your style and mine. "

"She has nothing of my composition, " said the cardinal; "I do not thinkshe supposes me a fine poet, and for that reason your stanzas must bewritten in such a manner that she will not esteem them above myabilities. "

"I will write them with pleasure, monsignor, and your eminence can forman opinion; if they do not seem good enough to be worthy of you, theyneed not be given to the marchioness. "

"That is well said. Will you write them at once?"

"What! now, monsignor? It is not like prose. "

"Well, well! try to let me have them to-morrow. "

We dined alone, and his eminence complimented me upon my excellentappetite, which he remarked was as good as his own; but I was beginningto understand my eccentric host, and, to flatter him, I answered that hepraised me more than I deserved, and that my appetite was inferior tohis. The singular compliment delighted him, and I saw all the use I couldmake of his eminence. 

Towards the end of the dinner, as we were conversing, the marchionessmade her appearance, and, as a matter of course, without being announced. Her looks threw me into raptures; I thought her a perfect beauty. She didnot give the cardinal time to meet her, but sat down near him, while Iremained standing, according to etiquette. 

Without appearing to notice me, the marchioness ran wittily over varioustopics until coffee was brought in. Then, addressing herself to me, shetold me to sit down, just as if she was bestowing charity upon me. 

"By-the-by, abbe, " she said, a minute after, "have you read my sonnet?"

"Yes, madam, and I have had the honour to return it to his eminence. Ihave found it so perfect that I am certain it must have cost you a greatdeal of time. "

"Time?" exclaimed the cardinal; "Oh! you do not know the marchioness. "

"Monsignor, " I replied, "nothing can be done well without time, and thatis why I have not dared to chew to your eminence an answer to the sonnetwhich I have written in half an hour. "

"Let us see it, abbe, " said the marchioness; "I want to read it. "

"Answer of Silesia to Love. " This title brought the most fascinatingblushes on her countenance. "But Love is not mentioned in the sonnet, "exclaimed the cardinal. "Wait, " said the marchioness, "we must respectthe idea of the poet:"

She read the sonnet over and over, and thought that the reproachesaddressed by Silesia to Love were very just. She explained my idea to thecardinal, making him understand why Silesia was offended at having beenconquered by the King of Prussia. 

"Ah, I see, I see!" exclaimed the cardinal, full of joy; "Silesia is awoman. . . . And the King of Prussia. . . . Oh! oh! that is really a fineidea!" And the good cardinal laughed heartily for more than a quarter ofan hour. "I must copy that sonnet, " he added, "indeed I must have it. "

"The abbe, " said the obliging marchioness, "will save you the trouble: Iwill dictate it to him. "

I prepared to write, but his eminence suddenly exclaimed, "My dearmarchioness, this is wonderful; he has kept the same rhymes as in yourown sonnet: did you observe it?"

The beautiful marchioness gave me then a look of such expression that shecompleted her conquest. I understood that she wanted me to know thecardinal as well as she knew him; it was a kind of partnership in which Iwas quite ready to play my part. 

As soon as I had written the sonnet under the charming woman's dictation, I took my leave, but not before the cardinal had told me that he expectedme to dinner the next day. 

I had plenty of work before me, for the ten stanzas I had to compose wereof the most singular character, and I lost no time in shutting myself upin my room to think of them. I had to keep my balance between two pointsof equal difficulty, and I felt that great care was indispensable. I hadto place the marchioness in such a position that she could pretend tobelieve the cardinal the author of the stanzas, and, at the same time, compel her to find out that I had written them, and that I was aware ofher knowing it. It was necessary to speak so carefully that not oneexpression should breathe even the faintest hope on my part, and yet tomake my stanzas blaze with the ardent fire of my love under the thin veilof poetry. As for the cardinal, I knew well enough that the better thestanzas were written, the more disposed he would be to sign them. All Iwanted was clearness, so difficult to obtain in poetry, while a littledoubtful darkness would have been accounted sublime by my new Midas. But, although I wanted to please him, the cardinal was only a secondaryconsideration, and the handsome marchioness the principal object. 

As the marchioness in her verses had made a pompous enumeration of everyphysical and moral quality of his eminence, it was of course natural thathe should return the compliment, and here my task was easy. At lasthaving mastered my subject well, I began my work, and giving full careerto my imagination and to my feelings I composed the ten stanzas, and gavethe finishing stroke with these two beautiful lines from Ariosto:

 Le angelicche bellezze nate al cielo Non si ponno celar sotto alcum velo. 

Rather pleased with my production, I presented it the next day to thecardinal, modestly saying that I doubted whether he would accept theauthorship of so ordinary a composition. He read the stanzas twice overwithout taste or expression, and said at last that they were indeed notmuch, but exactly what he wanted. He thanked me particularly for the twolines from Ariosto, saying that they would assist in throwing theauthorship upon himself, as they would prove to the lady for whom theywere intended that he had not been able to write them without borrowing. And, as to offer me some consolation, he told me that, in recopying thelines, he would take care to make a few mistakes in the rhythm tocomplete the illusion. 

We dined earlier than the day before, and I withdrew immediately afterdinner so as to give him leisure to make a copy of the stanzas before thearrival of the lady. 

The next evening I met the marchioness at the entrance of the palace, andoffered her my arm to come out of her carriage. The instant she alighted, she said to me, "If ever your stanzas and mine become known in Rome, you may be sure ofmy enmity. "

"Madam, I do not understand what you mean. "

"I expected you to answer me in this manner, " replied the marchioness, "but recollect what I have said. "

I left her at the door of the reception-room, and thinking that she wasreally angry with me, I went away in despair. "My stanzas, " I said tomyself, "are too fiery; they compromise her dignity, and her pride isoffended at my knowing the secret of her intrigue with Cardinal S. C. Yet, I feel certain that the dread she expresses of my want of discretionis only feigned, it is but a pretext to turn me out of her favour. Shehas not understood my reserve! What would she have done, if I had paintedher in the simple apparel of the golden age, without any of those veilswhich modesty imposes upon her sex!" I was sorry I had not done so. Iundressed and went to bed. My head was scarcely on the pillow when theAbbe Gama knocked at my door. I pulled the door-string, and coming in, hesaid, "My dear sir, the cardinal wishes to see you, and I am sent by thebeautiful marchioness and Cardinal S. C. , who desire you to come down. "

"I am very sorry, but I cannot go; tell them the truth; I am ill in bed. "

As the abbe did not return, I judged that he had faithfully acquittedhimself of the commission, and I spent a quiet night. I was not yetdressed in the morning, when I received a note from Cardinal S. C. Inviting me to dinner, saying that he had just been bled, and that hewanted to speak to me: he concluded by entreating me to come to himearly, even if I did not feel well. 

The invitation was pressing; I could not guess what had caused it, butthe tone of the letter did not forebode anything unpleasant. I went tochurch, where I was sure that Cardinal Acquaviva would see me, and hedid. After mass, his eminence beckoned to me. 

"Are you truly ill?" he enquired. 

"No, monsignor, I was only sleepy. "

"I am very glad to hear it; but you are wrong, for you are loved. Cardinal S. C. Has been bled this morning. "

"I know it, monsignor. The cardinal tells me so in this note, in which heinvites me to dine with him, with your excellency's permission. "

"Certainly. But this is amusing! I did not know that he wanted a thirdperson. "

"Will there be a third person?"

"I do not know, and I have no curiosity about it. "

The cardinal left me, and everybody imagined that his eminence had spokento me of state affairs. 

I went to my new Maecenas, whom I found in bed. 

"I am compelled to observe strict diet, " he said to me; "I shall have tolet you dine alone, but you will not lose by it as my cook does not knowit. What I wanted to tell you is that your stanzas are, I am afraid, toopretty, for the marchioness adores them. If you had read them to me inthe same way that she does, I could never have made up my mind to offerthem. " "But she believes them to be written by your eminence?"

"Of course. "

"That is the essential point, monsignor. "

"Yes; but what should I do if she took it into her head to compose somenew stanzas for me?"

"You would answer through the same pen, for you can dispose of me nightand day, and rely upon the utmost secrecy. "

"I beg of you to accept this small present; it is some negrillo snufffrom Habana, which Cardinal Acquaviva has given me. "

The snuff was excellent, but the object which contained it was stillbetter. It was a splendid gold-enamelled box. I received it with respect, and with the expression of the deepest gratitude. 

If his eminence did not know how to write poetry, at least he knew how tobe generous, and in a delicate manner, and that science is, at least inmy estimation, superior to the other for a great nobleman. 

At noon, and much to my surprise, the beautiful marchioness made herappearance in the most elegant morning toilet. 

"If I had known you were in good company, " she said to the cardinal, "Iwould not have come. "

"I am sure, dear marchioness, you will not find our dear abbe in theway. "

"No, for I believe him to be honest and true. "

I kept at a respectful distance, ready to go away with my splendidsnuff-box at the first jest she might hurl at me. 

The cardinal asked her if she intended to remain to dinner. 

"Yes, " she answered; "but I shall not enjoy my dinner, for I hate to eatalone. "

"If you would honour him so far, the abbe would keep you company. "

She gave me a gracious look, but without uttering one word. 

This was the first time I had anything to do with a woman of quality, andthat air of patronage, whatever kindness might accompany it, always putme out of temper, for I thought it made love out of the question. However, as we were in the presence of the cardinal, I fancied that shemight be right in treating me in that fashion. 

The table was laid out near the cardinal's bed, and the marchioness, whoate hardly anything, encouraged me in my good appetite. 

"I have told you that the abbe is equal to me in that respect, " said S. C. 

"I truly believe, " answered the marchioness, "that he does not remain farbehind you; but, " added she with flattery, "you are more dainty in yourtastes. "

"Would her ladyship be so good as to tell me in what I have appeared toher to be a mere glutton? For in all things I like only dainty andexquisite morsels. "

"Explain what you mean by saying in all things, " said the cardinal. Taking the liberty of laughing, I composed a few impromptu verses inwhich I named all I thought dainty and exquisite. The marchionessapplauded, saying that she admired my courage. 

"My courage, madam, is due to you, for I am as timid as a hare when I amnot encouraged; you are the author of my impromptu. "

"I admire you. As for myself, were I encouraged by Apollo himself, Icould not compose four lines without paper and ink. "

"Only give way boldly to your genius, madam, and you will produce poetryworthy of heaven. "

"That--is my opinion, too, " said the cardinal. "I entreat you to give mepermission to skew your ten stanzas to the abbe. "

"They are not very good, but I have no objection provided it remainsbetween us. "

The cardinal gave me, then, the stanzas composed by the marchioness, andI read them aloud with all the expression, all the feeling necessary tosuch reading. 

"How well you have read those stanzas!" said the marchioness; "I canhardly believe them to be my own composition; I thank you very much. Buthave the goodness to give the benefit of your reading to the stanzaswhich his eminence has written in answer to mine. They surpass themmuch. "

"Do not believe it, my dear abbe, " said the cardinal, handing them to me. "Yet try not to let them lose anything through your reading. "

There was certainly no need of his eminence enforcing upon me such arecommendation; it was my own poetry. I could not have read it otherwisethan in my best style, especially when I had before me the beautifulwoman who had inspired them, and when, besides, Bacchus was in me givingcourage to Apollo as much as the beautiful eyes of the marchioness werefanning into an ardent blaze the fire already burning through my wholebeing. 

I read the stanzas with so much expression that the cardinal wasenraptured, but I brought a deep carnation tint upon the cheeks of thelovely marchioness when I came to the description of those beauties whichthe imagination of the poet is allowed to guess at, but which I couldnot, of course, have gazed upon. She snatched the paper from my handswith passion, saying that I was adding verses of my own; it was true, butI did not confess it. I was all aflame, and the fire was scorching her aswell as me. 

The cardinal having fallen asleep, she rose and went to take a seat onthe balcony; I followed her. She had a rather high seat; I stood oppositeto her, so that her knee touched the fob-pocket in which was my watch. What a position! Taking hold gently of one of her hands, I told her thatshe had ignited in my soul a devouring flame, that I adored her, andthat, unless some hope was left to me of finding her sensible to mysufferings, I was determined to fly away from her for ever. 

"Yes, beautiful marchioness, pronounce my sentence. "

"I fear you are a libertine and an unfaithful lover. "

"I am neither one nor the other. "

With these words I folded her in my arms, and I pressed upon her lovelylips, as pure as a rose, an ardent kiss which she received with the bestpossible grace. This kiss, the forerunner of the most deliciouspleasures, had imparted to my hands the greatest boldness; I was on thepoint of. . . . But the marchioness, changing her position, entreated me sosweetly to respect her, that, enjoying new voluptuousness through my veryobedience, I not only abandoned an easy victory, but I even begged herpardon, which I soon read in the most loving look. 

She spoke of Lucrezia, and was pleased with my discretion. She thenalluded to the cardinal, doing her best to make me believe that there wasnothing between them but a feeling of innocent friendship. Of course Ihad my opinion on that subject, but it was my interest to appear tobelieve every word she uttered. We recited together lines from our bestpoets, and all the time she was still sitting down and I standing beforeher, with my looks rapt in the contemplation of the most lovely charms, to which I remained insensible in appearance, for I had made up my mindnot to press her that evening for greater favours than those I hadalready received. 

The cardinal, waking from his long and peaceful siesta, got up and joinedus in his night-cap, and good-naturedly enquired whether we had not feltimpatient at his protracted sleep. I remained until dark and went homehighly pleased with my day's work, but determined to keep my ardentdesires in check until the opportunity for complete victory offereditself. 

From that day, the charming marchioness never ceased to give me the marksof her particular esteem, without the slightest constraint; I wasreckoning upon the carnival, which was close at hand, feeling certainthat the more I should spare her delicacy, the more she would endeavourto find the opportunity of rewarding my loyalty, and of crowning withhappiness my loving constancy. But fate ordained otherwise; Dame Fortuneturned her back upon me at the very moment when the Pope and CardinalAcquaviva were thinking of giving me a really good position. 

The Holy Father had congratulated me upon the beautiful snuff-boxpresented to me by Cardinal S. C. , but he had been careful never to namethe marchioness. Cardinal Acquaviva expressed openly his delight at hisbrother-cardinal having given me a taste of his negrillo snuff in sosplendid an envelope; the Abbe Gama, finding me so forward on the road tosuccess, did not venture to counsel me any more, and the virtuous FatherGeorgi gave me but one piece of advice-namely, to cling to the lovelymarchioness and not to make any other acquaintances. 

Such was my position-truly a brilliant one, when, on Christmas Day, thelover of Barbara Dalacqua entered my room, locked the door, and threwhimself on the sofa, exclaiming that I saw him for the last time. 

"I only come to beg of you some good advice. "

"On what subject can I advise you?"

"Take this and read it; it will explain everything. "

It was a letter from his mistress; the contents were these:

"I am pregnant of a child, the pledge of our mutual love; I can no longerhave any doubt of it, my beloved, and I forewarn you that I have made upmy mind to quit Rome alone, and to go away to die where it may pleaseGod, if you refuse to take care of me and save me. I would sufferanything, do anything, rather than let my father discover the truth. "

"If you are a man of honour, " I said, "you cannot abandon the poor girl. Marry her in spite of your father, in spite of her own, and live togetherhonestly. The eternal Providence of God will watch over you and help youin your difficulties:"

My advice seemed to bring calm to his mind, and he left me more composed. 

At the beginning of January, 1744, he called again, looking verycheerful. "I have hired, " he said, "the top floor of the house next toBarbara's dwelling; she knows it, and to-night I will gain her apartmentthrough one of the windows of the garret, and we will make all ourarrangements to enable me to carry her off. I have made up my mind; Ihave decided upon taking her to Naples, and I will take with us theservant who, sleeping in the garret, had to be made a confidante of. "

"God speed you, my friend!"

A week afterwards, towards eleven o'clock at night, he entered my roomaccompanied by an abbe. 

"What do you want so late?"

"I wish to introduce you to this handsome abbe. "

I looked up, and to my consternation I recognized Barbara. 

"Has anyone seen you enter the house?" I enquired. 

"No; and if we had been seen, what of it? It is only an abbe. We now passevery night together. "

"I congratulate you. "

"The servant is our friend; she has consented to follow us, and all ourarrangements are completed. "

"I wish you every happiness. Adieu. I beg you to leave me. "

Three or four days after that visit, as I was walking with the Abbe Gamatowards the Villa Medicis, he told me deliberately that there would be anexecution during the night in the Piazza di Spagna. 

"What kind of execution?"

"The bargello or his lieutenant will come to execute some 'ordinesantissimo', or to visit some suspicious dwelling in order to arrest andcarry off some person who does not expect anything of the sort. "

"How do you know it?"

"His eminence has to know it, for the Pope would not venture to encroachupon his jurisdiction without asking his permission. "

"And his eminence has given it?"

"Yes, one of the Holy Father's auditors came for that purpose thismorning. "

"But the cardinal might have refused?"

"Of course; but such a permission is never denied. "

"And if the person to be arrested happened to be under the protection ofthe cardinal--what then?"

"His eminence would give timely warning to that person. "

We changed the conversation, but the news had disturbed me. I fanciedthat the execution threatened Barbara and her lover, for her father'shouse was under the Spanish jurisdiction. I tried to see the young manbut I could not succeed in meeting him, and I was afraid lest a visit athis home or at M. Dalacqua's dwelling might implicate me. Yet it iscertain that this last consideration would not have stopped me if I hadbeen positively sure that they were threatened; had I felt satisfied oftheir danger, I would have braved everything. 

About midnight, as I was ready to go to bed, and just as I was opening mydoor to take the key from outside, an abbe rushed panting into my roomand threw himself on a chair. It was Barbara; I guessed what had takenplace, and, foreseeing all the evil consequences her visit might have forme, deeply annoyed and very anxious, I upbraided her for having takenrefuge in my room, and entreated her to go away. 

Fool that I was! Knowing that I was only ruining myself without anychance of saving her, I ought to have compelled her to leave my room, Iought to have called for the servants if she had refused to withdraw. ButI had not courage enough, or rather I voluntarily obeyed the decrees ofdestiny. 

When she heard my order to go away, she threw herself on her knees, andmelting into tears, she begged, she entreated my pity!

Where is the heart of steel which is not softened by the tears, by theprayers of a pretty and unfortunate woman? I gave way, but I told herthat it was ruin for both of us. 

"No one, " she replied, "has seen me, I am certain, when I entered themansion and came up to your room, and I consider my visit here a week agoas most fortunate; otherwise, I never could have known which was yourroom. "

"Alas! how much better if you had never come! But what has become of yourlover?"

"The 'sbirri' have carried him off, as well as the servant. I will tellyou all about it. My lover had informed me that a carriage would waitto-night at the foot of the flight of steps before the Church of Trinitadel Monte, and that he would be there himself. I entered his room throughthe garret window an hour ago. There I put on this disguise, and, accompanied by the servant, proceeded to meet him. The servant walked afew yards before me, and carried a parcel of my things. At the corner ofthe street, one of the buckles of my shoes being unfastened, I stopped aninstant, and the servant went on, thinking that I was following her. Shereached the carriage, got into it, and, as I was getting nearer, thelight from a lantern disclosed to me some thirty sbirri; at the sameinstant, one of them got on the driver's box and drove off at full speed, carrying off the servant, whom they must have mistaken for me, and mylover who was in the coach awaiting me. What could I do at such a fearfulmoment? I could not go back to my father's house, and I followed my firstimpulse which brought me here. And here I am! You tell me that mypresence will cause your ruin; if it is so, tell me what to do; I feel Iam dying; but find some expedient and I am ready to do anything, even tolay my life down, rather than be the cause of your ruin. "

But she wept more bitterly than ever. 

Her position was so sad that I thought it worse even than mine, althoughI could almost fancy I saw ruin before me despite my innocence. 

"Let me, " I said, "conduct you to your father; I feel sure of obtainingyour pardon. "

But my proposal only enhanced her fears. 

"I am lost, " she exclaimed; "I know my father. Ah! reverend sir, turn meout into the street, and abandon me to my miserable fate. "

No doubt I ought to have done so, and I would have done it if theconsciousness of what was due to my own interest had been stronger thanmy feeling of pity. But her tears! I have often said it, and thoseamongst my readers who have experienced it, must be of the same opinion;there is nothing on earth more irresistible than two beautiful eyesshedding tears, when the owner of those eyes is handsome, honest, andunhappy. I found myself physically unable to send her away. 

"My poor girl, " I said at last, "when daylight comes, and that will notbe long, for it is past midnight, what do you intend to do?"

"I must leave the palace, " she replied, sobbing. "In this disguise no onecan recognize me; I will leave Rome, and I will walk straight before meuntil I fall on the ground, dying with grief and fatigue. "

With these words she fell on the floor. She was choking; I could see herface turn blue; I was in the greatest distress. 

I took off her neck-band, unlaced her stays under the abbe's dress, Ithrew cold water in her face, and I finally succeeded in bringing herback to consciousness. 

The night was extremely cold, and there was no fire in my room. I advisedher to get into my bed, promising to respect her. 

"Alas! reverend sir, pity is the only feeling with which I can nowinspire anyone. "

And, to speak the truth I was too deeply moved, and, at the same time, too full of anxiety, to leave room in me for any desire. Having inducedher to go to bed, and her extreme weakness preventing her from doinganything for herself, I undressed her and put her to bed, thus provingonce more that compassion will silence the most imperious requirements ofnature, in spite of all the charms which would, under othercircumstances, excite to the highest degree the senses of a man. I laydown near her in my clothes, and woke her at day-break. Her strength wassomewhat restored, she dressed herself alone, and I left my room, tellingher to keep quiet until my return. I intended to proceed to her father'shouse, and to solicit her pardon, but, having perceived somesuspicious-looking men loitering about the palace, I thought it wise toalter my mind, and went to a coffeehouse. 

I soon ascertained that a spy was watching my movements at a distance;but I did not appear to notice him, and having taken some chocolate andstored a few biscuits in my pocket, I returned towards the palace, apparently without any anxiety or hurry, always followed by the sameindividual. I judged that the bargello, having failed in his project, wasnow reduced to guesswork, and I was strengthened in that view of the casewhen the gate-keeper of the palace told me, without my asking anyquestion, as I came in, that an arrest had been attempted during thenight, and had not succeeded. While he was speaking, one of the auditorsof the Vicar-General called to enquire when he could see the Abby Gama. Isaw that no time was to be lost, and went up to my room to decide uponwhat was to be done. 

I began by making the poor girl eat a couple of biscuits soaked in someCanary wine, and I took her afterwards to the top story of the palace, where, leaving her in a not very decent closet which was not used byanyone, I told her to wait for me. 

My servant came soon after, and I ordered him to lock the door of my roomas soon as he finished cleaning it, and to bring me the key at the AbbeGama's apartment, where I was going. I found Gama in conversation withthe auditor sent by the Vicar-General. As soon as he had dismissed him, he came to me, and ordered his servant to serve the chocolate. When wewere left alone he gave me an account of his interview with the auditor, who had come to entreat his eminence to give orders to turn out of hispalace a person who was supposed to have taken refuge in it aboutmidnight. "We must wait, " said the abbe, "until the cardinal is visible, but I am quite certain that, if anyone has taken refuge here unknown tohim, his eminence will compel that person to leave the palace. " We thenspoke of the weather and other trifles until my servant brought my key. Judging that I had at least an hour to spare, I bethought myself of aplan which alone could save Barbara from shame and misery. 

Feeling certain that I was unobserved, I went up to my poor prisoner andmade her write the following words in French:

"I am an honest girl, monsignor, though I am disguised in the dress of anabbe. I entreat your eminence to allow me to give my name only to you andin person. I hope that, prompted by the great goodness of your soul, youreminence will save me from dishonour. " I gave her the necessaryinstructions, as to sending the note to the cardinal, assuring her thathe would have her brought to him as soon as he read it. 

"When you are in his presence, " I added, "throw yourself on your knees, tell him everything without any concealment, except as regards yourhaving passed the night in my room. You must be sure not to mention thatcircumstance, for the cardinal must remain in complete ignorance of myknowing anything whatever of this intrigue. Tell him that, seeing yourlover carried off, you rushed to his palace and ran upstairs as far asyou could go, and that after a most painful night Heaven inspired youwith the idea of writing to him to entreat his pity. I feel certain that, one way or the other, his eminence will save you from dishonour, and itcertainly is the only chance you have of being united to the man you loveso dearly. "

She promised to follow 'my instructions faithfully, and, coming down, Ihad my hair dressed and went to church, where the cardinal saw me. I thenwent out and returned only for dinner, during which the only subject ofconversation was the adventure of the night. Gama alone said nothing, andI followed his example, but I understood from all the talk going on roundthe table that the cardinal had taken my poor Barbara under hisprotection. That was all I wanted, and thinking that I had nothing moreto fear I congratulated myself, in petto, upon my stratagem, which had, Ithought, proved a master-stroke. After dinner, finding myself alone withGama, I asked him what was the meaning of it all, and this is what hetold me:

"A father, whose name I do not know yet, had requested the assistance ofthe Vicar-General to prevent his son from carrying off a young girl, withwhom he intended to leave the States of the Church; the pair had arrangedto meet at midnight in this very square, and the Vicar, having previouslyobtained the consent of our cardinal, as I told you yesterday, gaveorders to the bargello to dispose his men in such a way as to catch theyoung people in the very act of running away, and to arrest them. Theorders were executed, but the 'sbirri' found out, when they returned tothe bargello, that they had met with only a half success, the woman whogot out of the carriage with the young man not belonging to that specieslikely to be carried off. Soon afterwards a spy informed the bargellothat, at the very moment the arrest was executed, he had seen a youngabbe run away very rapidly and take refuge in this palace, and thesuspicion immediately arose that it might be the missing young lady inthe disguise of an ecclesiastic. The bargello reported to theVicar-General the failure of his men, as well as the account given by thespy, and the Prelate, sharing the suspicion of the police, sent to hiseminence, our master, requesting him to have the person in question, manor woman, turned out of the palace, unless such persons should happen tobe known to his excellency, and therefore above suspicion. CardinalAcquaviva was made acquainted with these circumstances at nine thismorning through the auditor you met in my room, and he promised to havethe person sent away unless she belonged to his household. 

"According to his promise, the cardinal ordered the palace to besearched, but, in less than a quarter of an hour, the major-domo receivedorders to stop, and the only reason for these new instructions must bethis:

"I am told by the major-domo that at nine o'clock exactly a veryhandsome, young abbe, whom he immediately judged to be a girl indisguise, asked him to deliver a note to his eminence, and that thecardinal, after reading it, had desired the said abbe be brought to hisapartment, which he has not left since. As the order to stop searchingthe palace was given immediately after the introduction of the abbe tothe cardinal, it is easy enough to suppose that this ecclesiastic is noother than the young girl missed by the police, who took refuge in thepalace in which she must have passed the whole night. "

"I suppose, " said I, "that his eminence will give her up to-day, if notto the bargello, at least to the Vicar-General. "

"No, not even to the Pope himself, " answered Gama. "You have not yet aright idea of the protection of our cardinal, and that protection isevidently granted to her, since the young person is not only in thepalace of his eminence, but also in his own apartment and under his ownguardianship. "

The whole affair being in itself very interesting, my attention could notappear extraordinary to Gama, however suspicious he might be naturally, and I was certain that he would not have told me anything if he hadguessed the share I had taken in the adventure, and the interest I musthave felt in it. 

The next day, Gama came to my room with a radiant countenance, andinformed me that the Cardinal-Vicar was aware of the ravisher being myfriend, and supposed that I was likewise the friend of the girl, as shewas the daughter of my French teacher. "Everybody, " he added, "issatisfied that you knew the whole affair, and it is natural to suspectthat the poor girl spent the night in your room. I admire your prudentreserve during our conversation of yesterday. You kept so well on yourguard that I would have sworn you knew nothing whatever of the affair. "

"And it is the truth, " I answered, very seriously; "I have only learnedall the circumstances from you this moment. I know the girl, but I havenot seen her for six weeks, since I gave up my French lessons; I am muchbetter acquainted with the young man, but he never confided his projectto me. However, people may believe whatever they please. You say that itis natural for the girl to have passed the night in my room, but you willnot mind my laughing in the face of those who accept their ownsuppositions as realities. "

"That, my dear friend, " said the abbe, "is one of the vices of theRomans; happy those who can afford to laugh at it; but this slander maydo you harm, even in the mind of our cardinal. "

As there was no performance at the Opera that night, I went to thecardinal's reception; I found no difference towards me either in thecardinal's manners, or in those of any other person, and the marchionesswas even more gracious than usual. 

After dinner, on the following day, Gama informed me that the cardinalhad sent the young girl to a convent in which she would be well treatedat his eminence's expense, and that he was certain that she would leaveit only to become the wife of the young doctor. 

"I should be very happy if it should turn out so, " I replied; "for theyare both most estimable people. "

Two days afterwards, I called upon Father Georgi, and he told me, with anair of sorrow, that the great news of the day in Rome was the failure ofthe attempt to carry off Dalacqua's daughter, and that all the honour ofthe intrigue was given to me, which displeased him much. I told him whatI had already told Gama, and he appeared to believe me, but he added thatin Rome people did not want to know things as they truly were, but onlyas they wished them to be. 

"It is known, that you have been in the habit of going every morning toDalacqua's house; it is known that the young man often called on you;that is quite enough. People do not care, to know the circumstances whichmight counteract the slander, but only those, likely to give it new forcefor slander is vastly relished in the Holy City. Your innocence will notprevent the whole adventure being booked to your account, if, in fortyyears time you were proposed as pope in the conclave. "

During the following days the fatal adventure began to cause me moreannoyance than I could express, for everyone mentioned it to me, and Icould see clearly that people pretended to believe what I said onlybecause they did not dare to do otherwise. The marchioness told mejeeringly that the Signora Dalacqua had contracted peculiar obligationstowards me, but my sorrow was very great when, during the last days ofthe carnival, I remarked that Cardinal Acquaviva's manner had becomeconstrained, although I was the only person who observed the change. 

The noise made by the affair was, however, beginning to subside, when, inthe first days of Lent, the cardinal desired me to come to his privateroom, and spoke as follows:

"The affair of the girl Dalacqua is now over; it is no longer spoken of, but the verdict of the public is that you and I have profited by theclumsiness of the young man who intended to carry her off. In reality Icare little for such a verdict, for, under similar circumstances, Ishould always act in a similar manner, and I do not wish to know thatwhich no one can compel you to confess, and which, as a man of honour, you must not admit. If you had no previous knowledge of the intrigue, andhad actually turned the girl out of your room (supposing she did come toyou), you would have been guilty of a wrong and cowardly action, becauseyou would have sealed her misery for the remainder of her days, and itwould not have caused you to escape the suspicion of being an accomplice, while at the same time it would have attached to you the odium ofdastardly treachery. Notwithstanding all I have just said, you can easilyimagine that, in spite of my utter contempt for all gossiping fools, Icannot openly defy them. I therefore feel myself compelled to ask you notonly to quit my service, but even to leave Rome. I undertake to supplyyou with an honourable pretext for your departure, so as to insure youthe continuation of the respect which you may have secured through themarks of esteem I have bestowed upon you. I promise you to whisper in theear of any person you may choose, and even to inform everybody, that youare going on an important mission which I have entrusted to you. You haveonly to name the country where you want to go; I have friends everywhere, and can recommend you to such purpose that you will be sure to findemployment. My letters of recommendation will be in my own handwriting, and nobody need know where you are going. Meet me to-morrow at the VillaNegroni, and let me know where my letters are to be addressed. You mustbe ready to start within a week. Believe me, I am sorry to lose you; butthe sacrifice is forced upon me by the most absurd prejudice. Go now, anddo not let me witness your grief. "

He spoke the last words because he saw my eyes filling with tears, and hedid not give me time to answer. Before leaving his room, I had thestrength of mind to compose myself, and I put on such an air ofcheerfulness that the Abbe Gama, who took me to his room to drink somecoffee, complimented me upon my happy looks. 

"I am sure, " he said, "that they are caused by the conversation you havehad with his eminence. "

"You are right; but you do not know the sorrow at my heart which I trynot to shew outwardly. "

"What sorrow?"

"I am afraid of failing in a difficult mission which the cardinal hasentrusted me with this morning. I am compelled to conceal how littleconfidence I feel in myself in order not to lessen the good opinion hiseminence is pleased to entertain of me. "

"If my advice can be of any service to you, pray dispose of me; but youare quite right to chew yourself calm and cheerful. Is it any business totransact in Rome?"

"No; it is a journey I shall have to undertake in a week or ten days. "

"Which way?"

"Towards the west. "

"Oh! I am not curious to know. "

I went out alone and took a walk in the Villa Borghese, where I spent twohours wrapped in dark despair. I liked Rome, I was on the high road tofortune, and suddenly I found myself in the abyss, without knowing whereto go, and with all my hopes scattered to the winds. I examined myconduct, I judged myself severely, I could not find myself guilty of anycrime save of too much kindness, but I perceived how right the goodFather Georgi had been. My duty was not only to take no part in theintrigue of the two love, but also to change my French teacher the momentI beard of it; but this was like calling in a doctor after death hasstruck the patient. Besides, young as I was, having no experience yet ofmisfortune, and still less of the wickedness of society, it was verydifficult for me to have that prudence which a man gains only by longintercourse with the world. 

"Where shall I go?" This was the question which seemed to me impossibleof solution. I thought of it all through the night, and through themorning, but I thought in vain; after Rome, I was indifferent where Iwent to!

In the evening, not caring for any supper, I had gone to my room; theAbbe Gama came to me with a request from the cardinal not to accept anyinvitation to dinner for the next day, as he wanted to speak to me. Itherefore waited upon his eminence the next day at the Villa Negroni; hewas walking with his secretary, whom he dismissed the moment he saw me. As soon as we were alone, I gave him all the particulars of the intrigueof the two lovers, and I expressed in the most vivid manner the sorrow Ifelt at leaving his service. 

"I have no hope of success, " I added, "for I am certain that Fortune willsmile upon me only as long as I am near your eminence. "

For nearly an hour I told him all the grief with which my heart wasbursting, weeping bitterly; yet I could not move him from his decision. Kindly, but firmly he pressed me to tell him to what part of Europe Iwanted to go, and despair as much as vexation made me nameConstantinople. 

"Constantinople!" he exclaimed, moving back a step or two. 

"Yes, monsignor, Constantinople, " I repeated, wiping away my tears. 

The prelate, a man of great wit, but a Spaniard to the very back-bone, after remaining silent a few minutes, said, with a smile, "I am glad you have not chosen Ispahan, as I should have felt ratherembarrassed. When do you wish to go?"

"This day week, as your eminence has ordered me. "

"Do you intend to sail from Naples or from Venice?"

"From Venice. "

"I will give you such a passport as will be needed, for you will find twoarmies in winter-quarters in the Romagna. It strikes me that you may telleverybody that I sent you to Constantinople, for nobody will believeyou. "

This diplomatic suggestion nearly made me smile. The cardinal told methat I should dine with him, and he left me to join his secretary. 

When I returned to the palace, thinking of the choice I had made, I saidto myself, "Either I am mad, or I am obeying the impulse of a mysteriousgenius which sends me to Constantinople to work out my fate. " I was onlyastonished that the cardinal had so readily accepted my choice. "Withoutany doubt, " I thought, "he did not wish me to believe that he had boastedof more than he could achieve, in telling me that he had friendseverywhere. But to whom can he recommend me in Constantinople? I have notthe slightest idea, but to Constantinople I must go. "

I dined alone with his eminence; he made a great show of peculiarkindness and I of great satisfaction, for my self-pride, stronger eventhan my sorrow, forbade me to let anyone guess that I was in disgrace. Mydeepest grief was, however, to leave the marchioness, with whom I was inlove, and from whom I had not obtained any important favour. 

Two days afterwards, the cardinal gave me a passport for Venice, and asealed letter addressed to Osman Bonneval, Pacha of Caramania, inConstantinople. There was no need of my saying anything to anyone, but, as the cardinal had not forbidden me to do it, I shewed the address onthe letter to all my acquaintances. 

The Chevalier de Lezze, the Venetian Ambassador, gave me a letter for awealthy Turk, a very worthy man who had been his friend; Don Gaspar andFather Georgi asked me to write to them, but the Abbe Gams, laughed, andsaid he was quite sure I was not going to Constantinople. 

I went to take my farewell of Donna Cecilia, who had just received aletter from Lucrezia, imparting the news that she would soon be a mother. I also called upon Angelique and Don Francisco, who had lately beenmarried and had not invited me to the wedding. 

When I called to take Cardinal Acquaviva's final instructions he gave mea purse containing one hundred ounces, worth seven hundred sequins. I hadthree hundred more, so that my fortune amounted to one thousand sequins;I kept two hundred, and for the rest I took a letter of exchange upon aRagusan who was established in Ancona. I left Rome in the coach with alady going to Our Lady of Loretto, to fulfil a vow made during a severeillness of her daughter, who accompanied her. The young lady was ugly; myjourney was a rather tedious one. 

CHAPTER XI

My Short But Rather Too Gay Visit To Ancona--Cecilia, Marina, Bellino--the Greek Slave of the Lazzaretto--Bellino Discovers Himself

I arrived in Ancona on the 25th of February, 1744, and put up at the bestinn. Pleased with my room, I told mine host to prepare for me a good meatdinner; but he answered that during Lent all good Catholics eat nothingbut fish. 

"The Holy Father has granted me permission to eat meat. "

"Let me see your permission. "

"He gave it to me by word of mouth. "

"Reverend sir, I am not obliged to believe you. "

"You are a fool. "

"I am master in my own house, and I beg you will go to some other inn. "

Such an answer, coupled to a most unexpected notice to quit, threw meinto a violent passion. I was swearing, raving, screaming, when suddenlya grave-looking individual made his appearance in my room, and said tome:

"Sir, you are wrong in calling for meat, when in Ancona fish is muchbetter; you are wrong in expecting the landlord to believe you on yourbare word; and if you have obtained the permission from the Pope, youhave been wrong in soliciting it at your age; you have been wrong in notasking for such permission in writing; you are wrong in calling the hosta fool, because it is a compliment that no man is likely to accept in hisown house; and, finally, you are wrong in making such an uproar. "

Far from increasing my bad temper, this individual, who had entered myroom only to treat me to a sermon, made me laugh. 

"I willingly plead guilty, sir, " I answered, "to all the counts which youallege against me; but it is raining, it is getting late, I am tired andhungry, and therefore you will easily understand that I do not feeldisposed to change my quarters. Will you give me some supper, as thelandlord refuses to do so?"

"No, " he replied, with great composure, "because I am a good Catholic andfast. But I will undertake to make it all right for you with thelandlord, who will give you a good supper. "

Thereupon he went downstairs, and I, comparing my hastiness to his calm, acknowledged the man worthy of teaching me some lessons. He soon came upagain, informed me that peace was signed, and that I would be servedimmediately. 

"Will you not take supper with me?"

"No, but I will keep you company. "

I accepted his offer, and to learn who he was, I told him my name, givingmyself the title of secretary to Cardinal Acquaviva. 

"My name is Sancio Pico, " he said; "I am a Castilian, and the'proveditore' of the army of H. C. M. , which is commanded by Count deGages under the orders of the generalissimo, the Duke of Modem. "

My excellent appetite astonished him, and he enquired whether I haddined. "No, " said I; and I saw his countenance assume an air ofsatisfaction. 

"Are you not afraid such a supper will hurt you?" he said. 

"On the contrary, I hope it will do me a great deal of good. "

"Then you have deceived the Pope?"

"No, for I did not tell him that I had no appetite, but only that I likedmeat better than fish. "

"If you feel disposed to hear some good music, " he said a moment after, "follow me to the next room; the prima donna of Ancona lives there. "

The words prima donna interested me at once, and I followed him. I saw, sitting before a table, a woman already somewhat advanced in age, withtwo young girls and two boys, but I looked in vain for the actress, whomDon Sancio Pico at last presented to me in the shape of one of the twoboys, who was remarkably handsome and might have been seventeen. Ithought he was a 'castrato' who, as is the custom in Rome, performed allthe parts of a prima donna. The mother presented to, me her other son, likewise very good-looking, but more manly than the 'castrato', althoughyounger. His name was Petronio, and, keeping up the transformations ofthe family, he was the first female dancer at the opera. The eldest girl, who was also introduced to me, was named Cecilia, and studied music; shewas twelve years old; the youngest, called Marina, was only eleven, andlike her brother Petronio was consecrated to the worship of Terpsichore. Both the girls were very pretty. 

The family came from Bologna and lived upon the talent of its members;cheerfulness and amiability replaced wealth with them. Bellino, such wasthe name of the castrato, yielding to the entreaties of Don Sancio, rosefrom the table, went to the harpiscord, and sang with the voice of anangel and with delightful grace. The Castilian listened with his eyesclosed in an ecstasy of enjoyment, but I, far from closing my eyes, gazedinto Bellino's, which seemed to dart amorous lightnings upon me. I coulddiscover in him some of the features of Lucrezia and the graceful mannerof the marchioness, and everything betrayed a beautiful woman, for hisdress concealed but imperfectly the most splendid bosom. The consequencewas that, in spite of his having been introduced as a man, I fancied thatthe so-called Bellino was a disguised beauty, and, my imagination takingat once the highest flight, I became thoroughly enamoured. 

We spent two very pleasant hours, and I returned to my room accompaniedby the Castilian. "I intend to leave very early to-morrow morning, " hesaid, "for Sinigaglia, with the Abbe Vilmarcati, but I expect to returnfor supper the day after to-morrow. " I wished him a happy journey, sayingthat we would most 'likely meet on the road, as I should probably leaveAncona myself on the same day, after paying a visit to my banker. 

I went to bed thinking of Bellino and of the impression he had made uponme; I was sorry to go away without having proved to him that I was notthe dupe of his disguise. Accordingly, I was well pleased to see himenter my room in the morning as soon as I had opened my door. He came tooffer me the services of his young brother Petronio during my stay inAncona, instead of my engaging a valet de place. I willingly agreed tothe proposal, and sent Petronio to get coffee for all the family. 

I asked Bellino to sit on my bed with the intention of making love tohim, and of treating him like a girl, but the two young sisters ran intomy room and disturbed my plans. Yet the trio formed before me a verypleasing sight; they represented natural beauty and artless cheerfulnessof three different kinds; unobtrusive familiarity, theatrical wit, pleasing playfulness, and pretty Bolognese manners which I witnessed forthe first time; all this would have sufficed to cheer me if I had beendowncast. Cecilia and Marina were two sweet rosebuds, which, to bloom inall their beauty, required only the inspiration of love, and they wouldcertainly have had the preference over Bellino if I had seen in him onlythe miserable outcast of mankind, or rather the pitiful victim ofsacerdotal cruelty, for, in spite of their youth, the two amiable girlsoffered on their dawning bosom the precious image of womanhood. 

Petronio came with the coffee which he poured out, and I sent some to themother, who never left her room. Petronio was a true male harlot by tasteand by profession. The species is not scare in Italy, where the offenceis not regarded with the wild and ferocious intolerance of England andSpain. I had given him one sequin to pay for the coffee, and told him tokeep the change, and, to chew me his gratitude, he gave me a voluptuouskiss with half-open lips, supposing in me a taste which I was very farfrom entertaining. I disabused him, but he did not seem the leastashamed. I told him to order dinner for six persons, but he remarked thathe would order it only for four, as he had to keep his dear mothercompany; she always took her dinner in bed. Everyone to his taste, Ithought, and I let him do as he pleased. 

Two minutes after he had gone, the landlord came to my room and said, "Reverend sir, the persons you have invited here have each the appetiteof two men at least; I give you notice of it, because I must chargeaccordingly. " "All right, " I replied, "but let us have a good dinner. "

When I was dressed, I thought I ought to pay my compliments to thecompliant mother. I went to her room, and congratulated her upon herchildren. She thanked me for the present I had given to Petronio, andbegan to make me the confidant of her distress. "The manager of thetheatre, " she said, "is a miser who has given us only fifty Roman crownsfor the whole carnival. We have spent them for our living, and, to returnto Bologna, we shall have to walk and beg our way. " Her confidence movedmy pity, so I took a gold quadruple from my purse and offered it to her;she wept for joy and gratitude. 

"I promise you another gold quadruple, madam, " I said, "if you willconfide in me entirely. Confess that Bellino is a pretty woman indisguise. "

"I can assure you it is not so, although he has the appearance of awoman. "

"Not only the appearance, madam, but the tone, the manners; I am a goodjudge. "

"Nevertheless, he is a boy, for he has had to be examined before he couldsing on the stage here. "

"And who examined him?"

"My lord bishop's chaplain. "

"A chaplain?"

"Yes, and you may satisfy yourself by enquiring from him. "

"The only way to clear my doubts would be to examine him myself. "

"You may, if he has no objection, but truly I cannot interfere, as I donot know what your intentions are. "

"They are quite natural. "

I returned to my room and sent Petronio for a bottle of Cyprus wine. Hebrought the wine and seven sequins, the change for the doubloon I hadgiven him. I divided them between Bellino, Cecilia and Marina, and beggedthe two young girls to leave me alone with their brother. 

"Bellino, I am certain that your natural conformation is different frommine; my dear, you are a girl. "

"I am a man, but a castrato; I have been examined. "

"Allow me to examine you likewise, and I will give you a doubloon. "

"I cannot, for it is evident that you love me, and such love is condemnedby religion. "

"You did not raise these objections with the bishop's chaplain. "

"He was an elderly priest, and besides, he only just glanced at me. "

"I will know the truth, " said I, extending my hand boldly. 

But he repulsed me and rose from his chair. His obstinacy vexed me, for Ihad already spent fifteen or sixteen sequins to satisfy my curiosity. 

I began my dinner with a very bad humour, but the excellent appetite ofmy pretty guests brought me round, and I soon thought that, after all, cheerfulness was better than sulking, and I resolved to make up for mydisappointment with the two charming sisters, who seemed well disposed toenjoy a frolic. 

I began by distributing a few innocent kisses right and left, as I satbetween them near a good fire, eating chestnuts which we wetted withCyprus wine. But very soon my greedy hands touched every part which mylips could not kiss, and Cecilia, as well as Marina, delighted in thegame. Seeing that Bellino was smiling, I kissed him likewise, and hishalf-open ruffle attracting my hand, I ventured and went in withoutresistance. The chisel of Praxiteles had never carved a finer bosom!

"Oh! this is enough, " I exclaimed; "I can no longer doubt that you are abeautifully-formed woman!"

"It is, " he replied, "the defect of all castrati. "

"No, it is the perfection of all handsome women. Bellino, believe me, Iam enough of a good judge to distinguish between the deformed breast of acastrato, and that of a beautiful woman; and your alabaster bosom belongsto a young beauty of seventeen summers. "

Who does not know that love, inflamed by all that can excite it, neverstops in young people until it is satisfied, and that one favour grantedkindles the wish for a greater one? I had begun well, I tried to gofurther and to smother with burning kisses that which my hand waspressing so ardently, but the false Bellino, as if he had only just beenaware of the illicit pleasure I was enjoying, rose and ran away. Angerincreased in me the ardour of love, and feeling the necessity of calmingmyself either by satisfying my ardent desires or by evaporating them, Ibegged Cecilia, Bellino's pupil, to sing a few Neapolitan airs. 

I then went out to call upon the banker, from whom I took a letter ofexchange at sight upon Bologna, for the amount I had to receive from him, and on my return, after a light supper with the two young sisters, Iprepared to go to bed, having previously instructed Petronio to order acarriage for the morning. 

I was just locking my door when Cecilia, half undressed, came in to saythat Bellino begged me to take him to Rimini, where he was engaged tosing in an opera to be performed after Easter. 

"Go and tell him, my dear little seraph, that I am ready to do what hewishes, if he will only grant me in your presence what I desire; I wantto know for a certainty whether he is a man or a woman. "

She left me and returned soon, saying that Bellino had gone to bed, butthat if I would postpone my departure for one day only he promised tosatisfy me on the morrow. 

"Tell me the truth, Cecilia, and I will give you six sequins. "

"I cannot earn them, for I have never seen him naked, and I cannot swearto his being a girl. But he must be a man, otherwise he would not havebeen allowed to perform here. "

"Well, I will remain until the day after to-morrow, provided you keep mecompany tonight. "

"Do you love me very much?"

"Very much indeed, if you shew yourself very kind. "

"I will be very kind, for I love you dearly likewise. I will go and tellmy mother. "

"Of course you have a lover?"

"I never had one. "

She left my room, and in a short time came back full of joy, saying thather mother believed me an honest man; she of course meant a generous one. Cecilia locked the door, and throwing herself in my arms covered me withkisses. She was pretty, charming, but I was not in love with her, and Iwas not able to say to her as to Lucrezia: "You have made me so happy!"But she said it herself, and I did not feel much flattered, although Ipretended to believe her. When I woke up in the morning I gave her atender salutation, and presenting her with three doubloons, which musthave particularly delighted the mother, I sent her away without losing mytime in promising everlasting constancy--a promise as absurd as it istrifling, and which the most virtuous man ought never to make even to themost beautiful of women. 

After breakfast I sent for mine host and ordered an excellent supper forfive persons, feeling certain that Don Sancio, whom I expected in theevening, would not refuse to honour me by accepting my invitation, andwith that idea I made up my mind to go without my dinner. The Bolognesefamily did not require to imitate my diet to insure a good appetite forthe evening. 

I then summoned Bellino to my room, and claimed the performance of hispromise but he laughed, remarked that the day was not passed yet, andsaid that he was certain of traveling with me. 

"I fairly warn you that you cannot accompany me unless I am fullysatisfied. "

"Well, I will satisfy you. "

"Shall we go and take a walk together?"

"Willingly; I will dress myself. "

While I was waiting for him, Marina came in with a dejected countenance, enquiring how she had deserved my contempt. 

"Cecilia has passed the night with you, Bellino will go with youto-morrow, I am the most unfortunate of us all. "

"Do you want money?"

"No, for I love you. "

"But, Marinetta, you are too young. "

"I am much stronger than my sister. "

"Perhaps you have a lover. "

"Oh! no. "

"Very well, we can try this evening. "

"Good! Then I will tell mother to prepare clean sheets for to-morrowmorning; otherwise everybody here would know that I slept with you. "

I could not help admiring the fruits of a theatrical education, and wasmuch amused. 

Bellino came back, we went out together, and we took our walk towards theharbour. There were several vessels at anchor, and amongst them aVenetian ship and a Turkish tartan. We went on board the first which wevisited with interest, but not seeing anyone of my acquaintance, we rowedtowards the Turkish tartan, where the most romantic surprise awaited me. The first person I met on board was the beautiful Greek woman I had leftin Ancona, seven months before, when I went away from the lazzaretto. Shewas seated near the old captain, of whom I enquired, without appearing tonotice his handsome slave, whether he had any fine goods to sell. He tookus to his cabin, but as I cast a glance towards the charming Greek, sheexpressed by her looks all her delight at such an unexpected meeting. 

I pretended not to be pleased with the goods shewn by the Turk, and underthe impulse of inspiration I told him that I would willingly buysomething pretty which would take the fancy of his better-half. Hesmiled, and the Greek slave-having whispered a few words to him, he leftthe cabin. The moment he was out of sight, this new Aspasia threw herselfin my arms, saying, "Now is your time!" I would not be found wanting incourage, and taking the most convenient position in such a place, I didto her in one instant that which her old master had not done in fiveyears. I had not yet reached the goal of my wishes, when the unfortunategirl, hearing her master, tore herself from my arms with a deep sigh, andplacing herself cunningly in front of me, gave me time to repair thedisorder of my dress, which might have cost me my life, or at least all Ipossessed to compromise the affair. In that curious situation, I washighly amused at the surprise of Bellino, who stood there trembling likean aspen leaf. 

The trifles chosen by the handsome slave cost me only thirty sequins. 'Spolaitis', she said to me in her own language, and the Turk telling herthat she ought to kiss me, she covered her face with her hands, and ranaway. I left the ship more sad than pleased, for I regretted that, inspite of her courage, she should have enjoyed only an incompletepleasure. As soon as we were in our row boat, Bellino, who had recoveredfrom his fright, told me that I had just made him acquainted with aphenomenon, the reality of which he could not admit, and which gave him avery strange idea of my nature; that, as far as the Greek girl wasconcerned, he could not make her out, unless I should assure him thatevery woman in her country was like her. "How unhappy they must be!" headded. 

"Do you think, " I asked, "that coquettes are happier?"

"No, but I think that when a woman yields to love, she should not beconquered before she has fought with her own desires; she should not giveway to the first impulse of a lustful desire and abandon herself to thefirst man who takes her fancy, like an animal--the slave of sense. Youmust confess that the Greek woman has given you an evident proof that youhad taken her fancy, but that she has at the same time given you a proofnot less certain of her beastly lust, and of an effrontery which exposedher to the shame of being repulsed, for she could not possibly knowwhether you would feel as well disposed for her as she felt for you. Sheis very handsome, and it all turned out well, but the adventure hasthrown me into a whirlpool of agitation which I cannot yet control. "

I might easily have put a stop to Bellino's perplexity, and rectified themistake he was labouring under; but such a confession would not haveministered to my self-love, and I held my peace, for, if Bellino happenedto be a girl, as I suspected, I wanted her to be convinced that Iattached, after all, but very little importance to the great affair, andthat it was not worth while employing cunning expedients to obtain it. 

We returned to the inn, and, towards evening, hearing Don Sancio'stravelling carriage roll into the yard, I hastened to meet him, and toldhim that I hoped he would excuse me if I had felt certain that he wouldnot refuse me the honour of his company to supper with Bellino. Hethanked me politely for the pleasure I was so delicately offering him, and accepted my invitation. 

The most exquisite dishes, the most delicious wines of Spain, and, morethan everything else, the cheerfulness and the charming voices of Bellinoand of Cecilia, gave the Castilian five delightful hours. He left me atmidnight, saying that he could not declare himself thoroughly pleasedunless I promised to sup with him the next evening with the same guests. It would compel me to postpone my departure for another day, but Iaccepted. 

As soon as Don Sancio had gone, I called upon Bellino to fulfil hispromise, but he answered that Marinetta was waiting for me, and that, asI was not going away the next day, he would find an opportunity ofsatisfying my doubts; and wishing me a good night, he left the room. 

Marinetta, as cheerful as a lark, ran to lock the door and came back tome, her eyes beaming with ardour. She was more formed than Cecilia, although one year younger, and seemed anxious to convince me of hersuperiority, but, thinking that the fatigue of the preceding night mighthave exhausted my strength, she unfolded all the amorous ideas of hermind, explained at length all she knew of the great mystery she was goingto enact with me, and of all the contrivances she had had recourse to inorder to acquire her imperfect knowledge, the whole interlarded with thefoolish talk natural to her age. I made out that she was afraid of my notfinding her a maiden, and of my reproaching her about it. Her anxietypleased me, and I gave her a new confidence by telling her that naturehad refused to many young girls what is called maidenhood, and that onlya fool could be angry with a girl for such a reason. 

My science gave her courage and confidence, and I was compelled toacknowledge that she was very superior to her sister. 

"I am delighted you find me so, " she said; "we must not sleep at allthroughout the night. "

"Sleep, my darling, will prove our friend, and our strength renewed byrepose will reward you in the morning for what you may suppose losttime. "

And truly, after a quiet sleep, the morning was for her a succession offresh triumphs, and I crowned her happiness by sending her away withthree doubloons, which she took to her mother, and which gave the goodwoman an insatiable desire to contract new obligations towardsProvidence. 

I went out to get some money from the banker, as I did not know whatmight happen during my journey. I had enjoyed myself, but I had spent toomuch: yet there was Bellino who, if a girl, was not to find me lessgenerous than I had been with the two young sisters. It was to be decidedduring the day, and I fancied that I was sure of the result. 

There are some persons who pretend that life is only a succession ofmisfortunes, which is as much as to say that life itself is a misfortune;but if life is a misfortune, death must be exactly the reverse andtherefore death must be happiness, since death is the very reverse oflife. That deduction may appear too finely drawn. But those who say thatlife is a succession of misfortunes are certainly either ill or poor;for, if they enjoyed good health, if they had cheerfulness in their heartand money in their purse, if they had for their enjoyment a Cecilia, aMarinetta, and even a more lovely beauty in perspective, they would soonentertain a very different opinion of life! I hold them to be a race ofpessimists, recruited amongst beggarly philosophers and knavish, atrabilious theologians. If pleasure does exist, and if life is necessaryto enjoy pleasure, then life is happiness. There are misfortunes, as Iknow by experience; but the very existence of such misfortunes provesthat the sum-total of happiness is greater. Because a few thorns are tobe found in a basket full of roses, is the existence of those beautifulflowers to be denied? No; it is a slander to deny that life is happiness. When I am in a dark room, it pleases me greatly to see through a windowan immense horizon before me. 

As supper-time was drawing near, I went to Don Sancio, whom I found inmagnificently-furnished apartments. The table was loaded with silverplate, and his servants were in livery. He was alone, but all his guestsarrived soon after me--Cecilia, Marina, and Bellino, who, either bycaprice or from taste, was dressed as a woman. The two young sisters, prettily arranged, looked charming, but Bellino, in his female costume, so completely threw them into the shade, that my last doubt vanished. 

"Are you satisfied, " I said to Don Sancio, "that Bellino is a woman?"

"Woman or man, what do I care! I think he is a very pretty 'castrato', and 'I have seen many as good-looking as he is. "

"But are you sure he is a 'castrato'?"

"'Valgame Dios'!" answered the grave Castilian, "I have not the slightestwish to ascertain the truth. "

Oh, how widely different our thoughts were! I admired in him the wisdomof which I was so much in need, and did not venture upon any moreindiscreet questions. During the supper, however, my greedy eyes couldnot leave that charming being; my vicious nature caused me to feelintense voluptuousness in believing him to be of that sex to which Iwanted him to belong. 

Don Sancio's supper was excellent, and, as a matter of course, superiorto mine; otherwise the pride of the Castilian would have felt humbled. Asa general rule, men are not satisfied with what is good; they want thebest, or, to speak more to the point, the most. He gave us whitetruffles, several sorts of shell-fish, the best fish of the Adriatic, drychampagne, peralta, sherry and pedroximenes wines. 

After that supper worthy of Lucullus, Bellino sang with a voice of suchbeauty that it deprived us of the small amount of reason left in us bythe excellent wine. His movements, the expression of his looks, his gait, his walk, his countenance, his voice, and, above all, my own instinct, which told me that I could not possibly feel for a castrato what I feltfor Bellino, confirmed me in my hopes; yet it was necessary that my eyesshould ascertain the truth. 

After many compliments and a thousand thanks, we took leave of the grandSpaniard, and went to my room, where the mystery was at last to beunravelled. I called upon Bellino to keep his word, or I threatened toleave him alone the next morning at day-break. 

I took him by the hand, and we seated ourselves near the fire. Idismissed Cecilia and Marina, and I said to him, "Bellino, everything must have an end; you have promised: it will soon beover. If you are what you represent yourself to be, I will let you goback to your own room; if you are what I believe you to be, and if youconsent to remain with me to-night, I will give you one hundred sequins, and we will start together tomorrow morning. "

"You must go alone, and forgive me if I cannot fulfil my promise. I amwhat I told you, and I can neither reconcile myself to the idea ofexposing my shame before you, nor lay myself open to the terribleconsequences that might follow the solution of your doubts. "

"There can be no consequences, since there will be an end to it at themoment I have assured myself that you are unfortunate enough to be whatyou say, and without ever mentioning the circumstances again, I promiseto take you with me to-morrow and to leave you at Rimini. "

"No, my mind is made up; I cannot satisfy your curiosity. "

Driven to madness by his words, I was very near using violence, butsubduing my angry feelings, I endeavored to succeed by gentle means andby going straight to the spot where the mystery could be solved. I wasvery near it, when his hand opposed a very strong resistance. I repeatedmy efforts, but Bellino, rising suddenly, repulsed me, and I found myselfundone. After a few moments of calm, thinking I should take him bysurprise, I extended my hand, but I drew back terrified, for I fanciedthat I had recognized in him a man, and a degraded man, contemptible lesson account of his degradation than for the want of feeling I thought Icould read on his countenance. Disgusted, confused, and almost blushingfor myself, I sent him away. 

His sisters came to my room, but I dismissed them, sending word to theirbrother that he might go with me, without any fear of furtherindiscretion on my part. Yet, in spite of the conviction I thought I hadacquired, Bellino, even such as I believe him to be, filled my thoughts;I could not make it out. 

Early the next morning I left Ancona with him, distracted by the tears ofthe two charming sisters and loaded with the blessings of the mother who, with beads in hand, mumbled her 'paternoster', and repeated her constanttheme: 'Dio provedera'. 

The trust placed in Providence by most of those persons who earn theirliving by some profession forbidden by religion is neither absurd, norfalse, nor deceitful; it is real and even godly, for it flows from anexcellent source. Whatever may be the ways of Providence, human beingsmust always acknowledge it in its action, and those who call uponProvidence independently of all external consideration must, at thebottom, be worthy, although guilty of transgressing its laws. 

 'Pulchra Laverna, Da mihi fallere; da justo sanctoque videri; Noctem peccatis, et fraudibus objice nubem. '

Such was the way in which, in the days of Horace, robbers addressed theirgoddess, and I recollect a Jesuit who told me once that Horace would nothave known his own language, if he had said justo sanctoque: but therewere ignorant men even amongst the Jesuits, and robbers most likely havebut little respect for the rules of grammar. 

The next morning I started with Bellino, who, believing me to beundeceived, could suppose that I would not shew any more curiosity abouthim, but we had not been a quarter of an hour together when he found outhis mistake, for I could not let my looks fall upon his splendid eyeswithout feeling in me a fire which the sight of a man could not haveignited. I told him that all his features were those of a woman, and thatI wanted the testimony of my eyes before I could feel perfectlysatisfied, because the protuberance I had felt in a certain place mightbe only a freak of nature. "Should it be the case, " I added, "I shouldhave no difficulty in passing over a deformity which, in reality, is onlylaughable. Bellino, the impression you produce upon me, this sort ofmagnetism, your bosom worthy of Venus herself, which you have onceabandoned to my eager hand, the sound of your voice, every movement ofyours, assure me that you do not belong to my sex. Let me see for myself, and, if my conjectures are right, depend upon my faithful love; if, onthe contrary, I find that I have been mistaken, you can rely upon myfriendship. If you refuse me, I shall be compelled to believe that youare cruelly enjoying my misery, and that you have learned in the mostaccursed school that the best way of preventing a young man from curinghimself of an amorous passion is to excite it constantly; but you mustagree with me that, to put such tyranny in practice, it is necessary tohate the person it is practised upon, and, if that be so, I ought to callupon my reason to give me the strength necessary to hate you likewise. "

I went on speaking for a long time; Bellino did not answer, but he seemeddeeply moved. At last I told him that, in the fearful state to which Iwas reduced by his resistance, I should be compelled to treat him withoutany regard for his feelings, and find out the truth by force. He answeredwith much warmth and dignity: "Recollect that you are not my master, thatI am in your hands, because I had faith in your promise, and that, if youuse violence, you will be guilty of murder. Order the postillion to stop, I will get out of the carriage, and you may rely upon my not complainingof your treatment. "

Those few words were followed by a torrent of tears, a sight which Inever could resist. I felt myself moved in the inmost recesses of mysoul, and I almost thought that I had been wrong. I say almost, because, had I been convinced of it, I would have thrown myself at his feetentreating pardon; but, not feeling myself competent to stand in judgmentin my own cause, I satisfied myself by remaining dull and silent, and Inever uttered one word until we were only half a mile from Sinigaglia, where I intended to take supper and to remain for the night. Havingfought long enough with my own feelings, I said to him;

"We might have spent a little time in Rimini like good friends, if youhad felt any friendship for me, for, with a little kind compliance, youcould have easily cured me of my passion. "

"It would not cure you, " answered Bellino, courageously, but with asweetness of tone which surprised me; "no, you would not be cured, whether you found me to be man or woman, for you are in love with meindependently of my sex, and the certainty you would acquire would makeyou furious. In such a state, should you find me inexorable, you wouldvery likely give way to excesses which would afterwards cause you deepsorrow. "

"You expect to make me admit that you are right, but you are completelymistaken, for I feel that I should remain perfectly calm, and that bycomplying with my wishes you would gain my friendship. "

"I tell you again that you would become furious. "

"Bellino, that which has made me furious is the sight of your charms, either too real or too completely deceiving, the power of which youcannot affect to ignore. You have not been afraid to ignite my amorousfury, how can you expect me to believe you now, when you pretend to fearit, and when I am only asking you to let me touch a thing, which, if itbe as you say, will only disgust me?"

"Ah! disgust you; I am quite certain of the contrary. Listen to me. WereI a girl, I feel I could not resist loving you, but, being a man, it ismy duty not to grant what you desire, for your passion, now very natural, would then become monstrous. Your ardent nature would be stronger thanyour reason, and your reason itself would easily come to the assistanceof your senses and of your nature. That violent clearing-up of themystery, were you to obtain it, would leave you deprived of all controlover yourself. Disappointed in not finding what you had expected, youwould satisfy your passion upon that which you would find, and the resultwould, of course, be an abomination. How can you, intelligent as you are, flatter yourself that, finding me to be a man, you could all at oncecease to love me? Would the charms which you now see in me cease to existthen? Perhaps their power would, on the contrary, be enhanced, and yourpassion, becoming brutal, would lead you to take any means yourimagination suggested to gratify it. You would persuade yourself that youmight change me into a woman, or, what is worse, that you might changeyourself into one. Your passion would invent a thousand sophisms tojustify your love, decorated with the fine appellation of friendship, andyou would not fail to allege hundreds of similarly disgusting cases inorder to excuse your conduct. You would certainly never find mecompliant; and how am I to know that you would not threaten me withdeath?"

"Nothing of the sort would happen, Bellino, " I answered, rather tired ofthe length of his argument, "positively nothing, and I am sure you areexaggerating your fears. Yet I am bound to tell you that, even if all yousay should happen, it seems to me that to allow what can strictly beconsidered only as a temporary fit of insanity, would prove a less evilthan to render incurable a disease of the mind which reason would sooncut short. "

Thus does a poor philosopher reason when he takes it into his head toargue at those periods during which a passion raging in his soul makesall its faculties wander. To reason well, we must be under the swayneither of love nor of anger, for those two passions have one thing incommon which is that, in their excess, they lower us to the condition ofbrutes acting only under the influence of their predominating instinct, and, unfortunately, we are never more disposed to argue than when we feelourselves under the influence of either of those two powerful humanpassions. 

We arrived at Sinigaglia late at night, and I went to the best inn, and, after choosing a comfortable room, ordered supper. As there was but onebed in the room, I asked Bellino, in as calm a tone as I could assume, whether he would have a fire lighted in another chamber, and my surprisemay be imagined when he answered quietly that he had no objection tosleep in the same bed with me. Such an answer, however, unexpected, wasnecessary to dispel the angry feelings under which I was labouring. Iguessed that I was near the denouement of the romance, but I was very farfrom congratulating myself, for I did not know whether the denouementwould prove agreeable or not. I felt, however, a real satisfaction athaving conquered, and was sure of my self-control, in case the senses, mynatural instinct, led me astray. But if I found myself in the right, Ithought I could expect the most precious favours. 

We sat down to supper opposite each other, and during the meal, hiswords, his countenance, the expression of his beautiful eyes, his sweetand voluptuous smile, everything seemed to announce that he had hadenough of playing a part which must have proved as painful to him as tome. 

A weight was lifted off my mind, and I managed to shorten the supper asmuch as possible. As soon as we had left the table, my amiable companioncalled for a night-lamp, undressed himself, and went to bed. I was notlong in following him, and the reader will soon know the nature of adenouement so long and so ardently desired; in the mean time I beg towish him as happy a night as the one which was then awaiting me. 

CHAPTER XII

Bellino's History--I Am Put Under Arrest--I Run Away Against My Will--MyReturn To Rimini, and My Arrival In Bologna

Dear reader, I said enough at the end of the last chapter to make youguess what happened, but no language would be powerful enough to make yourealize all the voluptuousness which that charming being had in store forme. She came close to me the moment I was in bed. Without uttering oneword our lips met, and I found myself in the ecstasy of enjoyment beforeI had had time to seek for it. After so complete a victory, what would myeyes and my fingers have gained from investigations which could not giveme more certainty than I had already obtained? I could not take my gazeoff that beautiful face, which was all aflame with the ardour of love. 

After a moment of quiet rapture, a spark lighted up in our veins a freshconflagration which we drowned in a sea of new delights. Bellino feltbound to make me forget my sufferings, and to reward me by an ardourequal to the fire kindled by her charms. 

The happiness I gave her increased mine twofold, for it has always beenmy weakness to compose the four-fifths of my enjoyment from the sum-totalof the happiness which I gave the charming being from whom I derived it. But such a feeling must necessarily cause hatred for old age which canstill receive pleasure, but can no longer give enjoyment to another. Andyouth runs away from old age, because it is its most cruel enemy. 

An interval of repose became necessary, in consequence of the activity ofour enjoyment. Our senses were not tired out, but they required the restwhich renews their sensitiveness and restores the buoyancy necessary toactive service. 

Bellino was the first to break our silence. 

"Dearest, " she said, "are you satisfied now? Have you found me trulyloving?"

"Truly loving? Ah! traitress that you are! Do you, then, confess that Iwas not mistaken when I guessed that you were a charming woman? And ifyou truly loved me, tell me how you could contrive to defer yourhappiness and mine so long? But is it quite certain that I did not make amistake?"

"I am yours all over; see for yourself. "

Oh, what delightful survey! what charming beauties! what an ocean ofenjoyment! But I could not find any trace of the protuberance which hadso much terrified and disgusted me. 

"What has become, " I said, "of that dreadful monstrosity?"

"Listen to me, " she replied, "and I will tell you everything. 

"My name is Therese. My father, a poor clerk in the Institute of Bologna, had let an apartment in his house to the celebrated Salimberi, acastrato, and a delightful musician. He was young and handsome, he becameattached to me, and I felt flattered by his affection and by the praisehe lavished upon me. I was only twelve years of age; he proposed to teachme music, and finding that I had a fine voice, he cultivated itcarefully, and in less than a year I could accompany myself on theharpsichord. His reward was that which his love for me induced him toask, and I granted the reward without feeling any humiliation, for Iworshipped him. Of course, men like yourself are much above men of hisspecies, but Salimberi was an exception. His beauty, his manners, histalent, and the rare qualities of his soul, made him superior in my eyesto all the men I had seen until then. He was modest and reserved, richand generous, and I doubt whether he could have found a woman able toresist him; yet I never heard him boast of having seduced any. Themutilation practised upon his body had made him a monster, but he was anangel by his rare qualities and endowments. 

"Salimberi was at that time educating a boy of the same age as myself, who was in Rimini with a music teacher. The father of the boy, who waspoor and had a large family, seeing himself near death, had thought ofhaving his unfortunate son maimed so that he should become the support ofhis brothers with his voice. The name of the boy was Bellino; the goodwoman whom you have just seen in Ancona was his mother, and everybodybelieves that she is mine. 

"I had belonged to Salimberi for about a year, when he announced to meone day, weeping bitterly, that he was compelled to leave me to go toRome, but he promised to see me again. The news threw me into despair. Hehad arranged everything for the continuation of my musical education, but, as he was preparing himself for his departure, my father died verysuddenly, after a short illness, and I was left an orphan. 

"Salimberi had not courage enough to resist my tears and my entreaties;he made up his mind to take me to Rimini, and to place me in the samehouse where his young 'protege' was educated. We reached Rimini, and putup at an inn; after a short rest, Salimberi left me to call upon theteacher of music, and to make all necessary arrangements respecting mewith him; but he soon returned, looking sad and unhappy; Bellino had diedthe day before. 

"As he was thinking of the grief which the loss of the young man wouldcause his mother, he was struck with the idea of bringing me back toBologna under the name of Bellino, where he could arrange for my boardwith the mother of the deceased Bellino, who, being very poor, would findit to her advantage to keep the secret. 'I will give her, ' he said, 'everything necessary for the completion of your musical education, andin four years, I will take you to Dresden (he was in the service of theElector of Saxony, King of Poland), not as a girl, but as a castrato. There we will live together without giving anyone cause for scandal, andyou will remain with me and minister to my happiness until I die. All wehave to do is to represent you as Bellino, and it is very easy, as nobodyknows you in Bologna. Bellino's mother will alone know the secret; herother children have seen their brother only when he was very young, andcan have no suspicion. But if you love me you must renounce your sex, lose even the remembrance of it, and leave immediately for Bologna, dressed as a boy, and under the name of Bellino. You must be very carefullest anyone should find out that you are a girl; you must sleep alone, dress yourself in private, and when your bosom is formed, as it will bein a year or two, it will only be thought a deformity not uncommonamongst 'castrati'. Besides, before leaving you, I will give you a smallinstrument, and teach how to fix it in such manner that, if you had atany time to submit to an examination, you would easily be mistaken for aman. If you accept my plan, I feel certain that we can live together inDresden without losing the good graces of the queen, who is veryreligious. Tell me, now, whether you will accept my proposal?

"He could not entertain any doubt of my consent, for I adored him. Assoon as he had made a boy of me we left Rimini for Bologna, where wearrived late in the evening. A little gold made everything right withBellino's mother; I gave her the name of mother, and she kissed me, calling me her dear son. Salimberi left us, and returned a short timeafterwards with the instrument which would complete my transformation. Hetaught me, in the presence of my new mother, how to fix it with sometragacanth gum, and I found myself exactly like my friend. I would havelaughed at it, had not my heart been deeply grieved at the departure ofmy beloved Salimberi, for he bade me farewell as soon as the curiousoperation was completed. People laugh at forebodings; I do not believe inthem myself, but the foreboding of evil, which almost broke my heart ashe gave me his farewell kiss, did not deceive me. I felt the coldshivering of death run through me; I felt I was looking at him for thelast time, and I fainted away. Alas! my fears proved only too prophetic. Salimberi died a year ago in the Tyrol in the prime of life, with thecalmness of a true philosopher. His death compelled me to earn my livingwith the assistance of my musical talent. My mother advised me tocontinue to give myself out as a castrato, in the hope of being able totake me to Rome. I agreed to do so, for I did not feel sufficient energyto decide upon any other plan. In the meantime she accepted an offer forthe Ancona Theatre, and Petronio took the part of first female dancer; inthis way we played the comedy of 'The World Turned Upside Down. '

"After Salimberi, you are the only man I have known, and, if you like, you can restore me to my original state, and make me give up the name ofBellino, which I hate since the death of my protector, and which beginsto inconvenience me. I have only appeared at two theatres, and each timeI have been compelled to submit to the scandalous, degrading examination, because everywhere I am thought to have too much the appearance of agirl, and I am admitted only after the shameful test has broughtconviction. Until now, fortunately, I have had to deal only with oldpriests who, in their good faith, have been satisfied with a very slightexamination, and have made a favourable report to the bishop; but I mightfall into the hands of some young abbe, and the test would then become amore severe one. Besides, I find myself exposed to the daily persecutionsof two sorts of beings: those who, like you, cannot and will not believeme to be a man, and those who, for the satisfaction of their disgustingpropensities, are delighted at my being so, or find it advantageous tosuppose me so. The last particularly annoy me! Their tastes are soinfamous, their habits so low, that I fear I shall murder one of themsome day, when I can no longer control the rage in which their obscenelanguage throws me. Out of pity, my beloved angel, be generous; and, ifyou love me, oh! free me from this state of shame and degradation! Takeme with you. I do not ask to become your wife, that would be too muchhappiness; I will only be your friend, your mistress, as I would havebeen Salimberi's; my heart is pure and innocent, I feel that I can remainfaithful to my lover through my whole life. Do not abandon me. The love Ihave for you is sincere; my affection for Salimberi was innocent; it wasborn of my inexperience and of my gratitude, and it is only with you thatI have felt myself truly a woman. "

Her emotion, an inexpressible charm which seemed to flow from her lipsand to enforce conviction, made me shed tears of love and sympathy. Iblended my tears with those falling from her beautiful eyes, and deeplymoved, I promised not to abandon her and to make her the sharer of myfate. Interested in the history, as singular as extraordinary, that shehad just narrated, and having seen nothing in it that did not bear thestamp of truth, I felt really disposed to make her happy but I could notbelieve that I had inspired her with a very deep passion during my shortstay in Ancona, many circumstances of which might, on the contrary, havehad an opposite effect upon her heart. 

"If you loved me truly, " I said, "how could you let me sleep with yoursisters, out of spite at your resistance?"

"Alas, dearest! think of our great poverty, and how difficult it was forme to discover myself. I loved you; but was it not natural that I shouldsuppose your inclination for me only a passing caprice? When I saw you goso easily from Cecilia to Marinetta, I thought that you would treat me inthe same manner as soon as your desires were satisfied, I was likewiseconfirmed in my opinion of your want of constancy and of the littleimportance you attached to the delicacy of the sentiment of love, when Iwitnessed what you did on board the Turkish vessel without being hinderedby my presence; had you loved me, I thought my being present would havemade you uncomfortable. I feared to be soon despised, and God knows howmuch I suffered! You have insulted me, darling, in many different ways, but my heart pleaded in your favour, because I knew you were excited, angry, and thirsting for revenge. Did you not threaten me this very dayin your carriage? I confess you greatly frightened me, but do not fancythat I gave myself to you out of fear. No, I had made up my mind to beyours from the moment you sent me word by Cecilia that you would take meto Rimini, and your control over your own feelings during a part of ourjourney confirmed me in my resolution, for I thought I could trust myselfto your honour, to your delicacy. "

"Throw up, " I said, "the engagement you have in Rimini; let us proceed onour journey, and, after remaining a couple of days in Bologna, you willgo with me to Venice; dressed as a woman, and with another name, I wouldchallenge the manager here to find you out. "

"I accept. Your will shall always be my law. I am my own mistress, and Igive myself to you without any reserve or restriction; my heart belongsto you, and I trust to keep yours. "

Man has in himself a moral force of action which always makes himoverstep the line on which he is standing. I had obtained everything, Iwanted more. "Shew me, " I said, "how you were when I mistook you for aman. " She got out of bed, opened her trunk, took out the instrument andfixed it with the gum: I was compelled to admire the ingenuity of thecontrivance. My curiosity was satisfied, and I passed a most delightfulnight in her arms. 

When I woke up in the morning, I admired her lovely face while she wassleeping: all I knew of her came back to my mind; the words which hadbeen spoken by her bewitching mouth, her rare talent, her candour, herfeelings so full of delicacy, and her misfortunes, the heaviest of whichmust have been the false character she had been compelled to assume, andwhich exposed her to humiliation and shame, everything strengthened myresolution to make her the companion of my destiny, whatever it might be, or to follow her fate, for our positions were very nearly the same; andwishing truly to attach myself seriously to that interesting being, Idetermined to give to our union the sanction of religion and of law, andto take her legally for my wife. Such a step, as I then thought, couldbut strengthen our love, increase our mutual esteem, and insure theapprobation of society which could not accept our union unless it wassanctioned in the usual manner. 

The talents of Therese precluded the fear of our being ever in want ofthe necessaries of life, and, although I did not know in what way my owntalents might be made available, I had faith in myself. Our love mighthave been lessened, she would have enjoyed too great advantages over me, and my self-dignity would have too deeply suffered if I had allowedmyself to be supported by her earnings only. It might, after a time, havealtered the nature of our feelings; my wife, no longer thinking herselfunder any obligation to me, might have fancied herself the protecting, instead of the protected party, and I felt that my love would soon haveturned into utter contempt, if it had been my misfortune to find herharbouring such thoughts. Although I trusted it would not be so, Iwanted, before taking the important step of marriage, to probe her heart, and I resolved to try an experiment which would at once enable me tojudge the real feelings of her inmost soul. As soon as she was awake, Ispoke to her thus:

"Dearest Therese, all you have told me leaves me no doubt of your lovefor me, and the consciousness you feel of being the mistress of my heartenhances my love for you to such a degree, that I am ready to doeverything to convince you that you were not mistaken in thinking thatyou had entirely conquered me. I wish to prove to you that I am worthy ofthe noble confidence you have reposed in me by trusting you with equalsincerity. 

"Our hearts must be on a footing of perfect equality. I know you, mydearest Therese, but you do not know me yet. I can read in your eyes thatyou do not mind it, and it proves our great love, but that feeling placesme too much below you, and I do not wish you to have so great anadvantage over me. I feel certain that my confidence is not necessary toyour love; that you only care to be mine, that your only wish is topossess my heart, and I admire you, my Therese; but I should feelhumiliated if I found myself either too much above or too much below you. You have entrusted your secrets to me, now listen to mine; but before Ibegin, promise me that, when you know everything that concerns me, youwill tell me candidly if any change has taken place either in yourfeelings or in your hopes. "

"I promise it faithfully; I promise not to conceal anything from you; butbe upright enough not to tell me anything that is not perfectly true, forI warn you that it would be useless. If you tried any artifice in orderto find me less worthy of you than I am in reality, you would onlysucceed in lowering yourself in my estimation. I should be very sorry tosee you guilty of any cunning towards me. Have no more suspicion of methan I have of you; tell me the whole truth. "

"Here it is. You suppose me wealthy, and I am not so; as soon as whatthere is now in my purse is spent I shall have nothing left. You mayfancy that I was born a patrician, but my social condition is reallyinferior to your own. I have no lucrative talents, no profession, nothingto give me the assurance that I am able to earn my living. I have neitherrelatives nor friends, nor claims upon anyone, and I have no serious planor purpose before me. All I possess is youth, health, courage, someintelligence, honour, honesty, and some tincture of letters. My greatesttreasure consists in being my own master, perfectly independent, and notafraid of misfortune. With all that, I am naturally inclined toextravagance. Lovely Therese, you have my portrait. What is your answer?"

"In the first place, dearest, let me assure you that I believe every wordyou have just uttered, as I would believe in the Gospel; in the second, allow me to tell you that several times in Ancona I have judged you suchas you have just described yourself, but far from being displeased atsuch a knowledge of your nature, I was only afraid of some illusion on mypart, for I could hope to win you if you were what I thought you to be. In one word, dear one, if it is true that you are poor and a very badhand at economy, allow me to tell you that I feel delighted, because, ifyou love me, you will not refuse a present from me, or despise me foroffering it. The present consists of myself, such as I am, and with allmy faculties. I give myself to you without any condition, with norestriction; I am yours, I will take care of you. For the future thinkonly of your love for me, but love me exclusively. From this moment I amno longer Bellino. Let us go to Venice, where my talent will keep us bothcomfortably; if you wish to go anywhere else, let us go where youplease. "

"I must go to Constantinople. "

"Then let us proceed to Constantinople. If you are afraid to lose methrough want of constancy, marry me, and your right over me will bestrengthened by law. I should not love you better than I do now, but Ishould be happy to be your wife. "

"It is my intention to marry you, and I am delighted that we agree inthat respect. The day after to-morrow, in Bologna, you shall be made mylegal-wife before the altar of God; I swear it to you here in thepresence of Love. I want you to be mine, I want to be yours, I want us tobe united by the most holy ties. "

"I am the happiest of women! We have nothing to do in Rimini; suppose wedo not get up; we can have our dinner in bed, and go away to-morrow wellrested after our fatigues. "

We left Rimini the next day, and stayed for breakfast at Pesaro. As wewere getting into the carriage to leave that place, an officer, accompanied by two soldiers, presented himself, enquired for our names, and demanded our passports. Bellino had one and gave it, but I looked invain for mine; I could not find it. 

The officer, a corporal, orders the postillion to wait and goes to makehis report. Half an hour afterwards, he returns, gives Bellino hispassport, saying that he can continue his journey, but tells me that hisorders are to escort me to the commanding officer, and I follow him. 

"What have you done with your passport?" enquires that officer. 

"I have lost it. "

"A passport is not so easily lost. "

"Well, I have lost mine. "

"You cannot proceed any further. "

"I come from Rome, and I am going to Constantinople, bearing a letterfrom Cardinal Acquaviva. Here is the letter stamped with his seal. "

"All I can do for you is to send you to M. De Gages. "

I found the famous general standing, surrounded by his staff. I told himall I had already explained to the officer, and begged him to let mecontinue my journey. 

"The only favour I can grant you is to put you under arrest till youreceive another passport from Rome delivered under the same name as theone you have given here. To lose a passport is a misfortune which befallsonly a thoughtless, giddy man, and the cardinal will for the future knowbetter than to put his confidence in a giddy fellow like you. "

With these words, he gave orders to take me to the guard-house at St. Mary's Gate, outside the city, as soon as I should have written to thecardinal for a new passport. His orders were executed. I was brought backto the inn, where I wrote my letter, and I sent it by express to hiseminence, entreating him to forward the document, without loss of time, direct to the war office. Then I embraced Therese who was weeping, and, telling her to go to Rimini and to wait there for my return, I made hertake one hundred sequins. She wished to remain in Pesaro, but I would nothear of it; I had my trunk brought out, I saw Therese go away from theinn, and was taken to the place appointed by the general. 

It is undoubtedly under such circumstances that the most determinedoptimist finds himself at a loss; but an easy stoicism can blunt the toosharp edge of misfortune. 

My greatest sorrow was the heart-grief of Therese who, seeing me tornfrom her arms at the very moment of our union, was suffocated by thetears which she tried to repress. She would not have left me if I had notmade her understand that she could not remain in Pesaro, and if I had notpromised to join her within ten days, never to be parted again. But fatehad decided otherwise. 

When we reached the gate, the officer confined me immediately in theguard-house, and I sat down on my trunk. The officer was a taciturnSpaniard who did not even condescend to honour me with an answer, when Itold him that I had money and would like to have someone to wait on me. Ihad to pass the night on a little straw, and without food, in the midstof the Spanish soldiers. It was the second night of the sort that mydestiny had condemned me to, immediately after two delightful nights. Mygood angel doubtless found some pleasure in bringing such conjunctionsbefore my mind for the benefit of my instruction. At all events, teachings of that description have an infallible effect upon natures of apeculiar stamp. 

If you should wish to close the lips of a logician calling himself aphilosopher, who dares to argue that in this life grief overbalancespleasure, ask him whether he would accept a life entirely without sorrowand happiness. Be certain that he will not answer you, or he willshuffle, because, if he says no, he proves that he likes life such as itis, and if he likes it, he must find it agreeable, which is an utterimpossibility, if life is painful; should he, on the contrary, answer inthe affirmative, he would declare himself a fool, for it would be as muchas to say that he can conceive pleasure arising from indifference, whichis absurd nonsense. 

Suffering is inherent in human nature; but we never suffer withoutentertaining the hope of recovery, or, at least, very seldom without suchhope, and hope itself is a pleasure. If it happens sometimes that mansuffers without any expectation of a cure, he necessarily finds pleasurein the complete certainty of the end of his life; for the worst, in allcases, must be either a sleep arising from extreme dejection, duringwhich we have the consolation of happy dreams or the loss of allsensitiveness. But when we are happy, our happiness is never disturbed bythe thought that it will be followed by grief. Therefore pleasure, duringits active period, is always complete, without alloy; grief is alwayssoothed by hope. 

I suppose you, dear reader, at the age of twenty, and devoting yourselfto the task of making a man of yourself by furnishing your mind with allthe knowledge necessary to render you a useful being through the activityof your brain. Someone comes in and tells you, "I bring you thirty yearsof existence; it is the immutable decree of fate; fifteen consecutiveyears must be happy, and fifteen years unhappy. You are at liberty tochoose the half by which you wish to begin. "

Confess it candidly, dear reader, you will not require much moreconsideration to decide, and you will certainly begin by the unhappyseries of years, because you will feel that the expectation of fifteendelightful years cannot fail to brace you up with the courage necessaryto bear the unfortunate years you have to go through, and we can evensurmise, with every probability of being right, that the certainty offuture happiness will soothe to a considerable extent the misery of thefirst period. 

You have already guessed, I have no doubt, the purpose of this lengthyargument. The sagacious man, believe me, can never be utterly miserable, and I most willingly agree with my friend Horace, who says that, on thecontrary, such a man is always happy. 

 'Nisi quum pituita molesta est. '

But, pray where is the man who is always suffering from a rheum?

The fact is that the fearful night I passed in the guardhouse of St. Maryresulted for me in a slight loss and in a great gain. The small loss wasto be away from my dear Therese, but, being certain of seeing her withinten days, the misfortune was not very great: as to the gain, it was inexperience the true school for a man. I gained a complete system againstthoughtlessness, a system of foresight. You may safely bet a hundred toone that a young man who has once lost his purse or his passport, willnot lose either a second time. Each of those misfortunes has befallen meonce only, and I might have been very often the victim of them, ifexperience had not taught me how much they were to be dreaded. Athoughtless fellow is a man who has not yet found the word dread in thedictionary of his life. 

The officer who relieved my cross-grained Castilian on the following dayseemed of a different nature altogether; his prepossessing countenancepleased me much. He was a Frenchman, and I must say that I have alwaysliked the French, and never the Spaniards; there is in the manners of thefirst something so engaging, so obliging, that you feel attracted towardsthem as towards a friend, whilst an air of unbecoming haughtiness givesto the second a dark, forbidding countenance which certainly does notprepossess in their favour. Yet I have often been duped by Frenchmen, andnever by Spaniards--a proof that we ought to mistrust our tastes. 

The new officer, approaching me very politely, said to me, --

"To what chance, reverend sir, am I indebted for the honour of having youin my custody?"

Ah! here was a way of speaking which restored to my lungs all theirelasticity! I gave him all the particulars of my misfortune, and he foundthe mishap very amusing. But a man disposed to laugh at my disappointmentcould not be disagreeable to me, for it proved that the turn of his mindhad more than one point of resemblance with mine. He gave me at once asoldier to serve me, and I had very quickly a bed, a table, and a fewchairs. He was kind enough to have my bed placed in his own room, and Ifelt very grateful to him for that delicate attention. 

He gave me an invitation to share his dinner, and proposed a game ofpiquet afterwards, but from the very beginning he saw that I was no matchfor him; he told me so, and he warned me that the officer who wouldrelieve him the next day was a better player even than he was himself; Ilost three or four ducats. He advised me to abstain from playing on thefollowing day, and I followed his advice. He told me also that he wouldhave company to supper, that there would be a game of faro, but that thebanker being a Greek and a crafty player, I ought not to play. I thoughthis advice very considerate, particularly when I saw that all the punterslost, and that the Greek, very calm in the midst of the insultingtreatment of those he had duped, was pocketing his money, after handing ashare to the officer who had taken an interest in the bank. The name ofthe banker was Don Pepe il Cadetto, and by his accent I knew he was aNeapolitan. I communicated my discovery to the officer, asking him why hehad told me that the man was a Greek. He explained to me the meaning ofthe word greek applied to a gambler, and the lesson which followed hisexplanation proved very useful to me in after years. 

During the five following days, my life was uniform and rather dull, buton the sixth day the same French officer was on guard, and I was veryglad to see him. He told me, with a hearty laugh, that he was delightedto find me still in the guard-house, and I accepted the compliment forwhat it was worth. In the evening, we had the same bank at faro, with thesame result as the first time, except a violent blow from the stick ofone of the punters upon the back of the banker, of which the Greekstoically feigned to take no notice. I saw the same man again nine yearsafterwards in Vienna, captain in the service of Maria Theresa; he thencalled himself d'Afflisso. Ten years later, I found him a colonel, andsome time after worth a million; but the last time I saw him, somethirteen or fourteen years ago, he was a galley slave. He was handsome, but (rather a singular thing) in spite of his beauty, he had a gallowslook. I have seen others with the same stamp--Cagliostro, for instance, and another who has not yet been sent to the galleys, but who cannot failto pay them a visit. Should the reader feel any curiosity about it, I canwhisper the name in his ear. 

Towards the ninth or tenth day everyone in the army knew and liked me, and I was expecting the passport, which could not be delayed much longer. I was almost free, and I would often walk about even out of sight of thesentinel. They were quite right not to fear my running away, and I shouldhave been wrong if I had thought of escaping, but the most singularadventure of my life happened to me then, and most unexpectedly. 

It was about six in the morning. I was taking a walk within one hundredyards of the sentinel, when an officer arrived and alighted from hishorse, threw the bridle on the neck of his steed, and walked off. Admiring the docility of the horse, standing there like a faithfulservant to whom his master has given orders to wait for him I got up tohim, and without any purpose I get hold of the bridle, put my foot in thestirrup, and find myself in the saddle. I was on horseback for the firsttime in my life. I do not know whether I touched the horse with my caneor with my heels, but suddenly the animal starts at full speed. My rightfoot having slipped out of the stirrup, I press against the horse with myheels, and, feeling the pressure, it gallops faster and faster, for I didnot know how to check it. At the last advanced post the sentinels callout to me to stop; but I cannot obey the order, and the horse carrying meaway faster than ever, I hear the whizzing of a few musket balls, thenatural consequence of my involuntary disobedience. At last, when Ireach the first advanced picket of the Austrians, the horse is stopped, and I get off his back thanking God. 

An officer of Hussars asks where I am running so fast, and my tongue, quicker than my thought, answers without any privity on my part, that Ican render no account but to Prince Lobkowitz, commander-in-chief of thearmy, whose headquarters were at Rimini. Hearing my answer, the officergave orders for two Hussars to get on horseback, a fresh one is given me, and I am taken at full gallop to Rimini, where the officer on guard hasme escorted at once to the prince. 

I find his highness alone, and I tell him candidly what has just happenedto me. My story makes him laugh, although he observes that it is hardlycredible. 

"I ought, " he says, "to put you under arrest, but I am willing to saveyou that unpleasantness. " With that he called one of his officers andordered him to escort me through the Cesena Gate. "Then you can gowherever you please, " he added, turning round to me; "but take care notto again enter the lines of my army without a passport, or you might farebadly. "

I asked him to let me have the horse again, but he answered that theanimal did not belong to me. I forgot to ask him to send me back to theplace I had come from, and I regretted it; but after all perhaps I didfor the best. 

The officer who accompanied me asked me, as we were passing acoffee-house, whether I would like to take some chocolate, and we wentin. At that moment I saw Petronio going by, and availing myself of amoment when the officer was talking to someone, I told him not to appearto be acquainted with me, but to tell me where he lived. When we hadtaken our chocolate the officer paid and we went out. Along the road wekept up the conversation; he told me his name, I gave him mine, and Iexplained how I found myself in Rimini. He asked me whether I had notremained some time in Ancona; I answered in the affirmative, and hesmiled and said I could get a passport in Bologna, return to Rimini andto Pesaro without any fear, and recover my trunk by paying the officerfor the horse he had lost. We reached the gate, he wished me a pleasantjourney, and we parted company. 

I found myself free, with gold and jewels, but without my trunk. Theresewas in Rimini, and I could not enter that city. I made up my mind to goto Bologna as quickly as possible in order to get a passport, and toreturn to Pesaro, where I should find my passport from Rome, for I couldnot make up my mind to lose my trunk, and I did not want to be separatedfrom Therese until the end of her engagement with the manager of theRimini Theatre. 

It was raining; I had silk stockings on, and I longed for a carriage. Itook shelter under the portal of a church, and turned my fine overcoatinside out, so as not to look like an abbe. At that moment a peasanthappened to come along, and I asked him if a carriage could be had todrive me to Cesena. "I have one, sir, " he said, "but I live half a leaguefrom here. "

"Go and get it, I will wait for you here. "

While I was waiting for the return of the peasant with his vehicle, someforty mules laden with provisions came along the road towards Rimini. Itwas still raining fast, and the mules passing close by me, I placed myhand mechanically upon the neck of one of them, and following the slowpace of the animals I re-entered Rimini without the slightest noticebeing taken of me, even by the drivers of the mules. I gave some money tothe first street urchin I met, and he took me to Therese's house. 

With my hair fastened under a night-cap, my hat pulled down over my face, and my fine cane concealed under my coat, I did not look a very elegantfigure. I enquired for Bellino's mother, and the mistress of the housetook me to a room where I found all the family, and Therese in a woman'sdress. I had reckoned upon surmising them, but Petronio had told them ofour meeting, and they were expecting me. I gave a full account of myadventures, but Therese, frightened at the danger that threatened me, andin spite of her love, told me that it was absolutely necessary for me togo to Bologna, as I had been advised by M. Vais, the officer. 

"I know him, " she said, "and he is a worthy man, but he comes here everyevening, and you must conceal yourself. "

It was only eight o'clock in the morning; we had the whole day before us, and everyone promised to be discreet. I allayed Therese's anxiety bytelling her that I could easily contrive to leave the city without beingobserved. 

Therese took me to her own room, where she told me that she had met themanager of the theatre on her arrival in Rimini, and that he had takenher at once to the apartments engaged for the family. She had informedhim that she was a woman, and that she had made up her mind not to appearas a castrato any more; he had expressed himself delighted at such news, because women could appear on the stage at Rimini, which was not underthe same legate as Ancona. She added that her engagement would be at anend by the 1st of May, and that she would meet me wherever it would beagreeable to me to wait for her. 

"As soon as I can get a passport, " I said, "there is nothing to hinder mefrom remaining near you until the end of your engagement. But as M. Vaiscalls upon you, tell me whether you have informed him of my having spenta few days in Ancona?"

"I did, and I even told him that you had been arrested because you hadlost your passport. "

I understood why the officer had smiled as he was talking with me. Aftermy conversation with Therese, I received the compliments of the motherand of the young sisters who appeared to me less cheerful and less freethan they had been in Ancona. They felt that Bellino, transformed intoTherese, was too formidable a rival. I listened patiently to all thecomplaints of the mother who maintained that, in giving up the characterof castrato, Therese had bidden adieu to fortune, because she might haveearned a thousand sequins a year in Rome. 

"In Rome, my good woman, " I said, "the false Bellino would have beenfound out, and Therese would have been consigned to a miserable conventfor which she was never made. "

Notwithstanding the danger of my position, I spent the whole of the dayalone with my beloved mistress, and it seemed that every moment gave herfresh beauties and increased my love. At eight o'clock in the evening, hearing someone coming in, she left me, and I remained in the dark, butin such a position that I could see everything and hear every word. TheBaron Vais came in, and Therese gave him her hand with the grace of apretty woman and the dignity of a princess. The first thing he told herwas the news about me; she appeared to be pleased, and listened withwell-feigned indifference, when he said that he had advised me to returnwith a passport. He spent an hour with her, and I was thoroughly wellpleased with her manners and behaviour, which had been such as to leaveme no room for the slightest feeling of jealousy. Marina lighted him outand Therese returned to me. We had a joyous supper together, and, as wewere getting ready to go to bed, Petronio came to inform me that tenmuleteers would start for Cesena two hours before day-break, and that hewas sure I could leave the city with them if I would go and meet them aquarter of an hour before their departure, and treat them to something todrink. I was of the same opinion, and made up my mind to make theattempt. I asked Petronio to sit up and to wake me in good time. Itproved an unnecessary precaution, for I was ready before the time, andleft Therese satisfied with my love, without any doubt of my constancy, but rather anxious as to my success in attempting to leave Rimini. Shehad sixty sequins which she wanted to force back upon me, but I asked herwhat opinion she would have of me if I accepted them, and we said no moreabout it. 

I went to the stable, and having treated one of the muleteers to somedrink I told him that I would willingly ride one of his mules as far asSarignan. 

"You are welcome to the ride, " said the good fellow, "but I would adviseyou not to get on the mule till we are outside the city, and to passthrough the gate on foot as if you were one of the drivers. "

It was exactly what I wanted. Petronio accompanied me as far as the gate, where I gave him a substantial proof of my gratitude. I got out of thecity without the slightest difficulty, and left the muleteers atSarignan, whence I posted to Bologna. 

I found out that I could not obtain a passport, for the simple reasonthat the authorities of the city persisted that it was not necessary; butI knew better, and it was not for me to tell them why. I resolved towrite to the French officer who had treated me so well at the guardhouse. I begged him to enquire at the war office whether my passport had arrivedfrom Rome, and, if so, to forward it to me. I also asked him to find outthe owner of the horse who had run away with me, offering to pay for it. I made up my mind to wait for Therese in Bologna, and I informed her ofmy decision, entreating her to write very often. The reader will soonknow the new resolution I took on the very same day.