Venice, Casanova, v7
by
Jacques Casanova de Seingalt
Part 1 out of 2
This etext was produced by David Widger
MEMOIRS OF JACQUES CASANOVA de SEINGALT 1725-1798
TO PARIS AND PRISON, Volume 2b--VENICE
THE RARE UNABRIDGED LONDON EDITION OF 1894 TRANSLATED BY ARTHUR
MACHEN TO WHICH HAS BEEN ADDED THE CHAPTERS DISCOVERED
BY ARTHUR SYMONS.
VENICE
CHAPTER X
My Stay in Vienna--Joseph II--My Departure for Venice
Arrived, for the first time, in the capital of Austria, at the age of
eight-and-twenty, well provided with clothes, but rather short of
money--a circumstance which made it necessary for me to curtail my
expenses until the arrival of the proceeds of a letter of exchange
which I had drawn upon M. de Bragadin. The only letter of
recommendation I had was from the poet Migliavacca, of Dresden,
addressed to the illustrious Abbe Metastasio, whom I wished ardently
to know. I delivered the letter the day after my arrival, and in one
hour of conversation I found him more learned than I should have
supposed from his works. Besides, Metastasio was so modest that at
first I did not think that modesty natural, but it was not long
before I discovered that it was genuine, for when he recited
something of his own composition, he was the first to call the
attention of his hearers to the important parts or to the fine
passages with as much simplicity as he would remark the weak ones.
I spoke to him of his tutor Gravina, and as we were on that subject
he recited to me five or six stanzas which he had written on his
death, and which had not been printed. Moved by the remembrance of
his friend, and by the sad beauty of his own poetry, his eyes were
filled with tears, and when he had done reciting the stanzas he said,
in a tone of touching simplicity,'Ditemi il vero, si puo air meglio'?
I answered that he alone had the right to believe it impossible.
I then asked him whether he had to work a great deal to compose his
beautiful poetry; he shewed me four or five pages which he had
covered with erasures and words crossed and scratched out only
because he had wished to bring fourteen lines to perfection, and he
assured me that he had never been able to compose more than that
number in one day. He confirmed my knowledge of a truth which I had
found out before, namely, that the very lines which most readers
believe to have flowed easily from the poet's pen are generally those
which he has had the greatest difficulty in composing.
"Which of your operas," I enquired, "do you like best?"
"'Attilio Regolo; ma questo non vuol gia dire che sia il megliore'."
"All your works have been translated in Paris into French prose, but
the publisher was ruined, for it is not possible to read them, and it
proves the elevation and the power of your poetry."
"Several years ago, another foolish publisher ruined himself by a
translation into French prose of the splendid poetry of Ariosto.
I laugh at those who maintain that poetry can be translated into
prose."
"I am of your opinion."
"And you are right."
He told me that he had never written an arietta without composing the
music of it himself, but that as a general rule he never shewed his
music to anyone.
"The French," he added, "entertain the very strange belief that it is
possible to adapt poetry to music already composed."
And he made on that subject this very philosophical remark:
"You might just as well say to a sculptor, 'Here is a piece of
marble, make a Venus, and let her expression be shewn before the
features are chiselled.'"
I went to the Imperial Library, and was much surprised to meet De la
Haye in the company of two Poles, and a young Venetian whom his
father had entrusted to him to complete his education. I believed
him to be in Poland, and as the meeting recalled interesting
recollections I was pleased to see him. I embraced him repeatedly
with real pleasure.
He told me that he was in Vienna on business, and that he would go to
Venice during the summer. We paid one another several visits, and
hearing that I was rather short of money he lent me fifty ducats,
which I returned a short time after. He told me that Bavois was
already lieutenant-colonel in the Venetian army, and the news
afforded me great pleasure. He had been fortunate enough to be
appointed adjutant-general by M. Morosini, who, after his return from
his embassy in France, had made him Commissary of the Borders. I was
delighted to hear of the happiness and success of two men who
certainly could not help acknowledging me as the original cause of
their good fortune. In Vienna I acquired the certainty of De la Haye
being a Jesuit, but he would not let anyone allude to the subject.
Not knowing where to go, and longing for some recreation, I went to
the rehearsal of the opera which was to be performed after Easter,
and met Bodin, the first dancer, who had married the handsome
Jeoffroi, whom I had seen in Turin. I likewise met in the same place
Campioni, the husband of the beautiful Ancilla. He told me that he
had been compelled to apply for a divorce because she dishonoured him
too publicly. Campioni was at the same time a great dancer and a
great gambler. I took up my lodgings with him.
In Vienna everything is beautiful; money was then very plentiful, and
luxury very great; but the severity of the empress made the worship
of Venus difficult, particularly for strangers. A legion of vile
spies, who were decorated with the fine title of Commissaries of
Chastity, were the merciless tormentors of all the girls. The
empress did not practise the sublime virtue of tolerance for what is
called illegitimate love, and in her excessive devotion she thought
that her persecutions of the most natural inclinations in man and
woman were very agreeable to God. Holding in her imperial hands the
register of cardinal sins, she fancied that she could be indulgent
for six of them, and keep all her severity for the seventh, lewdness,
which in her estimation could not be forgiven.
"One can ignore pride," she would say, "for dignity wears the same
garb. Avarice is fearful, it is true; but one might be mistaken
about it, because it is often very like economy. As for anger, it is
a murderous disease in its excess, but murder is punishable with
death. Gluttony is sometimes nothing but epicurism, and religion
does not forbid that sin; for in good company it is held a valuable
quality; besides, it blends itself with appetite, and so much the
worse for those who die of indigestion. Envy is a low passion which
no one ever avows; to punish it in any other way than by its own
corroding venom, I would have to torture everybody at Court; and
weariness is the punishment of sloth. But lust is a different thing
altogether; my chaste soul could not forgive such a sin, and I
declare open war against it. My subjects are at liberty to think
women handsome as much as they please; women may do all in their
power to appear beautiful; people may entertain each other as they
like, because I cannot forbid conversation; but they shall not
gratify desires on which the preservation of the human race depends,
unless it is in the holy state of legal marriage. Therefore, all the
miserable creatures who live by the barter of their caresses and of
the charms given to them by nature shall be sent to Temeswar. I am
aware that in Rome people are very indulgent on that point, and that,
in order to prevent another greater crime (which is not prevented),
every cardinal has one or more mistresses, but in Rome the climate
requires certain concessions which are not necessary here, where the
bottle and the pipe replace all pleasures. (She might have added,
and the table, for the Austrians are known to be terrible eaters.)
"I will have no indulgence either for domestic disorders, for the
moment I hear that a wife is unfaithful to her husband, I will have
her locked up, in spite of all, in spite of the generally received
opinion that the husband is the real judge and master of his wife;
that privilege cannot be granted in my kingdom where husbands are by
far too indifferent on that subject. Fanatic husbands may complain
as much as they please that I dishonour them by punishing their
wives; they are dishonoured already by the fact of the woman's
infidelity."
"But, madam, dishonour rises in reality only from the fact of
infidelity being made public; besides, you might be deceived,
although you are empress."
"I know that, but that is no business of yours, and I do not grant
you the right of contradicting me."
Such is the way in which Maria Teresa would have argued, and
notwithstanding the principle of virtue from which her argument had
originated, it had ultimately given birth to all the infamous deeds
which her executioners, the Commissaries of Chastity, committed with
impunity under her name. At every hour of the day, in all the
streets of Vienna, they carried off and took to prison the poor girls
who happened to live alone, and very often went out only to earn an
honest living. I should like to know how it was possible to know
that a girl was going to some man to get from him consolations for
her miserable position, or that she was in search of someone disposed
to offer her those consolations? Indeed, it was difficult. A spy
would follow them at a distance. The police department kept a crowd
of those spies, and as the scoundrels wore no particular uniform, it
was impossible to know them; as a natural consequence, there was a
general distrust of all strangers. If a girl entered a house, the
spy who had followed her, waited for her, stopped her as she came
out, and subjected her to an interrogatory. If the poor creature
looked uneasy, if she hesitated in answering in such a way as to
satisfy the spy, the fellow would take her to prison; in all cases
beginning by plundering her of whatever money or jewellery she
carried about her person, and the restitution of which could never be
obtained. Vienna was, in that respect a true den of privileged
thieves. It happened to me one day in Leopoldstadt that in the midst
of some tumult a girl slipped in my hand a gold watch to secure it
from the clutches of a police-spy who was pressing upon her to take
her up. I did not know the poor girl, whom I was fortunate enough to
see again one month afterwards. She was pretty, and she had been
compelled to more than one sacrifice in order to obtain her liberty.
I was glad to be able to hand her watch back to her, and although she
was well worthy of a man's attention I did not ask her for anything
to reward my faithfulness. The only way in which girls could walk
unmolested in the streets was to go about with their head bent down
with beads in hand, for in that case the disgusting brood of spies
dared not arrest them, because they might be on their way to church,
and Maria Teresa would certainly have sent to the gallows the spy
guilty of such a mistake.
Those low villains rendered a stay in Vienna very unpleasant to
foreigners, and it was a matter of the greatest difficulty to gratify
the slightest natural want without running the risk of being annoyed.
One day as I was standing close to the wall in a narrow street, I was
much astonished at hearing myself rudely addressed by a scoundrel
with a round wig, who told me that, if I did not go somewhere else to
finish what I had begun, he would have me arrested!
"And why, if you please?"
"Because, on your left, there is a woman who can see you."
I lifted up my head, and I saw on the fourth story, a woman who, with
the telescope she had applied to her eye, could have told whether I
was a Jew or a Christian. I obeyed, laughing heartily, and related
the adventure everywhere; but no one was astonished, because the same
thing happened over and over again every day.
In order to study the manners and habits of the people, I took my
meals in all sorts of places. One day, having gone with Campioni to
dine at "The Crawfish," I found, to my great surprise, sitting at the
table d'hote, that Pepe il Cadetto, whose acquaintance I had made at
the time of my arrest in the Spanish army, and whom I had met
afterwards in Venice and in Lyons, under the name of Don Joseph
Marcati. Campioni, who had been his partner in Lyons, embraced him,
talked with him in private, and informed me that the man had resumed
his real name, and that he was now called Count Afflisio. He told me
that after dinner there would be a faro bank in which I would have an
interest, and he therefore requested me not to play. I accepted the
offer. Afflisio won: a captain of the name of Beccaxia threw the
cards at his face--a trifle to which the self-styled count was
accustomed, and which did not elicit any remark from him. When the
game was over, we repaired to the coffee-room, where an officer of
gentlemanly appearance, staring at me, began to smile, but not in an
offensive manner.
"Sir," I asked him, politely, "may I ask why you are laughing?"
"It makes me laugh to see that you do not recognize me."
"I have some idea that I have seen you somewhere, but I could not say
where or when I had that honour."
"Nine years ago, by the orders of the Prince de Lobkowitz, I escorted
you to the Gate of Rimini."
"You are Baron Vais:"
"Precisely."
We embraced one another; he offered me his friendly services,
promising to procure me all the pleasure he could in Vienna. I
accepted gratefully, and the same evening he presented me to a
countess, at whose house I made the acquaintance of the Abbe
Testagrossa, who was called Grosse-Tete by everybody. He was
minister of the Duke of Modem, and great at Court because he had
negotiated the marriage of the arch-duke with Beatrice d'Este. I
also became acquainted there with the Count of Roquendorf and Count
Sarotin, and with several noble young ladies who are called in
Germany frauleins, and with a baroness who had led a pretty wild
life, but who could yet captivate a man. We had supper, and I was
created baron. It was in vain that I observed that I had no title
whatever: "You must be something," I was told, "and you cannot be
less than baron. You must confess yourself to be at least that, if
you wish to be received anywhere in Vienna."
"Well, I will be a baron, since it is of no importance."
The baroness was not long before she gave me to understand that she
felt kindly disposed towards me, and that she would receive my
attentions with pleasure; I paid her a visit the very next day. "If
you are fond of cards," she said, "come in the evening." At her
house I made the acquaintance of several gamblers, and of three or
four frauleins who, without any dread of the Commissaries of
Chastity, were devoted to the worship of Venus, and were so kindly
disposed that they were not afraid of lowering their nobility by
accepting some reward for their kindness--a circumstance which proved
to me that the Commissaries were in the habit of troubling only the
girls who did not frequent good houses.
The baroness invited me to introduce, all my friends, so I brought to
her house Vais, Campioni, and Afflisio. The last one played, held
the bank, won; and Tramontini, with whom I had become acquainted,
presented him to his wife, who was called Madame Tasi. It was
through her that Afflisio made the useful acquaintance of the Prince
of Saxe-Hildburghausen. This introduction was the origin of the
great fortune made by that contrabrand count, because Tramontini, who
had become his partner in all important gambling transactions,
contrived to obtain for him from the prince the rank of captain in
the service of their imperial and royal majesties, and in less than
three weeks Afflisio wore the uniform and the insignia of his grade.
When I left Vienna he possessed one: hundred thousand florins. Their
majesties were fond of gambling but not of punting. The emperor had
a creature of his own to hold the bank. He was a kind, magnificent,
but not extravagant, prince. I saw him in his grand imperial
costume, and I was surprised to see him dressed in the Spanish
fashion. I almost fancied I had before my eyes Charles V. of Spain,
who had established that etiquette which was still in existence,
although after him no emperor had been a Spaniard, and although
Francis I. had nothing in common with that nation.
In Poland, some years afterwards, I saw the same caprice at the
coronation of Stanislas Augustus Poniatowski, and the old palatine
noblemen almost broke their hearts at the sight of that costume; but
they had to shew as good a countenance as they could, for under
Russian despotism the only privilege they enjoyed was that of
resignation.
The Emperor Francis I. was, handsome, and would have looked so under
the hood of a monk as well as under an imperial crown. He had every
possible consideration for his wife, and allowed her to get the state
into debt, because he possessed the art of becoming himself the
creditor of the state. He favoured commerce because it filled his
coffers. He was rather addicted to gallantry, and the empress, who
always called him master feigned not to notice it, because she did
not want the world to know that her charms could no longer captivate
her royal spouse, and the more so that the beauty of her numerous
family was generally admired. All the archduchesses except the
eldest seemed to me very handsome; but amongst the sons I had the
opportunity of seeing only the eldest, and I thought the expression
of his face bad and unpleasant, in spite of the contrary opinion of
Abbe Grosse-Tete, who prided himself upon being a good physiognomist.
"What do you see," he asked me one day, "on the countenance of that
prince?"
"Self-conceit and suicide."
It was a prophecy, for Joseph II. positively killed himself, although
not wilfully, and it was his self-conceit which prevented him from
knowing it. He was not wanting in learning, but the knowledge which
he believed himself to possess destroyed the learning which he had in
reality. He delighted in speaking to those who did not know how to
answer him, whether because they were amazed at his arguments, or
because they pretended to be so; but he called pedants, and avoided
all persons, who by true reasoning pulled down the weak scaffolding
of his arguments. Seven years ago I happened to meet him at
Luxemburg, and he spoke to me with just contempt of a man who had
exchanged immense sums of money, and a great deal of debasing
meanness against some miserable parchments, and he added,--
"I despise men who purchase nobility."
"Your majesty is right, but what are we to think of those who sell
it?"
After that question he turned his back upon me, and hence forth he
thought me unworthy of being spoken to.
The great passion of that king was to see those who listened to him
laugh, whether with sincerity or with affectation, when he related
something; he could narrate well and amplify in a very amusing manner
all the particulars of an anecdote; but he called anyone who did not
laugh at his jests a fool, and that was always the person who
understood him best. He gave the preference to the opinion of
Brambilla, who encouraged his suicide, over that of the physicians
who were directing him according to reason. Nevertheless, no one
ever denied his claim to great courage; but he had no idea whatever
of the art of government, for he had not the slightest knowledge of
the human heart, and he could neither dissemble nor keep a secret; he
had so little control over his own countenance that he could not even
conceal the pleasure he felt in punishing, and when he saw anyone
whose features did not please him, he could not help making a wry
face which disfigured him greatly.
Joseph II. sank under a truly cruel disease, which left him until the
last moment the faculty of arguing upon everything, at the same time
that he knew his death to be certain. This prince must have felt the
misery of repenting everything he had done and of seeing the
impossibility of undoing it, partly because it was irreparable,
partly because if he had undone through reason what he had done
through senselessness, he would have thought himself dishonoured, for
he must have clung to the last to the belief of the infallibility
attached to his high birth, in spite of the state of languor of his
soul which ought to have proved to him the weakness and the
fallibility of his nature. He had the greatest esteem for his
brother, who has now succeeded him, but he had not the courage to
follow the advice which that brother gave him. An impulse worthy of
a great soul made him bestow a large reward upon the physician, a man
of intelligence, who pronounced his sentence of death, but a
completely opposite weakness had prompted him, a few months before,
to load with benefits the doctors and the quack who made him believe
that they had cured him. He must likewise have felt the misery of
knowing that he would not be regretted after his death--a grievous
thought, especially for a sovereign. His niece, whom he loved
dearly, died before him, and, if he had had the affection of those
who surrounded him, they would have spared him that fearful
information, for it was evident that his end was near at hand, and no
one could dread his anger for having kept that event from him.
Although very much pleased with Vienna and with the pleasures I
enjoyed with the beautiful frauleins, whose acquaintance I had made
at the house of the baroness, I was thinking of leaving that
agreeable city, when Baron Vais, meeting me at Count Durazzo's
wedding, invited me to join a picnic at Schoenbrunn. I went, and I
failed to observe the laws of temperance; the consequence was that I
returned to Vienna with such a severe indigestion that in twenty-four
hours I was at the point of death.
I made use of the last particle of intelligence left in me by the
disease to save my own life. Campioni, Roquendorf and Sarotin were
by my bedside. M. Sarotin, who felt great friendship for me, had
brought a physician, although I had almost positively declared that I
would not see one. That disciple of Sangrado, thinking that he could
allow full sway to the despotism of science, had sent for a surgeon,
and they were going to bleed me against my will. I was half-dead; I
do not know by what strange inspiration I opened my eyes, and I saw a
man, standing lancet in hand and preparing to open the vein.
"No, no!" I said.
And I languidly withdrew my arm; but the tormentor wishing, as the
physician expressed it, to restore me to life in spite of myself, got
hold of my arm again. I suddenly felt my strength returning. I put
my hand forward, seized one of my pistols, fired, and the ball cut
off one of the locks of his hair. That was enough; everybody ran
away, with the exception of my servant, who did not abandon me, and
gave me as much water as I wanted to drink. On the fourth day I had
recovered my usual good health.
That adventure amused all the idlers of Vienna for several days, and
Abbe Grosse-Tete assured me that if I had killed the poor surgeon, it
would not have gone any further, because all the witnesses present in
my room at the time would have declared that he wanted to use
violence to bleed me, which made it a case of legitimate self-
defence. I was likewise told by several persons that all the
physicians in Vienna were of opinion that if I had been bled I should
have been a dead man; but if drinking water had not saved me, those
gentlemen would certainly not have expressed the same opinion. I
felt, however, that I had to be careful, and not to fall ill in the
capital of Austria, for it was likely that I should not have found a
physician without difficulty. At the opera, a great many persons
wished after that to make my acquaintance, and I was looked upon as a
man who had fought, pistol in hand, against death. A miniature-
painter named Morol, who was subject to indigestions and who was at
last killed by one, had taught me his system which was that, to cure
those attacks, all that was necessary was to drink plenty of water
and to be patient. He died because he was bled once when he could
not oppose any resistance.
My indigestion reminded me of a witty saying of a man who was not
much in the habit of uttering many of them; I mean M. de Maisonrouge,
who was taken home one day almost dying from a severe attack of
indigestion: his carriage having been stopped opposite the Quinze-
Vingts by some obstruction, a poor man came up and begged alms,
saying,
"Sir, I am starving."
"Eh! what are you complaining of?" answered Maisonrouge, sighing
deeply; "I wish I was in your place, you rogue!"
At that time I made the acquaintance of a Milanese dancer, who had
wit, excellent manners, a literary education, and what is more--great
beauty. She received very good society, and did the honours of her
drawing-room marvellously well. I became acquainted at her house
with Count Christopher Erdodi, an amiable, wealthy and generous man;
and with a certain Prince Kinski who had all the grace of a
harlequin. That girl inspired me with love, but it was in vain, for
she was herself enamoured of a dancer from Florence, called
Argiolini. I courted her, but she only laughed at me, for an
actress, if in love with someone, is a fortress which cannot be
taken, unless you build a bridge of gold, and I was not rich. Yet I
did not despair, and kept on burning my incense at her feet. She
liked my society because she used to shew me the letters she wrote,
and I was very careful to admire her style. She had her own portrait
in miniature, which was an excellent likeness. The day before my
departure, vexed at having lost my time and my amorous compliments, I
made up my mind to steal that portrait--a slight compensation for not
having won the original. As I was taking leave of her, I saw the
portrait within my reach, seized it, and left Vienna for Presburg,
where Baron Vais had invited me to accompany him and several lovely
frauleins on a party of pleasure.
When we got out of the carriages, the first person I tumbled upon was
the Chevalier de Talvis, the protector of Madame Conde-Labre, whom I
had treated so well in Paris. The moment he saw me, he came up and
told me that I owed him his revenge.
"I promise to give it to you, but I never leave one pleasure for
another," I answered; "we shall see one another again."
"That is enough. Will you do me the honour to introduce me to these
ladies?"
"Very willingly, but not in the street."
We went inside of the hotel and he followed us. Thinking that the
man, who after all was as brave as a French chevalier, might amuse
us, I presented him to my friends. He had been staying at the same
hotel for a couple of days, and he was in mourning. He asked us if
we intended to go to the prince-bishop's ball; it was the first news
we had of it. Vais answered affirmatively.
"One can attend it," said Talvis, "without being presented, and that
is why we intend to go, for I am not known to anybody here."
He left us, and the landlord, having come in to receive our orders,
gave us some particulars respecting the ball. Our lovely frauleins
expressing a wish to attend it, we made up our minds to gratify them.
We were not known to anyone, and were rambling through the
apartments, when we arrived before a large table at which the prince-
bishop was holding a faro bank. The pile of gold that the noble
prelate had before him could not have been less than thirteen or
fourteen thousand florins. The Chevalier de Talvis was standing
between two ladies to whom he was whispering sweet words, while the
prelate was shuffling the cards.
The prince, looking at the chevalier, took it into his head to ask
him, in a most engaging manner to risk a card.
"Willingly, my lord," said Talvis; "the whole of the bank upon this
card."
"Very well," answered the prelate, to shew that he was not afraid.
He dealt, Talvis won, and my lucky Frenchman, with the greatest
coolness, filled his pockets with the prince's gold. The bishop,
astonished, and seeing but rather late how foolish he had been, said
to the chevalier,
"Sir, if you had lost, how would you have managed to pay me?"
"My lord, that is my business."
"You are more lucky than wise."
"Most likely, my lord; but that is my business."
Seeing that the chevalier was on the point of leaving, I followed
him, and at the bottom of the stairs, after congratulating him, I
asked him to lend me a hundred sovereigns. He gave them to me at
once, assuring me that he was delighted to have it in his power to
oblige me.
"I will give you my bill."
"Nothing of the sort."
I put the gold into my pocket, caring very little for the crowd of
masked persons whom curiosity had brought around the lucky winner,
and who had witnessed the transaction. Talvis went away, and I
returned to the ball-room.
Roquendorf and Sarotin, who were amongst the guests, having heard
that the chevalier had handed me some gold, asked me who he was. I
gave them an answer half true and half false, and I told them that
the gold I had just received was the payment of a sum I had lent him
in Paris. Of course they could not help believing me, or at least
pretending to do so.
When we returned to the inn, the landlord informed us that the
chevalier had left the city on horseback, as fast as he could gallop,
and that a small traveling-bag was all his luggage. We sat down to
supper, and in order to make our meal more cheerful, I told Vais and
our charming frauleins the manner in which I had known Talvis, and
how I had contrived to have my share of what he had won.
On our arrival in Vienna, the adventure was already known; people
admired the Frenchman and laughed at the bishop. I was not spared by
public rumour, but I took no notice of it, for I did not think it
necessary to defend myself. No one knew the Chevalier de Talvis, and
the French ambassador was not even acquainted with his name. I do
not know whether he was ever heard of again.
I left Vienna in a post-chaise, after I had said farewell to my
friends, ladies and gentlemen, and on the fourth day I slept in
Trieste. The next day I sailed for Venice, which I reached in the
afternoon, two days before Ascension Day. After an absence of three
years I had the happiness of embracing my beloved protector, M. de
Bragadin, and his two inseparable friends, who were delighted to see
me in good health and well equipped.
CHAPTER XI
I Return the Portrait I Had Stolen in Vienna I Proceed to Padua; An
Adventure on My Way Back, and Its Consequences--I Meet Therese Imer
Again--My Acquaintance With Mademoiselle C. C.
I found myself again in my native country with that feeling of
delight which is experienced by all true-hearted men, when they see
again the place in which they have received the first lasting
impressions. I had acquired some experience; I knew the laws of
honour and politeness; in one word, I felt myself superior to most of
my equals, and I longed to resume my old habits and pursuits; but I
intended to adopt a more regular and more reserved line of conduct.
I saw with great pleasure, as I entered my study, the perfect 'statu
quo' which had been preserved there. My papers, covered with a thick
layer of dust, testified well enough that no strange hand had ever
meddled with them.
Two days after my arrival, as I was getting ready to accompany the
Bucentoro, on which the Doge was going, as usual, to wed the
Adriatic, the widow of so many husbands, and yet as young as on the
first day of her creation, a gondolier brought me a letter. It was
from M. Giovanni Grimani, a young nobleman, who, well aware that he
had no right to command me, begged me in the most polite manner to
call at his house to receive a letter which had been entrusted to him
for delivery in my own hands. I went to him immediately, and after
the usual compliments he handed me a letter with a flying seal, which
he had received the day before.
Here are the contents:
"Sir, having made a useless search for my portrait after you left,
and not being in the habit of receiving thieves in my apartment, I
feel satisfied that it must be in your possession. I request you to
deliver it to the person who will hand you this letter.
"FOGLIAZZI."
Happening to have the portrait with me, I took it out of my pocket,
and gave it at once to M. Grimani, who received it with a mixture of
satisfaction and surprise for he had evidently thought that the
commission entrusted to him would be more difficult to fulfil, and he
remarked,
"Love has most likely made a thief of you but I congratulate you, for
your passion cannot be a very ardent one."
"How can you judge of that?"
"From the readiness with which you give up this portrait."
"I would not have given it up so easily to anybody else."
"I thank you; and as a compensation I beg you to accept my
friendship."
"I place it in my estimation infinitely above the portrait, and even
above the original. May I ask you to forward my answer?"
"I promise you to send it. Here is some paper, write your letter;
you need not seal it."
I wrote the following words:
"In getting rid of the portrait, Casanova experiences a satisfaction
by far superior to that which he felt when, owing to a stupid fancy,
he was foolish enough to put it in his pocket."
Bad weather having compelled the authorities to postpone the
wonderful wedding until the following Sunday, I accompanied M. de
Bragadin, who was going to Padua. The amiable old man ran away from,
the noisy pleasures which no longer suited his age, and he was going
to spend in peace the few days which the public rejoicings would have
rendered unpleasant for him in Venice. On the following Saturday,
after dinner, I bade him farewell, and got into the post-chaise to
return to Venice. If I had left Padua two minutes sooner or later,
the whole course of my life would have been altered, and my destiny,
if destiny is truly shaped by fatal combinations, would have been
very different. But the reader can judge for himself.
Having, therefore, left Padua at the very instant marked by fatality,
I met at Oriago a cabriolet, drawn at full speed by two post-horses,
containing a very pretty woman and a man wearing a German uniform.
Within a few yards from me the vehicle was suddenly upset on the side
of the river, and the woman, falling over the officer, was in great
danger of rolling into the Brenta. I jumped out of my chaise without
even stopping my postillion, and rushing to the assistance of the
lady I remedied with a chaste hand the disorder caused to her toilet
by her fall.
Her companion, who had picked himself up without any injury, hastened
towards us, and there was the lovely creature sitting on the ground
thoroughly amazed, and less confused from her fall than from the
indiscretion of her petticoats, which had exposed in all their
nakedness certain parts which an honest woman never shews to a
stranger. In the warmth of her thanks, which lasted until her
postillion and mine had righted the cabriolet, she often called me
her saviour, her guardian angel.
The vehicle being all right, the lady continued her journey towards
Padua, and I resumed mine towards Venice, which I reached just in
time to dress for the opera.
The next day I masked myself early to accompany the Bucentoro, which,
favoured by fine weather, was to be taken to the Lido for the great
and ridiculous ceremony. The whole affair is under the
responsibility of the admiral of the arsenal, who answers for the
weather remaining fine, under penalty of his head, for the slightest
contrary wind might capsize the ship and drown the Doge, with all the
most serene noblemen, the ambassadors, and the Pope's nuncio, who is
the sponsor of that burlesque wedding which the Venetians respect
even to superstition. To crown the misfortune of such an accident it
would make the whole of Europe laugh, and people would not fail to
say that the Doge of Venice had gone at last to consumate his
marriage.
I had removed my mask, and was drinking some coffee under the
'procuraties' of St. Mark's Square, when a fine-looking female mask
struck me gallantly on the shoulder with her fan. As I did not know
who she was I did not take much notice of it, and after I had
finished my coffee I put on my mask and walked towards the Spiaggia
del Sepulcro, where M. de Bragadin's gondola was waiting for me. As
I was getting near the Ponte del Paglia I saw the same masked woman
attentively looking at some wonderful monster shewn for a few pence.
I went up to her; and asked her why she had struck me with her fan.
"To punish you for not knowing me again after having saved my life."
I guessed that she was the person I had rescued the day before on the
banks of the Brenta, and after paying her some compliments I enquired
whether she intended to follow the Bucentoro.
"I should like it," she said, "if I had a safe gondola."
I offered her mine, which was one of the largest, and, after
consulting a masked person who accompanied her, she accepted. Before
stepping in I invited them to take off their masks, but they told me
that they wished to remain unknown. I then begged them to tell me if
they belonged to the suite of some ambassador, because in that case I
should be compelled, much to my regret, to withdraw my invitation;
but they assured me that they were both Venetians. The gondola
belonging to a patrician, I might have committed myself with the
State Inquisitors-a thing which I wished particularly to avoid.
We were following the Bucentoro, and seated near the lady I allowed
myself a few slight liberties, but she foiled my intentions by
changing her seat. After the ceremony we returned to Venice, and the
officer who accompanied the lady told me that I would oblige them by
dining in their company at "The Savage." I accepted, for I felt
somewhat curious about the woman. What I had seen of her at the time
of her fall warranted my curiosity. The officer left me alone with
her, and went before us to order dinner.
As soon as I was alone with her, emboldened by the mask, I told her
that I was in love with her, that I had a box at the opera, which I
placed entirely at her disposal, and that, if she would only give me
the hope that I was not wasting my time and my attentions, I would
remain her humble servant during the carnival.
"If you mean to be cruel," I added, "pray say so candidly."
"I must ask you to tell me what sort of a woman you take me for?"
"For a very charming one, whether a princess or a maid of low degree.
Therefore, I hope that you will give me, this very day, some marks of
your kindness, or I must part with you immediately after dinner."
"You will do as you please; but I trust that after dinner you will
have changed your opinion and your language, for your way of speaking
is not pleasant. It seems to me that, before venturing upon such an
explanation, it is necessary to know one another. Do you not think
so?"
"Yes, I do; but I am afraid of being deceived."
"How very strange! And that fear makes you begin by what ought to be
the end?"
"I only beg to-day for one encouraging word. Give it to me and I
will at once be modest, obedient and discreet."
"Pray calm yourself."
We found the officer waiting for us before the door of "The Savage,"
and went upstairs. The moment we were in the room, she took off her
mask, and I thought her more beautiful than the day before. I wanted
only to ascertain, for the sake of form and etiquette, whether the
officer was her husband, her lover, a relative or a protector,
because, used as I was to gallant adventures, I wished to know the
nature of the one in which I was embarking.
We sat down to dinner, and the manners of the gentleman and of the
lady made it necessary for me to be careful. It was to him that I
offered my box, and it was accepted; but as I had none, I went out
after dinner under pretence of some engagement, in order to get one
at the opera-buffa, where Petrici and Lasqui were then the shining
stars. After the opera I gave them a good supper at an inn, and I
took them to their house in my gondola. Thanks to the darkness of
the night, I obtained from the pretty woman all the favours which can
be granted by the side of a third person who has to be treated with
caution. As we parted company, the officer said,
"You shall hear from me to-morrow."
"Where, and how?"
"Never mind that."
The next morning the servant announced an officer; it was my man.
After we had exchanged the usual compliments, after I had thanked him
for the honour he had done me the day before, I asked him to tell me
his name. He answered me in the following manner, speaking with
great fluency, but without looking at me:
"My name is P----C----. My father is rich, and enjoys great
consideration at the exchange; but we are not on friendly terms at
present. I reside in St. Mark's Square. The lady you saw with me
was a Mdlle. O----; she is the wife of the broker C----, and her
sister married the patrician P----M----. But Madame C---- is at
variance with her husband on my account, as she is the cause of my
quarrel with my father.
"I wear this uniform in virtue of a captaincy in the Austrian
service, but I have never served in reality. I have the contract for
the supply of oxen to the City of Venice, and I get the cattle from
Styria and Hungary. This contract gives me a net profit of ten
thousand florins a year; but an unforeseen embarrassment, which I
must remedy; a fraudulent bankruptcy, and some extraordinary
expenditure, place me for the present in monetary difficulties. Four
years ago I heard a great deal about you, and wished very much to
make your acquaintance; I firmly believe that it was through the
interference of Heaven that we became acquainted the day before
yesterday. I have no hesitation in claiming from you an important
service which will unite us by the ties of the warmest friendship.
Come to my assistance without running any risk yourself; back these
three bills of exchange. You need not be afraid of having to pay
them, for I will leave in your hands these three other bills which
fall due before the first. Besides, I will give you a mortgage upon
the proceeds of my contract during the whole year, so that, should I
fail to take up these bills, you could seize my cattle in Trieste,
which is the only road through which they can come."
Astonished at his speech and at his proposal, which seemed to me a
lure and made me fear a world of trouble which I always abhorred,
struck by the strange idea of that man who, thinking that I would
easily fall into the snare, gave me the preference over so many other
persons whom he certainly knew better than me, I did not hesitate to
tell him that I would never accept his offer. He then had recourse
to all his eloquence to persuade me, but I embarrassed him greatly by
telling him how surprised I was at his giving me the preference over
all his other acquaintances, when I had had the honour to know him
only for two days.
"Sir" he said, with barefaced impudence, "having recognised in you a
man of great intelligence, I felt certain that you would at once see
the advantages of my offer, and that you would not raise any
objection."
"You must see your mistake by this time, and most likely you will
take me for a fool now you see that I should believe myself a dupe if
I accepted."
He left me with an apology for having troubled me, and saying that he
hoped to see me in the evening at St. Mark's Square, where he would
be with Madame C----, he gave me his address, telling me that he had
retained possession of his apartment unknown to his father. This was
as much as to say that he expected me to return his visit, but if I
had been prudent I should not have done so.
Disgusted at the manner in which that man had attempted to get hold
of me, I no longer felt any inclination to try my fortune with his
mistress, for it seemed evident that they were conspiring together to
make a dupe of me, and as I had no wish to afford them that
gratification I avoided them in the evening. It would have been wise
to keep to that line of conduct; but the next day, obeying my evil
genius, and thinking that a polite call could not have any
consequences, I called upon him.
A servant having taken me to his room, he gave me the most friendly
welcome, and reproached me in a friendly manner for not having shewn
myself the evening before. After that, he spoke again of his
affairs, and made me look at a heap of papers and documents; I found
it very wearisome.
"If you make up your mind to sign the three bills of exchange," he
said, "I will take you as a partner in my contract."
By this extraordinary mark of friendship, he was offering me--at
least he said so--an income of five thousand florins a year; but my
only answer was to beg that the matter should never be mentioned
again. I was going to take leave of him, when he said that he wished
to introduce me to his mother and sister.
He left the room, and came back with them. The mother was a
respectable, simple-looking woman, but the daughter was a perfect
beauty; she literally dazzled me. After a few minutes, the over-
trustful mother begged leave to retire, and her daughter remained.
In less than half an hour I was captivated; her perfection delighted
me; her lively wit, her artless reasoning, her candour, her
ingenuousness, her natural and noble feelings, her cheerful and
innocent quickness, that harmony which arises from beauty, wit, and
innocence, and which had always the most powerful influence over me--
everything in fact conspired to make me the slave of the most perfect
woman that the wildest dreams could imagine.
Mdlle. C---- C---- never went out without her mother who, although
very pious, was full of kind indulgence. She read no books but her
father's--a serious man who had no novels in his library, and she was
longing to read some tales of romance. She had likewise a great wish
to know Venice, and as no one visited the family she had never been
told that she was truly a prodigy of beauty. Her brother was writing
while I conversed with her, or rather answered all the questions
which she addressed to me, and which I could only satisfy by
developing the ideas that she already had, and that she was herself
amazed to find in her own mind, for her soul had until then been
unconscious of its own powers. Yet I did not tell her that she was
lovely and that she interested me in the highest degree, because I
had so often said the same to other women, and without truth, that I
was afraid of raising her suspicions.
I left the house with a sensation of dreamy sadness; feeling deeply
moved by the rare qualities I had discovered in that charming girl, I
promised myself not to see her again, for I hardly thought myself the
man to sacrifice my liberty entirely and to ask her in marriage,
although I certainly believed her endowed with all the qualities
necessary to minister to my happiness.
I had not seen Madame Manzoni since my return to Venice, and I went
to pay her a visit. I found the worthy woman the same as she had
always been towards me, and she gave me the most affectionate
welcome. She told me that Therese Imer, that pretty girl who had
caused M. de Malipiero to strike me thirteen years before, had just
returned from Bayreuth, where the margrave had made her fortune. As
she lived in the house opposite, Madame Manzoni, who wanted to enjoy
her surprise, sent her word to come over. She came almost
immediately, holding by the hand a little boy of eight years--a
lovely child--and the only one she had given to her husband, who was
a dancer in Bayreuth. Our surprise at seeing one another again was
equal to the pleasure we experienced in recollecting what had
occurred in our young days; it is true that we had but trifles to
recollect. I congratulated her upon her good fortune, and judging of
my position from external appearances, she thought it right to
congratulate me, but her fortune would have been established on a
firmer basis than mine if she had followed a prudent line of conduct.
She unfortunately indulged in numerous caprices with which my readers
will become acquainted. She was an excellent musician, but her
fortune was not altogether owing to her talent; her charms had done
more for her than anything else. She told me her adventures, very
likely with some restrictions, and we parted after a conversation of
two hours. She invited me to breakfast for the following day. She
told me that the margrave had her narrowly watched, but being an old
acquaintance I was not likely to give rise to any suspicion; that is
the aphorism of all women addicted to gallantry. She added that I
could, if I liked, see her that same evening in her box, and that M.
Papafava, who was her god-father, would be glad to see me. I called
at her house early the next morning, and I found her in bed with her
son, who, thanks to the principles in which he had been educated, got
up and left the room as soon as he saw me seated near his mother's
bed. I spent three hours with her, and I recollect that the last was
delightful; the reader will know the consequence of that pleasant
hour later. I saw her a second time during the fortnight she passed
in Venice, and when she left I promised to pay her a visit in
Bayreuth, but I never kept my promise.
I had at that time to attend to the affairs of my posthumous brother,
who had, as he said, a call from Heaven to the priesthood, but he
wanted a patrimony. Although he was ignorant and devoid of any merit
save a handsome face, he thought that an ecclesiastical career would
insure his happiness, and he depended a great deal upon his
preaching, for which, according to the opinion of the women with whom
he was acquainted, he had a decided talent. I took everything into
my hands, and I succeeded in obtaining for him a patrimony from M.
Grimani, who still owed us the value of the furniture in my father's
house, of which he had never rendered any account. He transferred to
him a life-interest in a house in Venice, and two years afterwards my
brother was ordained. But the patrimony was only fictitious, the
house being already mortgaged; the Abbe Grimani was, however, a kind
Jesuit, and those sainted servants of God think that all is well that
ends well and profitably to themselves. I shall speak again of my
unhappy brother whose destiny became involved with mine.
Two days had passed since I had paid my visit to P---- C----, when I
met him in the street. He told me that his sister was constantly
speaking of me, that she quoted a great many things which I had told
her, and that his mother was much pleased at her daughter having made
my acquaintance. "She would be a good match for you," he added, "for
she will have a dowry of ten thousand ducats. If you will call on me
to-morrow, we will take coffee with my mother and sister."
I had promised myself never again to enter his house, but I broke my
word. It is easy enough for a man to forget his promises under such
circumstances.
I spent three hours in conversation with the charming girl and when I
left her I was deeply in love. As I went away, I told her that I
envied the destiny of the man who would have her for his wife, and my
compliment, the first she had ever received, made her blush.
After I had left her I began to examine the nature of my feelings
towards her, and they frightened me, for I could neither behave
towards Mdlle. C---- C---- as an honest man nor as a libertine.
I could not hope to obtain her hand, and I almost fancied I would
stab anyone who advised me to seduce her. I felt that I wanted some
diversion: I went to the gaming-table. Playing is sometimes an
excellent lenitive to calm the mind, and to smother the ardent fire
of love. I played with wonderful luck, and I was going home with
plenty of gold, when in a solitary narrow street I met a man bent
down less by age than by the heavy weight of misery. As I came near
him I recognized Count Bonafede, the sight of whom moved me with
pity. He recognized me likewise. We talked for some time, and at
last he told me the state of abject poverty to which he was reduced,
and the great difficulty he had to keep his numerous family. "I do
not blush," he added, "in begging from you one sequin which will keep
us alive for five or six days." I immediately gave him ten, trying
to prevent him from lowering himself in his anxiety to express his
gratitude, but I could not prevent him from shedding tears. As we
parted, he told me that what made him most miserable was to see the
position of his daughter, who had become a great beauty, and would
rather die than make a sacrifice of her virtue. "I can neither
support her in those feelings," he said, with a sigh, "nor reward her
for them."
Thinking that I understood the wishes with which misery had inspired
him, I took his address, and promised to pay him a visit. I was
curious to see what had become of a virtue of which I did not
entertain a very high opinion. I called the next day. I found a
house almost bare of furniture, and the daughter alone--
a circumstance which did not astonish me. The young countess had
seen me arrive, and received me on the stairs in the most amiable
manner. She was pretty well dressed, and I thought her handsome,
agreeable, and lively, as she had been when I made her acquaintance
in Fort St. Andre. Her father having announced my visit, she was in
high spirits, and she kissed me with as much tenderness as if I had
been a beloved lover. She took me to her own room, and after she had
informed me that her mother was ill in bed and unable to see me, she
gave way again to the transport of joy which, as she said, she felt
in seeing me again. The ardour of our mutual kisses, given at first
under the auspices of friendship, was not long in exciting our senses
to such an extent that in less than a quarter of an hour I had
nothing more to desire. When it was all over, it became us both, of
course, to be, or at least to appear to be, surprised at what had
taken place, and I could not honestly hesitate to assure the poor
countess that it was only the first token of a constant and true
love. She believed it, or she feigned to believe it, and perhaps I
myself fancied it was true--for the moment. When we had become calm
again, she told me the fearful state to which they were reduced, her
brothers walking barefooted in the streets, and her father having
positively no bread to give them.
"Then you have not any lover?"
"What? a lover! Where could I find a man courageous enough to be my
lover in such a house as this? Am I a woman to sell myself to the
first comer for the sum of thirty sous? There is not a man in Venice
who would think me worth more than that, seeing me in such a place as
this. Besides, I was not born for prostitution."
Such a conversation was not very cheerful; she was weeping, and the
spectacle of her sadness, joined to the picture of misery which
surrounded me, was not at all the thing to excite love. I left her
with a promise to call again, and I put twelve sequins in her hand.
She was surprised at the amount; she had never known herself so rich
before. I have always regretted I did not give her twice as much.
The next day P---- C---- called on me, and said cheerfully that his
mother had given permission to her daughter to go to the opera with
him, that the young girl was delighted because she had never been
there before, and that, if I liked, I could wait for them at some
place where they would meet me.
"But does your sister know that you intend me to join you?"
"She considers it a great pleasure."
"Does your mother know it?"
"No; but when she knows it she will not be angry, for she has a great
esteem for you."
"In that case I will try to find a private box."
"Very well; wait for us at such a place."
The scoundrel did not speak of his letters of exchange again, and as
he saw that I was no longer paying my attentions to his mistress, and
that I was in love with his sister, he had formed the fine project of
selling her to me. I pitied the mother and the daughter who had
confidence in such a man; but I had not the courage to resist the
temptation. I even went so far as to persuade myself that as I loved
her it was my duty to accept the offer, in order to save her from
other snares; for if I had declined her brother might have found some
other man less scrupulous, and I could not bear the idea. I thought
that in my company her innocence ran no risk.
I took a box at the St. Samuel Opera, and I was waiting for them at
the appointed place long before the time. They came at last, and the
sight of my young friend delighted me. She was elegantly masked, and
her brother wore his uniform. In order not to expose the lovely girl
to being recognized on account of her brother, I made them get into
my gondola. He insisted upon being landed near the house of his
mistress, who was ill, he said, and he added that he would soon join
us in our box. I was astonished that C---- C---- did not shew any
surprise or repugnance at remaining alone with me in the gondola; but
I did not think the conduct of her brother extraordinary, for it was
evident that it was all arranged beforehand in his mind.
I told C---- C---- that we would remain in the gondola until the
opening of the theatre, and that as the heat was intense she would do
well to take off her mask, which she did at once. The law I had laid
upon myself to respect her, the noble confidence which was beaming on
her countenance and in her looks, her innocent joy--everything
increased the ardour of my love.
Not knowing what to say to her, for I could speak to her of nothing
but love--and it was a delicate subject--I kept looking at her
charming face, not daring to let my eyes rest upon two budding globes
shaped by the Graces, for fear of giving the alarm to her modesty.
"Speak to me," she said at last; "you only look at me without
uttering a single word. You have sacrificed yourself for me, because
my brother would have taken you with him to his lady-love, who, to
judge from what he says, must be as beautiful as an angel."
"I have seen that lady."
"I suppose she is very witty."
"She may be so; but I have no opportunity of knowing, for I have
never visited her, and I do not intend ever to call upon her. Do not
therefore imagine, beautiful C---- C----, that I have made the
slightest sacrifice for your sake."
"I was afraid you had, because as you did not speak I thought you
were sad."
"If I do not speak to you it is because I am too deeply moved by your
angelic confidence in me."
"I am very glad it is so; but how could I not trust you? I feel much
more free, much more confident with you than with my brother himself.
My mother says it is impossible to be mistaken, and that you are
certainly an honest man. Besides, you are not married; that is the
first thing I asked my brother. Do you recollect telling me that you
envied the fate of the man who would have me for his wife? Well, at
that very moment I was thinking that your wife would be the happiest
woman in Venice."
These words, uttered with the most candid artlessness, and with that
tone of sincerity which comes from the heart, had upon me an effect
which it would be difficult to describe; I suffered because I could
not imprint the most loving kiss upon the sweet lips which had just
pronounced them, but at the same time it caused me the most delicious
felicity to see that such an angel loved me.
"With such conformity of feelings," I said, "we would, lovely C----,
be perfectly happy, if we could be united for ever. But I am old
enough to be your father."
"You my father? You are joking! Do you know that I am fourteen?"
"Do you know that I am twenty-eight?"
"Well, where can you see a man of your age having a daughter of mine?
If my father were like you, he would certainly never frighten me; I
could not keep anything from him."
The hour to go to the theatre had come; we landed, and the
performance engrossed all her attention. Her brother joined us only
when it was nearly over; it had certainly been a part of his
calculation. I took them to an inn for supper, and the pleasure I
experienced in seeing the charming girl eat with a good appetite made
me forget that I had had no dinner. I hardly spoke during the
supper, for love made me sick, and I was in a state of excitement
which could not last long. In order to excuse my silence, I feigned
to be suffering from the toothache.
After supper, P---- C---- told his sister that I was in love with
her, and that I should certainly feel better if she would allow me to
kiss her. The only answer of the innocent girl was to offer me her
laughing lips, which seemed to call for kisses. I was burning; but
my respect for that innocent and naive young creature was such that I
only kissed her cheek, and even that in a manner very cold in
appearance.
"What a kiss!" exclaimed P---- C----. "Come, come, a good lover's
kiss!"
I did not move; the impudent fellow annoyed me; but his sister,
turning her head aside sadly, said,
"Do not press him; I am not so happy as to please him."
That remark gave the alarm to my love; I could no longer master my
feelings.
"What!" I exclaimed warmly, "what! beautiful C----, you do not
condescend to ascribe my reserve to the feeling which you have
inspired me with? You suppose that you do not please me? If a kiss
is all that is needed to prove the contrary to you, oh! receive it
now with all the sentiment that is burning in my heart!"
Then folding her in my arms, and pressing her lovingly against my
breast, I imprinted on her mouth the long and ardent kiss which I had
so much wished to give her; but the nature of that kiss made the
timid dove feel that she had fallen into the vulture's claws. She
escaped from my arms, amazed at having discovered my love in such a
manner. Her brother expressed his approval, while she replaced her
mask over her face, in order to conceal her confusion. I asked her
whether she had any longer any doubts as to my love.
"You have convinced me," she answered, "but, because you have
undeceived me, you must not punish me."
I thought that this was a very delicate answer, dictated by true
sentiment; but her brother was not pleased with it, and said it was
foolish.
We put on our masks, left the inn, and after I had escorted them to
their house I went home deeply in love, happy in my inmost soul, yet
very sad.
The reader will learn in the following chapters the progress of my
love and the adventures in which I found myself engaged.
CHAPTER XII
Progress of My Intrigue with the Beautiful C. C.
The next morning P---- C---- called on me with an air of triumph; he
told me that his sister had confessed to her mother that we loved one
another, and that if she was ever to be married she would be unhappy
with any other husband.
"I adore your sister," I said to him; "but do you think that your
father will be willing to give her to me?"
"I think not; but he is old. In the mean time, love one another. My
mother has given her permission to go to the opera this evening with
us."
"Very well, my dear friend, we must go."
"I find myself under the necessity of claiming a slight service at
your hands."
"Dispose of me."
"There is some excellent Cyprus wine to be sold very cheap, and I can
obtain a cask of it against my bill at six months. I am certain of
selling it again immediately with a good profit; but the merchant
requires a guarantee, and he is disposed to accept yours, if you will
give it. Will you be kind enough to endorse my note of hand?"
"With pleasure."
I signed my name without hesitation, for where is the man in love who
in such a case would have refused that service to a person who to
revenge himself might have made him miserable? We made an
appointment for the evening, and parted highly pleased with each
other.
After I had dressed myself, I went out and bought a dozen pairs of
gloves, as many pairs of silk stockings, and a pair of garters
embroidered in gold and with gold clasps, promising myself much
pleasure in offering that first present to my young friend.
I need not say that I was exact in reaching the appointed place, but
they were there already, waiting for me. Had I not suspected the
intentions of P---- C----, their coming so early would have been very
flattering to my vanity. The moment I had joined them, P---- C----
told me that, having other engagements to fulfil, he would leave his
sister with me, and meet us at the theatre in the evening. When he
had gone, I told C---- C---- that we would sail in a gondola until
the opening of the theatre.
"No," she answered, "let us rather go to the Zuecca Garden."
"With all my heart."
I hired a gondola and we went to St. Blaze, where I knew a very
pretty garden which, for one sequin, was placed at my disposal for
the remainder of the day, with the express condition that no one else
would be allowed admittance. We had not had any dinner, and after I
had ordered a good meal we went up to a room where we took off our
disguises and masks, after which we went to the garden.
My lovely C---- C---- had nothing on but a bodice made of light silk
and a skirt of the same description, but she was charming in that
simple costume! My amorous looks went through those light veils, and
in my imagination I saw her entirely naked! I sighed with burning
desires, with a mixture of discreet reserve and voluptuous love.
The moment we had reached the long avenue, my young companion, as
lively as a fawn, finding herself at liberty on the green sward, and
enjoying that happy freedom for the first time in her life, began to
run about and to give way to the spirit of cheerfulness which was
natural to her. When she was compelled to stop for want of breath,
she burst out laughing at seeing me gazing at her in a sort of
ecstatic silence. She then challenged me to run a race; the game was
very agreeable to me. I accepted, but I proposed to make it
interesting by a wager.
"Whoever loses the race," I said, "shall have to do whatever the
winner asks."
"Agreed!"
We marked the winning-post, and made a fair start. I was certain to
win, but I lost on purpose, so as to see what she would ask me to do.
At first she ran with all her might while I reserved my strength, and
she was the first to reach the goal. As she was trying to recover
her breath, she thought of sentencing me to a good penance: she hid
herself behind a tree and told me, a minute afterwards, that I had to
find her ring. She had concealed it about her, and that was putting
me in possession of all her person. I thought it was a delightful
forfeit, for I could easily see that she had chosen it with
intentional mischief; but I felt that I ought not to take too much
advantage of her, because her artless confidence required to be
encouraged. We sat on the grass, I visited her pockets, the folds of
her stays, of her petticoat; then I looked in her shoes, and even at
her garters which were fastened below the knees. Not finding
anything, I kept on my search, and as the ring was about her, I was
of course bound to discover it. My reader has most likely guessed
that I had some suspicion of the charming hiding-place in which the
young beauty had concealed the ring, but before coming to it I wanted
to enjoy myself. The ring was at last found between the two most
beautiful keepers that nature had ever rounded, but I felt such
emotion as I drew it out that my hand was trembling.
"What are you trembling for?" she asked.
"Only for joy at having found the ring; you had concealed it so well!
But you owe me a revenge, and this time you shall not beat me."
"We shall see."
We began a new race, and seeing that she was not running very fast, I
thought I could easily distance her whenever I liked. I was
mistaken. She had husbanded her strength, and when we had run about
two-thirds of the race she suddenly sprang forward at full speed,
left me behind, and I saw that I had lost. I then thought of a
trick, the effect of which never fails; I feigned a heavy fall, and I
uttered a shriek of pain. The poor child stopped at once, ran back
to me in great fright, and, pitying me, she assisted me to raise
myself from the ground. The moment I was on my feet again, I laughed
heartily and, taking a spring forward, I had reached the goal long
before her.
The charming runner, thoroughly amazed, said to me,
"Then you did not hurt yourself?"
"No, for I fell purposely."
"Purposely? Oh, to deceive me! I would never have believed you
capable of that. It is not fair to win by fraud; therefore I have
not lost the race."
"Oh! yes, you have, for I reached the goal before you."
"Trick for trick; confess that you tried to deceive me at the start."
"But that is fair, and your trick is a very different thing."
"Yet it has given me the victory, and
"Vincasi per fortund o per ingano,
Il vincer sempre fu laudabil cosa"...
"I have often heard those words from my brother, but never from my
father. Well, never mind, I have lost. Give your judgment now, I
will obey."
"Wait a little. Let me see. Ah! my sentence is that you shall
exchange your garters for mine."
"Exchange our garters! But you have seen mine, they are ugly and
worth nothing."
"Never mind. Twice every day I shall think of the person I love, and
as nearly as possible at the same hours you will have to think of
me."
"It is a very pretty idea, and I like it. Now I forgive you for
having deceived me. Here are my ugly garters! Ah! my dear deceiver,
how beautiful yours are! What a handsome present! How they will
please my mother! They must be a present which you have just
received, for they are quite new."
"No, they have not been given to me. I bought them for you, and I
have been racking my brain to find how I could make you accept them.
Love suggested to me the idea of making them the prize of the race.
You may now imagine my sorrow when I saw that you would win.
Vexation inspired me with a deceitful stratagem which arose from a
feeling you had caused yourself, and which turned entirely to your
honour, for you must admit that you would have shewn a very hard
heart if you had not come to my assistance."
"And I feel certain that you would not have had recourse to that
stratagem, if you could have guessed how deeply it would pain me."
"Do you then feel much interest in me?"
"I would do anything in the world to convince you of it. I like my
pretty garters exceedingly; I will never have another pair, and I
promise you that my brother shall not steal them from me."
"Can you suppose him capable of such an action?"
"Oh! certainly, especially if the fastenings are in gold."
"Yes, they are in gold; but let him believe that they are in gilt
brass."
"Will you teach me how to fasten my beautiful garters?"
"Of course I will."
We went upstairs, and after our dinner which we both enjoyed with a
good appetite, she became more lively and I more excited by love, but
at the same time more to be pitied in consequence of the restraint to
which I had condemned myself. Very anxious to try her garters, she
begged me to help her, and that request was made in good faith,
without mischievous coquetry. An innocent young girl, who, in spite
of her fifteen years, has not loved yet, who has not frequented the
society of other girls, does not know the violence of amorous desires
or what is likely to excite them. She has no idea of the danger of a
tete-a-tete. When a natural instinct makes her love for the first
time, she believes the object of her love worthy of her confidence,
and she thinks that to be loved herself she must shew the most
boundless trust.
Seeing that her stockings were too short to fasten the garter above
the knee, she told me that she would in future use longer ones, and I
immediately offered her those that I had purchased. Full of
gratitude she sat on my knees, and in the effusion of her
satisfaction she bestowed upon me all the kisses that she would have
given to her father if he had made her such a present. I returned
her kisses, forcibly keeping down the violence of my feelings. I
only told her that one of her kisses was worth a kingdom. My
charming C---- C---- took off her shoes and stockings, and put on one
of the pairs I had given her, which went halfway up her thigh. The
more innocent I found her to be, the less I could make up my mind to
possess myself of that ravishing prey.
We returned to the garden, and after walking about until the evening
we went to the opera, taking care to keep on our masks, because, the
theatre being small, we might easily have been recognized, and my
lovely friend was certain that her father would not allow her to come
out again, if he found out that she had gone to the opera.
We were rather surprised not to see her brother. On our left we had
the Marquis of Montalegre, the Spanish ambassador, with his
acknowledged mistress, Mdlle. Bola, and in the box on our right a man
and a woman who had not taken off their masks. Those two persons
kept their eyes constantly fixed upon us, but my young friend did not
remark it as her back was turned towards them. During the ballet,
C---- C---- having left the libretto of the opera on the ledge of the
box, the man with the mask stretched forth his hand and took it.
That proved to me that we were known to him, and I said so to my
companion, who turned round and recognized her brother. The lady who
was with him could be no other than Madame C----. As P---- C----
knew the number of our box, he had taken the next one; he could not
have done so without some intention, and I foresaw that he meant to
make his sister have supper with that woman. I was much annoyed, but
I could not prevent it without breaking off with him, altogether, and
I was in love.
After the second ballet, he came into our box with his lady, and
after the usual exchange of compliments the acquaintance was made,
and we had to accept supper at his casino. As soon as the two ladies
had thrown off their masks, they embraced one another, and the
mistress of P---- C---- overwhelmed my young friend with compliments
and attentions. At table she affected to treat her with extreme
affability, and C---- C---- not having any experience of the world
behaved towards her with the greatest respect. I could, however, see
that C----, in spite of all her art, could hardly hide the vexation
she felt at the sight of the superior beauty which I had preferred to
her own charms. P---- C----, who was of an extravagant gaiety,
launched forth in stupid jokes at which his mistress alone laughed;
in my anger, I shrugged my shoulders, and his sister, not
understanding his jests, took no notice of them. Altogether our
'partie caree' was not formed of congenial spirits, and was rather a
dull affair.
As the dessert was placed on the table, P---- C----, somewhat excited
by the wine he had drunk, kissed his lady-love, and challenged me to
follow his example with his sister. I told him that I loved Mdlle.
C---- C---- truly, and that I would not take such liberties with her
until I should have acquired a legal right to her favours. P----
C---- began to scoff at what I had said, but C---- stopped him.
Grateful for that mark of propriety, I took out of my pocket the
twelve pairs of gloves which I had bought in the morning, and after I
had begged her acceptance of half a dozen pairs I gave the other six
to my young friend. P---- C---- rose from the table with a sneer,
dragging along with him his mistress, who had likewise drunk rather
freely, and he threw himself on a sofa with her. The scene taking a
lewd turn, I placed myself in such a manner as to hide them from the
view of my young friend, whom I led into the recess of a window. But
I had not been able to prevent C---- C---- from seeing in a looking-
glass the position of the two impudent wretches, and her face was
suffused with blushes; I, however, spoke to her quietly of
indifferent things, and recovering her composure she answered me,
speaking of her gloves, which she was folding on the pier-table.
After his brutal exploit, P---- C---- came impudently to me and
embraced me; his dissolute companion, imitating his example, kissed
my young friend, saying she was certain that she had seen nothing.
C---- C---- answered modestly that she did not know what she could
have seen, but the look she cast towards me made me understand all
she felt. If the reader has any knowledge of the human heart, he
must guess what my feelings were. How was it possible to endure such
a scene going on in the presence of an innocent girl whom I adored,
when I had to fight hard myself with my own burning desires so as not
to abuse her innocence! I was on a bed of thorns! Anger and
indignation, restrained by the reserve I was compelled to adopt for
fear of losing the object of my ardent love, made me tremble all
over. The inventors of hell would not have failed to place that
suffering among its torments, if they had known it. The lustful P---
C---- had thought of giving me a great proof of his friendship by the
disgusting action he had been guilty of, and he had reckoned as
nothing the dishonour of his mistress, and the delicacy of his sister
whom he had thus exposed to prostitution. I do not know how I
contrived not to strangle him. The next day, when he called on me,
I overwhelmed him with the most bitter reproaches, and he tried to
excuse himself by saying that he never would have acted in that
manner if he had not felt satisfied that I had already treated his
sister in the tete-a-tete in the same way that he treated his
mistress before us.
My love for C---- C---- became every instant more intense, and I had
made up my mind to undertake everything necessary to save her from
the fearful position in which her unworthy brother might throw her by
selling her for his own profit to some man less scrupulous than I
was. It seemed to me urgent. What a disgusting state of things!
What an unheard-of species of seduction! What a strange way to gain
my friendship! And I found myself under the dire necessity of
dissembling with the man whom I despised most in the world! I had
been told that he was deeply in debt, that he had been a bankrupt in
Vienna, where he had a wife and a family of children, that in Venice
he had compromised his father who had been obliged to turn him out of
his house, and who, out of pity, pretended not to know that he had
kept his room in it. He had seduced his wife, or rather his
mistress, who had been driven away by her husband, and after he had
squandered everything she possessed, and he found himself at the end
of his wits, he had tried to turn her prostitution to advantage. His
poor mother who idolized him had given him everything she had, even
her own clothes, and I expected him to plague me again for some loan
or security, but I was firmly resolved on refusing. I could not bear
the idea of C---- C---- being the innocent cause of my ruin, and used
as a tool by her brother to keep up his disgusting life.
Moved by an irresistible feeling, by what is called perfect love, I
called upon P---- C---- on the following day, and, after I had told
him that I adored his sister with the most honourable intentions, I
tried to make him realize how deeply he had grieved me by forgetting
all respect, and that modesty which the most inveterate libertine
ought never to insult if he has any pretension to be worthy of
respectable society.
"Even if I had to give up," I added, "the pleasure of seeing your
angelic sister, I have taken the firm resolution of not keeping
company with you; but I candidly warn you that I will do everything
in my power to prevent her from going out with you, and from being
the victim of some infamous bargain in your hands."
He excused himself again by saying that he had drunk too much, and
that he did not believe that my love for his sister was such as to
despise the gratification of my senses. He begged my pardon, he
embraced me with tears in his eyes, and I would, perhaps have given
way to my own emotion, when his mother and sister entered the room.
They offered me their heart-felt thanks for the handsome present I
had given to the young lady. I told the mother that I loved her
daughter, and that my fondest hope was to obtain her for my wife.
"In the hope of securing that happiness, madam," I added, "I shall
get a friend to speak to your husband as soon as I shall have secured
a position giving me sufficient means to keep her comfortably, and to
assure her happiness."
So saying I kissed her hand, and I felt so deeply moved that the
tears ran down my cheeks. Those tears were sympathetic, and the
excellent woman was soon crying like me. She thanked me
affectionately, and left me with her daughter and her son, who looked
as if he had been changed into a statue.
There are a great many mothers of that kind in the world, and very
often they are women who have led a virtuous life; they do not
suppose that deceit can exist, because their own nature understands
only what is upright and true; but they are almost always the victims
of their good faith, and of their trust in those who seem to them to
be patterns of honesty. What I had told the mother surprised the
daughter, but her astonishment was much greater when she heard of
what I had said to her brother. After one moment of consideration,
she told him that, with any other man but me, she would have been
ruined; and that, if she had been in the place of Madame C----, she
would never have forgiven him, because the way he had treated her was
as debasing for her as for himself. P---- C---- was weeping, but the
traitor could command tears whenever he pleased.
It was Whit Sunday, and as the theatres were closed he told me that,
if I would be at the same place of Appointment as before, the next
day, he would leave his sister with me, and go by himself with Madame
C----, whom he could not honourably leave alone.
"I will give you my key," he added, "and you can bring back my sister
here as soon as you have supper together wherever you like."
And he handed me his key, which I had not the courage to refuse.
After that he left us. I went away myself a few minutes afterwards,
having previously agreed with C---- C---- that we would go to the
Zuecca Garden on the following day.
I was punctual, and love exciting me to the highest degree I foresaw
what would happen on that day. I had engaged a box at the opera, and
we went to our garden until the evening. As it was a holiday there
were several small parties of friends sitting at various tables, and
being unwilling to mix with other people we made up our minds to
remain in the apartment which was given to us, and to go to the opera
only towards the end of the performance. I therefore ordered a good
supper. We had seven hours to spend together, and my charming young
friend remarked that the time would certainly not seem long to us.
She threw off her disguise and sat on my knees, telling me that I had
completed the conquest of her heart by my reserve towards her during
the supper with her brother; but all our conversation was accompanied
by kisses which, little by little, were becoming more and more
ardent.
"Did you see," she said to me, "what my brother did to Madame C----
when she placed herself astride on his knees? I only saw it in the
looking-glass, but I could guess what it was."
"Were you not afraid of my treating you in the same manner?"
"No, I can assure you. How could I possibly fear such a thing,
knowing how much you love me? You would have humiliated me so deeply
that I should no longer have loved you. We will wait until we are
married, will we not, dear? You cannot realize the extent of the joy
I felt when I heard you speak to my mother as you did! We will love
each other for ever. But will you explain to me, dearest, the
meaning of the words embroidered upon my garters?"
"Is there any motto upon them? I was not aware of it."
"Oh, yes! it is in French; pray read it."
Seated on my knees, she took off one of her garters while I was
unclasping the other, and here are the two lines which I found
embroidered on them, and which I ought to have read before offering
them to her:
'En voyant chaque jour le bijou de ma belle,
Vous lui direz qu'Amour veut qu'il lui soit fidele.'
Those verses, rather free I must confess, struck me as very comic.
I burst out laughing, and my mirth increased when, to please her, I
had to translate their meaning. As it was an idea entirely new to
her, I found it necessary to enter into particulars which lighted an
ardent fire in our veins.
"Now," she observed, "I shall not dare to shew my garters to anybody,
and I am very sorry for it."
As I was rather thoughtful, she added,
"Tell me what you are thinking of?"
"I am thinking that those lucky garters have a privilege which
perhaps I shall never enjoy. How I wish myself in their place: I may
die of that wish, and die miserable."
"No, dearest, for I am in the same position as you, and I am certain
to live. Besides, we can hasten our marriage. As far as I am
concerned, I am ready to become your wife to-morrow if you wish it.
We are both free, and my father cannot refuse his consent."
"You are right, for he would be bound to consent for the sake of his
honour. But I wish to give him a mark of my respect by asking for
your hand, and after that everything will soon be ready. It might be
in a week or ten days."
"So soon? You will see that my father will say that I am too young."
"Perhaps he is right."
"No; I am young, but not too young, and I am certain that I can be
your wife."
I was on burning coals, and I felt that it was impossible for me to
resist any longer the ardent fire which was consuming me.
"Oh, my best beloved!" I exclaimed, "do you feel certain of my love?
Do you think me capable of deceiving you? Are you sure that you will
never repent being my wife?"
"More than certain, darling; for you could not wish to make me
unhappy."
"Well, then, let our marriage take place now. Let God alone receive
our mutual pledges; we cannot have a better witness, for He knows the
purity of our intentions. Let us mutually engage our faith, let us
unite our destinies and be happy. We will afterwards legalize our
tender love with your father's consent and with the ceremonies of the
Church; in the mean time be mine, entirely mine."
"Dispose of me, dearest. I promise to God, I promise to you that,
from this very moment and for ever, I will be your faithful wife; I
will say the same to my father, to the priest who will bless our
union--in fact, to everybody."
"I take the same oath towards you, darling, and I can assure you that
we are now truly married. Come to my arms! Oh, dearest, complete my
felicity!"
"Oh, dear! am I indeed so near happiness!"
After kissing her tenderly, I went down to tell the mistress of the
house not to disturb us, and not to bring up our dinner until we
called for it. During my short absence, my charming C---- C---- had
thrown herself dressed on the bed, but I told her that the god of
love disapproved of unnecessary veils, and in less than a minute I
made of her a new Eve, beautiful in her nakedness as if she had just
come out of the hands of the Supreme Artist. Her skin, as soft as
satin, was dazzlingly white, and seemed still more so beside her
splendid black hair which I had spread over her alabaster shoulders.
Her slender figure, her prominent hips, her beautifully-modelled
bosom, her large eyes, from which flashed the sparkle of amorous
desire, everything about her was strikingly beautiful, and presented
to my hungry looks the perfection of the mother of love, adorned by
all the charms which modesty throws over the attractions of a lovely
woman.
Beside myself, I almost feared lest my felicity should not prove
real, or lest it should not be made perfect by complete enjoyment,
when mischievous love contrived, in so serious a moment, to supply me
with a reason for mirth.
"Is there by any chance a law to prevent the husband from undressing
himself?" enquired beautiful C---- C----.
"No, darling angel, no; and even if there were such a barbarous law,
I would not submit to it."
In one instant, I had thrown off all my garments, and my mistress, in
her turn, gave herself up to all the impulse of natural instinct and
curiosity, for every part of my body was an entirely new thing to
her. At last, as if she had had enough of the pleasure her eyes were
enjoying, she pressed me against her bosom, and exclaimed,
"Oh! dearest, what a difference between you and my pillow!"
"Your pillow, darling? You are laughing; what do you mean?"
"Oh! it is nothing but a childish fancy; I am afraid you will be
angry."
"Angry! How could I be angry with you, my love, in the happiest
moment of my life?"
"Well, for several days past, I could not go to sleep without holding
my pillow in my arms; I caressed it, I called it my dear husband; I
fancied it was you, and when a delightful enjoyment had left me
without movement, I would go to sleep, and in the morning find my
pillow still between my arms."
My dear C---- C---- became my wife with the courage of a true
heroine, for her intense love caused her to delight even in bodily
pain. After three hours spent in delicious enjoyment, I got up and
called for our supper. The repast was simple, but very good. We
looked at one another without speaking, for how could we find words
to express our feelings? We thought that our felicity was extreme,
and we enjoyed it with the certainty that we could renew it at will.
The hostess came up to enquire whether we wanted anything, and she
asked if we were not going to the opera, which everybody said was so
beautiful.
"Have you never been to the opera?"
"Never, because it is too dear for people in our position. My
daughter has such a wish to go, that, God forgive me for saying it!
she would give herself, I truly believe, to the man who would take
her there once."
"That would be paying very dear for it," said my little wife,
laughing. "Dearest, we could make her happy at less cost, for that
hurts very much."
"I was thinking of it, my love. Here is the key of the box, you can
make them a present of it."
"Here is the key of a box at the St. Moses Theatre," she said to the
hostess; "it costs two sequins; go instead of us, and tell your
daughter to keep her rose-bud for something better."
"To enable you to amuse yourself, my good woman; take these two
sequins," I added. "Let your daughter enjoy herself well."
The good hostess, thoroughly amazed at the generosity of her guests,
ran in a great hurry to her daughter, while we were delighted at
having laid ourselves under the pleasant necessity of again going to
bed. She came up with her daughter, a handsome, tempting blonde, who
insisted upon kissing the hands of her benefactors.
"She is going this minute with her lover," said the mother. "He is
waiting for her; but I will not let her go alone with him, for he is
not to be trusted; I am going with them."
"That is right, my good woman; but when you come back this evening,
let the gondola wait for us; it will take us to Venice."
"What! Do you mean to remain here until we return?"
"Yes, for this is our wedding-day."
"To-day? God bless you!"
She then went to the bed, to put it to rights, and seeing the marks
of my wife's virginity she came to my dear C---- C---- and, in her
joy, kissed her, and immediately began a sermon for the special
benefit of her daughter, shewing her those marks which, in her
opinion, did infinite honour to the young bride: respectable marks,
she said, which in our days the god of Hymen sees but seldom on his
altar.
The daughter, casting down her beautiful blue eyes, answered that the
same would certainly be seen on her wedding-day.
"I am certain of it," said the mother, "for I never lose sight of
thee. Go and get some water in this basin, and bring it here. This
charming bride must be in need of it."
The girl obeyed. The two women having left us, we went to bed, and
four hours of ecstatic delights passed off with wonderful rapidity.
Our last engagement would have lasted longer, if my charming
sweetheart had not taken a fancy to take my place and to reverse the
position. Worn out with happiness and enjoyment, we were going to
sleep, when the hostess came to tell us that the gondola was waiting
for us. I immediately got up to open the door, in the hope that she
would amuse us with her description of the opera; but she left that
task to her daughter, who had come up with her, and she went down
again to prepare some coffee for us. The young girl assisted my
sweetheart to dress, but now and then she would wink at me in a
manner which made me think that she had more experience than her
mother imagined.
Nothing could be more indiscreet than the eyes of my beloved
mistress; they wore the irrefutable marks of her first exploits. It
is true that she had just been fighting a battle which had positively
made her a different being to what she was before the engagement.
We took some hot coffee, and I told our hostess to get us a nice
dinner for the next day; we then left in the gondola. The dawn of
day was breaking when we landed at St. Sophia's Square, in order to
set the curiosity of the gondoliers at fault, and we parted happy,
delighted, and certain that we were thoroughly married. I went to
bed, having made up my mind to compel M. de Bragadin, through the
power of the oracle, to obtain legally for me the hand of my beloved
C---- C----. I remained in bed until noon, and spent the rest of the
day in playing with ill luck, as if Dame Fortune had wished to warn
me that she did not approve of my love.
CHAPTER XIII
Continuation of My Intrigues with C. C.--M. de Bragadin Asks the Hand
of That Young Person for Me--Her Father Refuses, and Sends Her to a
Convent--De la Haye--I Lose All my Money at the Faso-table--My
Partnership with Croce Replenishes My Purse--Various Incidents
The happiness derived from my love had prevented me from attaching
any importance to my losses, and being entirely engrossed with the
thought of my sweetheart my mind did not seem to care for whatever
did not relate to her.
I was thinking of her the next morning when her brother called on me
with a beaming countenance, and said,
"I am certain that you have slept with my sister, and I am very glad
of it. She does not confess as much, but her confession is not
necessary. I will bring her to you to-day."
"You will oblige me, for I adore her, and I will get a friend of mine
to ask her in marriage from your father in such a manner that he will
not be able to refuse."
"I wish it may be so, but I doubt it. In the mean time, I find
myself compelled to beg another service from your kindness. I can
obtain, against a note of hand payable in six months, a ring of the
value of two hundred sequins, and I am certain to sell it again this
very day for the same amount. That sum, is very necessary to me just
now, but the jeweller, who knows you, will not let me have it without
your security. Will you oblige me in this instance? I know that you
lost a great deal last night; if you want some money I will give you
one hundred sequins, which you will return when the note of hand
falls due."
How could I refuse him? I knew very well that I would be duped, but
I loved his sister so much:
"I am ready," said I to him, "to sign the note of hand, but you are
wrong in abusing my love for your sister in such a manner."
We went out, and the jeweller having accepted my security the bargain
was completed. The merchant, who knew me only by name, thinking of
paying me a great compliment, told P---- C---- that with my guarantee
all his goods were at his service. I did not feel flattered by the
compliment, but I thought I could see in it the knavery of P----
C----, who was clever enough to find out, out of a hundred, the fool
who without any reason placed confidence in me when I possessed
nothing. It was thus that my angelic C---- C----, who seemed made to
insure my happiness, was the innocent cause of my ruin.
At noon P---- C---- brought his sister; and wishing most likely to
prove its honesty--for a cheat always tries hard to do that--he gave
me back the letter of exchange which I had endorsed for the Cyprus
wine, assuring me likewise that at our next meeting he would hand me
the one hundred sequins which he had promised me.
I took my mistress as usual to Zuecca; I agreed for the garden to be
kept closed, and we dined under a vine-arbour. My dear C---- C----
seemed to me more beautiful since she was mine, and, friendship being
united to love we felt a delightful sensation of happiness which
shone on our features. The hostess, who had found me generous, gave
us some excellent game and some very fine fish; her daughter served
us. She also came to undress my little wife as soon as we had gone
upstairs to give ourselves up to the sweet pleasures natural to a
young married couple.
When we were alone my loved asked me what was the meaning of the one
hundred sequins which her brother had promised to bring me, and I
told her all that had taken place between him and me.
"I entreat you, darling," she said to me, "to refuse all the demands
of my brother in future; he is, unfortunately, in such difficulties
that he would at the end drag you down to the abyss into which he
must fall"
This time our enjoyment seemed to us more substantial; we relished it
with a more refined delight, and, so to speak, we reasoned over it.
"Oh, my best beloved!" she said to me, "do all in your power to
render me pregnant; for in that case my father could no longer refuse
his consent to my marriage, under the pretext of my being too young."
It was with great difficulty that I made her understand that the
fulfilment of that wish, however much I shared it myself, was not
entirely in our power; but that, under the circumstances, it would
most probably be fulfilled sooner or later.
After working with all our might at the completion of that great
undertaking, we gave several hours to a profound and delightful
repose. As soon as we were awake I called for candles and coffee,
and we set to work again in the hope of obtaining the mutual harmony
of ecstatic enjoyment which was necessary to insure our future
happiness. It was in the midst of our loving sport that the too
early dawn surprised us, and we hurried back to Venice to avoid
inquisitive eyes.
We renewed our pleasures on the Friday, but, whatever delight I may
feel now in the remembrance of those happy moments, I will spare my
readers the description of my new enjoyment, because they might not
feel interested in such repetitions. I must therefore only say that,
before parting on that day, we fixed for the following Monday, the
last day of the carnival, our last meeting in the Garden of Zuecca.
Death alone could have hindered me from keeping that appointment, for
it was to be the last opportunity of enjoying our amorous sport.
On the Monday morning I saw P---- C----, who confirmed the
appointment for the same hour, and at the place previously agreed
upon, and I was there in good time. In spite of the impatience of a
lover, the first hour of expectation passes rapidly, but the second
is mortally long. Yet the third and the fourth passed without my
seeing my beloved mistress. I was in a state of fearful anxiety; I
imagined the most terrible disasters. It seemed to me that if C---
C---- had been unable to go out her brother ought to have come to let
me know it.
But some unexpected mishap might have detained him, and I could not
go and fetch her myself at her house, even if I had feared nothing
else than to miss them on the road. At last, as the church bells
were tolling the Angelus, C---- C---- came alone, and masked.
"I was certain," she said, "that you were here, and here I am in
spite of all my mother could say. You must be starving. My brother
has not put in an appearance through the whole of this day. Let us
go quickly to our garden, for I am very hungry too, and love will
console us for all we have suffered today."
She had spoken very rapidly, and without giving me time to utter a
single word; I had nothing more to ask her. We went off, and took a
gondola to our garden. The wind was very high, it blew almost a
hurricane, and the gondola having only one rower the danger was
great. C---- C----, who had no idea of it, was playing with me to
make up for the restraint under which she had been all day; but her
movements exposed the gondolier to danger; if he had fallen into the
water, nothing could have saved us, and we would have found death on
our way to pleasure. I told her to keep quiet, but, being anxious
not to frighten her, I dared not acquaint her with the danger we were
running. The gondolier, however, had not the same reasons for
sparing her feelings, and he called out to us in a stentorian voice
that, if we did not keep quiet, we were all lost. His threat had the
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