CONVENT AFFAIRS - Chapter XX
I Am in Danger of Perishing in the Lagunes--Illness--Letters from
C. C. and M. M.--The Quarrel is Made Up--Meeting at the Casino of
Muran I Learn the Name of M. M.'s Friend, and Consent to Give Him A
Supper at My Casino in the Company of Our Common Mistress
The weather was fearful. The wind was blowing fiercely, and it was
bitterly cold. When I reached the shore, I looked for a gondola, I
called the gondoliers, but, in contravention to the police
regulations, there was neither gondola nor gondolier. What was I to
do? Dressed in light linen, I was hardly in a fit state to walk
along the wharf for an hour in such weather. I should most likely
have gone back to the casino if I had had the key, but I was paying
the penalty of the foolish spite which had made me give it up. The
wind almost carried me off my feet, and there was no house that I
could enter to get a shelter.
I had in my pockets three hundred philippes that I had won in the
evening, and a purse full of gold. I had therefore every reason to
fear the thieves of Muran--a very dangerous class of cutthroats,
determined murderers who enjoyed and abused a certain impunity,
because they had some privileges granted to them by the Government on
account of the services they rendered in the manufactories of
looking-glasses and in the glassworks which are numerous on the
island. In order to prevent their emigration, the Government had
granted them the freedom of Venice. I dreaded meeting a pair of
them, who would have stripped me of everything, at least. I had not,
by chance, with me the knife which all honest men must carry to
defend their lives in my dear country. I was truly in an unpleasant
predicament.
I was thus painfully situated when I thought I could see a light
through the crevices of a small house. I knocked modestly against
the shutter. A voice called out:
"Who is knocking?"
And at the same moment the shutter was pushed open.
"What do you want?" asked a man, rather astonished at my costume.
I explained my predicament in a few words, and giving him one sequin
I begged his permission to shelter myself under his roof. Convinced
by my sequin rather than my words, he opened the door, I went in, and
promising him another sequin for his trouble I requested him to get
me a gondola to take me to Venice. He dressed himself hurriedly,
thanking God for that piece of good fortune, and went out assuring me
that he would soon get me a gondola. I remained alone in a miserable
room in which all his family, sleeping together in a large, ill-
looking bed, were staring at me in consequence of my extraordinary
costume. In half an hour the good man returned to announce that the
gondoliers were at the wharf, but that they wanted to be paid in
advance. I raised no objection, gave a sequin to the man for his
trouble, and went to the wharf.
The sight of two strong gondoliers made me get into the gondola
without anxiety, and we left the shore without being much disturbed
by the wind, but when we had gone beyond the island, the storm
attacked us with such fury that I thought myself lost, for, although
a good swimmer, I was not sure I had strength enough to resist the
violence of the waves and swim to the shore. I ordered the men to go
back to the island, but they answered that I had not to deal with a
couple of cowards, and that I had no occasion to be afraid. I knew
the disposition of our gondoliers, and I made up my mind to say no
more.
But the wind increased in violence, the foaming waves rushed into the
gondola, and my two rowers, in spite of their vigour and of their
courage, could no longer guide it. We were only within one hundred
yards of the mouth of the Jesuits' Canal, when a terrible gust of
wind threw one of the 'barcarols' into the sea; most fortunately he
contrived to hold by the gondola and to get in again, but he had lost
his oar, and while he was securing another the gondola had tacked,
and had already gone a considerable distance abreast. The position
called for immediate decision, and I had no wish to take my supper
with Neptune. I threw a handful of philippes into the gondola, and
ordered the gondoliers to throw overboard the 'felce' which covered
the boat. The ringing of money, as much as the imminent danger,
ensured instant obedience, and then, the wind having less hold upon
us, my brave boatmen shewed AEolus that their efforts could conquer
him, for in less than five minutes we shot into the Beggars' Canal,
and I reached the Bragadin Palace. I went to bed at once, covering
myself heavily in order to regain my natural heat, but sleep, which
alone could have restored me to health, would not visit me.
Five or six hours afterwards, M. de Bragadin and his two inseparable
friends paid me a visit, and found me raving with fever. That did
not prevent my respectable protector from laughing at the sight of
the costume of Pierrot lying on the sofa. After congratulating me
upon having escaped with my life out of such a bad predicament, they
left me alone. In the evening I perspired so profusely that my bed
had to be changed. The next day my fever and delirium increased, and
two days after, the fever having abated, I found myself almost
crippled and suffering fearfully with lumbago. I felt that nothing
could relieve me but a strict regimen, and I bore the evil patiently.
Early on the Wednesday morning, Laura, the faithful messenger, called
on me; I was still in my bed: I told her that I could neither read
nor write, and I asked her to come again the next day. She placed on
the table, near my bed, the parcel she had for me, and she left me,
knowing what had occurred to me sufficiently to enable her to inform
C---- C---- of the state in which I was.
Feeling a little better towards the evening, I ordered my servant to
lock me in my room, and I opened C---- C----'s letter. The first
thing I found in the parcel, and which caused me great pleasure, was
the key of the casino which she returned to me. I had already
repented having given it up, and I was beginning to feel that I had
been in the wrong. It acted like a refreshing balm upon me. The
second thing, not less dear after the return of the precious key, was
a letter from M---- M----, the seal of which I was not long in
breaking, and I read the following lines:
"The particulars which you have read, or which you are going to read,
in the letter of my friend, will cause you, I hope, to forget the
fault which I have committed so innocently, for I trusted, on the
contrary, that you would be very happy. I saw all and heard all, and
you would not have gone away without the key if I had not, most
unfortunately, fallen asleep an hour before your departure. Take
back the key and come to the casino to-morrow night, since Heaven has
saved you from the storm. Your love may, perhaps, give you the right
to complain, but not to ill-treat a woman who certainly has not given
you any mark of contempt."
I afterwards read the letter of my dear C---- C----, and I will give
a copy of it here, because I think it will prove interesting:
"I entreat you, dear husband, not to send back this key, unless you
have become the most cruel of men, unless you find pleasure in
tormenting two women who, love you ardently, and who love you for
yourself only. Knowing your excellent heart, I trust you will go to
the casino to-morrow evening and make it up with M---- M----, who
cannot go there to-night. You will see that you are in the wrong,
dearest, and that, far from despising you, my dear friend loves you
only. In the mean time, let me tell you what you are not acquainted
with, and what you must be anxious to know.
"Immediately after you had gone away in that fearful storm which
caused me such anguish, and just as I was preparing to return to the
convent, I was much surprised to see standing before me my dear M----
M----, who from some hiding-place had heard all you had said. She
had several times been on the point of shewing herself, but she had
always been prevented by the fear of coming out of season, and thus
stopping a reconciliation which she thought was inevitable between
two fond lovers. Unfortunately, sleep had conquered her before your
departure, and she only woke when the alarum struck, too late to
detain you, for you had rushed with the haste of a man who is flying
from some terrible danger. As soon as I saw her, I gave her the key,
although I did not know what it meant, and my friend, heaving a deep
sigh, told me that she would explain everything as soon as we were
safe in her room. We left the casino in a dreadful storm, trembling
for your safety, and not thinking of our own danger. As soon as we
were in the convent I resumed my usual costume, and M----M---- went
to bed. I took a seat near her, and this is what she told me. 'When
you left your ring in my hands to go to your aunt, who had sent for
you, I examined it with so much attention that at last I suspected
the small blue spot to be connected with the secret spring; I took a
pin, succeeded in removing the top part, and I cannot express the joy
I felt when I saw that we both loved the same man, but no more can I
give you an idea of my sorrow when I thought that I was encroaching
upon your rights. Delighted, however, with my discovery, I
immediately conceived a plan which would procure you the pleasure of
supping with him. I closed the ring again and returned it to you,
telling you at the same time that I had not been able to discover
anything. I was then truly the happiest of women. Knowing your
heart, knowing that you were aware of the love of your lover for me,
since I had innocently shewed you his portrait, and happy in the idea
that you were not jealous of me, I would have despised myself if I
had entertained any feelings different from your own, the more so
that your rights over him were by far stronger than mine. As for the
mysterious manner in which you always kept from me the name of your
husband, I easily guessed that you were only obeying his orders, and
I admired your noble sentiments and the goodness of your heart. In
my opinion your lover was afraid of losing us both, if we found out
that neither the one nor the other of us possessed his whole heart.
I could not express my deep sorrow when I thought that, after you had
seen me in possession of his portrait, you continued to act in the
same manner towards me, although you could not any longer hope to be
the sole object of his love. Then I had but one idea; to prove to
both of you that M---- M---- is worthy of your affection, of your
friendship, of your esteem. I was indeed thoroughly happy when I
thought that the felicity of our trio would be increased a
hundredfold, for is it not an unbearable misery to keep a secret from
the being we adore? I made you take my place, and I thought that
proceeding a masterpiece. You allowed me to dress you as a nun, and
with a compliance which proves your confidence in me you went to my
casino without knowing where you were going. As soon as you had
landed, the gondola came back, and I went to a place well known to
our friend from which, without being seen, I could follow all your
movements and hear everything you said. I was the author of the
play; it was natural that I should witness it, the more so that I
felt certain of seeing and hearing nothing that would not be very
agreeable to me. I reached the casino a quarter of an hour after
you, and I cannot tell you my delightful surprise when I saw that
dear Pierrot who had amused us so much, and whom we had not
recognized. But I was fated to feel no other pleasure than that of
his appearance. Fear, surprise, and anxiety overwhelmed me at once
when I saw the effect produced upon him by the disappointment of his
expectation, and I felt unhappy. Our lover took the thing wrongly,
and he went away in despair; he loves me still, but if he thinks of
me it is only to try to forget me. Alas! he will succeed but too
soon! By sending back that key he proves that he will never again go
to the casino. Fatal night! When my only wish was to minister to
the happiness of three persons, how is it that the very reverse of my
wish has occurred? It will kill me, dear friend, unless you contrive
to make him understand reason, for I feel that without him I cannot
live. You must have the means of writing to him, you know him, you
know his name. In the name of all goodness, send back this key to
him with a letter to persuade him to come to the casino to-morrow or
on the following day, if it is only to speak to me; and I hope to
convince him of my love and my innocence. Rest to-day, dearest, but
to-morrow write to him, tell him the whole truth; take pity on your
poor friend, and forgive her for loving your lover. I shall write a
few lines myself; you will enclose them in your letter. It is my
fault if he no longer loves you; you ought to hate me, and yet you
are generous enough to love me. I adore you; I have seen his tears,
I have seen how well his soul can love; I know him now. I could not
have believed that men were able to love so much. I have passed a
terrible night. Do not think I am angry, dear friend, because you
confided to him that we love one another like two lovers; it does not
displease me, and with him it was no indiscretion, because his mind
is as free of prejudices as his heart is good.'
"Tears were choking her. I tried to console her, and I most
willingly promised her to write to you. She never closed her eyes
throughout that day, but I slept soundly for four hours.
"When we got up we found the convent full of bad news, which
interested us a great deal more than people imagined. It was
reported that, an hour before daybreak, a fishing-boat had been lost
in the lagune, that two gondolas had been capsized, and that the
people in them had perished. You may imagine our anguish! We dared
not ask any questions, but it was just the hour at which you had left
me, and we entertained the darkest forebodings. We returned to our
room, where M---- M---- fainted away. More courageous than she is, I
told her that you were a good swimmer, but I could not allay her
anxiety, and she went to bed with a feverish chill. Just at that
moment, my aunt, who is of a very cheerful disposition, came in,
laughing, to tell us that during the storm the Pierrot who had made
us laugh so much had had a narrow escape of being drowned. 'Ah! the
poor Pierrot!' I exclaimed, 'tell us all about him, dear aunt. I am
very glad he was saved. Who is he? Do you know?' 'Oh! yes,' she
answered, 'everything is known, for he was taken home by our
gondoliers. One of them has just told me that Pierrot, having spent
the night at the Briati ball, did not find any gondola to return to
Venice, and that our gondoliers took him for a sequin. One of the
men fell into the sea, but then the brave Pierrot, throwing handfuls
of silver upon the 'Zenia' pitched the 'felce' over board, and the
wind having less hold they reached Venice safely through the Beggars'
Canal. This morning the lucky gondoliers divided thirty philippes
which they found in the gondola, and they have been fortunate enough
to pick up their 'felce'. Pierrot will remember Muran and the ball
at Briati. The man says that he is the son of M. de Bragadin, the
procurator's brother. He was taken to the palace of that nobleman
nearly dead from cold, for he was dressed in light calico, and had no
cloak.'
"When my aunt had left us, we looked at one another for several
minutes without uttering a word, but we felt that the good news had
brought back life to us. M---- M---- asked me whether you were
really the son of M, de Bragadin. 'It might be so,' I said to her,
'but his name does not shew my lover to be the bastard of that
nobleman, and still less his legitimate child, for M. de Bragadin was
never married.' 'I should be very sorry,' said M---- M----, 'if he
were his son.' I thought it right, then, to tell her your true name,
and of the application made to my father by M. de Bragadin for my
hand, the consequence of which was that I had been shut up in the
convent. Therefore, my own darling, your little wife has no longer
any secret to keep from M---- M----, and I hope you will not accuse
me of indiscretion, for it is better that our dear friend should know
all the truth than only half of it. We have been greatly amused, as
you may well suppose, by the certainty with which people say that you
spent all the night at the Briati ball. When people do not know
everything, they invent, and what might be is often accepted in the
place of what is in reality; sometimes it proves very fortunate. At
all events the news did a great deal of good to my friend, who is now
much better. She has had an excellent night, and the hope of seeing
you at the casino has restored all her beauty. She has read this
letter three or four times, and has smothered me with kisses. I long
to give her the letter which you are going to write to her. The
messenger will wait for it. Perhaps I shall see you again at the
casino, and in a better temper, I hope. Adieu."
It did not require much argument to conquer me. When I had finished
the letter, I was at once the admirer of C---- C---- and the ardent
lover of M---- M----. But, alas! although the fever had left me, I
was crippled. Certain that Laura would come again early the next
morning, I could not refrain from writing to both of them a short
letter, it is true, but long enough to assure them that reason had
again taken possession of my poor brain. I wrote to C---- C---- that
she had done right in telling her friend my name, the more so that,
as I did not attend their church any longer, I had no reason to make
a mystery of it. In everything else I freely acknowledged myself in
the wrong, and I promised her that I would atone by giving M--- M----
the strongest possible proofs of my repentance as soon as I could go
again to her casino.
This is the letter that I wrote to my adorable nun:
"I gave C---- C---- the key of your casino, to be returned to you, my
own charming friend, because I believed myself trifled with and
despised, of malice aforethought, by the woman I worship. In my
error I thought myself unworthy of presenting myself before your
eyes, and, in spite of love, horror made me shudder. Such was the
effect produced upon me by an act which would have appeared to me
admirable, if my self-love had not blinded me and upset my reason.
But, dearest, to admire it it would have been necessary for my mind
to be as noble as yours, and I have proved how far it is from being
so. I am inferior to you in all things, except in passionate love,
and I will prove it to you at our next meeting, when I will beg on my
knees a generous pardon. Believe me, beloved creature, if I wish
ardently to recover my health, it is only to have it in my power to
prove by my love a thousand times increased, how ashamed I am of my
errors. My painful lumbago has alone prevented me from answering
your short note yesterday, to express to you my regrets, and the love
which has been enhanced in me by your generosity, alas! so badly
rewarded. I can assure you that in the lagunes, with death staring
me in the face, I regretted no one but you, nothing but having
outraged you. But in the fearful danger then threatening me I only
saw a punishment from Heaven. If I had not cruelly sent back to you
the key of the casino, I should most likely have returned there, and
should have avoided the sorrow as well as the physical pains which I
am now suffering as an expiation. I thank you a thousand times for
having recalled me to myself, and you may be certain that for the
future I will keep better control over myself; nothing shall make me
doubt your love. But, darling, what do you say of C---- C----? Is
she not an incarnate angel who can be compared to no one but you?
You love us both equally. I am the only one weak and faulty, and you
make me ashamed of myself. Yet I feel that I would give my life for
her as well as for you. I feel curious about one thing, but I cannot
trust it to paper. You will satisfy that curiosity the first time I
shall be able to go to the casino before two days at the earliest.
I will let you know two days beforehand. In the mean time, I entreat
you to think a little of me, and to be certain of my devoted love.
Adieu."
The next morning Laura found me sitting up in bed, and in a fair way
to recover my health. I requested her to tell C---- C---- that I
felt much better, and I gave her the letter I had written. She had
brought me one from my dear little wife, in which I found enclosed a
note from M---- M----. Those two letter were full of tender
expressions of love, anxiety for my health, and ardent prayers for my
recovery.
Six days afterwards, feeling much stronger, I went to Muran, where
the keeper of the casino handed me a letter from M---- M----. She
wrote to me how impatient she was for my complete recovery, and how
desirous she was to see me in possession of her casino, with all the
privileges which she hoped I would retain for ever.
"Let me know, I entreat you," she added, "when we are likely to meet
again, either at Muran or in Venice, as you please. Be quite certain
that whenever we meet we shall be alone and without a witness."
I answered at once, telling her that we would meet the day after the
morrow at her casino, because I wanted to receive her loving
absolution in the very spot where I had outraged the most generous of
women.
I was longing to see her again, for I was ashamed of my cruel
injustice towards her, and panting to atone for my wrongs. Knowing
her disposition, and reflecting calmly upon what had taken place, it
was now evident to me that what she had done, very far from being a
mark of contempt, was the refined effort of a love wholly devoted to
me. Since she had found out that I was the lover of her young
friend, could she imagine that my heart belonged only to herself? In
the same way that her love for me did not prevent her from being
compliant with the ambassador, she admitted the possibility of my
being the same with C---- C----. She overlooked the difference of
constitution between the two sexes, and the privileges enjoyed by
women.
Now that age has whitened my hair and deadened the ardour of my
senses, my imagination does not take such a high flight, and I think
differently. I am conscious that my beautiful nun sinned against
womanly reserve and modesty, the two most beautiful appanages of the
fair sex, but if that unique, or at least rare, woman was guilty of
an eccentricity which I then thought a virtue, she was at all events
exempt from that fearful venom called jealousy--an unhappy passion
which devours the miserable being who is labouring under it, and
destroys the love that gave it birth.
Two days afterwards, on the 4th of February, 1754, I had the supreme
felicity of finding myself again alone with my beloved mistress. She
wore the dress of a nun. As we both felt guilty, the moment we saw
each other, by a spontaneous movement, we fell both on our knees,
folded in each other's arms. We had both ill-treated Love; she had
treated him like a child, I had adored him after the fashion of a
Jansenist. But where could we have found the proper language for the
excuses we had to address to each other for the mutual forgiveness we
had to entreat and to grant? Kisses--that mute, yet expressive
language, that delicate, voluptuous contact which sends sentiment
coursing rapidly through the veins, which expresses at the same time
the feeling of the heart and the impressions of the mind--that
language was the only one we had recourse to, and without having
uttered one syllable, dear reader, oh, how well we agreed!
Both overwhelmed with emotion, longing to give one another some
proofs of the sincerity of our reconciliation and of the ardent fire
which was consuming us, we rose without unclasping our arms, and
falling (a most amorous group!) on the nearest sofa, we remained
there until the heaving of a deep sigh which we would not have
stopped, even if we had known that it was to be the last!
Thus was completed our happy reconciliation, and the calm infused
into the soul by contentment, burst into a hearty laugh when we
noticed that I had kept on my cloak and my mask. After we had
enjoyed our mirth, I unmasked myself, and I asked her whether it was
quite true that no one had witnessed our reconciliation.
She took up one of the candlesticks, and seizing my hand:
"Come," she said.
She led me to the other end of the room, before a large cupboard
which I had already suspected of containing the secret. She opened
it, and when she had moved a sliding plank I saw a door through which
we entered a pretty closet furnished with everything necessary to a
person wishing to pass a few hours there. Near the sofa was a
sliding panel. M---- M---- removed it, and through twenty holes
placed at a distance from each other I saw every part of the room in
which nature and love had performed for our curious friend a play in
six acts, during which I did not think he had occasion to be
dissatisfied with the actors.
"Now," said M---- M----, "I am going to satisfy the curiosity which
you were prudent enough not to trust to paper."
"But you cannot guess...."
"Silence, dearest! Love would not be of divine origin did he not
possess the faculty of divination. He knows all, and here is the
proof. Do you not wish to know whether my friend was with me during
the fatal night which has cost me so many tears?"
"You have guessed rightly."
"Well, then, he was with me, and you must not be angry, for you then
completed your conquest of him. He admired your character, your
love, your sentiments, your honesty. He could not help expressing
his astonishment at the rectitiide of my instinct, or his approval of
the passion I felt for you. It was he who consoled me in the morning
assuring me that you would certainly come back to me as soon as you
knew my real feelings, the loyalty of my intentions and my good
faith."
"But you must often have fallen asleep, for unless excited by some
powerful interest, it is impossible to pass eight hours in darkness
and in silence."
"We were moved by the deepest interest: besides, we were in darkness
only when we kept these holes open. The plank was on during our
supper, and we were listening in religious silence to your slightest
whisper. The interest which kept my friend awake was perhaps greater
than mine. He told me that he never had had before a better
opportunity of studying the human heart, and that you must have
passed the most painful night. He truly pitied you. We were
delighted with C---- C----, for it is indeed wonderful that a young
girl of fifteen should reason as she did to justify my conduct,
without any other weapons but those given her by nature and truth;
she must have the soul of an angel. If you ever marry her, you will
have the most heavenly wife. I shall of course feel miserable if I
lose her, but your happiness will make amends for all. Do you know,
dearest, that I cannot understand how you could fall in love with me
after having known her, any more than I can conceive how she does not
hate me ever since she has discovered that I have robbed her of your
heart. My dear C---- C---- has truly something divine in her
disposition. Do you know why she confided to you her barren loves
with me? Because, as she told me herself, she wished to ease her
conscience, thinking that she was in some measure unfaithful to you."
"Does she think herself bound to be entirely faithful to me, with the
knowledge she has now of my own unfaithfulness?"
"She is particularly delicate and conscientious, and though she
believes herself truly your wife, she does not think that she has any
right to control your actions, but she believes herself bound to give
you an account of all she does."
"Noble girl!"
The prudent wife of the door-keeper having brought the supper, we sat
down to the well-supplied table. M---- M---- remarked that I had
become much thinner.
"The pains of the body do not fatten a man," I said, "and the
sufferings of the mind emaciate him. But we have suffered
sufficiently, and we must be wise enough never to recall anything
which can be painful to us."
"You are quite right, my love; the instants that man is compelled to
give up to misfortune or to suffering are as many moments stolen from
his life, but he doubles his existence when he has the talent of
multiplying his pleasures, no matter of what nature they may be."
We amused ourselves in talking over past dangers, Pierrot's disguise,
and the ball at Briati, where she had been told that another Pierrot
had made his appearance.
M---- M---- wondered at the extraordinary effect of a disguise, for,
said she to me:
"The Pierrot in the parlour of the convent seemed to me taller and
thinner than you. If chance had not made you take the convent
gondola, if you had not had the strange idea of assuming the disguise
of Pierrot, I should not have known who you were, for my friends in
the convent would not have been interested in you. I was delighted
when I heard that you were not a patrician, as I feared, because, had
you been one, I might in time have run some great danger."
I knew very well what she had to fear, but pretending complete
ignorance:
"I cannot conceive," I said, "what danger you might run on account of
my being a patrician."
"My darling, I cannot speak to you openly, unless you give me your
word to do what I am going to ask you."
"How could I hesitate, my love, in doing anything to please you,
provided my honour is not implicated? Have we not now everything in
common? Speak, idol of my heart, tell me your reasons, and rely upon
my love; it is the guarantee of my ready compliance in everything
that can give you pleasure:"
"Very well. I want you to give a supper in your casino to me and my
friend, who is dying to make your acquaintance."
"And I foresee that after supper you will leave me to go with him."
"You must feel that propriety compels me to do so."
"Your friend already knows, I suppose, who I am?"
"I thought it was right to tell him, because if I had not told him he
could not have entertained the hope of supping with you, and
especially at your house."
"I understand. I guess your friend is one of the foreign
ambassadors."
"Precisely."
"But may I hope that he will so far honour me as to throw up his
incognito?"
"That is understood. I shall introduce him to you according to
accepted forms, telling his name and his political position."
"Then it is all for the best, darling. How could you suppose that I
would have any difficulty in procuring you that pleasure, when on the
contrary, nothing could please me more myself? Name the day, and be
quite certain that I shall anxiously look for it."
"I should have been sure of your compliance, if you had not given me
cause to doubt it."
"It is a home-thrust, but I deserve it."
"And I hope it will not make you angry. Now I am happy. Our friend
is M. de Bernis, the French ambassador. He will come masked, and as
soon as he shews his features I shall present him to you. Recollect
that you must treat him as my lover, but you must not appear to know
that he is aware of our intimacy."
"I understand that very well, and you shall have every reason to be
pleased with my urbanity. The idea of that supper is delightful to
me, and I hope that the reality will be as agreeable. You were quite
right, my love, to dread my being a patrician, for in that case the
State-Inquisitors, who very often think of nothing but of making a
show of their zeal, would not have failed to meddle with us, and the
mere idea of the possible consequences makes me shudder. I under The
Leads--you dishonoured--the abbess--the convent! Good God! Yes, if
you had told me what you thought, I would have given you my name, and
I could have done so all the more easily that my reserve was only
caused by the fear of being known, and of C---- C---- being taken to
another convent by her father. But can you appoint a day for the
supper? I long to have it all arranged."
"To-day is the fourth; well, then, in four days."
"That will be the eighth?"
"Exactly so. We will go to your casino after the second ballet.
Give me all necessary particulars to enable us to find the house
without enquiring from anyone."
I sat down and I wrote down the most exact particulars to find the
casino either by land or by water. Delighted with the prospect of
such a party of pleasure, I asked my mistress to go to bed, but I
remarked to her that, being convalescent and having made a hearty
supper, I should be very likely to pay my first homages to Morpheus.
Yielding to the circumstances, she set the alarum for ten o'clock,
and we went to bed in the alcove. As soon as we woke up, Love
claimed our attention and he had no cause of complaint, but towards
midnight we fell asleep, our lips fastened together, and we found
ourselves in that position in the morning when we opened our eyes.
Although there was no time to lose, we could not make up our minds to
part without making one more offering to Venus.
I remained in the casino after the departure of my divinity, and
slept until noon. As soon as I had dressed myself, I returned to
Venice, and my first care was to give notice to my cook, so that the
supper of the 8th of February should be worthy of the guests and
worthy of me.
