Volume I Part 17 (1/2)

”I a of a revenge, but it will be rather difficult to bring it home to me”

”Very difficult! All the sanized you, and the same declaration is made by the Forlan who says that you struck his hand to make him drop his lantern Razetta's nose is broken, three of his teeth are gone, and his right arador, and M Grimani has written to the war office to coe I arrived at the office just in ti Grimani's letter, and I assured his excellency that it was a false report, for I left you in bed thisfrom a sprained ankle I told hiht you were very near death froht that Razetta was so well treated?”

”So says the official report The war secretary wrote at once to M

Grimani and informed him that you have not left the fort, and that you are even now detained in it, and that the plaintiff is at liberty, if he chooses, to send commissaries to ascertain the fact Therefore, atory”

”I expect it, and I will answer that I am very sorry to be innocent”

Three days afterwards, a commissary cas were soon over Everybody knew that I had sprained eon, ht I was in bed suffering froador sentenced Razetta and the Forlan to pay all expenses without prejudice to ment, the major advised me to address to the secretary of war a petition which he undertook to deliver hiave notice of s to M Grimani, and a week afterwards the major told me that I was free, and that he would himself take me to the abbe It was at dinnerti conversation, that he i him to be in earnest, and in order to keep up the joke, I told him very politely that I preferred his house to Venice, and that, to prove it, I would be happy to rerant me permission to do so I was taken at my word, and everybody seemed very pleased But when, two hours later, the neas confirer doubt the truth of my release, I repented the hich I had so foolishly throay as a present to the e to break my word, for everybody, and particularly his wife, had shown such unaffected pleasure, it would have been conteood woman knew that I owed her every kindness which I had enjoyed, and she rateful

But I et to relate

On the following day, an officer dressed in the national uniform called upon the major, acco a sword, and, presenting to the major a dispatch with the seal of the war office, he waited for an answer, and went away as soon as he had received one froovernor

After the officer had taken leave, the entleave the title of count, told hiave him the whole of the fort for his prison The count offered him his sword, but the major nobly refused to take it, and escorted him to the room he was to occupy

Soon after, a servant in livery brought a bed and a trunk, and the nextat ed the honour of my company to breakfast I accepted the invitation, and he received me with these words:

”Dear sir, there has been so much talk in Venice about the skill hich you proved your incredible alibi, that I could not help asking for the honour of your acquaintance”

”But, count, the alibi being a true one, there can be no skill required to prove it Allowme a very poor compliment, for--”

”Never ive me But as we happen to be companions in misfortune, I trust you will not refuse me your friendshi+p Now for breakfast”

After our meal, the count, who had heard froht that an: ”I am the Count de Bonafede In ave up the army, and entered on a civil career in Austria I had to fly froe in Bavaria in consequence of an unfortunate duel In Munich Ito a noble faht her to Venice, where ere married I have now been twenty years in Venice I have six children, and everybody knows o I sent my servant to the postoffice for my letters, but they were refused hie I went h I assured hiry, and I called upon the Baron de Taxis, the postmaster, and complained of the clerk, but he answered very rudely that the clerk had simply obeyed his orders, and that e I felt very indignant, but as I was in his house I controlled ivehio out without ht whenever and wherever I should meet him I never came across him, but yesterday I was accosted by the secretary of the inquisitors, who told o under the guidance of an officer whom he pointed out to me, to imprison myself for a week in this fortress I shall thus have the pleasure of spending that time with you”

I told him that I had been free for the last twenty-four hours, but that to shew ratitude for his friendly confidence I would feel honoured if he would allow ed myself with the major, this was only a polite falsehood

In the afternoon I happened to be with hiondola advancing towards the lower gate; he took his spy-glass and toldto see hiht once have been worth the trouble of an elope person between fourteen and sixteen, struck ht auburn, her eyes were blue and very fine, her nose a Ro, exposed a set of teeth as white as her coh a beautiful rosy tint soure was so slight that it seemed out of nature, but her perfectly-formed breast appeared an altar on which the God of love would have delighted to breathe the sweetest incense This splendid chest was, however, not yet well furnished, but in ht have been desired, and I was so pleased that I could not takecountenance seemed to say to me: ”Only wait for two years, at the ut will then exist in reality”

She was elegantly dressed in the prevalent fashi+on, with large hoops, and like the daughters of the nobility who have not yet attained the age of puberty, although the young countess was eable I had never dared to stare so openly at the bosoht there was no har yet but in expectation

The count, after having exchanged a feords in Ger reat politeness Theit his duty to escort the countess all over the fortress, and I improved the excellent opportunity thrown in my way by the inferiority oflady, and the count left us to go to his room

I was still an adept in the old Venetian fashi+on of attending upon ladies, and the young countess thought h I believed myself very fashi+onable when I placed h merri at, and I was terribly confused when I heard her answer that I had tickled her

”This is the way to offer your arhit a very difficult task to resu me a novice of the most innocent species, she very likely deter that by rounding my arm as I had done I placed it too far fro I told her I did not kno to draw, and inquired whether it was one of her acco,” she answered, ”and when you call upon us I will shew you Adam and Eve, after the Chevalier Liberi; I have made a copy which has been found very fine by soh they did not knoas my work”

”Why did you not tell theures are too naked”