Volume I Part 24 (2/2)
”Do notme, and, above all, avoid coffee-houses and ordinaries, but if you should happen to frequent such places, listen and never speak Be careful to forment upon those who ask any questions froive only an evasive one, if any other is likely to commit you Do you speak French?”
”Not one word”
”I am sorry for that; you must learn French Have you been a student?”
”A poor one, but I have a sufficient s to converse with ordinary coh; but be very prudent, for Rome is the city in which sst themselves
I hope you will take your letter to the cardinal, dressed like a ant costume which is not likely to conjure fortune Adieu, let hly pleased with the welcome I had received at his hands, and with all he had said to me, I left his house and proceeded towards Campo-di-Fiore to deliver the letter of my cousin Antonio to Don Gaspar Vivaldi, who receivedpriests He gave me the most friendly welcome, asked for my address, and invited iive me on the morrow the amount his friend Don Antonio requested hienerous cousin was bestowing on ive ahen one possesses sufficient ive I found the proceeding of Don Antonio enerous; I could not refuse his present; it wasit
Just after I had left M Vivaldi's house I found inal loaded me with friendly caresses I inwardly despised him, yet I could not feel hatred for him; I looked upon him as the instrument which Providence had been pleased to e me that he had obtained fro the fatal constable who had advanced me two sequins in Seraval, because he had found out that I had deceived hiainst me
I asked Stephano to induce the ement of the debt in the hands of a certain merchant e both knew, and that I would call there to discharge the amount This was done, and it ended the affair
That evening I dined at the ordinary, which was frequented by Roners; but I carefully followed the advice of Father Georgi I heard a great deal of harsh language used against the Pope and against the Cardinal Minister, who had caused the Papal States to be inundated by eighty thousand men, Germans as well as Spaniards But I wasthe first few days after his arrival in Ros which at first cause surprise, and to which he soon gets accustomed There is not a Catholic city in the world in which a ious matters as in Rome
The inhabitants of Rome are like the men employed at the Governratis as much tobacco as they want for their own use One can live in Rome with the most complete freedom, except that the 'ordini santissimi' are as much to be dreaded as the famous Lettres-de-cachet before the Revolution caeneral character of the French nation
The next day, the 1st of October, 1743, I made up my mind to be shaved
The down on ed that it was ties enjoyed by adolescence I dressed i was highly pleased when he saw me in that costume, which had been made by the tailor of i invited me to take a cup of chocolate with him, and informed me that the cardinal had been apprised of my arrival by a letter from Don Lelio, and that his eroni, where he would be taking a walk I told Father Georgi that I had been invited to dinner by M Vivaldi, and he advised me to cultivate his acquaintance
I proceeded to the Villa Negroni; the moment he sawtwo persons who accompanied him to walk forward He put the letter in his pocket without reading it, examined me for one or two minutes, and enquired whether I felt any taste for politics I answered that, until now, I had not felt in me any but frivolous tastes, but that I would make bold to answer for ht be pleased to lay uponhis service
”Co,” said the cardinal, ”and ask for the Abbe Gaive ently to the study of the French language; it is indispensable” He then enquired after Don Leilo's health, and after kissing his hand I took my leave
I hastened to the house of M Gaspar Vivaldi, where I dined auests M Vivaldi was not married; literature was his only passion He loved Latin poetry even better than Italian, and Horace, whom I knew by heart, was his favourite poet After dinner, we repaired to his study, and he handed me one hundred Roman crowns, and Don Antonio's present, and assured me that I would be most welcome whenever I would call to take a cup of chocolate with him
After I had taken leave of Don Gaspar, I proceeded towards the Minerva, for I longed to enjoy the surprise of my dear Lucrezia and of her sister; I inquired for Donna Cecilia Monti, theirho looked like the sister of her two charive her hters soon ca caused me some amusement, for I did not appear to them to be the saest sister, only eleven years of age, and to her brother, an abbe of fifteen, of char appearance I took care to behave so as to please the mother; I wasI saw The good advocate arrived, and was surprised at the change in my appearance He launched out in his usual jokes, and I followed hiive to my conversation the tone of levity which used to cause socoach; so that, to, pay n of manhood shaved from my face, I had certainly transferred it to my e inin rapid succession, five or six ordinary-looking ladies, and as many abbes, who appeared to in my Ronificant word I uttered, and I was very careful to let them enjoy their conjectures about me Donna Cecilia told the advocate that he was but a poor painter, and that his portraits were not like the originals; he answered that she could not judge, because the original was shewing under a mask, and I pretended to be mortified by his answer Donna Lucrezia said that she found me exactly the saave strangers a peculiar appearance Everybody applauded, and Angelique turned red with satisfaction After a visit of four hours I boweded me to consider myself as a friend of the family, and to be certain of a welcoratefully and tookthat I had pleased this amiable society as much as it had pleased me
The next day I presented uese, about forty years old, handsoood temper His affability claimed and obtained confidence
His manners and accent were quite Roman He informed iven his instructions aboutin the cardinal's palace, that I would have my meals at the secretaries' table, and that, until I learned French, I would have nothing to do but make extracts froave me the address of the French teacher to whom he had already spoken inprecisely opposite the palace
After this short explanation, and an assurance that I could at all times rely upon his friendshi+p, he had n e book, already filled with other names, and counted out sixty Roman crohich he paid me for three months salary in advance After this he accompanied me, followed by a 'staffiere' to my apartment on the third floor, which I found very co that he would co to attend upon ate to ate-keeper I ie to the palace, and found reat fortune awaited me, if I had only been able to lead a wise and prudent life, but unfortunately it was not in my nature 'Volentem ducit, nolentem trahit'
I naturally felt it ave all ht road, and that ood father, ”that to lead a blameless life you must curb your passions, and that whatever misfortune ood luck, or attributed to fate; those words are devoid of sense, and all the fault will rightly fall on your own head”
”I foresee, reverend father, that my youth and my want of experience will often make it necessary fore for you, but you will find me docile and obedient”