Volume I Part 27 (1/2)
”My husband does not believe us to be in love with each other, or else he does not enerally wont to indulge in My mother is a clever woman, and perhaps she suspects the truth, but she is aware that it is no longer any concern of hers As to otten the broken-down bed; but she is prudent, and besides, she has taken it into her head to pity s towards you If I had not h life without realizing such feelings myself; for what I feel for my husband well, I have for him the obedience which my position as a wife imposes upon me”
”And yet he is most happy, and I envy him! He can clasp in his arms all your lovely person whenever he likes! There is no hateful veil to hide any of your charaze”
”Oh! where art thou, ainst the surprise of the uninitiated, and this very instant I fulfil all the wishes of hi that we loved each other, and in exchanging over and over again substantial proofs of ourwhich I was all attention for the amiable Donna Cecilia My pretty tortoise-shell box, filled with excellent snuff, went more than once round the table As it happened to be in the hands of Lucrezia as sitting on my left, her husband told her that, if I had no objection, she e Thinking that the ring was not of as much value as reater value Lucrezia would not, however, listen to anything on that subject
She put the box in her pocket, and thus co
Dessert was nearly over, the conversation was very anielique clai of a sonnet which he had co the sonnet in my pocket promised to write one for him
This was not, however, what he wished; he expected that, stimulated by emulation, I would call for paper and pen, and sacrifice to Apollo hours which it wasanother God whom his cold nature knew only by name We drank coffee, I paid the bill, and ent about rah the labyrinthine alleys of the Villa Aldobrandini
What sweet recollections that villa has left in my memory! It seemed as if I saw my divine Lucrezia for the first time Our looks were full of ardent love, our hearts were beating in concert with theus towards a solitary asylum which the hand of Love seemed to have prepared on purpose for the mysteries of its secret worshi+p There, in the e, we found a wide sofa rass, and sheltered by a deep thicket; froe over an iht and left that ere perfectly secure against any surprise We did not require to exchange one word at the sight of this beautiful teuage
Without a word being spoken, our ready hands soon et rid of all obstacles, and to expose in a state of nature all the beauties which are generally veiled by troubleso apparel Thole hours were devoted to the ether in mutual ecstasy, ”O Love, we thank thee!”
We slowly retraced our steps towards the carriages, revelling in our intense happiness Lucrezia inforelique's suitor ealthy, that he owned a splendid villa at Tivoli, and that ht there ”I pray the God of love,” she added, ”to grant us a night as beautiful as this day has been” Then, looking sad, she said, ”But alas! the ecclesiastical lawsuit which has broughtso favourably that I ament all too soon”
The journey back to the city lasted two hours; ere alone innear Rome ere compelled to let the curtain fall before the denouement of the drama which we had performed to the complete satisfaction of the actors
I returned houed, but the sound sleep which was so natural atI took my French lesson at the usual hour
CHAPTER X
Benedict XIV--Excursion to Tivoli--Departure of Lucrezia-- The Marchioness G--Barbara Dalacqua--My Misfortunes-- I Leave Roave me my lesson
When it was over, she seized an opportunity of slipping a letter into my pocket, and i The letter was addressed to ratitude She only desired ain, and that e a new servant as soon as he had recovered fro me that she never would implicate me in this business
Her father was coht, and Barbara continued to give me my lesson every day I felt for her an interest which, froirl, was, indeed, quite a new senti able to help and comfort her Her eyes never rested upon mine, her hand never htest wish to pleasenature; but nothing interfered with the respect and the regard which I was bound in honour and in good faith to feel towards her, and I was proud to ree of her weakness or of her position
When the father had recovered he dised another Barbara entreated me to inform her friend of the circuain the new servant to their interests, at least sufficiently to secure the possibility of carrying on soratitude she tookit I tried to kiss her; she turned her face away, blushi+ng deeply I wassucceeded in gaining the new servant over, I had nothing lad of it, for I knew ht evil on my own head Unfortunately, it was already too late
I seldoe took up allthat I could see hih I went to hiave uests, yet I never felt weary, for in his circle his friends would criticise without slandering, discuss politics without stubbornness, literature without passion, and I profited by all After acious monk, I used to attend the assembly of the cardinal, , when she happened to see me at her card-table, the beautiful racious words in French, and I always answered in Italian, not caring to s for her were of a singular kind I ht that wo, yet I avoided her; it was not because I was afraid of falling in love with her; I loved Lucrezia, and I firainst any other attachht lovefancy for me Was it self-conceit or modesty, vice or virtue? Perhaps neither one nor the other
One evening she desired the Abbe Ga near the cardinal, my patron, and theof surprise by asking :
”How did you like Frascati?”
”Very much, madam; I have never seen such a beautiful place”