Volume I Part 28 (1/2)
”Because most likely he had already addressed himself to God before he ventured to apply to you; and when Your Holiness sends hiain, he finds himself sent back, as the proverb says, from Herod to Pilate”
The Pope, as well as his two cohed heartily; but I kept a serious countenance
”I cannot,” continued the Pope, ”do any good without God's assistance”
”Very true, Holy Father; but the man is aware that you are God's priine his trouble now that the ain to the ars of Rome, who for one 'bajocco' will pray for him They boast of their influence before the throne of the Alhty, but as I have faith only in your credit, I entreat Your Holiness to deliverme permission to eat ivethat I was not dispensed fro, at the cardinal's asseue with the Pope was already known Everybody was anxious to speak to hted at the joy which Cardinal Acquaviva tried in vain to conceal
As I wished not to neglect Gama's advice, I presented myself at the mansion of the beautiful marchioness at the hour at which everyone had free access to her ladyshi+p I saw her, I saw the cardinal and a great ht have supposed myself invisible, for no one honouredperformed for half an hour the character of a raciously that she had caught a sight of me in her reception-rooms
”I was there, it is true, madam; but I had no idea that I had had the honour to be seen by your ladyshi+p”
”Oh! I see everybody They tell me that you have wit”
”If it is not a ives es”
”Then, madam, those persons must have honoured me with their conversation; otherwise, it is not likely that they would have been able to express such an opinion”
”No doubt; but let me see you often at my receptions”
Our conversation had been overheard by those ere around; his excellency the cardinal told me that, when the marchioness addressed herself particularly to e, good or bad The cunning politician Gama took me apart, and re, and that, after a tiress in French; I had given up my lessons, and practice was all I required I was then in the habit of calling so in the evening Father Georgi, as acquainted with the excursion to Frascati, and had not expressed any dissatisfaction
Two days after the sort of command laid upon me by the marchioness, I presented myself at her reception As soon as she saw ed by a deep reverence; that was all
In a quarter of an hour afterwards I left the mansion The marchioness was beautiful, but she was powerful, and I could not make up my mind to crawl at the feet of power, and, on that head, I felt disgusted with thetowards the end of Noveelique's intended, called oninvitation to spend twenty-four hours at Tivoli with the friends I had entertained at Frascati I accepted with great pleasure, for I had found no opportunity of being alone with Lucrezia since the Festival of St
Ursula I promised to be at Donna Cecilia's house at day-break with the same 'is-a-vis' It was necessary to start very early, because Tivoli is sixteen miles from Rome, and has so many objects of interest that it requires ht, I craved per hoht not to lose such an opportunity of visiting that splendid place in such good society
The first dawn of day found me with my 'vis-a-vis' and four at the door of Donna Cecilia, who ca her strict hter The faave roo we made a halt at a small place where had been prepared, by Don Franciso's orders, an excellent breakfast, which was intended to replace the dinner, and we all made a heartybut supper at Tivoli I wore on ivenI had had a piece of enamel placed, on it was delineated a saduceus, with one serpent between the letters Alpha and O breakfast, and Don Francisco, as well as the advocate, exerted hilyphs; much to the amusement of Lucrezia, who understood the mysterious secret so well We continued our road, and reached Tivoli at ten o'clock
We began by visiting Don Francisco's villa It was a beautiful little house, and we spent the following six hours in exa occasion to whisper a feords to Don Francisco, I seized the opportunity of telling Angelique that after her e I should be happy to spend a few days of the fine season with her
”Sir,” she answered, ”I give you fair notice that the moment I become mistress in this house you will be the very first person to be excluded”
”I feel greatly obliged to you, signora, for your ti part of the affair was that I construed Angelique's wanton insult into a declaration of love I was astounded Lucrezia, re what ailed , ; the cruel one, pray undertake the task of coelique pities otten to mention that at Don Francisco's villa I happened to praise a very pretty roo heard ly to ht Lucrezia feigned not to hear, but it was to her Ariadne's clue, for, as ere to re our visit to the beauties of Tivoli, we had no chance of a tete-a-tete through the day
I have said that we devoted six hours to an examination of the antiquities of Tivoli, but I am bound to confess here that I saw, for ht years later that I h acquaintance with the beautiful spot
We returned to the villa towards evening, fatigued and very hungry, but an hour's rest before supper--a repast which lasted two hours, the most delicious dishes, the most exquisite wines, and particularly the excellent wine of Tivoli--restored us so well that everybody wanted nothing ood bed and the freedo to his own taste