Volume I Part 33 (1/2)
”That, my dear friend,” said the abbe, ”is one of the vices of the Roh at it; but this slander may do you harm, even in the mind of our cardinal”
As there was no perforht, I went to the cardinal's reception; I found no difference towards me either in the cardinal's manners, or in those of any other person, and the racious than usual
After dinner, on the following day, Gairl to a convent in which she would be well treated at his eminence's expense, and that he was certain that she would leave it only to beco doctor
”I should be very happy if it should turn out so,” I replied; ”for they are both most estimable people”
Two days afterwards, I called upon Father Georgi, and he told reat news of the day in Rohter, and that all the honour of the intrigue was given to me, which displeased him much I told him what I had already told Gama, and he appeared to believe me, but he added that in Ros as they truly were, but only as they wished them to be
”It is known, that you have been in the habit of going everyh People do not care, to know the circuht counteract the slander, but only those, likely to give it new force for slander is vastly relished in the Holy City Your innocence will not prevent the whole adventure being booked to your account, if, in forty years ti the following days the fatal adventure began to cause me more annoyance than I could express, for everyone mentioned it to me, and I could see clearly that people pretended to believe what I said only because they did not dare to do otherwise The nora Dalacqua had contracted peculiar obligations towardsthe last days of the carnival, I remarked that Cardinal Acquaviva's h I was the only person who observed the change
The noiseto subside, when, in the first days of Lent, the cardinal desired me to come to his private rooirl Dalacqua is now over; it is no longer spoken of, but the verdict of the public is that you and I have profited by the clu man who intended to carry her off In reality I care little for such a verdict, for, under similar circumstances, I should always act in a similar manner, and I do not wish to know that which no one can compel you to confess, and which, as a man of honour, you ue, and had actually turned the girl out of your roouilty of a wrong and cowardly action, because you would have sealed her misery for the remainder of her days, and it would not have caused you to escape the suspicion of being an accomplice, while at the same time it would have attached to you the odiu all I have just said, you can easily i fools, I cannot openly defy them I therefore feel myself compelled to ask you not only to quit my service, but even to leave Rome I undertake to supply you with an honourable pretext for your departure, so as to insure you the continuation of the respect which you h the marks of esteem I have bestowed upon you I promise you to whisper in the ear of any person youon an important mission which I have entrusted to you You have only to nao; I have friends everywhere, and can recommend you to such purpose that you will be sure to find employment My letters of reco, and nobody need knohere you are going
Meet roni, and let me knohere my letters are to be addressed You must be ready to start within a week Believe me, I am sorry to lose you; but the sacrifice is forced upon me by the most absurd prejudice Go now, and do not let rief”
He spoke the last words because he saw ive th of mind to compose myself, and I put on such an air of cheerfulness that the Abbe Gama, who took me to his room to drink some coffee, complimented me upon my happy looks
”I am sure,” he said, ”that they are caused by the conversation you have had with his eht; but you do not know the sorrow at my heart which I try not to sheardly”
”What sorrow?”
”I a in a difficultI am compelled to conceal how little confidence I feel in ood opinion his eminence is pleased to entertain of me”
”If my advice can be of any service to you, pray dispose of ht to chew yourself calm and cheerful Is it any business to transact in Rome?”
”No; it is a journey I shall have to undertake in a week or ten days”
”Which way?”
”Towards the west”
”Oh! I am not curious to know”
I went out alone and took a walk in the Villa Borghese, where I spent two hours wrapped in dark despair I liked Roh road to fortune, and suddenly I found o, and with all ed uilty of any criood Father Georgi had been My duty was not only to take no part in the intrigue of the two love, but also to change my French teacher thein a doctor after death has struck the patient Besides, young as I was, having no experience yet of misfortune, and still less of the wickedness of society, it was very difficult forintercourse with the world