Volume I Part 40 (2/2)
There was to be another passenger on board the shi+p of the line on which I had engagedto Zante in the quality of counsellor, with a numerous and brilliant retinue The captain of the shi+p told ed to take my meals alone, I was not likely to fare very well, and he advised me to obtain an introduction to the nobleman, ould not fail to invite me to share his table His name was Antonio Dolfin, and he had been nicknarandeur and the elegance of his toilet Fortunately I did not require to beg an introduction, for M Grinificent councillor, who received me in the kindest manner, and invited me at once to take my meals at his table He expressed a desire that I should make the acquaintance of his wife, as to accompany him in the journey I called upon her the next day, and I found a lady perfect in e and completely deaf I had therefore but little pleasure to expect frohter whom she left in a convent She became celebrated afterwards, and she is still alive, I believe, theof Procurator Iron, whose faappearance than M Dolfin He was euished for his wit and politeness He was eloquent, always cheerful when he lost at cards, the favourite of ladies, whoeous, and of an equal teood or in adverse fortune
He had ventured on travelling without perht hiovernreater crime For this offence he had been imprisoned in the Leads--a favour which destiny kept also in reserve for enerous, but not wealthy, M Dolfin had been coovernorshi+p, and had been appointed to Zante; but he started with such a splendid suite that he was not likely to save much out of his salary Such a man as I have just portrayed could not overn, steady peace at host the nobility, and equality, either moral or physical, cannot be appreciated in any other way than by appearances The result is that the man who does not want to lay himself open to persecution, and who happens to be superior or inferior to the others, must endeavour to conceal it by all possible reat contenities; if he seeks employment, he must not appear to want any; if his features are handsome, he must be careless of his physical appearance; he ood taste, ridicule every foreign irace, be careless in his ood breeding, have no foreign cook, wear an unco, and look rather dirty M Dolfin was not endoith any of those ereat fortune in his native country
The day before o out; I devoted the whole of the day to friendshi+p Madame Orio and her lovely nieces shed htful eht that I spent with both of them, the sisters repeated over and over, in the ain They guessed rightly; but if they had happened to see ly Observe hoonderful prophets are!
I went on board, on the 5th of May, with a good supply of clothing, jewels, and ready cash Our shi+p carried twenty-four guns and two hundred Sclavonian soldiers We sailed froht, and we came to anchor in the harbour of Orsera to take ballast I landed with several others to take a stroll through the wretched place where I had spent three days nine months before, a recollection which caused me a pleasant sensation when I compared my present position to what it was at that ti--health, social condition, and money! I felt quite certain that in the splendid unifornize theabbe who, but for Friar Stephano, would have beco Meeting in Orsera--Journey to Corfu--My Stay in Constantinople--Bonneval--My Return to Corfu--Madame F--The False Prince--I Run Away from Corfu--My Frolics at Casopo--I Surrender My self a Prisoner--My Speedy Release and Triumph-- My Success with Madaerous than a bad one, and a ainst a wicked person, but never against a fool You can punish wickedness but not stupidity, unless you send away the fool, enerally find out that the change has only thrown you out of the frying-pan into the fire
This chapter and the two following ones ritten; they gave at full length all the particulars which I e, for my silly servant has taken the three chapters for her own purposes She pleaded as an excuse that the sheets of paper were old, written upon, covered with scribbling and erasures, and that she had taken the that I would care much more for the last than for the first I flew into a violent passion, but I rong, for the poor girl had acted with a good intent; her judgment alone had er is to deprive the angry er and reason do not belong to the sa under its sway: 'Irasci, celerem ta at her bitter reproaches, the force of which did not strike her, and in proving to her that she was a stupid fool, she refuted allto do but to resign h not yet in the best of te to write will probably not be so good as what I had composed when I felt in the proper humour, but ineer, gain in tith
I landed at Orsera while our shi+p was taking ballast, as a shi+p cannot sail hen she is too light, and I alking about when I re at me very attentively As I had no dread of any creditor, I thought that he was interested by , and kept walking on, but as I passed hiht I presume to enquire whether this is your first visit to Orsera, captain?”
”No, sir, it is my second visit to this city”
”Were you not here last year?”
”I was”
”But you were not in uniforin to sound rather indiscreet”
”Be good enough to forgive ratitude I areatest benefits, and I trust that Providence has brought you here again only to give ratitude to you”
”What on earth have I done, and what can I do for you? I a”
”Will you be so kind as to come and breakfast with me? My house is near at hand; my refosco is delicious, please to taste it, and I will convince you in a feords that you are truly ht to expect that you have returned Orsera to load me with fresh benefits”
I could not suspect the man of insanity; but, as I could not make him out, I fancied that he wanted to make me purchase some of his refosco, and I accepted his invitation We went up to his room, and he left me for a few ical instrueon, and I asked him when he returned
”Yes, captain; I have been practising surgery in this place for twenty years, and in a very poor way, for I had nothing to do, except a few cases of bleeding, of cupping, and occasionally soht excoriation to dress or a sprained ankle to put to rights I did not earn even the poorest living But since last year a great change has taken place; I have eously, and it is to you, captain, to you (may God bless you!) that I am indebted for my present comforts”
”But how so?”
”In this way, captain You had a connection with Don Jerome's housekeeper, and you left her, when you went away, a certain souvenir which she coood faith, made a present of it to his wife This lady did not wish, I suppose, to be selfish, and she gave the souvenir to a libertine who, in his turn, was so generous with it that, in less than aave the benefit of my attendance to everybody, of course, for a consideration
There are a few patients still under my care, but in a short time there will be no more, as the souvenir left by you has now lost all its virtue You can easily realize now the joy I felt when I saw you; you are a bird of good oh to enable you to renew the source of rieved to hear that I was in excellent health He remarked, however, that I was not likely to be so well off on , there was abundance of daoods, but that no one knew better than he did how to root out the venoed that I would depend upon him, and not trust myself in the hands of quacks, ould be sure to pal, and, taking leave of him with many thanks, I returned to the shi+p I related the whole affair to M Dolfin, as highly a day, but on the fourth day, on the other side of Curzola, ere visited by a storm which very nearly cost me my life
This is how it happened: