Volume I Part 56 (1/2)
I told her candidly ht of the dreadful consequences it ht have had for her I saw her shudder and tremble, and she turned pale with fear when I added that I would have avenged her by killing myself
”Villainous, infamous Melulla!” she exclaiainst h theweakness
Everyone in Corfu knew of my visit to the wretched Melulla, and everyone seemed surprised to see the appearance of health on my countenance; for many were the victims that she had treated like me
My illness was not h of a different nature, were not less serious It ritten in the book of fate that I should return to Venice a sieneral did not keep his word, and the bastard son of a nobleman was promoted to the lieutenancy instead of myself From that moment the military profession, the one ust, and I deterive it up But I had another still more important motive for sorrow in the fickleness of fortune which had coainst radation with Melulla, every kind of reatest of all--that which I felt ood sense to try and consider a favour--was that a week before the departure of the arain for his adjutant, and M F---- had to engage another in e Madaret, that in Venice we could not, for ed her to spare me the reasons, as I foresaw that they would only throw huan to discover that the Goddess I had worshi+pped was, after all, a poor hu like all other woive up my life for her I probed in one day the real worth of her heart, for she told me, I cannot recollect in reference to what, that I excited her pity I saw clearly that she no longer lovedwhich cannot find a home in a heart full of love, for that dreary sentiment is too near a relative of contempt Since that time I never found myself alone with Madame F---- I loved her still; I could easily have made her blush, but I did not do it
As soon as we reached Venice she became attached to M F---- R----, whom she loved until death took hiht twenty years after I believe she is still alive
During the last two months of my stay in Corfu, I learned the most bitter and important lessons In after years I often derived useful hints from the experience I acquired at that time
Before ood health, I was rich, lucky at play, liked by everybody, beloved by the most lovely woman of Corfu When I spoke, everybody would listen and admire my wit; my words were taken for oracles, and everyone coincided withwith the courtezan I rapidly lost my health, my , even the faculty of eloquence vanished with fortune I would talk, but people knew that I was unfortunate, and I no longer interested or convinced my hearers The influence I had over Madame F---- faded away little by little, and, al it, the lovely woman became completely indifferent to h I had sold or pledged everything I had of any value Twice I had reached Corfu rich and happy, twice I left it poor and miserable But this tih want of will but through carelessness
Rich and in good health, everyone receivedsick, no one shewed me any consideration With a full purse and the tone of a conqueror, I was thought witty, a; with an empty purse and a modest air, all I said appeared dull and insipid If I had becoain accounted the eighth wonder of the world! Oh, men! oh, fortune! Everyone avoided me as if the ill luck which crushed me doas infectious
We left Corfu towards the end of Septealeasses, and several smaller vessels, under the co the shores of the Adriatic, towards the north of the gulf, where there are a great ht I saw Mada; she always caaleass We had a fortunate voyage, and cast anchor in the harbour of Venice on the 14th of October, 1745, and after having performed quarantine on board our shi+ps, we landed on the 25th of Novealeasses were set aside altogether The use of these vessels could be traced very far back in ancient times; their aleass had the fraalley, and when there was no wind, five hundred slaves had to row
Before sied to prevail and to enforce the suppression of these useless carcasses, there were long discussions in the senate, and those who opposed the round of opposition in the necessity of respecting and conserving all the institutions of olden times That is the disease of persons who can never identify themselves with the successive improveht to be sent to China, or to the dominions of the Grand Lama, where they would certainly be round of opposition to all improvements, however absurd it may be, is a very powerful one in a republic, which must tremble at the s Superstition has likewise a great part to play in these conservative views
There is one thing that the Republic of Venice will never alter: I alleys, because the Venetians truly require such vessels to ply, in all weathers and in spite of the frequent calms, in a narrow sea, and because they would not knohat to do with the ular thing in Corfu, where there are often as alley slaves; it is that the alleys, in consequence of a sentence passed upon them for some crime, are held in a kind of opprobrium, whilst those who are there voluntarily are, to soht to be the reverse, because ht to inspire some sort of respect; but the vile felloho condemns himself voluntarily and as a trade to the position of a slave seeree The convicts of the Republic, however, enjoy es, and are, in every way, better treated than the soldiers
It very often occurs that soldiers desert and give thealley slaves In those cases, the captain who loses a soldier has nothing to do but to submit patiently, for he would claim the man in vain The reason of it is that the Republic has always believed galley slaves more necessary than soldiers The Venetiansthese lines in the year 1797) begin to realize their e of stealing with i is the least criiven for it
”Keep on your guard,” says the alley slave; ”and if you catch hi, thrash him, but be careful not to cripple him; otherwise you must pay me the one hundred ducats the alley slave taken fro the master the amount he has disbursed for the man
As soon as I had landed in Venice, I called upon Madahbour told me that she had married the Procurator Rosa, and had removed to his house I went immediately to M Rosa and ell received Madame Orio infor in Guastalla with her husband
Twenty-four years afterwards, I uished officer in the service of the Infante of Parrace of Heaven had touched her, and she had become a nun in the convent at Muran Two years afterwards, I received from her a letter full of unction, in which she adjured in, never to present myself before her eyes
She added that she was bound by Christian charity to forgiveher, and she felt certain of the reward of the elect, and she assured me that she would ever pray earnestly for ain, but she saw me in 1754, as I will mention e reach that year
I found Madame Manzoni still the same She had predicted that I would not remain in the military profession, and when I told her that I had ive it up, because I could not be reconciled to the injustice I had experienced, she burst out laughing She enquired about the profession I intended to follow after giving up the army, and I answered that I wished to beco that it was too late Yet I was only twenty years old
When I called upon M Gri enquired after my brother Francois, he told me that he had had him confined in Fort Saint Andre, the same to which I had been sent before the arrival of the Bishop of Martorano