Volume II Part 3 (1/2)
”I think, ive soossip Yet, should you not like it, you know that there is no need for us to go Do not think of me, for I prefer our pleasant chat in this room to the heavenly concert of the seraphs”
”I a, but I cannot help tre out”
”If you treo to the opera or leave Paro to London or to any other place Give your orders, I a you like”
”Well, take a private box as little exposed as possible”
”How kind you are!”
The box I had engaged was in the second tier, but the theatre being small it was difficult for a pretty woman to escape observation
I told her so
”I do not think there is any danger,” she answered; ”for I have not seen the naners which you gave o to the opera I had taken care that our box should not be lighted up It was an opera-buffa, the ood
Henriette e, and nobody paid any attention to us As she had been greatly pleased with the finale of the second act, I proet it for her, and I asked Dubois to procure it forthat she could play the harpsichord, I offered to get one, but she told me that she had never touched that instruht of the fourth or fifth performance M Dubois came to our box, and as I did not wish to introduce him to my friend, I only asked what I could do for hied him to purchase forhim my best thanks As ere just opposite the ducal box, I asked hiraved the portraits of their highnesses He answered that he had already engraved two old He promised to let me have them, and left the box Henriette had not even looked at hi to all established rules, as I had not introduced hi he was announced as ere at dinner M de la Haye, as dining with us, co made the acquaintance of Dubois, and introduced him to his pupil the ht for Henriette to welcoracefully
After she had thanked hiet her some other ranted to him
”Sir,” said Dubois tothe medals you wished to have; here they are”
On one were the portraits of the Infante and his wife, on the other was engraved only the head of Don Philip They were both beautifully engraved, and we expressed our just admiration ”The workold can be bartered for other gold” ”Madaht sixteen sequins” She gave hiain at dinner-tiht in at that mo his cup, she enquired whether he liked his coffee very sweet
”Your taste, allantly, ”is sure to be uessed that I always drink coffee without sugar I aracefully offered hiar She then helped De la Haye and ar in our cups, and she poured out one for herself exactly like the one she handed to Dubois It was h, for my mischievous French-woman, who liked her coffee in the Parisian fashi+on, that is to say very sweet, was sipping the bitter beverage with an air of delight which compelled the director of the Mint to s hunchback was even with her; accepting the penalty of his foolish coood quality of the coffee, he boldly declared that it was the only way to taste the delicious aroma of the precious berry
When Dubois and De la Haye had left us, we both laughed at the trick
”But,” said I to Henriette, ”you will be the first victim of your mischief, for whenever he dines with us, you must keep up the joke, in order not to betray yourself”
”Oh! I can easily contrive to drink my coffee well sweetened, and to make him drain the bitter cup”
At the end of one month, Henriette could speak Italian fluently, and it ing more to the constant practice she had every day with my cousin Jeanneton, who acted as her maid, than to the lessons of Professor de la Haye The lessons only taught her the rules, and practice is necessary to acquire a language I have experienced itthe too short period that I spent so happily withHenriette than in all the lessons I had taken from Dalacqua
We had attended the opera twenty ti any acquaintance, and our life was indeed supremely happy I never went out without Henriette, and always in a carriage; we never received anyone, and nobody knew us Dubois was the only person, since the departure of the good Hungarian, who sometimes dined with us; I do not reckon De la Haye, as a daily guest at our table Dubois felt great curiosity about us, but he was cunning and did not shew his curiosity; ere reserved without affectation, and his inquisitiveness was at fault One day he mentioned to us that the court of the Infante of Parma was very brilliant since the arrival of Madaners of both sexes in the city Then, turning towards Henriette, he said to her;
”Most of the foreign ladies e have here are unknown to us”
”Very likely, many of them would not shew themselves if they were known”
”Very likely, madam, as you say, but I can assure you that, even if their beauty and the richness of their toilet ns wish for freedom I still hope,you at the court of the duke”
”I do not think so, for, in o to the court without being presented, particularly if she has a right to be so”