Volume II Part 8 (2/2)
Whilst De la Haye was every day gaining greater influence overmass, sermons, and every office of the Church, I received fro the pleasant information that my affair had followed its natural course, naotten; and in another letter M de Bragadin informed me that the minister had written to the Venetian ambassador in Rome with instructions to assure the Holy Father that Baron Bavois would, immediately after his arrival in Venice, receive in the army of the Republic an appointain a high position by his talents
That letter overcame M de la Haye with joy, and I co hinderedback to o to Modena in order to explain to his pupil hoas to act in Venice to open for himself the way to a brilliant fortune De la Haye depended on me in every way; he saw my fanaticises as long as the causes fro with me to Venice, he flattered hihted Therefore he wrote to Bavois that he would join hi abundantly, praising highly the virtues ofreat affection for me had been caused by the mark of election which he had seen onand election were sure
A few days after the departure of De la Haye, I left Pare hich I parted in Fusina, and from there I proceeded to Venice After an absence of a year, uardian angel They expressed their impatience to welcome the two saints announced by my letters An apartadin, and as state reasons did not allow ner who had not yet entered the service of the Republic, two roohbourhood
They were thoroughly ae which had taken place inand at the other services, never shewingonly a certain cafe which was the place of ed piety and reserve, and always studying when I was not in their co with the former one, they marvelled, and they could not sufficiently thank the eternal providence of God whose inconceivable ways they admired
They blessed the criminal actions which had compelled me to reht by paying all adin, who, not having given ether every month the sum he had allowed me I need not say how pleased the worthy friends were, when they saw that I had entirely given up ga of May He announced that he was on the eve of starting with the son so dear to his heart, and that he would soon place himself at the disposition of the respectablethe hour at which the barge arrived froadin, as engaged at the senate We returned to the palace before hiave his new guests the most friendly welcos, but I scarcely heard what he said, so much was my attention taken up by Bavois He was so different to what I had fancied him to be from the impression I had received froether upset I had to study him; for three days before I could ive his portrait toman of about twenty-five, of middle size, handsome in features, wellwell and with intelligence, and uttering his words with a tone of ular and pleasing, his teeth were beautiful, his hair was long and fine, alell taken care of, and exhaling the perfume of the pomatum hich it was dressed That individual, as the exact opposite of the ine, surprised reatly, but their welcome did not in any way betray their astonishood opinion they had formed of his morals As soon as we had established De la Haye in his beautiful aparted for hie had been sent by my orders He found hi received with distinction by his worthy host, as already greatly prejudiced in his favour, the young baron eratitude, and assuringhim, as De la Haye had informed him of all that had occurred I pretended not to understand what he was alluding to, and to change the subject of conversation I asked him how he intended to occupy his tiave him serious duties to perform ”I trust,” he answered, ”that we shall enjoy ourselves in an agreeable way, for I have no doubt that our inclinations are the same”
Mercury and De la Haye had so completely besottedthese words, however intelligible they were; but if I did not go any further than the outward signification of his answer, I could not help rehters of the house They were neither pretty nor ugly, but he shewed hiracious towards them like a man who understands his business I had, however, already ress in my mystical education, that I considered the coirls as mere for baron only to the St Mark's Square and to the cafe, where we reed that he would take his meals with us At the supper-table he shewed himself very witty, and M Dandolo named an hour for the next day, when he intended to present hi I accoirls were delighted because the young Swiss nobleman had no servant, and because they hoped to convince him that he would not require one
The next day, a little earlier than the time appointed, I called upon him with M Dandolo and M Barbaro, ere both to present him at the war office We found hiirl, as dressing his hair His roorant with the perfumes of his pomatums and scents This did not indicate a sainted h their astonishment was very evident, for they had not expected that show of gallantry froh, when I heard M Dandolo remark that, unless we hurried, ould not have time to hear mass, whereupon Bavois enquired whether it was a festival M Dandolo, without passing any reain mentioned When Bavois was ready, I left theain at dinner-ti baron by the secretary was discussed, and in the evening my friends introduced him to several ladies ere much pleased with him In less than a week he was so well known that there was no fear of his ti wearily on his hands, but that as likewise enough to giveI should not have required such a long study, if I had not at first begun on a wrong scent, or rather if ence had not been stultified by a, of every luxury, and, as he was poor, women supplied hiious faith he had none, and as he was no hypocrite he confessed as much to me
”How have you contrived,” I said to him one day, ”such as you are, to deceive De la Haye?”
”God forbid I should deceive anyone De la Haye is perfectly well aware of ioushimself very devout, he entertains a holy sympathy for my soul, and I do not object to it He has bestowed rateful to hireater because he never teasesmy salvation, of which I have no doubt that God, in His fatherly goodness, will take care All this is settled between De la Haye and me, and we live on the best of terms:”
The best part of the joke is that, while I was studying hiinal state, and I was ashamed of myself when I realized that I had been the dupe of a Jesuit as an arrant hypocrite, in spite of the character of holiness which he assumed, and which he could play with such ain into all my former practices But let us return to De la Haye
That late Jesuit, who in his in but his own coer caring for the fair sex, was exactly the sort of man to please my simpleminded trio of friends As he never spoke to thelory, and as he was always accohtful coed for the tiined he was at the very least a Rosicrucian, or perhaps the herht me the cabalistic science and rieved because the oracle had forbidden theh my cabalistic lips, ever to mention my science in the presence of Tartufe
As I had foreseen, that interdiction left me to enjoy as I pleased all the time that I would have been called upon to devote to their devout credulity, and besides, I was naturally afraid lest De la Haye, such as I truly believed hi nonsense, and would, for the sake of deserving greater favour at their hands, endeavour to undeceive them and to take my place in their confidence
I soon found out that I had acted with prudence, for in less than three weeks the cunning fox had obtained so great an influence over the h, not only to believe that he did not want me any more to support his credit with them, but likewise that he could supplant me whenever he chose I could see it clearly in his way of addressing s
He was beginning to hold with my friends frequent conversations to which I was not summoned, and he had contrived to make them introduce hi He assuh with honeyed word he would take the liberty of censuring ht out, and, as he would say, ”God knohere!”
I was particularly vexed at his see his pupil astray He then would assuly, but I was not deceived I thought it was tiame, and with that intention I paid him a visit in his bedroom When I was seated, I said,
”I come, as a true worshi+pper of the Gospel, to tell you in private so that, another time, I would say in public”
”What is it, my dear friend?”