Volume II Part 16 (1/2)
”Oh! that is one of those things which can easily be ascertained I see you are a foreigner, sir”
”You are right”
But I was delighted at the French opera, with the rapidity of the scenic changes which are done like lightning, at the signal of a whistle--a thing entirely unknown in Italy I likewise adiven to the orchestra by the baton of the leader, but he disgusted ht and left, as if he thought that he could give life to all the instruments by the mere motion of his ar truly wonderful to an Italian, for it is with great reason that people coing, and ridicule the silence which prevails through the house as soon as the dancers ine that all the intelligence of the Italians is in their eyes At the same time I must observe that there is not one country in the world in which extravagance and whiner can make comparisons hat he has seen elsewhere, whilst the natives are not conscious of their errors Altogether the opera pleased me, but the French comedy captivated me There the French are truly in their element; they perform splendidly, in a masterly ood taste and justicethere every day, and although sometimes the audience was not composed of two hundred persons, the actors were perfect I have seen 'Le Misanthrope', 'L'Avare', 'Tartufe', 'Le Joueur', 'Le Glorieux', and many other comedies; and, no matter how often I saw them I always fancied it was the first tieville, La Dumesnil, La Gaussin, La Clairon, Preville, and several actresses who, having retired fro their circle of friends I st others, the acquaintance of the celebrated Le Vasseur I visited them all with pleasure, and they related to enerallyin the box of Le Vasseur, the perforedy in which a very handsome actress had the part of a dumb priestess
”How pretty she is!” I said
”Yes, charhter of the actor who plays the confidant She is very pleasant in coood promise”
”I should be very happy to make her acquaintance”
”Oh! well; that is not difficult Her father and hted if you ask them to invite you to supper They will not disturb you; they will go to bed early, and will let you talk with their daughter as long as you please You are in France, sir; here we know the value of life, and try to make the best of it We love pleasure, and esteem ourselves fortunate e can find the opportunity of enjoying life”
”That is truly char, madam; but how could I be so bold as to invite myself to supper orthy persons whoe of ? We know everybody You see how I treat you myself After the performance, I shall be happy to introduce you, and the acquaintance will be made at once”
”I certainly must ask you to do me that honour, but another time”
”Whenever you like”
CHAPTER VII
My Blunders in the French Language, My Success, My Numerous Acquaintances--Louis XV--My Brother Arrives in Paris
All the Italian actors in Paris insisted upon entertaining nificence, and they all did it in a sumptuous style
Carlin Bertinazzi who played Harlequin, and was a great favourite of the Parisians, reminded me that he had already seen me thirteen years before in Padua, at the ti with my mother He offered me an excellent dinner at the house of Madaed That lady was in love with hi children whom I saw in the house
Her husband, as present, said to me;
”They are M Carlin's children”
”That o by your nae you as their father”
”Yes, I should be so legally; but M Carlin is too honest a man not to assuet rid of the to him, and my ould be the first to complain if he ever denied it”
The ood, easy fellow, far from it; but he took the matter in a philosophical way, and spoke of it with calnity He was attached to Carlin by a wars were then very cost people of a certain class Two noblee of each other's wives, and each had children by the other's wife The young Boufflers were called Luxe were called Boufflers The descendants of those tiercelets are even non in France under those names Well, those ere in the secret of that dohed, as aaccording to the laws of gravitation
The most wealthy of the Italian comedians in Paris was Pantaloon, the father of Coraline and Camille, and a well-known usurer He also invited hted with his two daughters
The eldest, Coraline, was kept by the Prince of Monaco, son of the Duke of Valentinois, as still alive; and Camille was enamoured of the Count of Melfort, the favourite of the duchess of Chartres, who had just become duchess of Orleans by the death of her father-in-law