Volume II Part 19 (1/2)
But the man whom she really wished to marry was Count Saint Siiven hi her birth The Preati fae of her, as a matter of course, and M de Saint Simon, who, in spite of all his love, had not entirely lost his senses, had the courage to abandon her Altogether, Paris did not prove an 'el dorado' for e her diamonds, and to leave them behind her After her return to Venice she married the son of the Uccelli, who sixteen years before had taken her out of her poverty She died ten years ago
I was still taking ood old Crebillon; yet my style, which was full of Italianisms, often expressed the very reverse of what I enerally my 'quid pro quos' only resulted in curious jokes which ibberish did me no harm on the score of wit: on the contrary, it procured me fine acquaintances
Several ladies of the best society beggedthat it would afford thee I alon more than they did
Mada; she was still in bed, and told me that she did not feel disposed to have a lesson, because she had takenan Italian idiom, I asked her, with an air of deep interest, whether she had well 'decharge'?
”Sir, what a question! You are unbearable”
I repeated ain
”Never utter that dreadful word”
”You are wrong in getting angry; it is the proper word”
”A very dirty word, sir, but enough about it Will you have some breakfast?”
”No, I thank you I have taken a 'cafe' and two 'Savoyards'”
”Dear me! What a ferocious breakfast! Pray, explain yourself”
”I say that I have drunk a cafe and eaten two Savoyards soaked in it, and that is what I do every ood friend A cafe is the establishht to say that you have drunk 'use tasse de cafe'”
”Good indeed! Do you drink the cup? In Italy we say a 'caffs', and we are not foolish enough to suppose that it means the coffee-house”
”He will have the best of it! And the two 'Savoyards', how did you s theer than these on your table”
”And you call these 'Savoyards'? Say biscuits”
”In Italy, we call them 'Savoyards' because they were first invented in Savoy; and it is not ined that I had so of the porters to be found at the corner of the streets--big fellohoh very often they have never been in Savoy”
Her husband ca the whole of our conversation He laughed heartily, but he said I was right Her niece arrived a few e, reserved, iven her five or six lessons in Italian, and as she was very fond of that language and studied diligently she was beginning to speak
Wishi+ng to pay nore, sono in cantata di vi Vader in bona salute'”
”I thank you, mademoiselle; but to translate 'I am enchanted', you must say 'ho pacer', and for to see you, you ht, sir, that the 'vi' was to be placed before”
”No, mademoiselle, ays put it behind”
Monsieur and Mada lady was confused, and I in despair at having uttered such a gross absurdity; but it could not be helped I took a book sulkily, in the hope of putting a stop to their mirth, but it was of no use: it lasted a week That uncouth blunder soon got known throughout Paris, and gave me a sort of reputation which I lost little by little, but only when I understood the double s of words better Crebillon was ht to have said after instead of behind Ah! why have not all languages the sahed at e a some of their idioentlereat honour, sir”