Volume II Part 76 (1/2)
Thus furnished with ample funds, my first care was for my dress; and this done I went to work, and in a week senthim permission to have as many copies printed as he liked, and to make any use he pleased of it to interest in ht be of service to me
Three weeks after, the minister summoned me to say that he had spoken ofto say againsthimself with the State Inquisitors declined to receivefrom him--his refusal did iven a copy of my history to Madame la Marquise de Pompadour, and he pro me to this all-powerful lady ”You can present yourself, my dear Casanova,” added his excellence, ”to the Duc de Choiseul, and M de Boulogne, the comptroller You will be well received, and with a little wit you ought to be able to ive you the cue, and you will see that he who listens obtains Try to invent some useful plan for the royal exchequer; don't let it be complicated or chith I will give you my opinion on it”
I left the ratefulthe royal revenue I knew nothing of finance, and after racking my brains all that I could think of was new methods of taxation; but all my plans were either absurd or certain to be unpopular, and I rejected them all on consideration
As soon as I found out that M de Choiseul was in Paris I called on hi while his valet did his hair He stretched his politeness so far as to interrupt hian to reply his grace began to write again, and I suspect did not hear what I was saying; and though now and again he see at hts were occupied on different objects In spite of this way of receiving visitors--or me, at all events, M de Choiseul was ahe said in Italian that M de Bernis had told him of some circumstances of my escape, and he added,
”Tella story; it would take race seems busy”
”Tell me briefly about it”
”However much I speak to the point, I shall take two hours”
”You can keep the details for another time”
”The story is devoid of interest without the details”
”Well, well, you can tellood; after that I can say no more I must tell your lordshi+p, then, that, the State Inquisitors shut me up under the Leads; that after fifteenthe roof; that after many difficulties I reached the chancery by a , and broke open the door; afterwards I got to St Mark's Place, whence, taking a gondola which bore me to the mainland, I arrived at Paris, and have had the honour to pay my duty to your lordshi+p”
”But what are The Leads?”
”My lord, I should take a quarter of an hour, at least, to explain”
”How did you pierce the roof?”
”I could not tell your lordshi+p in less than half an hour:”
”Why were you shut up?”
”It would be a long tale, ht The interest of the story lies chiefly in the details”
”I took the liberty of saying as o to Versailles, but I shall be delighted if you will come and see me sometimes In the meanwhile, M Casanova, think what I can do for you”
I had been almost offended at the way in which M de Choiseul had received me, and I was inclined to resent it; but the end of our conversation, and above all the kindly tone of his last words, quieted me, and I left him, if not satisfied, at least without bitterness in ne's, and found him a man of quite a different stamp to the duke--in reat politeness, and began by coh place I enjoyed in the opinion of M de Bernis, and on my skill in matters of finance
I felt that no compliment had been so ill deserved, and I could hardly help bursting into laughter My good angel, however, ne had an old enius, and who inspired me with respect
”Give me your views;” said the comptroller, ”either on paper or 'viva voce' You will find rasp your ideas