Volume III Part 25 (1/2)
It was now the beginning of the year 1758, and five years before, when I was at Padua, I fell in love with the eldest daughter, but a few ht good to exclude me from her family circle The insult which the hter, roteletter, which I love to read even now I rief was the easier to bear as my time was taken up by my fair nun, M---- M----, and h only fifteen, was of a perfect beauty, and was all the es she joined those of a culturedof Prussia's cha nobles were aiven to the heir of the family of Memmo de St
Marcuola He died a year afterwards, while he was procurator
My surprise at seeing this fained Mdlle X C V saw n to me with her fan to come to their box
She receivedme that ere not at Venice now, and that she hoped I would often cone,” in the Rue St Andre des Arts I told theht have happened at Venice, and her daughter having joined her entreaties to those of her mother, I promised to accept their invitation
Mdlle X C V struckfor five years, awoke to fresh strength and vigour They toldto pass sixto Venice In return I infor Paristo Versailles the next day, so that I could not pay ed them to accept my services, in a manner which let them knoas a person of some importance
Mdlle X C V said that she are that the results of my Dutch mission should render me dear to France, that she had always lived in hopes of seeing hted them; ”for,” she added, ”we have always been fond of you”
”I fancy your mother has kept her fondness for me very much to herself,”
I whispered to her
”We won't say anything about that,” said she in the same tone ”We learnt all the circues you wrote to M Memmo We trembled with joy and shuddered with fear as we read it”
”How did you know I have been in Holland?”
”M de la Popeliniere told us about it yesterday”
M de la Popeliniere, the fero at Passi, came into the box just as his na h the same operation for the India Company my fortune would be et yourself naturalized before it becoenerally known that you have made half a million of money”
”Half a million! I only wish I had!”
”You must have made that at the lowest calculation”
”On the contrary, I give you e is not allowed, the transaction will prove absolutely ruinous to ht to take that tone Meanwhile, everyone wants to make your acquaintance, for France is deeply indebted to you You have caused the funds to recover in a very ree”
After the play was over I went to Silvia's, where I was received as if I had been the favourite child of the faave theht I was impressed with the idea that to their unshaken friendshi+p I owed all hter, and the two sons, receive the presents I had got for thehter It was a pair of diaiven fifteen thousand francs Three days after I sent her a box containing fine linen from Holland, and choice Mechlin and Alencon lace Mario, who liked sold and enaer son, of whom I was very fond I shall have occasion later on to speak of this lad, whose natural qualities were far superior to his position in life But, you will ask, was I rich enough to make such presents? No, I was not, and I knew it perfectly well; but I gave these presents because I was afraid of not being able to do so if I waited
I set out for Versailles at day-break, and M de Choiseul receiveddressed, but for a moment he laid down his pen, which shewed that I had becoht but grateful cootiating a loan of a hundred millions to bear interest at four per cent, he would do all in his power to help me My ansas that I would think it over when I heard how much I was to have for what I had done already
”But everybody says that you have made two hundred thousand florins by it”
”That would not be so bad; half a million of francs would be a fair foundation on which to build a fortune; but I can assure your excellence that there is not a word of truth in the report I defy anyone to prove it; and till some substantial proof is offered, I think I can lay claieneral and state your views to hine stopped the occupation on which he was engaged to give , but when I said that he owed me a hundred thousand florins he smiled sardonically
”I happen to know,” he said, ”that you have bills of exchange to the amount of a hundred thousand crowns payable to yourself”
”Certainly, but that money has no connection withyou to M d'Afri I have inthe revenue by twenty millions, in a manner which will cause no irritation”