Volume III Part 25 (2/2)
”You don't say so! Coet you a pension of a hundred thousand francs, and letters of nobility as well, if you like to become a French M de Boulogne I went to the Palace, where a ballet was going on before the Marquise de Pompadour
She bowed toher she told entlemen below”
could not appreciate ht years before in the theatre at Fontainebleau I replied that all good gifts were from above, whither, with her help, I hoped to attain
On my return to Paris I went to the ”Hotel Bourbon” to inform my patron of the result of my journey His advice to ood fortune would co with the X C V's, he said that M de la Popeliniere was going to ot to my house reat lady had come to call onthat this was Mada ht me a letter It came from the old attorney, uncle to Gaetan's wife, whom I had helped to escape froed me to come and speak to him at the courts, or to make an appointment at some place where he could see me I went to the courts and found hied to go into a convent; and froainst her husband, with the aid of a barrister, ill be responsible for the costs However, to win our case, we require the evidence of yourself, Count Tiretta, and other servants itnessed the scene at the inn”
I did all I could, and four months afterwards Gaetan sied him to leave France: in due tiand pretty, she paid her counsel in love's money, and was very happy with him, and may be happy still for all I know, but I have entirely lost sight of her
After my intervieith the old attorney I went to Madame---- to see Tiretta, as out Madame was still in love with him, and he continued to make a virtue of necessity I left ne” to pay h she was not over fond of reat politeness I possibly cut a better figure in her eyes when rich, and at Paris, then ere in Venice We all know that diae power of fascination, and that they form an excellent substitute for virtue!
Madame X C V had with her an old Greek naadin's major-domo, as just dead I uttered some expressions of sympathy, and the boor did not take the trouble to answer ed for his foolish stiffness by the enthusiasirl, her sisters, and the two sons, almost overwhelmed me with friendliness The eldest son was only fourteen, and was a young fellow of charhed for the time when he would be able to devote hiacy for which he ell fitted
Mdlle X C V was both beautiful and char in her manner, and had received an excellent education of which, however, she made no parade
One could not stay in her presence without loving her, but she was no flirt, and I soon saw that she held out no vain hopes to those who had therude she kne to be cold, and it was all the worse for those whom her coldness did not shew that their quest was useless
The first hour I passed in her company chained me a captive to her triulad to have such a captive She took the place in ned a week before, but I freely confess that Esther yielded only because she ay As to hter, it was of such a nature as not to hinderin love with any other woman who chanced to take my fancy In the libertine's heart love cannot exist without substantial food, and women who have had some experience of the world are well aware of this fact The youthful Baletti was a beginner, and so knew nothing of these things
M Farsetti, a Venetian of noble birth, a knight of Malta, a great student of the occult sciences, and a good Latin versifier, came in at one o'clock Dinner was just ready and Madaed him to stay She askedto dine with Madame d'Urfe I refused the invitation for the nonce
M Farsetti, who had known lance, and without shewing any vexation I paid him back in the sae She noticed his expression, and as if to punish him for it went on to say that I had now the admiration of every Venetian, and that the French were anxious to have the honour of calling me a fellow-citizen M
Farsetti asked me if my post at the lottery paid well I replied, coolly,
”Oh, yes, well enough for me to pay my clerks' salaries”
He understood the drift of my reply, and Mdlle X C V smiled
I found my supposed son with Madame d'Urfe, or rather in that aize for carrying hi no other course to take
”I ed to deprive e for the future, unless he prorand one, and the little fellow, in spite of his blushes, begged her to say how he had offended
”We shall have the Comte de St Germain,” said Madame d'Urfe, ”to dinner I know he amuses you, and I like you to enjoy yourself in my house”
”For that, madam, your presence is all I need; nevertheless, I thank you for considering me”
In due course St Germain arrived, and in his usual manner sat himself down, not to eat but to talk With a face of iravity he told the most incredible stories, which one had to pretend to believe, as he was always either the hero of the tale or an eye witness of the event All the sahter when he told us of so with the Fathers of the Council of Trent
Madanet She said that it would one day happen that this , and that she would consequently soar into the sun I longed to tell her that when, she got there she could be no higher up than on the earth, but I restrained reat charlatan hastened to say that there could be no doubt about it, and that he, and he only, could increase the force of the er twenty thousand crowns he would not so much as double its force, but Madame d'Urfe would not let us bet, and after dinner she told me in private that I should have lost, as St Gerreed with her