Volume III Part 50 (2/2)

”For five or six days, if your highness will allowas you like, and you may clap when you please”

”I shall profit by your perain, and the whole audience settled down to the play Soon after, an actor sung an air which the duke applauded, and of course all the courtiers, but not caringI sat still--everyone to his taste After the ballet the duke went to the favourite's box, kissed her hand, and left the theatre An official, as sitting by me and did not know that I was acquainted with the Gardella, toldto the prince Ihis favourite's hand

I felt a strong inclination to laugh, but I restrained myself; and a sudden and very irrational impulse made me say that she was a relation of mine The words had no sooner escaped me than I bit my lip, for this stupid lie could only do art but commit blunders The officer, who seemed astonished at my reply, bowed and went to the favourite's box to inform her of my presence The Gardelia looked in my direction and beckoned to me with her fan, and I hastened to co inwardly at the part I was going to play As soon as I ca her my cousin

”Did you tell the duke you were ood, then I will do so myself; come and dine with me to-morrow”

She then left the house, and I went to visit the ballet-girls, ere undressing: The Binetti, as one of the oldest ofme, and asked me to dine with her every day Cartz, the violin, who had been with me in the orchestra at St Sa,

”She is not aze on, and he shall never have her”

The good ot possession of her a short ties of affection could not fix the inconstant prince Nevertheless, she was a girl of thekind, for to the oodness, and kindness, which won everyone's heart

But the duke was satiated, and his only pleasure lay in novelty

After her I saw the Vulcani, whom I had known at Dresden, and who suddenly presented her husband to me He threw his arms round my neck

He was Baletti, brother of reat talent of whom I was very fond

I was surrounded by all these friends, when the officer whom I had so foolishly told that I was related to the Gardella ca it, said to him,

”It's a lie”

”But my dear,” said I to her, ”you can't be better infor, but Cartz said, very wittily,

”As Gardella is only a boathtly, that you ought to have given her the refusal of your cousinshi+p”

Next day I had a pleasant dinner with the favourite, though she toldseen the duke, she could not tell me hoould take my pleasantry, which her mother resented very much This mother of hers, a wohter was a prince's ht my relationshi+p a blot on their escutcheon She had the impudence to tell me that her relations had never been players, without reflecting that it must be worse to descend to this estate than to rise froht to have pitied her, but not being of a forbearing nature I retorted by asking if her sister was still alive, a question which ave no answer The sister I spoke of was a fat blind wo spent a pleasant day with the favourite, as the oldest ofto co out the porter bade ain, but would not say on whose authority he gave ue, as this stroke hter, whose vanity I had wounded: she was a good-enough actress to conceal her anger

I was angry with myself, and went away in an ill humour; I was humiliated to see myself treated in such a h if I had been ot a welcome in the best society If I had not promised to dine with Binetti the next day I should have posted off forthwith, and I should thus have escaped all the misadventures which befell me in that wretched town

The Binetti lived in the house of her lover, the Austrian ambassador, and the part of the house she occupied adjoined the toall As will be seen; this detail is an iood fellow-countrywoman, and if I had felt myself capable of love at that period all my old affection would have resumed its sway over me, as her beauty was undie of the world than when I knew her forood-natured, easygoing, and generous man; as for her husband he was not worthy of her, and she never saw hi of our old friends, and as I had nothing to keepI decided to leave in two days, as I had proo with the We were to start at five in theadventure befell reeted very courteously by three officers whom I had beco the pro,” said one of thelad to have you of our company”

”I only speak a feords of German,” I answered, ”and if I join you I shall be bored”

”Ah! but the ladies are Italians,” they exclai could suit you better”